Your podcast's live page shouldn't be merely another page on your site. This page needs special content and optimization to be effective. Learn nine things you should include on this page.
Previous live-streaming podcast episodes
Make sure that you've listened to previous episodes in our live-streaming series.
- 5 Reasons, 4 Cautions
- How to Live-Stream Yourself While Podcasting
- How to Live-Stream and Record a Podcast with Others
- How to Embed Live-Streaming Video on a Podcast Website
- How to Put a Live Chat Room on a Podcast Website
1. Live-streaming video or audio
While this sounds obvious, there are two competing lines of thought: live-streaming video on just the live page, or live-streaming video on every page via a sidebar widget.
There is some merit to having living video on the sidebar when you're live, but it's unnecessary and extra clutter when you're not live.
Some themes will let you adjust whether the sidebars appear on a particular post or page. My top three support this: Genesis Framework, Thesis, Standard Theme.
Widget Logic is a WordPress plugin that can make widgets appear or not appear on only certain pages or under certain conditions.
2. Real-time chat room
As previously shared, a real-time chat room helps create a community among those who are watching or listening live.
Embed this chat room horizontally aligned with your live video.
[html]<div style=”overflow:hidden”>
<div class=”alignleft”>
<!– Put your live video embed code here –>
</div>
<div class=”alignright”>
<!– Put your chat room embed code here –>
</div>
</div>[/html]
If your theme doesn't already have grid or column support built in, then adapt the following HTML code for your live page to horizontally align your player and chat room.
3. Live-show schedule
If you have a schedule for live-streaming your podcast recording sessions, then post that schedule online and keep it updated.
You can either embed a calendar (like Google Calendar) or simply type the schedule into your page. However, an embedded calendar provides extra functionality like notifications, subscribing, synchronizing, and importing into other calendars.
4. Information about the show(s)
Whether people have randomly discovered your live show or they came after seeing a generic tweet, they need to know what show they're watching or listening to.
If you host a network with several live shows, keep these descriptions short and below the live-streaming video or audio. Also identify which of your shows is currently live. Cam Twist and ManyCam allow you to do this in your live-streaming video.
5. Social-sharing options with prewritten messages
Make it easy for your loyal live listeners to share and promote your live show and grow your audience. These should be prewritten messages so it shares more than “Live page [URL].”
I'll talk about how to add social-sharing options to your website in a future episode. For now, check out ShareBar.
6. Subscribe and follow links
Don't assume that everyone coming to your live show is already a subscriber or even knows you. Make it easy for them to subscribe with buttons or at least links to a page with your subscription and following options.
7. Links that open in new windows
You won't want your audience accidentally leaving during your live-streaming. Add either target="_blank" (not valid XHTML 1.0 Strict) to your in-page links, or use a plugin to force all links to open in a new tab or window.
Carefully consider how you want this to behave: open all links in new tabs or open only offsite links in new tabs.
8. Feedback information
If you don't already have your email address and voicemail number all over your site, put it on your live page. Use previously mentioned CryptX to encrypt your email address so you don't have to tick off listeners by writing “feedback [ a t ] theaudacitytopodcast [d o t] com.”
9. Very little else
Your live page should be the slimmest page of your site. If you have a popular podcast, this page will be hit the hardest whenever you live-stream your show. So slim the content as much as possible: sidebar widgets, footer, images and Javascript.
Everytime someone visits your live page, they hit the server for images, Javascript, and other website code. So the fewer of these server requests are made for each visitor, the easier the load on your server.
Check your live page on GTmetrix to discover how many things are being loaded and get some tips for improving your page performance.
I'll talk about website performance and caching in a future episode.
Do you think anything is missing from this list? Or do you have thoughts on what is in this list? Please share your feedback!
Need personalized podcasting help?
I no longer offer one-on-one consulting outside of Podcasters' Society, but request a consultant here and I'll connect you with someone I trust to help you launch or improve your podcast.
Ask your questions or share your feedback
- Comment on the shownotes
- Leave a voicemail at (903) 231-2221
- Email feedback@TheAudacitytoPodcast.com (audio files welcome)
Connect with me
- Subscribe to The Audacity to Podcast on Apple Podcasts or on Android.
- Join the Facebook Page and watch live podcasting Q&A on Mondays at 2pm (ET)
- Subscribe on YouTube for video reviews, Q&A, and more
- Follow @theDanielJLewis
Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship and 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.
Related Content
