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Many of the podcast hosting services mentioned above allow you to automatically submit your podcast to various podcast directories and search engines.
You can also manually submit your podcast. Once approved, your podcast and all of its releases will become searchable on these platforms.
Your podcast is published as an RSS feed. You will need to copy the podcast feed URL provided by your podcast hosting service.
Improvements in hardware and software technology have dramatically changed the way podcasts are designed, created, produced, and published. In addition, laptops, desktops, tablets, phones, and other devices are equipped with more powerful processors and other features that make it easier to create podcasts. There are even new, inexpensive ways to make sure your environment helps you get the best sound quality.
Of course you can, but we don't recommend it. If the service is free, it means that you or your data is usually a "product".
There have been many cases of free podcast hosting platforms shutting down (and your podcast along with them!), so I would reassure myself and choose a paid service.
Podcast hosting is a specialized service that offers storage and delivery of podcast-related media files.
Just like you need website hosting to store all of your website files, podcast hosting offers the same service, but for your podcast media files.
Now you may be wondering, can't I just use my website hosting to store my podcast files?
You can do that, but it won't be good for your site or your listeners.
You see, podcast episodes are large files. Shipping them from one server will take up a lot of server resources. This will make your site slower, and it may even go down during high load times.
If multiple users start downloading at the same time, most shared hosting services will simply block the processes taking up server resources. This means that users won't be able to download your podcast.
This is why you need podcast hosting.
These companies specialize in storing and delivering large media files. They are designed specifically for podcasters and have special tools for handling media files. You also get support from people who are experts in the industry. That makes a huge difference in the long run.
With that said, let's take a look at the best podcast hosting services you can use.
In addition to a podcast hosting service, you'll also need a website. This will be the online home of your podcast, where you will promote it and help users discover new content.
To create a website, you'll need a domain name and a hosting account. A domain name usually costs $14.99 a year, and hosting rates start at $7.99 a month and are paid annually.
Since you're just starting out, you want to save money at every opportunity.
Fortunately, our friends at Bluehost are offering WPBeginner users a free domain and a generous hosting discount.
There are several formats you can choose for your podcast. Think about which type is best for presenting your content.
Interviews: Like the Fresh Air podcast, this is the most common format. More often than not, it involves one presenter introducing guests and interviewing them. One example is Fast Forward with Dan Costa, which features one-on-one conversations with technology and business leaders (the host is PCMag's editor-in-chief). An offshoot of this type is the panel discussion or roundtable format, where the host leads the conversation.
Monologue: A commentary-style podcast is built around one personality, giving the show one voice or one point of view. Lore, which focuses on the frightening story behind common folklore and is told in an almost campfire style, is a great example of a solo style podcast.
Multiple hosts: In this format, the podcast is shared between several different people, or two or more co-hosts co-host the show. For example, Pardon My Take is a raucous comedy sports podcast with two co-hosts, Dan "Big Cat" Katz and PFT Commenter (Pro Football Talk Commenter).
Narrative: Unlike the first three, this podcast's narrative style focuses on how content is presented. In many ways, it is this type of podcast that has contributed to the recent rise in popularity of podcasting. And while some of the previously mentioned podcasts, such as Lore, may also fit here, many narrative podcasts have a decidedly linear quality and usually don't move on to another topic or segment. This can range from nonfiction, such as This American Life and Serial, to fiction, such as Wolf 359 and Flash Forward.
Mixed: This hybrid format uses various elements of the other four content types. It can also use content from other media such as radio or television.
While this is a great time to start podcasting, you should understand that there is competition in the market, no matter how niche your market is. Podcasts take a lot of time and effort, so don't despair if you've created your dream podcast but no one is listening to it yet. There are many things to learn, and most of those lessons come by trial and error. Here are some tips to help you stay inspired.
Keep your podcast in focus. While it can be tempting to create a podcast that has everything for all listeners, successful shows tend to have a narrow, focused theme.
Introduce your target audience. When writing or producing content, it's helpful to think about the audience you want to attract with your podcast. Many marketers create buyer personas that represent fictional models of ideal customers. You can develop such models to help yourself create content.
Be consistent. If you want to be taken seriously, publish episodes of your podcast regularly and consistently.
Plan your workflow. Should you write a detailed script or just take it from there? It's probably best to use both options, but it depends on the podcast. Either way, you'll need some sort of workflow to develop your ideas and bring them to life. At the very least, be sure to sketch out the main themes of each show and thoroughly research your subject matter. If you have several voices that you interact with in each episode, make sure everyone likes the process and how casual or detailed the script should be.
Use musical segments, but don't violate copyrights. Add good opening and closing music to your podcast, but make sure you don't infringe on anyone's copyright.
Promote your podcast. Once you've hosted your podcast, you may think your work is done, but you absolutely need to promote your podcast. To do this, check out 8 ways to attract traffic to your podcast on social media and 4 ways to measure podcasting success.
