The most successful podcasts have strong brands. And, of course, every brand needs its own website. But why?
Having a well-designed and optimized website makes your podcast more discoverable. Plus, it makes it easier to tell your story and connect with potential sponsors. A website centralizes your digital presence and allows you to connect to your audience on your terms.
The good news is that you don't need to learn to code or hire a developer to create a podcast website. You’re just a few steps away from having an exceptional platform to share with the world. And today, you’ll learn how to do it.
In this post, we'll share:
- Why having a podcast website matters
- How to make a successful podcast website step-by-step
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Why Do You Need a Podcast Website?
It's no secret that your podcast's success will depend on the number of listeners you attract. And building a good website is a great way to spread the word. Having your own online platform allows you to:
- Rank on Google
- Build a sense of community in your audience
- Gain new listeners
- Build a mailing list
- Find new sponsors
Let’s take a closer look.
Rank On Google
We previously mentioned that having a website makes your podcast more discoverable, but what does it mean exactly?
As you already know, Google’s search engine aims to offer the most valuable answers to users’ queries. With a well-positioned website, whenever someone searches for topics you've covered in your show, your podcast will likely appear in the search results. That way, you’ll reach new potential listeners without burning through your ad budget.
Furthermore, Google favors websites that specialize in a specific subject and provide quality content around it. So, if you’re creating an interesting and highly targeted website, Google may want to share it with more people.
Create a Sense of Community
It’s not only the quality of your show that keeps your users hooked, but also what they feel while interacting with your brand. The content you share on social media and your interactions with listeners all contribute to creating a sense of community among your listeners.
A podcast website may also contribute to keeping your audience interested in you.
Aside from ranking on Google, we recommend you use your website to:
- Deliver useful long-form content between episodes
- Build a mailing list
Build a Mailing List
Building a mailing list may sound a little unnecessary. You may be asking yourself: “But, I have social media followers, isn’t that just as good?”
With email marketing, you can connect to your audience members in a personal and direct way. Email is independent of a single platform, so it can be a way to create a lasting audience that outlasts trendy social media platforms.
On the other hand, a mailing list with thousands of subscribers can be yet another asset to your brand. For example, aside from selling ad spots on your show, you can also sell sponsored links on your newsletters.
Find Sponsors
Besides listener subscriptions, sponsors usually contribute most of a podcast's revenue. However, finding sponsors isn't always easy.
As a general rule, sponsors are interested in shows that:
- Have a strong community
- Offer interesting resources
- Have a clear vision & mission
- Target a specific audience, with an equally specific consumer profile
Consider your website as your presentation card for convincing potential sponsors to work with you.
When visiting your website, potential partners should get the impression that:
- You have a loyal audience that feels connected to your brand
- Your podcast can bring new products in front of a valuable audience
- Your audience expects you to recommend quality products
How to Make a Successful Podcast Website (in 5 Simple Steps)
Now you have a better understanding of why you need a podcast website. So, it's time to get to work. In this section, you'll learn how to set up a professional-looking podcast website from scratch, fast and smoothly. No coding experience necessary.
We recommend you follow these steps:
- Choose the platform where you’ll build your website
- Structure it
- Design it
- Write compelling and genuine copy
- Launch your website and share it on social media
Let’s begin!
1. Choose a Platform
The first step in creating your podcast website is choosing a platform. Which option is best for you will depend on your budget and expertise.
If you’ve never built a website before, we recommend you consider:
- WordPress
- Low-Code platforms
- Substack
WordPress
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that allows users to create almost any type of website. In its earlier days, WordPress was used for blogging, but now you can even use it to create an online store.
WordPress is an excellent option for beginners looking to create a website, thanks to:
- Its smooth learning curve
- The wide availability of tutorials & resources
- A vast plugin library that can help you add extra features to your site without coding
There are two ways to create a website with WordPress. Self-hosted WordPress (buying a hosting plan and installing WordPress in it) and WordPress.com.
If you choose WordPress.com, you won't have to buy a hosting plan on the side. Everything will be included in your plan.
WordPress' plans are divided into:
- Personal, which starts at $4/month billed yearly
- Premium, starting at $8/month when billed yearly
- Business, starting at $25/month billed yearly
- eCommerce, which starts at $45/month when billed yearly
Low-Code Platforms
Low-code is a web development method that uses third-party platforms to simplify the development process. With a low-code tool, you can design your podcast website through a visual editor, instead of having to code everything from scratch.
Nowadays, low-code is popular for three simple reasons:
- Low-code platforms tend to be more user-friendly than traditional development environments. So, thanks to low-code, non-technical entrepreneurs can now create their own digital platform by themselves
- Low-code makes it easier to iterate and improve upon a design.
- Low-code platforms often come with a wide range of built-in features, which can make development faster and easier - even for experts. For example, most low-code web builders are SEO-friendly by default.
However, low-code tools have their limitations. For instance, you can only host your website on the same low-code platform where you developed it. You can’t export it and host it somewhere else without losing functionalities. It’s also worth mentioning that hosting a low-code can be more expensive than other options.
Our favorite low-code platforms are:
- Webflow
- Squarespace
Webflow pricing
Webflow offers a Start Plan for free, with a webflow.io domain.
Its premium plans are divided into:
- Basic, starting at $14/month
- CMS, starting at $23/month
- Business, starting at $39/month
- Enterprise, which is available with personalized pricing
Squarespace pricing
Squarespace's plans are divided into:
- Personal, at $16/month when billed yearly
- Business, starting at $23/month on a yearly billing cycle
- Basic Commerce, at $27/month when billed yearly
- Advanced Commerce, starting at $49/month on a yearly billing cycle
Substack
Substack is a blogging and newsletter tool that allows you to run a blog and a newsletter at the same time. One of Substack’s most notable features is that it gives creators the ability to sell subscriptions.
The process of creating a page on Substack is very straightforward. With Substack, you can create a simple podcast website in a few minutes.
The Substack experience, however, falls short compared to other options. Basically, because the platform’s customization features are extremely limited. Substack users are also unable to create pages on their sites.
Substack may be the most effective option, both time-wise and budget-wise. But it’s not a platform you can scale with.
Substack is absolutely free. Yet, if you want to monetize your Substack subscription, you'll be charged 10% of your profits.
By default, your podcast website will have the following URL structure: [yourbrand].substack.com. To add your own domain, you’ll need to pay a $50 fee.
2. Structure Your Website
We recommend you get started with a simple site structure. Create the following pages:
- Homepage - Use your homepage to introduce your show, share your latest episode, and even give some visibility to your sponsors.
- About section - Your About page can include your show’s history and purpose, and a brief introduction to the host.
- Blog index - Create a page that compiles your latest articles.
- Contact page - Include a contact form, so both audience members and potential partners can reach out.
This structure is just a general suggestion. However, your podcast’s website structure should be determined by your unique goals.
Ask yourself what you want to achieve with your podcast:
- Do you want to generate more leads for your company?
- Do you want to get new sponsors?
- Do you want to attract more listeners to your podcast?
For instance, if you want to get more sponsors, you should probably add a sponsorship section with:
- Some basic information about who you’ve worked with
- What brands can expect from partnering with you
- What type of brand is most fitting for your audience
- Your contact information
Design Your Website
If you really want to create a visually appealing and effective podcast website, you’ll have to consider your target audience's needs. The user experience (UX) is paramount at this stage.
We want to make this process as accessible to non-developers and non-designers as possible. So, we won’t assume that you have any design expertise.
If that’s the case with you, we recommend cutting to the chase and buying a website template.
Depending on which tool you’re building your website with, you’ll either need:
- A WordPress theme, if you’re building your website on WordPress
- A Webflow cloneable template, if you’re using Webflow
- A Squarespace template, if you’re using Squarespace
Many marketplaces are selling WordPress themes. But in the case of Webflow and Squarespace, the companies themselves run carefully curated template catalogs.
Pro Tip: Design is generally a collaborative process. If possible, consult with your team at every process stage. Comprehensive feedback will help you create an exceptional website design.
Write Your Website Copy
A podcast website's copy is just as important as its design. Thus, finding the right voice and tone is crucial. Basically, be careful about what is said, when it’s said, and how it’s said.
We recommend:
- Using accessible and direct language
- Being concise
- Choosing a style and sticking with it
Launch & Share Your Website
Once you’ve published your website, it's time to share it with the world. At this stage, you can:
- Share your link on your social media platforms
- Add your website’s link to your social media bios
- Share the link in your episode descriptions
- Run your first ad campaign
Go One Step Further: Boost Your Content Strategy with Podcast Audiograms
These days, building a solid social media strategy is essential to reaching podcasting success. A show with great energy, an interesting subject matter, and high visibility across social channels is bound to grow.
However, to truly engage users on social media you’ll have to provide them with quality content regularly. And when it comes to content format, short video is your best bet.
That's where Audiotease comes in. With Audiotease, you can create podcast videos from your browser, in minutes. That means that you can reach out to new listeners with a steady stream of high-quality content, effortlessly. No need to buy a video editing course, get expensive software, or hire an editor.
Take your podcast marketing to the next level with Audiotease. Create your first video today, for free.