According to 2024 data, there are 504.9 million people who listen to podcasts on a regular or semi-regular basis globally. Further, this number is on a significant rise with an increase in the number of listeners on any given platform.
Thus, your podcast must be geared towards the right audience and available on platforms that have most of your listener base. This makes it important to ensure that you opt for an appropriate podcast hosting platform.
10 Tools that the Best Podcast Hosting Platforms Offer
Here is a comprehensive list of tools offered by podcast hosting platforms to help grow your audience base:
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One-Click Publishing
Most podcast hosting platforms offer this as a basic feature. Right after publishing your content on a hosting platform, the podcast software asks if you wish to publish it on other platforms. Having this option eliminates the need for manually submitting the RSS link for the podcast to every platform you wish to publish it on.
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Storage And Bandwidth
This is a primary feature that needs to be checked before opting for any podcast hosting platform. This impacts the number of episodes you can upload in a week, the size of said episodes, whether or not your audience can access the old episodes, and the number of people who can access these episodes at the same time. The higher the storage limit, the more content you can have on your channel. Similarly, with a higher bandwidth, more people can stream/ download your content at the same time.
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Advanced Analytics
In order to grow your audience base, you need to learn what is working and which content is falling short. Advanced analytics gives you insight into which podcasts are gaining more unique listeners, and which ones have a higher number of streams and downloads. This knowledge allows you to tailor your content in a way that it caters to the interests of most listeners.
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Website Integration
Having just a podcast channel is not enough; a website can help promote your show and find new audiences. Further, a good podcast hosting platform allows you to easily add to your website and even offer the means to create a personalized website if you do not already have one.
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Transcription Services
Whether it is an audio or a video podcast, having a word-for-word transcription allows the audience to engage better. This is especially beneficial for those not proficient in the language or hard of hearing. When the podcast software comes with transcription services, you get an AI tool and no longer need to transcribe the entire podcast yourself.
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Monetization Options
Publishing a podcast is not all. Many podcasters use their content for advertising other products, gain sponsorship from brands, and even participate in affiliate marketing. The chosen podcast hosting platform should provide adequate ways to monetize the content, such as dynamic ad insertion, crowdfunding, and more.
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Private podcasting
One aspect of monetization, this option allows you to upload exclusive content for listeners who pay. This feature is a must-have since most platforms that people listen on, offer the option to publish private or exclusive content.
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Advanced Audience Demographics
Most podcasts target a certain audience, based on their content, paid promotions, etc. Having this option allows you to check whether your podcast is reaching the right target audience by gaining an idea about the age, lifestyle, social media habits, and other aspects of the listeners.
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Tracking Links
An advanced feature, this option allows you to track how many times a particular podcast has been downloaded across all platforms where the podcast was published. Thus, it allows you to discover the top sources of downloads and lets you know which platforms are working for you.
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Ease of Use And User Support
Last but not least, one should not have to be tech-savvy to publish and manage their podcasts. Thus, every podcast hosting platform should have a simple and easy-to-understand interface. Further, it should come with tech support to address any issues that may occur.
How to Make Your Choice?
With tens of podcast software available on the internet, selecting a suitable platform is of the essence. Only when the podcast hosting platform offers most of the above features will it be suitable for you.
Some of the top choices in podcast software include:
Hubhopper
Beginner-friendly and yet offering advanced analytics and one-click distribution, Hubhopper allows beginner podcasters to publish their work like a pro. Further, it offers all of the above features and more, making it a sought-after choice in podcast hosting.
Spotify for Podcasters
One of the most popular podcast hosting platforms, Spotify for Podcasters, is easy to use, the best feature being easy upload to Spotify and access to a listener base of millions. Being a free podcast hosting platform, this is often the go-to choice for beginners.
Buzzsprout
A fan-favourite among beginner and pro podcasters, Buzzsprout has an easy-to-use interface and offers one-click distribution to the most popular listening platforms. It also comes with advanced analytics, user dashboards, monetization, and built-in websites, ensuring you get the most out of your platform fee.
CoHost
Geared towards businesses and pro-podcasters, CoHost offers in-depth analytics that can drive your B2B engagement. Further, it also offers AI-powered transcriptions, single-click publishing, and easy management of your content.
Libsyn
A paid podcast hosting platform, Libsyn helps you understand your audience better and create strategies to increase your audience base. Further, it also provides video publishing options and allows you to publish your content over multiple platforms.
Wrapping Up
Finding the right platform which offers the above features is essential if you wish to create more engaging content and increase your audience base. Depending on what you are seeking from the podcast hosting platform, look into what each podcast software is offering. Evaluate the features being offered and select one that is most suitable for you.
