Over the past decade, podcasts have gained popularity. They are now seen as a replacement for blog articles. People enjoy expressing themselves more if they speak out their knowledge or opinions rather than typing them out.
The podcast industry includes not only those who record podcasts but also those who listen to them. According to a report, the number of podcast listeners in the US will increase by 16% every year.
What is a Podcast
In simple words, a podcast is a recorded audio file that can be listened to by subscribing to its channel on the platform where it’s hosted. People record podcasts for different purposes, some of which are:
- To share your knowledge about a certain subject,
- To share your personal life experiences and the inspirations derived from them,
- To give your opinions on a specified topic or issue,
- To promote a business, a brand, or a service,
- Merely for the sake of fun and entertainment.
You can subscribe to anybody’s free podcast show through an app on your smartphone and listen to podcast episodes whenever you like using headphones, earphones, or speakers.
But what if you are a podcaster? Where do you host your podcast episodes? There are many free podcast hosting sites out there. So let’s look into where to host podcast.
Podcast Hosting Websites
Among the best podcast hosting websites available these days, some are worth mentioning here. Each comes with a unique pricing structure. Every podcaster has his/her own needs and should choose a platform that suits him/her the most.
Here are the best platforms where to host podcast in 2021.
1. Buzzsprout
Image taken from Buzzsprout
This platform is among the popular podcast hosting sites that makes podcasting so simple that you’ll be surprised how easily You can publish your recordings here. It has a mobile-friendly website and a very appealing dashboard, making it a fun experience to create content there. You can experiment with its features, mess around with your uploads, or do anything you like, and it will still be fun.
Buzzsprout keeps coming up with updates and added features to attract more users. Some of the features they have added lately include the following.
- Transcription subscription
- An affiliate marketplace
- A new embedded player
- A text editor that shows notes
- A tool to perfect the sound
At Buzzsprout, you can also view the basic analytics of your episodes. Buzzsprout recently updated this feature last year. You can use Buzzsprout for free as long as you are okay with your episodes being deleted in 90 days after uploading them. Their paid plans begin from $12 per month. That’s excellent value for a beginner who’s looking into where to host podcast.
2. Captivate
Image taken from Captivate
Captivate is another good option if you’re thinking about where to host podcast. It is run by a team that has been managing podcast hosting platforms for years. They have a lot of experience in the podcasting industry and are well familiar with the needs of podcasters.
The Captivate dashboard is equipped with many features that make your podcast publishing experience smooth. They offer thorough but easy-to-use analytics and built-in call-to-action buttons. In addition, there is an option to keep your podcast episodes private if you want.
Some other features offered by Captivate include the following.
- WordPress integration using a custom Captivate plugin
- Default scheduling mechanism
- Podcast sponsorship kit
- Display of key download numbers
Its website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. In addition, captivate provides a 7-day free trial before you start paying their monthly fee.
3. Transistor
Image taken from Transistor
This is a relatively new platform that provides space for uploading your podcast episodes and analytics to see how they’re performing. It is built for those choosing where to host podcast professionally, not only out of passion.
Its paid plan, which starts at $19 per month, allows you to do the following.
- Publish as many episodes as you want
- Include and manage team members
- Check statistics on the number of views for each episode
- Keep a show private
A unique feature of Transistor is that you can browse around its web pages while your podcast episode keeps playing in the background.
4. Podbean
Image taken from Podbean
Podbean is a podcast hosting site that started in 2006. It has all the fundamental features that a beginner podcaster needs. It enables its users to start podcasting in a simple, point-to-click blog-like environment without technical knowledge.
Podbean paid plan starts at $9 per month. You can use its free plan forever unless you run out of its free hosting space. The paid plan offers the following features.
- Advanced analytics
- Custom domains
- A podcast website of your own
- Unlimited hosting space
Podbean has its app for Android and iOS. It also has an Alexa feature that enables you to speak out in your voice to open your favorite podcasts. It is an interesting platform where to host podcast.
5. Simplecast
Image taken from Simplecast
Simplecast is another podcast website. It has very appealing embeddable players, detailed analytics, and a variety of formats for its users. With its paid plan starting at $15 per month, you can make unlimited uploads, get thorough statistics, have a separate podcast website, and add team members to manage your podcasts.
If you upgrade to a more premium package, you get to make more customizations and use a custom domain. These features are good enough for professional podcasters and make Simplecast one of the best podcast hosting sites.
A couple of famous websites, such as Slack and Shopify, are hosted at Simplecast. Its dashboard has been recently updated and made more attractive. It offers a free trial of 14 days before you start paying. It is a reasonable option to choose when you’re deciding where to host podcast.
6. Castos
Image taken from Castos
Castos podcast hosting site starts with its basic plan for $19 per month. You can upload an unlimited number of shows in this plan and download as many episodes as you like. Its player is customizable and can be embedded into your podcast website.
It offers seamless integration with WordPress and a 14-day free trial. It’s an excellent option if you’re just starting and are thinking about where to host podcast.
7. Resonate
Image taken from Resonate
This is a podcast production company that has recently started a podcast hosting platform. If you pick Resonate when choosing where to host podcast, you’ll get to do professional editing and production of your shows and also host them seamlessly on the same platform. However, if you want to use Resonate only for free podcast hosting, you can do that too.
With Resonate, you get to have your podcast website, which embeds a player in a beautiful template and helps you track how many people are listening to your shows at any given time.
The paid plan to host podcast at Resonate starts at $25 per month and allows unlimited uploads, downloads, and bandwidth.
8. Soundcloud
Image taken from Soundcloud
Soundcloud is among the best podcast hosting platforms used not only for hosting podcasts but also for uploading other music or audio files. As a result, it is pretty popular in the music industry.
The advantage of using Soundcloud when you’re choosing where to host podcast is that you can easily embed your uploads into virtually any website builder that you use to create your podcast website.
Soundcloud can be used as a free podcast hosting site forever. A disadvantage, though, is that it offers limited features such as the following.
- You can upload a total of only 3 hours at a time.
- You can upload up to only 30 hours per week.
How to Integrate Your Podcasts into Your Strikingly Website
If you are running a podcast website in Strikingly, it is straightforward to embed your shows into your site. Strikingly is built with easy-to-use features that allow its users to make changes and add elements to your web pages whenever you like by using its drag-and-drop feature as well as a highly equipped editor. At Strikingly, you can design a podcast website that really stands out.
If you have decided where to host podcast and now want to insert your podcast episodes into your Strikingly website, you need to use the Strikingly feature to add audio or music to your site. You can embed audio files into your Strikingly site from Soundcloud.
Steps to Embed Your Soundcloud Audio Clips into Your Strikingly Website
1. Click on ‘Add New Section’ in the left panel of your editor. Then select ‘App Store and HTML’.
Image taken from Strikingly
2. In that section, click ‘Edit’ and then click ‘Soundcloud’ from the list of apps available.
Image taken from Strikingly
3. Now copy the URL from your podcast hosting site, i.e. from your Soundcloud account, and paste it in the field provided.
Image taken from Strikingly
4. Save and publish the link. Your podcast audio clip has now been embedded into your web page.
If you need any assistance in the process, you can contact our support via email or use our live chat support feature more conveniently.
Image taken from Strikingly
Add an Online Store
Once you have built a following for your podcasts, you can set up a simple store on your Strikingly website to sell your podcast episodes. You can do this by again clicking on ‘Add New Section’ and selecting the Simple Store section from the left panel.
Image taken from Strikingly
You would also need to select a payment gateway to install into your store so that you can receive payments every time someone pays for your podcast.
Podcasting is fun, and if it’s easy to let your podcast website visitors listen to your podcasts directly on the site, then it’s even more fun. At Strikingly, we like to see our users enjoy growing in their passion and expanding their businesses!
