Podcast FAQ

what is a podcast hosting service

by Lizzie Herzog Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Podcast hosting is a specialized service which offers to store and deliver media files associated with a podcast. Just like you need a website hosting service to store all your website files, a podcast hosting offers the same service but for your podcast’s media files.

Podcast hosting is a specialized service which offers to store and deliver media files associated with a podcast. Just like you need a website hosting service to store all your website files, a podcast hosting offers the same service but for your podcast's media files.Jan 4, 2022

Full Answer

How to become a great podcast host?

  • A sense of urgency
  • Excitement
  • Passion
  • Sadness, etc.

What is podcast hosting and why do I need It?

💸 Free Podcast Hosting: Is it a Good Idea?

  • Buzzsprout's Free Podcast Hosting. The 3 month episode shutdown means it's not a viable option for running a long-term podcast. ...
  • Podbean's Free Podcast Hosting. And that's it! ...
  • RedCircle's Free Hosting. RedCircle are actually a completely free podcast hosting platform. ...
  • Anchor's Free Podcast Hosting. ...

Do you need a podcast host?

When it comes to getting your podcast out there for everyone to hear, you’ll need a podcast hosting account, sometimes called a media host. Media or Podcast hosts are services that store your audio and allow your listeners to listen, download, and subscribe to your podcast.

Where is the best place to host podcasts?

What is the Best Podcast Hosting?

  1. Buzzsprout. The Best Podcast Hosting Service for Beginners (Free – $24/month + $20 Amazon Gift Card). ...
  2. Spreaker. Best Content Management System and Monetization (Free – $120+). ...
  3. RSS.com. Best for having the most features for growing your podcast. ...
  4. Transistor. ...
  5. PodBean. ...
  6. Simplecast. ...
  7. Captivate. ...
  8. Castos. ...
  9. Podcastics. ...
  10. Fusebox. ...

More items...

image

What does podcast hosting do?

Simply put, a podcast hosting platform is a place to upload your audio files, show notes, cover art… basically, everything that makes up your podcast and your podcast episodes.

What is a podcast media host?

Podcast hosting does two things. First, it's the place on the web where you upload your podcast episodes. Second, it generates the RSS feed which you submit to directories – eg. Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc – and which allows people to subscribe to your show.

How much does hosting a podcast cost?

Podcast hosting typically costs between $5 to $25 per month. Pricing varies based on bandwidth, storage, and available tools. Most podcasters spend less than $20 per month, but some larger podcasts require enterprise podcast hoisting which can be more expensive.

Is hosting a podcast free?

To keep your podcast hosting free forever, choose Anchor or Acast. For a tool that integrates with services you're already using, choose Buzzsprout or Podbean. To host multiple podcasts without paying a dime, choose Spreaker.

How do podcast hosts make money?

Sponsorships are the most common way podcasters make money. This is when the podcast promotes the sponsor during the show. You probably hear your favorite shows plug their advertisers a few times in every episode. How much you earn from a sponsor depends on the number of downloads your episodes earn.

How do you start a podcast hosting?

Table of ContentsChoose a Podcast Topic You Can Commit To.Pick Your Podcast Name.Write a Compelling Podcast Description.Decide on Your Podcast Format.Get Your Podcast Artwork and Music Created.Purchase Your Podcast Equipment and Test Your Podcasting Software.Choose Your Podcast Hosting Service.More items...•

Do podcasters make money?

Do podcasts make money? Of course they do! Big names are getting large amounts of listeners and large amounts of ad revenue in return. According to AdvertiseCast, average 30-second CPM (cost per 1K listeners) rates are $18, while 60-second CPMs are $25.

Does Spotify pay you for podcasts?

Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts pay out for streams, but the payout tends to be very low. Podcast sponsorships are one way, but for new podcasts, the likelihood of finding a high-paying sponsorship is slim unless you're already a well-established figure.

How long does it take for a podcast to make money?

Relying on the experience of Marc Clair, a podcast host, and producer, it may take as long as 18 months before you start seeing results. That's if you produce a show weekly. In his words, things can be faster than stated if you have luck, a marketing budget, and irresistible content.

What is the best place to host a podcast?

31 Best Podcast Hosting Sites (Top 7 Have Free Offers)Buzzsprout.Captivate.Transistor.Castos.RSS.com.Podbean.Resonate.

How much does it cost to host a podcast on Spotify?

You can start using podcast hosting provider Buzzsprout for free, but you're better to opt for their $12 a month plan. That way, your episodes won't be deleted after 90 days, and you can upload more content, too.

Which platform is best for podcast?

What are the Best Podcast Hosting Platforms?Fusebox. ... Blubrry Podcasting. ... Spreaker. ... PodcastWebsites. ... Audioboom. Best hosting platform for taking your podcast to the next level. ... Libsyn. The most reliable podcast hosting site. ... Soundcloud. Best platform for audio content creators. ... Podomatic. Best freemium podcast hosting platform.More items...•

Is a podcast host necessary?

The quick answer to the question “Do I need a podcast host?” is YES! Unless you know how to whittle your own RSS feed, which most of us don't, you're going to need a podcast host to make sure every episode gets from your computer into people's ears.

Where are podcasts hosted?

How To Submit A Podcast To The Most Popular DirectoriesApple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) Apple Podcasts is the biggest podcast directory in the world. ... Google Podcasts. ... Spotify. ... Stitcher. ... Podchaser. ... TuneIn. ... iHeartRadio. ... Pandora.

What makes a podcaster different from a Youtuber?

Power of Podcast and YouTube That's the power of YouTube because it hosts all kinds of videos irrespective of the genre. Podcast, on the other hand, is an audio or video recording often focused on a specific theme or topic which users can download and listen to on their mobile devices.

What is a podcast channel?

A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing.

How many podcasts does Podbean host?

As your podcast grows it also offers two paid versions. Podbean currently hosts over 240,000 podcasters with more than 7.4 million episodes combined. The site also boasts around 6 billion downloads.

How many hours can you upload a podcast on Buzzsprout?

Weaknesses. Unlimited storage for free plan, but can only upload 2 hours each month. Only 90 days of hosting for a free podcast before Buzzsprout wants you to upgrade to a paid version. Buzzsprout is promoted as one of the easiest ways to host, promote and track a podcast.

What is Buzzsprout hosting?

Buzzsprout is a hosting service that features a basic, free plan along with affordable monthly options that require no contract or credit card to sign-up. Buzzsprout currently works with notable podcast directories like Apple/iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcast and Stitcher.

What is Spreaker for podcasts?

Spreaker is a well known provider for podcasters as it’s an all-in-one system for new as well as established shows. It provides a versatile program that helps you create, distribute, as well as potentially make money on your podcast.

Is there a free version of Podcast?

These include a blog or website for listeners to stop in and visit, methods for listener feedback, automatic uploads to popular directories (Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, etc.) and customer service for any questions or problems you run into regarding the hosting or RSS feed.

Do podcasts have analytics?

Though the analytics for a podcast are basic at the free level, they can still help deliver important information and where and how your generating an audience as well as build upon that audience. The goal is to eventually have enough listeners that you can turn a profit on the podcast, though many still do it simply for the hobby of podcasting.

Can you make unlimited podcasts with Transistor?

Within a single plan, Transistor allows podcasters to make unlimited podcasts. You can also add extra users per podcast, making it a great choice with several shows for teams and small networks. The platform, analytics, customizable websites and other features are all easy to access and very cleanly built.

What is a podcast website?

Podcast Websites is an all-in-one platform that includes a WordPress website, web hosting, unlimited podcast hosting, domain name, email address, and a bunch more. You can easily build your email list as they connect to many of the top email service providers too.

What is the best free podcast platform?

Anchor. Anchor is probably the most well-known free podcast platform. Their main focus is on mobile podcasting, but you can also use their web interface to edit and manage your episodes. They have a built-in ad platform, easy editing of your audio files, and are constantly updating with new features.

What is Transistor podcast?

Transistor is one of the newer podcast hosting and analytics platforms and have a great team behind them. They are focused on brands (one of their early customers is Cards Against Humanity) and people who take podcasting seriously (vs those just dabbling or as a hobby). For one price you can:

What is libsyn podcast?

Libsyn. Libsyn is a podcast hosting service that has been around since the early days of podcasting. They are commonly recommended because that’s what long-time podcasters have used and recommended for years, but there are better platforms now. Their website and dashboard badly need a refresh too.

How does podcast hosting work?

Your podcast hosting works as a storage for all your episodes that you decide to publish. In the case of premium podcast hostings, they also provide a CDN, i.e., a content distribution network, meaning that files can be copied into a few physical locations. 3. Directories function as displays.

What is a podcast media host?

A podcast media host is where you upload and store the final media files for your podcast. Most of the podcasts before uploading get formatted and saved into an mp3 audio file. Besides mp3 files, some of the podcast hostings allow you to upload also other formats like: m4a. wav.

What is ImprovePodcast?

I'm the owner and creator of ImprovePodcast.com, the site dedicated to providing actionable solutions for podcast creators. My goal is helping people to develop their podcasts into effective marketing and sales tools.

How much storage does a podcast take?

An average page should have just a few megabytes (2-3MB), and users can potentially request many pages during one session, A 30-minute mp3 audio podcast (if correctly formatted) can take up to 30MB of storage.

What is the biggest podcast hosting service?

At the moment Anchor.fm is the biggest podcast hosting. The way Anchor works, is that they offer unlimited free hosting, and they hope to make their revenue from ad sharing. As Spotify has bought them, there is a chance this model will succeed for them.

What is a podcast directory?

Podcast directories are those platforms where listeners find your shows e. g., Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker, etc. But they do not have your files. Directories only read your RSS file and then display the list of episodes that you are hosting with your hosting company. 4.

Do podcasts need RSS?

For your directories to display all the episodes stored in your podcast hosting, they require an RSS feed. Every podcast requires an RSS feed that you submit to directories like Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, TuneIn, Google Play, Spotify, etc.

What is a podcast host?

Overall, a podcast is a series of audio files that are bundled into a single file.

How long can you host a podcast for free?

Their free plan allows you to upload two hours of content hosted for 90 days. If you’re serious about podcasting, you can scale up and upgrade your plan based on how many hours of content you need to upload per month.

What is Spreaker podcast?

Spreaker is a one-stop-shop for podcast ers. From newbies just getting started to publishers developing tons of content, Spreaker has a solution for making any podcasters journey a smooth and profitable one.

What is the best podcast site?

The best podcast site is Buzzsprout for their ease of use, price point, and feature set. But the best part about podcast hosting services is that their a so many of them on the market now. You can choose from Spreaker, Transistor FM, and a bunch of other options.

How does Zencastr work?

Zencastr allows new and professional podcasters alike the ability to record themselves and their remote guests in studio quality right from a web browser. To record your podcast guest in another location, you send them a link and then receive a separate audio track.

What is content management system?

Content management system – allows podcasters of any “level” to automatically enable the distribution of new episodes to the major listening platforms (Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, iHeartRadio, Alexa, Deezer, etc.)

What is needed to host a podcast?

Hosting a podcast on your own server requires you to have a state-of-the-art security system in place , replete with security measures like SSL certificates and firewalls. On top of that, you need to regularly update and test their functionality and perform daily back-ups.

What is podcast hosting?

Podcast hosting is a service that allows you to upload and distribute your podcast so that your episodes are on the Internet, on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and on other podcast directories.

Frequently Asked Questions

Podcasting is a fast-growing industry, and anyone can start a podcast. But podcast hosting services are the backbone of your podcast, and your success may depend on the quality of your podcast hosting.

Wrap Up

The podcast hosting services are designed to help you build your podcast with ease.

What is the oldest podcast hosting service?

The Libsyn platform is one of the oldest podcast hosting services, having been around since 2004, long before podcasting broke into the mainstream. Over the years Libsyn has raked up quite a strong community of podcasters, which makes the platform a wonderful option for those who are just breaking into podcasting.

Why is podcast important?

Transistor. A podcast is a good way to get your ideas across and build an audience. Whether you want to host one to help increase the brand awareness for your business or for yourself, a podcast is one of the best ways to share your expertise with the world. Irrespective of the reason for starting a podcast, creating a podcast needs ...

Why do podcasts need bandwidth?

Many such services also offer ample (if not unlimited) bandwidth to ensure you don’t have to turn away listeners because you’ve exhausted all of the available bandwidth.

Can a podcast be large?

Podcasts are large files, and depending on the length of your show, and how you’ve encoded the files, it wouldn’t take too many episodes to balloon to humongous sizes. Your regular web host isn’t designed for hosting large files.

Is podcast hosting better than bandwidth?

Podcast hosting services price their plans to make sure you have ample storage for your podcast, with a range of appropriate bandwidth plans. In fact, you’ll soon discover that a podcast hosting provider is a lot more cost efficient, especially if you factor in the cost of the bandwidth as well. 2. Faster streaming.

What is a podcast media host?

It’s essentially a service provider with plenty of storage available, that is able to take the pressure of multiple people downloading your audio (or video) media files all at the same time.

Price

Free (no paid plans, the whole service is 100% free). They are very keen to be transparent on costs and ask one important question – “Why are not all hosts free?”

Main features

Anchor started initially as a short format podcast distributor with your phone, they have morphed into a fully fledged podcast host since. Some impressive features there – especially that the service is 100% free. Even now they advocate “the best microphone is the one you have with you” kind of thing.

Price

All plans come with 14 days free trail. The Starter plan costs $15/month, the top plan $75/ month (designed for podcasters with multiple shows and high monthly download figues). The top plan does not have limits on monthly downloads.

Blubrry

Blubrry is one of the podcast hosting giants, the grandfathers who have been around since the start of (podcasting) times. They do deserve special “high five” for incredible support to the podcasting community, their work on the PowerPress plugin for podcasters and likely one million other things they do to help podcasting community in general.

Price

5 different price tiers available. Starting at $12.00 per month. No free plans available. The whole principle behind the plans is based on the storage size you may need for your podcast. We see many podcast hosts slowly moving away from this model (likely due to massive decrease in the storage costs for those giants).

Main Features

The first plan is at $12.00 per month and comes with 100MB storage limit (renews on the 1st of each month). With the $20.00 per month plan you have an option to also store video.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9