The Ultimate Remote Recording Checklist

We have all listened to a podcast where the host sounds like an NPR broadcaster, and the guest sounds like they are trapped inside a tin can at the bottom of the ocean.

When you are recording remotely, you cannot control your guest's environment or equipment. But you can control how you prepare them. By implementing a strict "Pre-Flight Checklist," you can eliminate 95% of remote recording disasters.

Here is the exact checklist you should run through before hitting record.

1. The Hardwire Rule

Wi-Fi drops. It is not a matter of if, but when. If your guest's internet stutters, the recording platform will glitch, and you might lose the most profound sentence of the interview.

The Fix: Always ask your guest to plug directly into their router using an Ethernet cable if possible. If they must use Wi-Fi, ask them to politely request that anyone else in their house pause streaming Netflix or downloading large files for the next hour.

2. Headphones Are Non-Negotiable

If your guest listens to your voice through their laptop speakers, their microphone will pick up your voice and create a terrible echo or feedback loop.

The Fix: Make wearing headphones mandatory. It doesn't matter if they are $300 studio monitors or the tangled Apple EarPods that came with their iPhone 8. Any headphones will prevent audio bleed.

3. The "Double Ender" Backup

Even if you use a high-end platform like Riverside or SquadCast that records locally, browsers crash. Laptops overheat.

The Fix: Ask your guest to open the Voice Memos app on their smartphone, place it on the desk a few inches from their keyboard, and hit record. If the cloud recording completely fails, you will have a perfectly usable backup audio file you can sync in post-production. It is the ultimate insurance policy.

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Want to automatically send this checklist to your guests before they show up? Podloop handles all of your automated guest communication, ensuring they arrive prepared and sounding great.