Everything on this page has been tested, and delighting me, for a long time. I’m not about to try and fob you off with crap – this is my reputation on the line.
If you have any problems with this stuff, don’t just get in touch with the supplier: I want you to contact me too. Together we’ll put things right, if they go wrong. But they won’t.
So here’s my favourite companies and services for your indulgence. Think of it as…
The Podcast Guy Oscars For Services To Awe
Web stuff
For web hosting: Clook. I’ve tried many web hosting services in my time, including FatCow (mad cow) and Hostgator (shocking customer service in my experience). And for fast response times to ridiculous requests, to bulletproof uptime, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with Clook. Their head honcho, Alec, is super-pliable in accepting ideas for additions to the service, too; quite a rarity in web hosting circles. Their cPanel makes it really easy to install WordPress in just a few clicks, in case the standard five-minute install gives you the wobbles. Give Clook a try.
For WordPress design: Headway Themes. Imagine being taken by the hand by a beautiful member of the opposite sex and poncing through cornfields in sunshine, before reaching a lavish buffet of unimaginably tasty delights. Including Scotch eggs, if you’re so inclined. But definitely a big jug of Pimms with fruit floating in it. And no flies. There are definitely no flies on Headway Themes, and this blissful summertime scenario is exactly mimicking the sentiments you feel when you first use Headway and realise how beautiful life will be from hereonin. And in Headway 3.0, something yet more amazing is happening. This is the time to get stuck into Headway. The day of the designer is gone – the day of you being in complete control of your website is here. Now. Go buy Headway Themes!
For live broadcasting: Spreaker. I come across new resources for podcasters almost daily, but one that I keep coming back to when I want to broadcast audio – live – is Spreaker. Their Deejay Console – which lets you keep track of media and intros/outros while you record – is staggeringly simple but deadly effective. Best of all, Spreaker has supported the European Podcast Award with jingles – and their support is top notch. Besides all that, Spreaker CEO Francesco Baschieri is a hunk.
Equipment
For the ultimate podcasting microphone: The Heil PR 40. Don’t take my word for it – check out what the (new) Podfather, Leo Laporte, uses. The best thing about the PR 40 is, being dynamic and astonishingly good, it filters out most ambient noise so you can create amazing-sounding podcasts in whatever room you choose. Contact me for an incredibly low price on the Heil PR 40.
For voiceovers: The Shure SM70B. I’ve lost count of the number of times people have praised this mic to the heavens. So I decided to test it – and if I was in the VO game, I would without hesitation snap one of these bad boys up. I might, anyway, because it’s flexible enough to be a podcaster’s best friend. I just don’t see anyone or anything prying the Heil PR40 out of my hands, anytime soon…
