Need a Podcast Hosting Platform? Here’s How to Choose One

As the benefits of podcasting skyrocket and many more people seek to get into the art of sharing business or personal information to the end of getting more subscribers, there is a need to choose a reliable podcast hosting platform.

What is a reliable podcast hosting platform?

Just like you need a website hosting service to store all your website files and always deliver them to your visitors 24/7, a podcast hosting platform is considered reliable if it offers consistent, feature-packed, specialized services to store and deliver podcast-related media files for a monthly/yearly fee.

A good podcast hosting platform must provide these at the very least:

• Reliable & secure hosting performance
• Simplified RSS feed creation on sign up
• User-friendly dashboard
• Ease of file distribution to several podcast directories
• Podcast web pages with an embedded player
• Essential sharing and promotion facilities
• Podcast analytics & statistics

Apart from these basics, here are some other detailed functions and features you should seek to find in a hosting platform before selecting one:

• Ease of Sign Up

When setting out with a new podcast host, it can be pretty laborious and time-consuming especially if you’re a first-timer. 

When you first visit a podcast hosting site, it should present an easy sign-up process and should also guide you through setting up your podcast channel based on the plan you choose. You may have to use a wired clip to direct your selection of a good host. A good host usually contains widgets that provide prompts and tips all through the setup

• Multiple Podcasts Per Plan Capability

Another thing you need to check in a host is how many podcasts are allowed in an account. Host providers that let you have as many podcasts as you like on a single plan giving you more control over how you structure things are the ones to look out for.

This feature is important for those who’d like to delve into several topic areas of course.

• File Management Practices

Hosting platforms often process users’ audios for one reason or the other and reduce the audio quality in the process. This is a serious issue for business minded-podcasters.

Hosts that don’t add any touches to your audio upload and leave it exactly as it was created by your audio recording software are the ones to go for.

• Feature-Rich Mobile-Friendly Podcast Website

Find out which web designers are working with the podcast hosting site, designers like Rebel Base Media are among the world’s best. Their design templates are modern and wholly mobile friendly making them fit well on any device. 

Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smartphone-internet-connection-technology-6686455/

Make sure the web pages the podcast host provides are customisable. This is to ensure that you can easily edit the look and feel of your web page to keep it trending and attractive to visitors.

The hosts’ podcast player should be able to allow listing of episodes in chronological or reverse order; or, sticking an episode of choice to the top of the page for promotional purposes.

Connecting your domain name is simple enough as is setting up a newsletter – it’s very intuitive and their pedigree from Podcast Websites is obviously present. Captivate features a built-in sign up function that integrates with third-party email marketing providers like MailChimp.

• WordPress Integration

A good host will provide functions that allow you to easily link your WordPress website to your podcast hosting account allowing for seamless publishing across the platforms.

There should be the ability to publish, edit and delete podcast episodes in your WordPress website with those changes reflecting immediately in your podcast hosting site.

• Presence of Podcast Players with Calls To Action

The podcast media player from a good podcast host should be well-designed and nice on the screen. It should contain a pleasant listening experience.

It should be able to embed two calls to action linking to anything you choose. For instance, a call to action can link to a newsletter sign-up page and another linking to downloadable material.

A podcast hosting site with such a service will help increase the flow of traffic to your channel and also support any monetization effort you may be planning.

With such a service, you can make a different call to action in the media player for each episode.

• Podcast Costs

Nearly all podcast hosting services charge a separate monthly fee for podcast hosting and downloads. Though it appears to be a combined cost, once you use up the provided download possibilities, you’ll need to pay for a new plan.

Some podcast hosts offer plans starting at $19 per 12, 000 downloads per month. Others offer differently.

Make your choice of what you can afford along with the quality you want when choosing the host. 

Based on these features and services, you should have enough information by now to choose a reliable host for your podcasting needs. Most people go for Captivate, Transistor, Buzzsprout, and Podbean. It all depends on you. Which is your choice?