The Difference Between a Podcast Producer and Editor? 5 Ways To Tell!

Podcast producers, editors, and hosts…oh my! You probably already know what a podcast host’s job is – maybe you are even one yourself. But have you ever found yourself scratching your head and trying to figure out the difference between a podcast producer and editor? If so, you’re in the right place! I’ll explain everything in this blog, from their roles to when you might want to hire each one. 

 

What is the difference between a podcast producer and editor?

These two titles are often used interchangeably, but there’s actually a world of difference between a podcast producer and editor. In fact, they’re totally different jobs! However, they do have two important things in common: they are both essential to creating high-quality podcasts and can help you stay sane in the midst of podcast production. Otherwise, there are many differences between the two. First, let’s break down each role, then compare and contrast the two before discussing their different responsibilities on a podcasting team. 

 

What is podcast production?

Podcast production is all about the big picture. It involves the end-to-end process of bringing your podcast to life, encompassing everything from that tiny little seed of an idea that you have for a podcast to each episode that makes its way into listeners’ earbuds. The podcast producer has the 10,000-foot view of your podcast, overseeing every single phase of the journey. While you’re behind the mic of your podcast, they’re on the other side of the mic, managing the planning, recording, editing, and marketing tasks that make for a fabulous production. They’re in charge of bringing your creative vision to life, making sure everything aligns with your brand, and guiding the team that makes it all happen. 

 

What is podcast editing?

Now let’s flip the coin: what’s a podcast editor do? Editing is a vital piece of the podcast production puzzle, but it’s a niched-down role. Podcast editors are all about finessing the raw recordings to make you sound even more fabulous. Think of your podcast editor as a sculptor who chisels away at ums and uhs, polishes up the best parts, and makes sure everything sounds phenomenal. They also manage the technical aspects that create polish, like removing background noise, cutting out awkward silences or excessive rabbit trails in conversation, and adding pre-recorded music, intros, and outros. They’re the ultimate perfectionists at making your podcast sound high-quality, professional, and engaging. 

 

What is the difference between podcast production and podcast editing?

While these roles can both boost your podcast from great to AH-mazing, they each have their own shoes to fill. Let’s break down the details with 5 main differences between podcast production and podcast editing.

 

Role focus

Podcast production is like a giant umbrella that covers everything that goes into creating a podcast. Depending on the individual podcast producer, this might look slightly different, but they’ll usually have their hands on conceptualization, planning, recording, post-production, and even marketing. In contrast, podcasting editing is a technical role under that podcast production umbrella. Their job is to refine each audio recording by removing imperfections, adding music or effects, and ensuring optimal sound quality.

 

Responsibilities

The producer oversees the project of podcast creation from start to finish, while the editor focuses on the nitty-gritty details of the sound quality. Producers might coordinate with guests, manage the podcasting team and scheduling, direct the recording process, and manage the steps of end-to-end production. They are the ones ensuring that a podcast captures your desired brand messaging and that it will reach your audience. On the other hand, the editor is responsible for taking raw audio from the recording process and turning it into a polished, finalized product.

 

Skill Sets

Both roles require a deep understanding of the podcasting medium and how everything comes together to create a finished product, but they need different technical skill sets. Producers are jacks (or jills) of all trades with solid project management and organizational skills, a creative mindset for planning and executing episodes, and excellent communication chops for coordinating with various team members. Editors need to be technically proficient in audio editing software, detail-oriented, and understand the principles of good audio storytelling and production.

 

Place in the production process

A podcast producer is typically involved throughout the podcast process, walking by your side from the initial planning stages to recording and all the way to post-production and publishing. Meanwhile, an editor works in the post-production phase after you’ve recorded audio and need it to be refined into a final podcast episode.

 

Creative control

Both producers and editors have some amount of creative control over the podcast, but it plays out in different spheres of influence. Podcast producers have a larger say in the overall creative direction of a podcast, helping you decide on themes, hone in on a niche, and choose guests. They can even help you write episode scripts, come up with fantastic interview questions, or decide the structure and format of the episode. An editor has creative control over the technical parts of the show, like deciding where to use sound effects or music, how to pace the conversations, and what to cut or keep in the episode for the best flow. It’s similar to the difference between a movie director and a film editor. The director sees the whole picture and sets the creative vision, while the editor focuses on the details and delivers a polished final product. 

 

Podcasters need both a producer and an editor – even if the hosts fill these roles! It’s also important to note that just because these roles hold different responsibilities, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need two individual people to do them. I personally enjoy doing both for my clients and LOVE stepping into the editor role to refine audio and help craft the message that goes into each episode. 

 

Podcast editor vs. podcast producer

Each role is vital to the podcast creation process, and they each have unique skill sets and strengths. A podcast producer is THE go-to for managing the details of the entire process and ensuring your podcast aligns with your broader goals. If you want to be as hands-off as possible and turn the coordination of production tasks over to someone you can trust, you want a podcast producer. They’re ready to wear all the hats and become The BOSS of your podcasting production team. 

 

On the other hand, if your primary concern is about the technical side of sound quality and having final episodes that are crisp, clear, and polished, hire an editor. They’re the pros at editing raw audio, removing filler words and pesky pet noises, and adding music, intros & outros. 

 

The good news is that you don’t have to choose between one or the other! Many podcasters use both a producer and an editor – they’re just two different roles within podcast production that can give you more time back and make your life as a podcaster a whole lot easier. 

 

That’s the difference between a podcast producer and editor!

While podcast producers and editors fulfill different spots on your team, they have the same goal: creating a fantastic podcast your audience loves to listen to. And remember, you don’t have to choose just one! Now that you know more about their differences, you can choose whichever one (or both!) fits your unique podcasting needs. 

 

Ready to take your podcast to the next level? Check out our services page to learn more about how we can support you with podcast production and editing. We can’t wait to work with you– book a call now!