3 Ways to Improve Editing Your Podcast Episodes

Let’s face it, you probably didn’t get into podcasting for your love of editing. It is, however, one way to transform a good podcast into a great one. You don’t need to be a technical wizard or have limitless time available either. There are ways to edit your podcast that are quick and simple but make a world of difference to your listeners.

With an increasing number of free, user-friendly tools available, editing your audio is getting much easier (and less annoying). In this article we look at 3 options you should consider before putting your producer hat on and adding the finishing touches to your podcast.

✴ 1. Use separate Audio Tracks

While using a single track is more straightforward, separate audio tracks are an extremely useful tool when it comes time to edit. If you record the entirety of your episode on one track, then you’re limiting how much you can change later on. Recording each person on a separate track gives you far more freedom, especially when one of your guests is repeatedly coughing from a cold or your dog decides to speak up mid-way through your episode.

Having separate audio tracks makes editing out small audio imperfections a lot easier. You can remove or silence the sound from that person’s track without affecting any of the others. If you’re recording everything on one track, however, you’ll need some advanced editing skills to get rid of the noise. You’re more likely to end up with lower-quality audio overall as a result.

✴ Get rid of overlapping audio

Separate tracks also make it much easier to edit people talking over each other. When this happens, the content of the podcast can be very difficult to follow. If you’re using separate tracks for each person involved, then you’ve got the option to remove overlapping speech. As long as you’re not taking out relevant parts of the conversation, this can greatly improve the clarity of your episode.

✴ 2. Determine What to Edit

There are different ways to edit your podcast that may change from episode to episode depending on style and tone. For example, a comical show might choose to incorporate a guest’s blunder, where a serious discussion format would probably decide to edit it out. Some methods for editing your podcast include:

✴ Omit sections entirely

Unless you’re an absolute ninja with those ‘record’ and ‘stop’ buttons while being flawless in your delivery, you’ll want to trim parts of your podcast episodes. This allows you to get rid of any poor takes before, during, or after you have spoken.

Just like movies and TV shows, it’s fine to remove sizeable chunks of your recording if they’re not going to add to the finished product. Keep in mind that your listener’s time is precious and rambling that doesn’t add value will lead to a loss in trust with your audience in the long run. Just make sure the context of the discussion is still clear after you’re finished trimming the fat.

✴ Lose the interruptions

Interruptions are a part of life for podcasters. Chances are you’ve had someone’s phone ringing, a dog barking, or the connection cut out at some point. If you haven’t, it’s just a matter of time. Unless an incident serves a purpose - for example, comedic effect - then editing it out generally makes for a smoother listen.

✴ Awkward silences

Short pauses are a natural part of conversation, but overly long silences might lead to your listeners’ minds wandering. Unless they add something to the discussion, it’s probably better to cut out any excessive pauses. As a little tip, long pauses are much more helpful than “ums” and other filler words when it comes to editing later on. When recording, get used to silence knowing that you have the ability to clean it up in post.

✴ Clear up mistakes

Every podcast has its own style, but generally, you don’t want to remove every slight mishap that occurs when recording your podcast. If someone jumbles what they want to say but corrects themselves quickly, you can leave it in. It is best practice though to clear up any inaccuracies with factual information. In cases where a guest completely gets their stats wrong, some choice editing might be a wise move or a clarification at the end of the episode is appropriate too.

✴ 3. Utilize Editing Apps and Tools

There are lots of podcast editing apps and tools available to help you get your episodes in shape. Here are a few of the most popular ones to consider:

✴ Audacity

Audacity provides you with everything you need to create a podcast. From recording to editing to publishing, this app has it all in one place. It’s open-source, so whether you’re on a Mac, Windows, you can download Audacity for free. Editing tools include the option to remove unwanted noises from your recordings.

✴ Adobe Audition

If you’re looking for something more sophisticated, then Adobe Audition might be more up your alley. Its vast array of features allows you to turn out professional-quality podcast episodes. With a high level of quality, you will expect to pay though. You’ll also need to be familiar with podcast editing basics if you want to get the most out of Adobe Audition.

✴ Zencastr

If your podcast centers around interviewing guests remotely, then this could be the ideal app for you. You can record great quality audio with separate tracks for each guest. The soundboard gives you live editing, and you can also connect up to Google Drive or Dropbox to access and insert files as you record. Zencastr offers a variety of plans including a free option, although some features are only available with the premium package.

✴ Garage Band

If you’re a Mac user, then Garage Band is a free app you can download for editing your podcast. Apple clearly designed Garage Band with music in mind - you only need to look at the digital instrument tools to see that. However, it’s user-friendly, free, and comes with a selection of templates specifically for podcast creators.

✴ Final Thoughts on Podcast Editing

If you’re just starting out, then the idea of editing your podcast might feel overwhelming and like a lot of work at first glance. There are many ways to edit your podcast and a ton of tools available to help. The best place to start is with your recording strategy. Single-track recording will make your life more difficult later on, as will speaking too quickly and not leaving enough pauses for cutting.

When the recording has finished, identify which areas of your content actually need editing. Then make a list of the methods and tools that are relevant for your recordings and familiarize yourself with them. Podcast editing may not be the most exciting practice, but it can be the difference between a professional sounding pod and a low adoption pod. Think of editing as a way to let your great content shine.

Want to find someone to help you with editing? Try The Wave Editing - Learn more here.

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3 Ways to Improve Editing Your Podcast Episodes