When I first started my podcast, Womenpreneur Asia, I had no idea just how many tools and platforms I’d eventually end up using. Producing a podcast involves more than just hitting “record” and uploading the audio.
There’s editing, visuals, marketing, and of course, managing the hosting and distribution.
Since October 2020, I’ve tried and tested different tools and I now have a solid workflow with software that I genuinely love and trust.
If you’re planning to become a podcaster just like me — here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the tools I use to keep my podcast running smoothly.
🎙 Recording Interviews: Streamyard
All of my podcast interviews are done virtually because I interview Asian women in business from all parts of Asia and for that, I use Streamyard. It’s user-friendly and reliable and I love how easy it is for my guests to join—no software download required.
It’s a lot “cleaner” in terms of interface and I stumbled upon this software during the pandemic year because I wanted to create Facebook live streams and this was the easiest way for me to go live and stream to Facebook.
One of the newer features I’ve been enjoying is Streamyard’s AI-generated clips. Once I have recorded an interview, the software automatically finds quotable moments and creates short clips from my recordings with a click of a button.
This has saved me tons of time and helped me promote episodes more effectively across social media. I look back with horror at the early days of podcasting when I had to create clips manually!
✂️ Editing Episodes: Descript
After recording, I turn to Descript for editing. I can’t rave enough about this software. Descript transcribes the audio and allows me to edit audio like I’m editing a Word doc. If I want to remove a filler word or an awkward pause, I just highlight and delete it. (And I am brutal when it comes to editing.)
Bonus: Descript also helps me clean up the audio quality with its “Studio Sound” feature and removes background noise with ease. To be honest, I don’t use much of Studio Sound as it makes me sound more muffled, like I am having a head cold. I prefer having my voice and my guest’s voice crisp and clear. And the biggest life-saver? It records locally too so if my Internet is spotty, my recording still comes out beautifully.
Before I discovered Descript, I was using another editing software which was clunky and difficult. For the record, I didn’t like editing in GarageBand either (although it came free with my Mac). As I am a fast reader, working with text in the editing mode helps me edit so much faster than listening to edit.
📢 Creating Episode Clips: Headliner
While Streamyard creates clips, I still use Headliner when I want a bit more customization or if I want to turn a specific audio snippet into a visually appealing audiogram for Instagram or LinkedIn. It’s also great for making waveforms and adding subtitles to video snippets. This was a life-saver when Streamyard wasn’t yet offering its AI clip generation feature. Now, Descript offers even more features like the ability to generate clips (as Youtube Shorts, for example) from my video recordings which means more content repurposing!
🎨 Designing Visuals: Canva
For all the graphics—podcast cover art, quote cards, episode announcements and carousels—I use Canva. Canva has become my go-to design tool because of how intuitive it is, and I can maintain consistent branding across all visuals without hiring a designer.
I’ve even created templates so I can update each new episode’s promo material in just a few clicks. Yes, I subscribe to the Pro version of Canva because I want to support the business. I don’t have to but I want to.
📡 Hosting the Podcast: Podcast.co
All my podcast episodes are hosted on Podcast.co. It’s where I upload each episode and manage the distribution to major platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. The interface is clean, the analytics are helpful and it integrates smoothly with my website. And again, yes I subscribe to this service. I know a lot of podcasters host their podcasts for free on other platforms but I like having control over my content.
Here’s A Resource To Simplify Everything
Podcasting might seem overwhelming when you’re starting but the right tools make all the difference. I’ve found this combination works beautifully for me—balancing quality, ease of use and affordability.
If you’re a fellow podcaster or thinking of launching your own show, I hope this behind-the-scenes look at my toolkit helps you figure out your own flow.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. I share a lot more in my ebook, Podcasting Power so do check it out if you’re interested in starting your own show this year.
Instantly downloadable, it’s packed with everything you need to understand podcasting fundamentals and set yourself up for success. Here’s what you’ll get:
Podcast Starter Checklist – Your essential guide to gathering everything you need.
Podcast Action Planner – A step-by-step planner to organize your ideas and stay on track.
Strategy Add On: Want to dive deeper into my podcasting strategy? Grab my other ebook – only available when you get Podcasting Power – where I outline the thinking behind my podcast.