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More and more people are subscribing to, and listening to, podcasts. Whether you're interested in current affairs, old-time radio shows, comedy skits, music, or technology news, there's a podcast for you.

And with the demand for more podcasts comes a need to learn how to make a podcast. Everybody knows it takes tons of money and a lot of experienced people to make a radio broadcast, and while some podcasts are big-budget productions, the truth is...

...most podcasts are created by a single person sitting in front of a computer in their own home. How to make a podcast is not rocket science, and once you've been given the formula, you'll know how to create a podcast -- in just 5 easy steps!

1. Hardware - Other than your computer, the only piece of hardware you need is a microphone. And while spending hundreds of dollars for a pro-quality microphone will probably help with your sound quality, there are a lot of mics in the $30-$60 range that are more than adequate for creating a podcast. Some computers come with a built-in microphone, but use an external mic if at all possible -- your sound will be much better.

2. Software - Just about the only software you have to have is an audio recording program. There are a lot of commercial options available, but there's an open source (which means free) program that works with Windows, Linux, and Macintosh, and is very good for creating your podcast. It's called Audacity and can be found at http://audacity.sourceforge.net

3. Your Topic - If you're going to create a podcast you need a topic, of course. You can choose one based on the reason you want to do a podcast. If it's to make money, or drive traffic to your web site, etc., then you'll make your decision based on business reasons. However, if you want to learn how to make a podcast about something you're passionate -- perhaps a hobby -- then that will drive your decision.

4. Content - Now that you have the hardware and software to create a podcast, and you know the topic, what do you talk about? Some people talk off the top of their head about their topic, but a lot of people feel a podcast sounds more professional when there's at least some sort of scripting. You can usually find content for your podcast by using the search engines, or, one of my favroites, using private label rights articles as the content for your podcast. With PLR content so widespread, finding the content will be the easiest step in how to make a podcast.

5. Publishing and Promoting - Your podcast has been recorded, now how do you get it in the hands of people who want to listen to it? The best way to do that is to get it into the iTunes Music Store. There are other podcast directories available, but the "big cheese" is iTunes. And the best part is, getting your podcast into iTunes is as easy as filling in a few blank spots and clicking a button. Once your podcast is in iTunes, you could have thousands of people subscribing.

How to make a podcast doesn't have to be hard, but it can be a bit intimidating to someone who's never ventured into this type of production. The best advice is to take it one piece at a time and just start making your own podcasts. You may even make some that only the cat hears -- but each time you give it a shot you'll be gaining confidence and experience.

If you have a passion about a topic, or if you have business needs for extra web site traffic, a podcast may be the solution for you.