Podcasts have never been more popular than they are today. Podcasting began to flounder a little bit until 2020 when it really took off. Today, there are 2.4 million podcasts globally, with 66 million podcast episodes, according to Demandsage. The site also shows that 383.7 million people around the world listen to podcasts, with the US having the most listeners. These statistics are phenomenal.
Podcasts are no longer a nice market for nerds and techies. Today, podcasts are a major factor in today’s communication and entertainment markets. Even so, it’s not easy to create an amazing podcast that draws in listeners. So, how can you get started with podcasting?
Podcast Hosting Sites
One of the first things you need is a podcast hosting site. This is a platform where you can publish podcast episodes online, so listeners can enjoy the show and then communicate with you through the comments section, via email, sharing your podcasts and more.
So, how do you choose the right podcast hosting site to get started? That’s where this article comes in. We’ve done the research to find the best podcasting platforms for you. Some are free, and others are paid; we’ll share some details about each site.
- PodBean
Podbean is a podcast hosting site that allows you to monetise your published podcasts quickly and easily. All you need to do is provide some information about your podcast, and then you can publish the first episode.
The site offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface that makes it easy to get set up and started with your podcast. You’ll have a professional-looking site with a title and description; you can choose the right category for the episode and upload a podcast logo. After uploading the first podcast, you can then choose a theme for your podcast site.
From here, listeners can access your podcast on Apple, Shopify, Google, and other podcast apps. It’s also possible to embed your podcast into your website or blog through Podbean’s embeddable player. You can also customise the player and add branded elements so it blends in with your site or blog.
Podbean also makes it easy to connect your podcasts to social media platforms. And the site provides great statistics that help you gain insights about your audience.
You’ll find a free plan that’s available to iPhone and Android app players, with 100GB of monthly bandwidth for your podcast. The site also offers plenty of resources in case you come across any issues while working with your site. Pricing starts at free, and the next tier is $9/month for unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth, distribution on other podcast apps, customisable themes, and much more.
- Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is another podcasting platform that offers hosting, promotion, and analytics for your site. You can distribute your podcast directly through Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Google, Overcast, Alexa, iHeartRadio, and more.
The site also offers a MagicMastering tool that you can use. The tool includes an audio filter that makes your podcast sound professional and optimises the audio for the best industry standards. However, this tool is only available with the site’s more expensive plans.
Buzzsprout does offer plenty of ways to optimise your episodes with file type, bitrates, ID3 tags, and more. The platform also provides ways to make your podcast friendlier for search engines to find. For instance, you can easily create a transcription of each episode for people who have hearing disabilities.
In addition, this platform allows one account to have multiple podcasts and team members. You can also easily find assistance through the site’s YouTube channel and Facebook community. Buzzsprout also makes it easy to match your site with your brand colours.
- Simplecast
Next on our list of best podcast hosting sites is Simplecast. This site offers everything you need for podcasting in one place. The site’s a great tool for small, medium, or large businesses.
Here, you can set up your podcast on other platforms, including Shopify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast, and more. The site gets your podcast into these directories and apps as soon as an episode’s been published.
Once it’s available, you can check out the analytics for your podcasts to see how many listeners you have, where they come from, and more. In addition, your account on this platform also includes a website.
The website is updated right after you publish a new episode. The site is mobile-friendly, customisable, optimised for SEO, and more. You can also use your own domain names on the Simplecast platform.
Users have the ability to manage multiple shows on one account.
- Anchor.fm
Anchor.fm is one of the best free podcast hosting services offered by Spotify. With an Anchor.fm account, you can create, distribute, and monetise your podcasts, check analytics, and more.
It’s also possible to create music and talk episodes with Anchor. All you have to do is choose any song from Spotify’s library and place it in the episode builder, add an audio file to go with the music, and submit the episode for review.
You can monetise your podcast by building and monetising an audience. Monetisation can be done by adding paid ads or asking for donations from your audience.
The Anchor.fm platform also makes it easy to measure your podcast’s performance. It’s easy to see where listeners are coming from, which listeners abandon the podcast and more.
In addition, all the content you create belongs to you. The platform allows you to distribute episodes through Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google, Apple, and more. It’s even possible to record right from your phone, tablet, computer, or another device. And you can create both audio and video podcasts.
- SoundCloud
Soundcloud is the next platform on our list of sites. It can be used for streaming audio and hosting podcasts. While this site is a popular music-sharing platform, it also offers much in the way of hosting podcasts.
The platform is one of the few that allows you to create a community around your podcast. This can be a great way to grow awareness of your brand and for your podcast to spread to a broader audience.
On this podcasting site, users can leave comments on specific moments of the track, and other users can view these comments when they reach that part of the track.
SoundCloud is available for iOS and Android, and it’s free to sign up for an account. The platform makes it easy to distribute your podcast on other channels, such as YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and more.
- Transistor.fm
Transistor.fm is similar to other podcasting platforms. They allow you to create a podcast and import it to other platforms. It’s easy to use—just follow the instructions.
The site also provides analytics that are easy to understand and delivers the insights you need for listener trends. It’s also possible to create, import, and host multiple podcasts with a single account.
In addition, Transistor.fm provides your podcast with a unique RSS feed, a basic webpage, and collaborator invites for each podcast created. The site also offers a podcast player to embed on your website, landing page, or tweet.
Summing It Up
There you have it! This is our list of the best podcasting sites available today. Each one has its own pros and cons. So, it’s essential to choose a podcasting site that has the features you need and want.
You’ll have several great podcasting sites to choose from on this list, whether you’re looking for the cheapest services or need a highly professional podcasting site. No matter which service you choose, any of these will be an awesome home for your podcast!
