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How to Build a Podcast Website that Earns Listeners in 2022

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Podcasts, as we all know, are something you listen to. That’s why we enjoy using them on our daily commute or during our evening workout.

It’s also why you enjoy hosting your own podcast program — since it brings folks a little bit of joy in their daily lives.
As of March 2021, there are about 2 million active podcasts and around 47 million episodes to browse.

In a fast-paced world when people don’t have time to sit down and watch a movie or read a book, podcasts are the ideal method to consume entertainment. Podcasts are ideal for our early commute since we can listen to them without having to concentrate.

read also: Microphone for podcasting and streaming on twitch and youtube

Though podcasting isn’t as popular as video streaming (yet), it’s gradually gaining traction, with 70% of Americans stating they know what it is.

Unfortunately, having a podcast that you publish on iTunes or upload to YouTube isn’t enough. If you want to develop a successful podcast, you’ll need a location for your audience to congregate. That’s the address for your podcast’s website.

What’s the good news? Right now, we’re going to show you how to make the ideal podcast website.

Why Create a Podcast Website?

Today, more than half of all customers in the United States over the age of 12 listen to a podcast.

To add a bit of amusement to our day, we’re all spending more time listening to other people chat. Podcasts are quickly catching up to music and radio programmes in terms of popularity. However, merely putting your podcast on a platform isn’t enough.

Platforms that are popular today may quickly lose their popularity in the years future. Because you’re only available on one platform, you can’t afford to lose your audience.

This difficulty is solved by having your own podcast website. It assures that your show will always have a “home base” no matter what happens in the market.

A podcast website:

Today, almost half of all customers in the United States over the age of 12 listen to a podcast.

To add a little amusement to our day, we’re all spending more time listening to other people speak. Podcasts, like music and radio programmes, are fast gaining in popularity. However, merely uploading your podcast to a site is insufficient.

Platforms that are popular now may quickly lose their attractiveness in the future. Because you’re only available on one platform, you can’t afford to lose your listenership overnight.

This issue is resolved by having your own podcast website. It guarantees that your program will always have a “home base,” regardless of market conditions.

A podcast website:

  • Builds a brand reputation: Your fans and listeners may discover more about you and the subjects that interest you on your podcast website. This provides you the opportunity to build a truly amazing community of followers that genuinely trust and appreciate you.
  • Improves SEO: You may publish blogs and other material on your website to make it simpler for people to find you when they use Google to search for related phrases. It’s a terrific method to avoid being dependant on the search algorithm of another platform.
  • Provides access to new opportunities: You don’t have to limit your website to only listing your podcasts. You may also sell branded items, provide news material, and establish a community forum for your audience in this setting. You may even make money by selling webinars and courses based on the topics you discuss in your podcast.
  • Strengthens your image: When your podcast is featured among a variety of other options on the same platform, it’s difficult to stand out as a market leader. A podcast website is a one-of-a-kind representation of your business, and it’s your chance to show your audience who you are.
  • It assures dependability: You won’t be able to do much if another platform’s podcast system goes down, or if you’re removed from a playlist due to an algorithm update. The best course of action is to either wait for the issue to be resolved or to contact an administrator. This translates to missed chances. This isn’t an issue with a podcast website. Even if other channels are unavailable, you may continue to upload and broadcast your podcasts. You never lose your ability to speak.

Step 1: Choosing Your Website Hosting Provider

A host is the first thing you’ll need to start building a website. This is the person or corporation who publishes your work on the internet. If you’ve ever considered starting your own blog, you’ve definitely heard of hosting companies. Hostinger, dreamhost.com, and Bluehost are just a few of the many possibilities available.

One thing to bear in mind: the business that hosts your website is not the same as the one that hosts your podcast audio files. Although you can typically upload your podcast files to your site by connecting with the host on your CMS, you’ll need a separate podcast host for this (Content Management System). Don’t worry, it’s not as difficult as it appears.

To pick the best hosting company, consider the following factors:

  • Consider your bandwidth: The more traffic you expect, the bigger your package needs to be
  • Understand server types: Shared servers are cheapest, but you may prefer something private.
  • Decide how much help you need: Some hosting providers give you a lot more support when it comes to updating and changing things on your website.

We recommend going with a hosting company that specializes in WordPress sites. You may skip one of the most recent parts in this article, where we explain how to install WordPress, if you pick a WordPress hosting service since the host will allow you to set things up with only a few clicks.

If you’re just starting out we’d recommend using Bluehost as your web host. It is officially recommended by WordPress and the initial setup is very beginner-friendly. Plans start at $2.95 per month.

To learn more about web hosts, read our article on best web hosting providers.

Step 2: Pick Your Domain Name

A domain name, such as google.com or Amazon.com, is the address for your website.

The most straightforward approach to obtain your own domain name is to select one when ordering your hosting service. Many hosting companies will allow you to purchase domain name access right away. If this is the case, all you have to do now is remember to renew your name once a year.

When it comes to domain names, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution, but we can provide you some pointers. To begin, your domain name should typically be the same as your podcast’s name, making it easy for customers to remember and locate your website.

  • Make your name unique. Avoid anything too close to another company’s name.
  • Avoid hyphens, numbers, and difficult spellings
  • Consider using niche words that reflect your podcast

Your domain name is the first aspect of your brand that will leave an indelible impact on your target audience. Make sure you get it properly the first time. If you’re at a loss for what to call your podcast, try using a podcast name generator or naming your website after yourself.

Step 3: Install WordPress

To begin, you do not have to use WordPress to create your website.

There are a variety of different website builders available, including Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly. For the most part, though, WordPress is the preferred platform. WordPress powers more than 30% of the internet, including sites for organizations like Disney, Sony, and the BBC.

WordPress is simple to use, convenient, and packed with features. WordPress is also free to use if you pick the self-hosted option (which you should in this situation). You already have a hosting provider, therefore you don’t require a site builder that also provides hosting.

When you choose a WordPress hosting service, you’ll generally see a one-click installation option, which you can use when you’re ready to start building your website.

If a button isn’t available, don’t be concerned. It’s easy to set up WordPress for your podcast website. It’s as simple as downloading and unzipping a package, setting up a database on your web server, and uploading the WordPress file. To get you started, here’s a step-by-step instruction from WordPress.

Step 4: Choose Your WordPress Theme

After WordPress is installed, you can begin designing your digital presence, which is the most enjoyable part of creating a podcast website. There are a plethora of techniques to make your brand stand out online, and you should investigate them if you want your podcast to succeed. After all, you’re one of millions of individuals attempting to connect with your target market.

Installing a WordPress theme is the simplest method to begin your customizing adventure. Themes are a collection of templates that you may use to make your website more aesthetically attractive. Parts of the theme, such as the color scheme and typeface, are generally changeable. You might be able to include your logo as well.

Within the WordPress.org directory, there are a number of themes to choose from. Go to your WordPress Admin area and click on Appearance, then Themes to see them. To view what’s available right now, click the “Add New” button. You’ll be able to categorize themes based on their popularity or when they were created.

WordPress also offers a useful “Feature Filter” tab that lets you browse among various themes depending on their features, such as countdown clocks or video backgrounds.

When you have your theme, you’ll need to create all the essential pages of your website, including:

  • The About Page: To tell listeners about you, and your podcast
  • The Contact page: For people who want to reach you for collaborations
  • A Blog page: Where you can post content on your podcast website for SEO
  • A Podcast episodes page: Where you can list your latest episodes
  • Lead capture pages: To convince people to join your email list

Step 5: Install Your WordPress Plugins

Plugins are a big part of what makes WordPress so popular for creating websites. You may quickly install a variety of small software packages that enhance the functioning of your website. To put it another way, you can integrate podcasting into your WordPress site.

Installing plugins is frequently a simple process, similar to picking and installing a theme on WordPress. To begin looking through your options, head to your dashboard and click on the Plugins area. There are a variety of plugins available, but to get started, you’ll need one that can let you host your podcasts. The following are some of the best choices:

PowerPress

PowerPress is a sophisticated podcasting plugin for WordPress that helps company owners manage their audio files. You may make RSS feeds for your podcast that are compatible with Google Play and iTunes. The solution also includes an easy-to-use interface for entering the necessary information to submit your podcast to iTunes.

Fusebox

Fusebox The Smart Podcast player, a popular podcast-playing plugin for business leaders, is created by Fusebox. Unlike other plugins, this one offers a superior user experience thanks to an excellent HTML5 player. You may also customize the colors and designs of your podcast player to fit your company’s needs.

Simple Podcast Press

The Simple Podcast Press plugin makes it simple to add a podcast player to your website. Simply enter your podcast’s iTunes URL into the service, and it will automatically build a page for each episode. This service is made more enticing with clickable timestamps, customisable buttons, and social sharing buttons.

easy podcasting software
It’s also worthwhile to investigate plugins that aren’t just for podcasting. Yoast SEO, for example, is excellent for optimizing your pages and making them simpler to locate on Google. JetPack is a collection of technologies that includes security, sharing, and monitoring capabilities. You can also utilize Monster Insights to see which of your podcasts are getting the most attention.

You might also want to consider investing in a plugin that combines your website with email marketing solutions so that you can notify your users when a new podcast is released.

Step 6: Plan Your First Podcast Episode

It’s time to think beyond the box.

You’ve completed the foundations of your podcast website.

You’re in desperate need of an episode right now. Create a page where each episode of your podcast may be published. Separate sites for each episode, with notes and material that will help you rank better in the search engines, are ideal.

Your podcast should be the first thing on each page, followed by:

  • A brief description of the episode and who it includes, what it entails
  • Social sharing buttons to improve your online reach
  • Connections to things like iTunes and other listening apps
  • Links to previous and next episodes

Take some time to consider what you want to talk about in your first podcast episode. It’s a good idea to have an idea of how long each episode will be and what type of format you’ll use before you start create your podcast (such as question and answer, or monologue podcasts).

You may elect to incorporate additional material with your podcasts, such as audio for the intro and outro portions, to help your listeners get more comfortable with the experience. The Free Music Archive has a large collection of free music.

Even if a full framework isn’t required for every podcast, you should have a basic script to follow. You’ll be less likely to go off-topic as a result of this.

The best podcast hosting companies

Buzzsprout was created with the intention of making podcasting simple, but not constrained. They offer one of the most well-designed dashboards I’ve encountered, allowing you to spend more time developing content rather than fiddling with uploads.

What I enjoy best is that they release updates and new features on a regular basis.

Podcast Website that Earns Listeners in 2022

Recently they have added or updated:

  • has a built-in transcription integration.
  • Magic Mastering to make your episodes sound perfect
  • an affiliate marketing integration for your Buzzsprout site
  • A brand new embed player
  • The publishing workflow
  • the text editor for show notes

Additionally, Buzzsprout has incorporated an affiliate marketplace (to assist you in making money with your show) and the opportunity to recruit team members (admin or editor access levels). buzzprout is among the best podcast hosting providers

There is a free plan for life (no credit card required to join up), however after 90 days, your episodes will be gone, and their plans will start at $12/month. Excellent value for money!

Use this link to get started: If you continue with one of Buzzsprout’s paid plans for two months, you’ll get a $20 Amazon gift card!

Start A Podcast With Buzzsprout

Podcast Website Best Practices

You’ve learned practically everything you need to know to start creating your own podcast website at this point. Maintain in mind that you’ll need to keep a careful check on your site to guarantee that it remains successful over time. Using WordPress to access plugins like Google Analytics and Monster Insights should show you how well your pages are performing.

You may tweak your content and website as you learn more about your audience and which podcasts they enjoy the most. To begin, keep in mind the following guidelines:

  • It’s preferable to keep things simple: When users visit your website, they want a clear and straightforward experience. Finding and playing the episode that someone wants to listen to should take no more than a few minutes. It’s also a good idea to make your podcast available on other platforms, such as iTunes and Google Podcasts, to make it more accessible.
  • Get the aesthetics right: Your podcast website’s images should be professional and brand-related. Choose colors that are appropriate for the type of brand you’re attempting to establish. Make sure the color and font combinations you choose are also easy to read.
  • Make it simple to subscribe: If you want your consumers to keep coming back to your podcast, make it as simple as possible for them to do so. At the end of each podcast, mention subscribing, and include a form on the episode pages for people to submit their email addresses. You may also utilize things like website bars and pop-ups to persuade people to sign up for your newsletter.
  • Optimize your content: Make sure that each podcast episode contains useful and relevant information for your listeners. You must provide value to your clients; else, they will not return. Analyze your data to identify which podcast episodes have the most ratings and listeners.
  • Add social elements: Podcasts are all about getting customers engaged. This means that there should be various ways for your customers to interact with you. Social elements like social sharing buttons and comment sections are valuable here.

Let’s Get Podcasting

Podcasting’s golden age has finally come. However, if you want to maximize the possibilities of this medium, you’ll need the appropriate method. Podcasting platforms are excellent for expanding your brand’s reach and establishing new consumer relationships. However, they are insufficient on their own.

To connect with your audience, you’ll need a dedicated podcast website that you can develop and adapt to fit your brand. It demonstrates your commitment to your podcasting channel and allows listeners to discover more about you and your program.

Creating a podcast website doesn’t have to be difficult, as you can see from the instructions above. Why wouldn’t you start your own podcast website when carving out your own part of the internet is so easy?

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