Complete Podcast Automation Setup Guide

You'll Build a simple automation that converts your written podcast scripts into professional audio files and saves them to Dropbox, ready for publishing.

Step 1: Generate Your Podcast Script

Before setting up the automation, you'll need podcast scripts. Use this custom chatbot to turn news articles into podcast scripts:

🎙️ News to Podcast Script Generator (click for link)

This chatbot will ask you 6 setup questions:

  • What's your name or how should I refer to you?

  • What's the name of your podcast?

  • What does your podcast help people accomplish, or what's its main mission?

  • What tone do you want the podcast to have? (e.g., funny, warm, quirky, professional, edgy)

  • What's your preferred casual call to action?

  • Please paste up to 5 news article links you'd like me to turn into podcast scripts.

After answering these questions, it will generate complete podcast scripts that you can use in the automation below.

Required Accounts & Services

1. ElevenLabs Account (Text-to-Speech)

  • Go to elevenlabs.io

  • Click "Sign Up"

  • Choose a plan:

    • Free: 10,000 characters/month (about 5-10 short episodes)

    • Starter: $5/month for 30,000 characters

    • Creator: $22/month for 100,000 characters

  • Verify your email

  • Save your API key (found in Profile Settings)

2. Dropbox Account

  • Go to dropbox.com

  • Sign up for free account (2GB storage)

  • Create a folder called "Daily Podcasts"

3. Make.com Account

  • Go to make.com

  • Sign up for free account

  • Free plan includes 1,000 operations/month

Step-by-Step Setup

Part 1: Create the Automation in Make.com

  • Log into Make.com

    • Click "Create a new scenario"

    • You'll see a blank canvas

  • Add Webhook Trigger

    • Click the "+" button

    • Search for "Webhooks"

    • Select "Webhooks" > "Custom webhook"

    • Click "Add" (leave default settings)

    • Copy the webhook URL that appears - you'll use this to trigger your automation

  • Add ElevenLabs Module

    • Click the "+" after the webhook

    • Search for "ElevenLabs"

    • Select "ElevenLabs" > "Create a speech synthesis"

    • Click "Create a connection"

    • Paste your ElevenLabs API key

    • Click "Save"

    • Configure the module:

      • Text: Paste your first podcast script here

      • Voice: Choose a voice (Aria is popular)

      • Model: Select "Eleven English v2"

      • Click "OK"

  • Add Dropbox Module

    • Click the "+" after ElevenLabs

    • Search for "Dropbox"

    • Select "Dropbox" > "Upload a file"

    • Click "Create a connection"

    • Log into your Dropbox account when prompted

    • Configure the module:

      • File: Click and select "Data" from ElevenLabs module

      • File Path: /Daily Podcasts/

      • File Name: Enter something like "Episode_1.mp3"

      • Click "OK"

  • Save Your Scenario

    • Click "Save" in the top right

    • Give it a name like "Podcast Generator"

    • Turn the scenario "ON" using the toggle switch

Part 2: Test Your Setup

  • Prepare Your Script

    • Generate a podcast script using your chatbot

    • Keep it under 1,000 characters for testing

  • Update the Script

    • Go back to your ElevenLabs module in Make.com

    • Replace the text with your new script

    • Save the scenario

  • Run the Test

    • Copy your webhook URL

    • Paste it into a browser and press Enter

    • This triggers your automation

    • Check your Dropbox folder - the audio file should appear in 1-2 minutes

Daily Workflow

For Each New Episode:

  • Generate Script

    • Use your chatbot to create the podcast script

    • Copy the complete script text

  • Update Automation

    • Log into Make.com

    • Open your scenario

    • Click on the ElevenLabs module

    • Replace the old script with your new script

    • Update the filename in Dropbox module (Episode_2.mp3, etc.)

    • Save the scenario

  • Generate Audio

    • Click your webhook URL (bookmark it for easy access)

    • Wait 1-2 minutes

    • Download from Dropbox

  • Publish

    • Upload the audio file to your podcast hosting platform

    • Add episode details and publish

Tips & Troubleshooting

Voice Selection

  • Aria: Clear, professional female voice

  • Josh: Natural male voice

  • Antoni: Warm, engaging male voice

  • Test different voices to find your preferred style

Character Limits

  • Free ElevenLabs: 10,000 characters/month

  • Average podcast script: 1,500-3,000 characters

  • Monitor usage in your ElevenLabs dashboard

File Management

  • Name files systematically: "2025-01-15_Episode_5.mp3"

  • Create subfolders in Dropbox for different podcast series

  • Download and backup important episodes

Common Issues

  • "Module has errors": Check all required fields are filled

  • "Connection failed": Verify API keys are correct

  • "No audio file": Ensure ElevenLabs module completed successfully

  • "File not in Dropbox": Check folder path and permissions

Scaling Up

  • Multiple Scripts: Create separate scenarios for different podcast series

  • Scheduling: Add a schedule trigger to run at specific times

  • Batch Processing: Use Google Sheets integration once you're comfortable

Cost Breakdown

  • ElevenLabs Starter: $5/month (recommended for regular podcasting)

  • Dropbox: Free (upgrade to Plus $12/month if you need more storage)

  • Make.com: Free (upgrade to Core $9/month if you exceed 1,000 operations)

Total monthly cost for regular podcasting: $5-26/month

Security Notes

  • Never share your API keys

  • Use strong passwords for all accounts

  • Regularly review connected apps in your account settings

  • Keep your webhook URL private (anyone with it can trigger your automation)

Next Steps

Once comfortable with this basic setup, you can explore:

  • Adding intro/outro music

  • Batch processing multiple scripts

  • Integration with podcast hosting platforms

  • Advanced voice customization in ElevenLabs