A podcast website is essential for SEO purposes. It can also help you build an email list that extends the reach of your entire brand.
If you’re a podcast creator, you know how much work is involved in creating something that people want to listen to on a routine basis.
It can be extremely tough to produce podcast episodes, manage your social media, upload the podcast to different podcast apps, and create consistently great content.
Weirdly enough, there’s one thing that a lot of creators overlook: making a podcast website. Doing so can help your podcast be found by search engines, help you build an email list, and ensure that people across the world hear your high-quality content.
What is a Podcast Website?
As the name implies, a podcast website is a website that contains information about your podcast and links to episodes and seasons. There are some essential pieces of information it should include, such as:
- Biographical information about you and your hosts.
- Links to the various podcast hosting apps where users can listen to your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and more. This episode information should also include show notes that explain what the show was about.
- Depending on the website, your hosting plan, and your preferred audio player, you may be able to embed your own podcast directly into the website.
- Information on how a guest can contact you, including an Email address and links to various social media.
- An Email list sign-up, so listeners can learn where there are new episodes.
Why do you need one?
You may think that having a podcast provides so much value that you don’t need a website. This is incorrect. Setting up a website offers a slew of benefits for your podcast. This includes:
- Enhancing your search engine optimization (SEO). You never know who might be searching for what you’re speaking about. A podcast website enables Google’s web crawlers to surface this information for interested parties.
- It gives your audio files another place to live, making it easy for you to download content at a later date.
- It allows you to grow your brand as a whole. As mentioned above you should absolutely have links to other social media pages and a form for email sign-ups.
- Lastly, you can even build in a section for reviews. You should always be soliciting feedback from your audience. If they don’t like your podcast, that will sting, but it will be good to know so that you can optimize for the future. If they do like your podcast, well then that’s great. This will provide social proof for other people as they come across the site, which may entice them to give your show a try.
What is the best free podcast website?
Anchor is one of the best free podcast websites. Anchor allows you to record, host, and distribute your show. It also offers analytics and monetization options.
Podbean isn’t bad either. The site allows you to start for free. Once live Podbean can help with dynamic ad insertion and live-streaming.
There are other options on the market. Some of the qualities we look for include:
- Tutorials on how to use the website builder, teaching beginners the basics of website design.
- Templates that allow you to easily swap out common elements, like a header, color scheme, or graphics.
- Easy to use plugins for adding in additional features.
- Pricing options if you do want to upgrade the podcast hosting plan at a later date.
- The ability to embed a podcast player or link to your episodes.
- A Podcast RSS feed that can automatically alert users when you update your content.
- Monetization options, like advertisements.
- Easy integration with a variety of podcast platforms and podcast networks.
- An opportunity to manage your website from a mobile device, including any iOS device or Android.
Quite frankly, we recommend spending a little bit of dough to build out a custom website. This way, you own your audience and the data that comes with it. Stick with the options below:
- WordPress, one of the most popular website hosting platforms in the world.
- Squarespace, which integrates with square, a popular payment processor.
Podcast Website Examples
1 – Revisionist History
Why We Like It: Its color scheme and overall design have a sharp, minimalist aesthetic. It has links right at the top of the page, making the website easy to navigate. Furthermore, it has a variety of easy-to-digest information, including a nice center-aligned scheme, making it easy to read the website and get the information you need.
2 – Serial Podcast
Why We Like It: That picture. It’s gorgeous, grabs your attention, and immediately pulls users in. It also has a unique style that manages to be attractive while still easily giving users the information they need, like finding out more about the podcast and how they can listen to the episodes.
3 – Essie’s Hour of Love
Why We Like It: This website opts for a center-square design. Its pictures are geometrically organized and ordered around where you can listen to more information. The website is also highly minimalistic, using a black-and-white color scheme that matches the show’s aesthetic.
4 – Being Boss
Why We Like It: One of the first things you see when you hit this website is a place to sign up for email updates. Two menus are at the top of the page, making it easy to navigate, and scrolling down shows you the latest episodes.
5 – Dear Gabby
Why We Like It: This website uses heavy visual elements and leans on that to pull you in. Scrolling down shows podcasts, books, and more. The design is unique for this list, as it does more than just advertise the latest podcast episodes: It also sells books. This may be a valuable technique for individuals who use podcasts to supplement other ventures.
A website can be hugely beneficial for your podcast when done right. You can use it to grow your audience, expand your reach, and make sure that more people can find your content.