It’s that time of the year again – the air is filled with festive cheer, and what better way to spread the joy than with thoughtful gifts for the podcaster in your life?
(Or yourself – we won’t judge!)
We’ve curated a holiday gift guide that’s sure to make their eyes light up brighter than Rudolph’s nose. From shiny new hardware to software that’ll have them producing award-worthy content, here’s the lowdown on the perfect presents for the podcast enthusiast in 2023.
Hardware
- A new microphone: Nothing perks a podcaster up more than a new mic to play around with! A new mic will let them explore different microphone styles, invite guests over, record interviews on location better, and more.
- Our suggestion is the Shure MV7 for high-quality sound and ease of use!
- A new interface: For all of our XLR microphone enthusiasts out there! A new interface is a great way to further amplify your recording quality (especially if you’re planning on recording with multiple guests with many microphones)!
- Our suggestion? The Vocaster Two from Focusrite! The Vocaster Two is perfect for a two-person podcast and with all of the controls on the interface, it’s easy to use, beautiful to look at, and ready to go out of the box.
- Webcam or video kit: Whether you’re exploring video podcasting for the first time, or looking to amp up your current video podcast, a new camera is a welcome addition to anyone’s gift list!
- Upgrade the Work Station: New gear is only as good as the tech it’s running on! Look into purchasing new RAM for the desktop workstation, buying a new monitor for a dual-screen setup, or upgrading the current computer to handle all the podcasting to come in 2024
Software:
- New recording/editing software: How is your podcaster recording and editing their podcast? Audacity is a great program, but look into upgrading them to something like Adobe, FL Studio, Ableton, or another software of their choice!
- Podcast hosting: Nothing says you care more than investing in a podcaster’s hosting for the year! Offer to cover their fees for a year so they can focus on creating the best podcast possible!
- Background music: What’s the music situation with your podcaster? Do they want to invest in having background music but don’t have the time to mix, or the budget to for music licensing? Check with them to see what they’d prefer, and invest in some mixing software or some licensed music for their podcast!
What else?
- A new mic setup: How does your favorite podcaster have their desk set up? Could they use a boom art for their mic? Could they use some new cords? See what small things need to be updated/obtained to improve their overall setup!
- A new desk: Maybe they’re not even recording at a desk! Is your podcaster recording in a closet with their laptop on their knees and holding their mic news correspondent style? Ask what they’d need to make their setup a little more friendly.
- Soundproofing: Maybe the podcasting setup needs some extra help by way of soundproofing panels! They’re a fun, relatively budget-friendly way to spruce up the space.
- Some new lighting: Whether your podcaster is going audio-only or trying their hand at video podcasting, investing in some new lights – be it LED light strips or new desk lamps – will make a definite improvement on the space!
Niche-specific:
- Subscriptions: Is your podcaster focused on sports, or music, or movies? Offer to pay for their streaming service so they can keep up with the content! Or better yet–
- Game/Concert tickets: Experiencing their chosen niche live is an experience your podcaster will never forget!
- Gift cards to their favorite store: Is your podcaster all about the books? Buy them a gift card for their favorite book store!
- Convention tickets: Whether it’s for a podcast-themed con like Podcast Movement, or something more suited to their niche like Comic Con, conventions are great places to network and talk shop with other creators and fans.
The best gift? The gift of TIME!
The best thing you can offer the podcaster in your life (or ask for as a podcaster) is TIME TO WORK! Maybe this looks like a family member offering to watch your kids for a few hours each week, maybe it looks like gift cards for food delivery so you don’t have to cook. Look at what responsibilities your podcaster is spending time on, and see what you can do to alleviate those tasks.
Happy shopping, and happy holidays!