A friend of mine recently asked me how I record podcasts for my blog. Here are the steps:

1. On your Mac… you will need Garageband. Most new Macs come with it.
2. Get Skype for free at http://skype.com
3. Purchase a package of Call Out minutes from Skype; enough to cover the time you will be podcasting.
4. Purchase Call Recorder for Skype from Ecamm at http://www.ecamm.com/mac/callrecorder/
5. Get a set of USB headphones from your local Best Buy. I recommend Logitech’s Clearchat Pro USB for a good mix of quality and cost.
6. Hook it all up and you are ready to record your first podcast.
7. Write a script so that you don’t ramble, keep it tight, and as short as possible.
8. Give your interviewee a call, and explain that you are about to record a podcast.
9. Explain the interview to your candidate so there are no surprises, get them ready, wait a few seconds for an edit break, and begin the interview.
10. When complete, thank your candidate, and let them know when you anticipate having the podcast up and live.
11. Locate the recorded file, and drop it into a new Podcast in your Garageband.
12. Add a stinger soundbite to the start and finish, add a recorded intro, and then Export the file.
13. Make sure you have the Audio Player plugin installed on your Wordpress blog.
14. Save the file to your Audio folder in your Wordpress folder on your server.
15. Create a new post and reference the new file.

It sounds like a lot of steps, but it’s not that hard. I can typically create a podcast from scratch in less than an hour unless there is a lot of research or special circumstances.