I've been using WordPress since 2003. I think version 0.72 was my first. But the world of website options for podcasters has changed significantly since then! So is WordPress still the best choice for your podcast website, or should you try something else now?
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Your podcast does need a website!
I've come to hate the phrases “find my podcast in [Spotify / Apple Podcasts / etc.]” and “Wherever you get your podcasts.” My disdain for the latter deserves it's own future episode!
The biggest problem is that telling people to basically search for your podcast puts you at the mercy of not only the frequently changing search rankings, but it especially depends on the assumption that there are no other podcasts with similar names—now, or in the future! For example, there were 19 results for “think outside the box” in Apple Podcasts when I prepared this episode! And if you have to start telling people which search result to choose, you're already overcomplicating your call to action.
The simplest thing is to point them to your website and let your website link to the most popular platforms. Even if your potential listeners want to follow your podcast in less-popular apps, they'd have your website to see your branding and ensure they're following the right podcast.
A podcast without a website is a homeless podcast! From your website, you can collect email addresses, promote special events, sell products and services, solicit feedback, and more. You can't effectively do that in podcast apps!
Regardless of what powers your website, the most important thing is that it uses your own domain because that allows you to make timeless calls to action no matter how you change your technology.
So please assume the answer to “Does my podcast need a website?” is always “yes.”
Podcast-hosting providers have much better websites now
Captivate, Buzzsprout, Transistor, Blubrry, and other podcast-hosting providers do offer basic websites for each podcast you host with them. These websites are often simple, but can also still be attractive and designed to make your podcast prominent and easily listenable, along with promoting ways to follow your podcast. These sites also let you publish extra pages and blog posts. Some of the hosting providers even let you collect email addresses, solicit feedback, or receive financial support from your audience.
The most important thing is for such a website to work with your domain and be an actual website, preferably with only your own branding. Compare that to what you get from lower quality podcast-hosting providers where you get only a webpage on their domain with their prominent branding.
So if you need only a basic home for your podcast and your podcast-hosting provider offers a good one, then go ahead and use it (as long as you use your own domain with it)!
WordPress gives ultimate power with costs
Once you get your domain and web-hosting, most of the WordPress ecosystem doesn't cost any money. You can get a great theme and countless useful plugins free on WordPress.org (and through the theme and plugin catalogs accessible inside your WordPress site).
But to quote from the Spider-Man comics, often spoken by Uncle Ben in the movies, “With great power comes great responsibility!” Or to quote an often repeated line the I loved from the Once Upon a Time TV series, “All magic comes with a price!”
Note that I didn't say using WordPress is free. Sure, you might not have to buy anything, but it will cost you time and knowledge to get things working well, and further time and knowledge to keep them working well. For example, if you want a contact form on your site, you have several free and paid plugin options, and they all require some level of setup.
And if you want to monetize your site in any way, you'll be looking at many more steps and complications.
You could even generate your podcast RSS feed from your WordPress website with PowerPress, but I recommend that only when paired with Blubrry podcast-hosting, or you're prepared to handle several geeky complications.
Then what do you do when something goes wrong? I've had multiple WordPress sites compromised before, requiring me to invest valuable time to find the problem, patch the vulnerabilities, and repair the damage.
So, yes, WordPress gives you great power with your website. In fact, I feel confident saying you can do almost anything you can imagine with a WordPress website! But that power will cost you in other ways!
Website builders have gotten easier and better
Whether you're looking at a “page builder” plugin for WordPress, like Elementor, Beaver Builder, Divi, or even the increasingly powerful built-in Gutenberg Editor; or you're looking at third-party website providers, like Wix, Squarespace, and such; they've all gotten a whole lot easier to make your website look and function great. And, much to my delight, they're also finally getting better at supporting the niche needs of podcasters.
I still don't recommend third-party website providers to host your podcast media and RSS feed, but if you get your RSS feed from your actual podcast-hosting provider (like Captivate, Buzzsprout, and such), all you need to turn your website into a “podcast website” is audio players for each episode and subscribe or follow buttons for popular podcast apps.
Podpage and Beamly provide a new way
In recent years, a hybrid option has emerged: third-party website-providers designed specifically for podcast websites, powered primarily from your podcast RSS feed.
The two most popular options are Podpage and Beamly (formerly known as “Podcastpage”—see why they rebranded?). These not only often give you great-looking websites, but their feature offerings are starting to rival what you could make with your own custom WordPress website, but without the cost of so much time and knowledge!
For example, both Podpage and Beamly let you sell different types of “memberships” to your audience, allowing them to financially support your podcast on an automatic, recurring basis. Both Podpage and Beamly also allow you to sell some products directly through your website. Both providers let you add additional blog posts and pages on your site. And they both offer a whole lot more!
Between the two, I usually recommend Podpage more, but you pick what's right for you! It also helps that my friend Dave Jackson, from School of Podcasting, now works for Podpage!
What's right for you?
I don't usually recommend only one option for everyone because there is no “one size fits all” for podcasters! But I hope this guidance will help:
- If you love WordPress and want total control, use WordPress with PowerPress and Blubrry hosting.
- If you don't love WordPress or can't afford the time and knowledge to run it, use the podcast RSS feed from your podcast-hosting provider.
- If you want a barebones site you barely have to think about, use your own domain with the basic website from your podcast-hosting provider.
- If you want more control and don't mind some extra steps for every episode, use a third-party website provider like Wix or Squarespace.
- If you want more built-in features but without manually crossposting your episodes, use Podpage or Beamly.
Important tip #1: update your RSS feed's episode links!
If you choose any options other than publishing your podcast from WordPress (with PowerPress and Blubrry) or using your podcast-hosting provider's website, then you'll need to ensure you copy the webpage URL for each episode into the episode link in your episode-editor from your podcast-hosting provider. This will ensure your podcast episodes properly point to your episode webpages for each episode instead of pointing to the podcast-hosting provider's site that you're not using.
For example, on Captivate, paste the episode webpage URL into to the “Episode URL” field after you open “Transcription and Discoverability.” Or in Buzzsprout's, paste it into the “Custom Episode Webpage” field after you open “See more options.”
Important tip #2: copy or redirect all old URLs
If you've ever given a call to action with a specific URL on your domain, such as “TheAudacitytoPodcast.com/giveback” that I use for if you value the podcast, then make sure those will always work, whether you're changing things around on your current website or switching to a completely different website option.
If you love The Audacity to Podcast and value the podcasting inspiration and education I provide, would you please consider giving back what it's worth to you?
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Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship. I may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.
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