The first Christmas that my husband and I spent together, he got me a bike helmet and a portable USB hard drive. That’s how I knew he loved me for my mind. The next year, he got me a USB mic, because he wanted to support my voice. Giving a gift that helps your loved one with their work not only shows how much you care, but also the audience for their podcast benefits. Hence, this Gift Guide for Podcasters helps you make the world a better place.
We use some affiliate links to our gifts for podcasters’ suggestions, so we may earn a commission should you choose to buy through them. This is never at any extra cost to you, and helps support all the free content we put out!
Books as Podcast Gifts
Podcasters spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen, and there’s no doubt that screen fatigue is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Books are terrific gifts for podcasters. They can learn more about their craft, spark inspiration, and get away from the screen for a bit. Here are some books we’ve either written or read that should satisfy any bibliophilic podcaster.
Finally Start Your Podcast
Some folks have trouble getting started and need a step-by-step guide. Not only does Finally Start Your Podcast have all the essential information, but it also encourages a podcaster’s work as their show grows. Beautifully designed in full colour, this is an accessible guide where even the least “techy” of people will be ready to hit record in no time.
Get Finally Start Your Podcast
Podcast Growth
In our survey about the problems podcasters struggle with, 47% of respondents said the worst sticking point for them was promotion. Getting the word out about a show can be challenging, to say the least. Podcast Growth is loaded with strategies and tasks to help any podcaster grow their audience.
Profit From Your Podcast
Nobody knows podcasting better than Dave Jackson. He’s put together Profit From Your Podcast, which is something of a podcast monetization bible. If the podcaster in your life is already up and running with their show, this could be the ideal gift. They might even take you out to dinner with their newfound earnings…
Buy Profit From Your Podcast on Amazon
The Podcast Host Planner
Studies show that writing by hand on paper engages more brain activity and improves memory. The Podcast Host Planner is a journal full of worksheets for podcasters to fill out so they can rely on their answers later while crafting their podcast. Over time, this helps sustain a podcast and make it more enjoyable.
Buy The Podcast Host Planner on Amazon
Instapaper Subscription
If the podcaster in your life enjoys reading articles online but would love to cut down on their screen time, consider a year’s subscription to Instapaper. For less than $30, this handy little app lets you send content to your Kindle so you can read it away from the phone or laptop. Pair Instapaper with Feedly for the ultimate distraction-free experience.
More Books as Gifts for Podcasters
Our Best Podcasting Books roundup is a treasure trove of tomes by podcasting experts that go into greater detail about aspects of podcasting, such as technology, gear, fiction, and drama. Knowledge is a gift that never expires, and your podcaster will have a healthy supply.
Gear as Gifts for Podcasters
We update our equipment guides every year, and test and review new podcasting tools frequently. Some of our favorite equipment for podcasting has stood the test of time for quality and price. If you’re looking for a gift for podcasters that will help them for years, these devices will do that and more.
Samson Q2U Microphone
The Samson Q2U is our favourite mic. Excellent value for money and plugs in as either USB or XLR, this dynamic mic picks up vocals without bringing background sound along for the ride. For under $70, this is a perfect gift for a podcaster.
Zoom PodTrak P4 Podcast Recorder
Zoom’s digital recorders are some of the most reliable tools in the industry. The Zoom PodTrak P4 is a portable all-in-one recording studio that lets you record four tracks simultaneously from XLR microphones, over the phone, or the Internet. Not only that, but it also helps you mix in sound effects and music, too.
Buy the Zoom PodTrak P4 on Amazon
Bose QuietComfort 35 II Headphones
Bose QuietComfort 35 II noise-cancelling headphones are life-changers and sanity savers. Bose is one of the best at eliminating outside noise from the listening experience. And these pillowy over-ear headphones are luxurious to wear. Bluetooth connects these directly to a smartphone. As gifts for podcasters go, this one is top-shelf.
Buy the Bose QuietComfort Headphones on Amazon
More Gear as Gifts for Podcasters
Our roundup of The Best Podcast Microphones for All Abilities and Budgets is the result of years of testing. It has everything from a gold-tone dynamic mic worthy of Elvis to a $45 USB workhorse.
And, our guide to The Best Podcast Equipment & Setup for Beginners & Pros Alike is a tried and true guide to everything a podcaster needs and nothing they don’t.
Clothing & Merch Podcast Gifts
Podcast merchandise, such as t-shirts, mugs, and stickers, are gifts for podcasters that do double duty. Not only do you give a gift, but you also help advertise their favorite pastime.
T-Shirts for Podcasters & Podcast Lovers
Our Teepublic store has a range of t-shirts designed for podcasters. From “Audio Changes Everything” to “I Like Big Mics And I Cannot Lie”, these are great conversation starters for the podcaster in your life, enabling them to spread the word of their show freely and easily.
Merch for Podcasters
Speaking of TeePublic, you can also create tailored merch for your podcaster on their platform. They offer print-on-demand merchandise made by independent artists. If you have basic graphic design skills, you can design and print merchandise for your favorite podcaster with their show’s cover art.
Or, see which of their favorite shows are already selling their wares on there. Stickers are an inexpensive way to support many podcasts at once. Plus, when podcasters cover their gear cases, water bottles, and notebooks with them, they’re less likely to get lost or stolen.
You’ll also find stuff like mugs, clocks, wall art, cushions, kettles… pretty much any item you can think of will be available with a podcast logo on it.
Education, Software, & Course-Based Gifts for Podcasters
Nothing endures like the gift of knowledge. Podcasting courses provide a structured approach to launching or improving a show. Most are self-paced, so the podcaster isn’t under pressure. Software can help with a podcaster’s workflow so they can spend more time engaging with their audience, or planning new episodes. Consider one of these if you want a gift for podcasters that can last a lifetime.
Launch Essentials Course
In Launch Essentials, we walk you through the process of starting a podcast, from the seed of an idea all the way through to publishing those first few episodes.
Growth Essentials Course
Does their podcast frustrate them? Do you wish there was something you could do to help? The Growth Essentials course can help them improve their show with promotion tactics.
More Podcasting Courses
Our collection of the best podcasting courses shows you paths to greatness in any aspect of podcasting.
Alitu: The Podcast Maker
Our all-in-one podcasting solution, Alitu, can help anyone plan, record, edit, polish, and publish a podcast. A pre-paid year of this software subscription can remove a lot of stress for any podcaster. It even offers text-based editing, so you can easily help with their podcast production. Or, at least, offer to…
The Gift of Podcast Promotion & Growth
We’ve already mentioned the Podcast Growth book and the Growth Essentials course. If you want to help the podcaster in your life grow the big audience you know they desire, here are some other potential gifts:
Hire an artist to animate their podcast. A cartoon video of an excerpt from their podcast is a great promotion tactic.
Run an Overcast ad campaign for their show. It’s one of the most direct ways to get podcast aficionados to check out their episodes.
Advertise their show on Podnews. There, it’ll be seen by a who’s who of industry folks, including people from NPR, Spotify, and the BBC. Not to mention about 30,000 other podcast enthusiasts!
There are loads of other places to advertise podcasts, too. You’re only limited by your budget (or love for a certain podcaster).
Gifts for The Podcast Lover’s Kids
Is it possible to get kids interested in audio while limiting their screen time and encouraging independence? Yoto says yes.
The Yoto player looks like a fun, durable box, and provides a wide variety of ad-free stories, music, and relaxing sleep sounds. Big buttons or dials on the player help kids use it all by themselves. Audio files are stored on cards, so kids choose what, when, and how they want to listen. Or, grownups can use a USB-C cable and the player’s app to add more content. Blank cards let kids record and play back their own audio creations. It’s all the fun audio provides without the clutter of the Internet.
And, if you really want to surprise a podcaster’s kids, apparently cassettes are making a comeback.
A Final Gift Idea for Podcast Lovers
Know someone who’s obsessed with a certain show? Why not set up a call with their favorite podcaster? Many podcasts have a Patreon or other crowdfunding pages, and a personal chat can be a benefit for donors. If you want a favorite podcaster to deliver a pre-recorded greeting or message of encouragement, lots of podcasters are on Cameo, too.
When You Give a Podcaster a Gift, You Invest In Their Audience
This past Valentine’s Day, my husband got me a BusyBox smart sign for my office. Either this is a punchline to a weird joke, or he respects my boundaries. He said it’s so I’ll have more focus to work on my podcasts, and I think anyone who listens to them would be glad.
When you give someone a gift that supports their interests, they know you care about them, you want to see them succeed, and you enjoy what they create.
On a final note, if you’ve got any gifts for podcasters’ suggestions of your own, we’d love to hear about them in the IndiePod Community, so please do pop in there and tell us all about them.
Originally posted on October 20, 2023 @ 12:24 am