Unlike websites, podcast hosting offers specific tools dedicated to optimizing the subscription experience. Choosing a reliable hosting platform for your podcast is critical, as it can help you grow your audience faster while making it easier to manage your podcast files.
In this article, we will introduce some of the most popular podcast hosting platforms, most of them are free and some charge a small fee to provide better support and tools.
What is Podcast Hosting
Podcast hosting is a dedicated service that provides storage and delivery of media files associated with podcasts. Just as you need hosting to store all your files, podcasts have the same hosting service, but only for podcast media files.
Now, you may be wondering: can I use web hosting to store podcast files?
The answer is yes, but it’s not good for your site or your listeners. Podcast episodes are large files and using the same server will take up a lot of hardware resources, which will cause your site to slow down and may even crash at high loads. If multiple users are downloading at the same time, most web hosts will simply block the process that is taking up server resources, which means they can’t listen to your podcast.
For these reasons, you need dedicated hosting services. These companies specialize in storing and delivering large files and have dedicated tools for handling media content. You also get the support of industry experts that will make a huge difference in the long run.
Podbean is the best podcast hosting provider, offering unlimited traffic packages, beautiful design tools, allowing you to host your website with customizable themes, and easy embedding of dedicated players into WordPress posts and pages.
On top of that, they have a range of promotional tools that automatically submit your episodes to the top podcast directories, which allows listeners to use their favorite tools to listen and download. There is also an advertising marketplace that offers great opportunities for you to profit from your podcast.
This is one of the best podcast hosting providers for beginners, Buzzsprout has been in the business since 2009 and has built a strong podcast community that includes some of the top podcasters. When you get started, you’ll find it very easy to just upload your media files and everything else will be handled automatically. They will also submit your episodes to all the top podcast directories to ensure access on all devices and apps.
The embedded player looks very sophisticated, works well on all screen sizes, and displays controls such as cover images, social sharing buttons, and forward/backward.Free WordPress PluginAlso here, making it easier to embed into the site.
If you don’t plan to build a website, Buzzsprout can handle this task automatically and allows you to adjust the design look, use a custom domain name. The downside is that even the paid plans have storage and bandwidth limitations.
Blubrry offers flexible hosting plans for users of all experience levels. With the help of the popular PowerPress plugin, you can easily upload podcast clips directly to the hosting provider, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts on the platform. This allows your podcasts to be easily found by listeners in apps like Google Home, Google Assistant, Google Podcast, and more.
Other features include profit-making options, social sharing, podcast statistics, and more.
Transistor is an easy-to-use and powerful podcast hosting service for beginners and professionals alike. They offer unlimited hosting plans, which means that unlike other competitors, Transistor does not charge based on airtime.
Uploading and publishing podcasts is extremely easy, and they also provide data analytics so you can see how each clip is performing for listening. The embedded code makes it easy to add each episode to posts and pages, even if you don’t have a website – Transistor can create one for you quickly. Note that plan packages have limits on the number of downloads, so as the podcast grows, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher plan.
Whichever hosting service you choose, you’ll need to embed a media player on your website to display content the right way. However, not all platforms offer embedded players, and it’s hard to beat Fusebox in every way — the look is beautiful and sophisticated, allowing you to display podcast episodes on individual pages that users can navigate through on-screen controls and share on social media platforms.
Compatible with all devices such as desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc., it allows you to change the colors to match the website and make it float at the top or bottom. In addition to finding new listeners, Fusebox can help you grow your email subscription list. This tool is powered by Pat Flynn The team behind the creation of the podcast has supported many of the top podcasters.
As another reliable podcast hosting provider, Libsyn offers an easy-to-use platform that puts your brand at the center and helps you push your podcast across a variety of different platforms, devices and apps.
Founded in 2004, this company has a large number of loyal subscribers, including some of the most influential podcasters. They offer hosting plans with unlimited traffic, as well as profitable options, data analysis, andLibsyn Publisher Hub Plug-ins and other features.
This is a popular music and podcast hosting platform that allows you to embed any podcast episode from SoundCloud simply by placing the URL anywhere in your WordPress posts and pages.
The free plan comes with up to 3 hours of playtime, which is a great starting point for beginners who want to test the waters, and the paid plan offers more traffic, storage space, stats, and money-making options. soundCloud is easy to use, but not the most flexible podcast hosting platform.
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