Best Podcast Hosting Platforms: Getting Your Church Podcast Published and Heard
Everyone is talking about podcasts. They're the new Netflix. But what are they really? Church podcasts are a relatively new way to spread the gospel. But how do they work? And are they effective? To dig deeper into this answer, let's see how podcasts work in detail and the platforms that have been proven to be the most effective.
Podcasting is a type of digital media broadcasting that consists of episodic audio or video files usually downloaded through online subscription services.
It has grown increasingly popular in recent years due to the advent of smartphone apps that make podcast listening easy and convenient.
If you wanted to hear a story, you had to go to a library or buy a book. If you wanted to learn about something, you had to go to school or talk to an expert. But now, there are so many ways to get information and entertainment without leaving your couch. And podcasting is one of them.
It has become more popular among organizations, corporations, and churches to reach their target audiences fast and efficiently.
Church podcasts are a relatively new way to spread the gospel.
The idea is simple: Record sermons or other religious content, post them online and let people listen to them whenever they want.
But how do they work? And are they effective?
The answer to both questions is yes.
To dig deeper into this answer, let's see how podcasts work in detail and the platforms that have been proven to be the most effective.
How do podcasts work?
Podcasting is a great way to reach out to your church's audience. They’re quick to set up and easy to share. But before you hit record, there are a few things you need to know.
Here’s an overview of how podcasting works, from ideation and production to publishing and distribution.
Ideation
The first step in creating a podcast is coming up with a great idea. You'll want to think about what topics you want to discuss. Do you want to talk about theology? Church history? Contemporary issues affecting the church? Once you have a few topics in mind, you can start brainstorming ideas for episodes.
Production
Once you have your format nailed down, it’s time to start production. This includes recording episodes, editing them, and adding any necessary audio effects or music.
Publishing
Once you've finished recording your first episode, the next step is to upload it to a podcast hosting service. In the next part, we explore the five most popular hosting platforms that will help your church podcast reach its audience.
On the tech side of things, any new episode you upload to your hosting account will be instantly posted to what’s called your RSS feed. This is a feature of every hosting service that makes your podcast discoverable.
Additionally, with integrations like Tithe.ly Sites, you can embed your podcast onto your church's website, making it simple for your members to listen to your podcasts from anywhere. To learn more about this, click here.
Distribution
If you've already submitted your show's RSS feed to several podcast directories, those directories will get new episodes of your show when you post them. This is a great way to reach out to your target audience and get your podcast noticed quickly.
5 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms
Now that we've covered the basics of podcasting, let's take a look at the best podcast hosting platforms. These are the most popular podcast sites for their high-quality content and features.
#1. Buzzsprout
When it comes to podcast hosting platforms, Buzzsprout is at the top.
Buzzsprout makes it simple for individuals and organizations to share their content with the world due to its user-friendly interface and powerful analytics. In addition to its robust hosting features.
If this sounds like a good option for your podcast, then you should definitely give Buzzsprout a try!
Top Features
- Transcript Distribution Toolset - If you host your podcast on Buzzsprout, you can add a transcript to each episode in your dashboard. This increases organic discovery and makes it more accessible to the hearing impaired.
- Automatic Episode Optimization - Buzzsprout is a great way to publish your podcast, but did you know they offer automatic episode optimization? It’s true! With just a few clicks, you can have Buzzsprout analyze your episode and make changes that will help you get more views and downloads.
- Dynamic Content - With the help of Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content tool, you can effortlessly add and delete short intros and outros to your podcast episodes. For new episodes, you may set this up to automatically add the material, or you can choose all of your previous episodes and apply it to them.
#2. Podbean
Podbean podcast platform provides a great opportunity for churches to connect with their members and promote their church. Churches can create podcasts quickly and easily without any prior experience or technical knowledge with its easy-to-use interface.
They can also use the built-in tools to customize their podcasts according to their church branding and marketing plans. So if you’re looking to start a podcast and are unsure where to start, Podbean is an excellent option!
Top Features
- Easy Publishing - If the process of starting a podcast is overwhelming, Podbean will help you out. They have all the tools you need to publish your podcast in a matter of minutes, and with their easy-to-use interface, they can get it done just as quickly.
- Social Media Auto Sharing - This awesome feature makes it super easy to share your new content with your followers and promote your podcast to a wider audience.
- Downloads and Trends - Not only does Podbean give you download statistics for each episode, but the trending data also helps you better understand how your podcast is doing with your listeners.
#3. Transistor
The interface of Transistor is straightforward, with all the basic features you need to get started. It's easy to add files by dragging and dropping them, which means you can get your podcast out there quickly and easily.
This is a great way for churches to get their content out, gain new followers, and promote the church through their social media channels. Transistor is a terrific platform to start your church podcast!
Top Features
- Responsive Embedded Players - To make your podcasting experience even better, Transistor makes it easy for you to embed your podcast directly into any website or app. This means that everyone can view your podcast, regardless of where they are, with no additional coding required.
- Advanced Analytics - Transistor offers a full suite of analytics tools that let you know exactly how your audience engages with your content. You can also use third-party analytics tools to combine your RSS feed.
- Multiple User Logins - Each podcast has its own set of users who can contribute episodes, upload audio, and examine statistics. You can have many users with different permissions on the same account, either administrators or members.
#4. Anchor.fm
Anchor is the largest free podcast host and it has many features that you might not expect. There are a lot of different ways to create a podcast on Anchor, which is awesome because it means that anyone can do it, regardless of experience level.
Plus, Anchor is integrated with Spotify, so you can easily share your podcast with the world. Give it a try—you won't be disappointed!
Top Features
- Unlimited Hosting - This is great news for podcasters, who can now grow their audiences without worrying about hitting data caps or exceeding storage limits.
- Listener Support - This means listeners can choose to donate a certain amount of money every month directly to the podcasters they love. And even better—they don't even need an Anchor account to do it! So if you want to give your listeners a chance to support a great cause, this is the place to do it.
- Flexible Recording and Uploading - The platform’s recording tools allow you to record audio directly from your phone, tablet, or computer and sync it across your connected devices.
#5. Blubrry
This platform offers a suite of tools to help podcasters of all levels grow their audience and improve their content.
They also have a famous WordPress podcasting plugin called PowerPress, making it quite simple to run a podcast from your WordPress site. PowerPress with Blubrry makes it simple to upload podcast episodes straight to your podcast host.
Top Features
- Social sharing - You can post links to your latest episode on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn with just a few clicks. You can also embed episodes on your website, giving your congregation a way to share your latest content with your audience.
- Live customer support - The platform offers live chat and phone support, both invaluable to podcasters. So you can be sure you'll receive quality, timely help and suggestions for both your podcast and website. You can also request a specific resource (such as a resource guide) to help you with your podcast hosting needs.
- Impactful statistics - It has extensive statistics to help podcasters improve their audience measurement. For example, if you're looking to launch a podcast, you can see a comprehensive breakdown of your audience monthly. Additionally, a detailed report looks at your top podcasting metrics, including downloads, plays, and subscribers.
How to get your church podcast listed in every directory
Before we get into the details, let's first understand why it is important to get listed on directories.
Podcast directories are simply a service that lists podcasts by different categories or genres. Getting your podcast listed on the main directories gives potentially new listeners a way to discover your podcast and new episodes. Without these directory services, your church podcast would be greatly limited in getting discovered.
Here are the big players in podcast directories. They’re the ones you need to focus your attention on getting listed :
Apple is the dominant player in the podcasting space, and if you want your podcast to thrive, it must be listed on Apple Podcasts or iTunes.
Spotify, the giant music streaming service, has been slowly but surely pushing into podcasting. So if you want to move up in the ranks and get noticed, then grab a spot on their podcast directory.
Google Podcast (formerly known as Google Play Podcast) allows users to search by topic or keyword, subscribe to shows, and download episodes for offline listening. This is an excellent option to get your church’s podcast out to a broader audience.
TuneIn provides live news, music, and podcasts to millions of listeners worldwide. Submitting your show to TuneIn gives your church podcast a leg up and puts your podcast on the map.
Stitcher enables users to listen to the latest in news, sports, talk, and entertainment radio from any location, at any time, on any device. It’s an excellent resource for finding new content to listen to, and your church podcast could benefit from being listed here.
The fastest way to grow an audience for your podcast is to get listed in as many podcast directories as possible. The more places people can find your show, the more chances you have of being heard.
Now, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of getting your podcast listed.
First, you need to submit your podcast to any directories of your choice. Your podcast host will have steps walking you through this process. They may ask for things, including show title, description, categories, author name, logo, and episode artwork.
After you submit your podcast to a directory and get approved for listing, you will be able to find your podcast on the directory’s podcast listings page.
The directories to which you submit your podcasts will be listed in the search results. These results are searchable and provide recommendations for other podcast directories you may wish to submit your podcast.
Also, when you add your RSS feed to a podcast directory, you only have to do it once. After that, the directory will automatically be updated with each new episode that you make. So, you won’t need to worry about manually adding your RSS feed to a podcast directory again.
Once you're finished, just sit back and wait for the listens to roll in!
Over to you
Choosing a podcast hosting platform is one of the first steps you'll take in getting your podcast off the ground.
Weigh what features are most important to you in making that decision. For example:
Are you planting a church that could benefit from outreach and community involvement? Maybe Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content feature would be a deciding factor, allowing you to add timely announcements to previous and current episodes easily.
Are you considering frequently published, long-form content for your podcast episodes? Maybe Anchor's unlimited uploads and bandwidth would be your best bet.
Managing a large church with lots of involved administrators? Then, Transistor might be the most appealing to you with its multiple user logins (and different permissions) under one account.
Ultimately, having the right platform will keep your church podcast on track and increase your chances of connecting with your audience.
Hopefully, this blog has set you on your way to finding the right platform. With this knowledge, we know that you can make the most of your church podcasts and distribute them to not only your congregation, but the world with ease!
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Travis Albritton has been serving Christians online for more than 5 years, and has been starting and leading ministries in the southeast United States for more than a decade. His popular podcast, The Practical Christian, has been downloaded more than 300,000 times in 160 countries around the world. He's an Amazon best-selling author, passionate husband and father, and driven disciple on a mission to launch Christians into online ministry.
Podcasting is a type of digital media broadcasting that consists of episodic audio or video files usually downloaded through online subscription services.
It has grown increasingly popular in recent years due to the advent of smartphone apps that make podcast listening easy and convenient.
If you wanted to hear a story, you had to go to a library or buy a book. If you wanted to learn about something, you had to go to school or talk to an expert. But now, there are so many ways to get information and entertainment without leaving your couch. And podcasting is one of them.
It has become more popular among organizations, corporations, and churches to reach their target audiences fast and efficiently.
Church podcasts are a relatively new way to spread the gospel.
The idea is simple: Record sermons or other religious content, post them online and let people listen to them whenever they want.
But how do they work? And are they effective?
The answer to both questions is yes.
To dig deeper into this answer, let's see how podcasts work in detail and the platforms that have been proven to be the most effective.
How do podcasts work?
Podcasting is a great way to reach out to your church's audience. They’re quick to set up and easy to share. But before you hit record, there are a few things you need to know.
Here’s an overview of how podcasting works, from ideation and production to publishing and distribution.
Ideation
The first step in creating a podcast is coming up with a great idea. You'll want to think about what topics you want to discuss. Do you want to talk about theology? Church history? Contemporary issues affecting the church? Once you have a few topics in mind, you can start brainstorming ideas for episodes.
Production
Once you have your format nailed down, it’s time to start production. This includes recording episodes, editing them, and adding any necessary audio effects or music.
Publishing
Once you've finished recording your first episode, the next step is to upload it to a podcast hosting service. In the next part, we explore the five most popular hosting platforms that will help your church podcast reach its audience.
On the tech side of things, any new episode you upload to your hosting account will be instantly posted to what’s called your RSS feed. This is a feature of every hosting service that makes your podcast discoverable.
Additionally, with integrations like Tithe.ly Sites, you can embed your podcast onto your church's website, making it simple for your members to listen to your podcasts from anywhere. To learn more about this, click here.
Distribution
If you've already submitted your show's RSS feed to several podcast directories, those directories will get new episodes of your show when you post them. This is a great way to reach out to your target audience and get your podcast noticed quickly.
5 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms
Now that we've covered the basics of podcasting, let's take a look at the best podcast hosting platforms. These are the most popular podcast sites for their high-quality content and features.
#1. Buzzsprout
When it comes to podcast hosting platforms, Buzzsprout is at the top.
Buzzsprout makes it simple for individuals and organizations to share their content with the world due to its user-friendly interface and powerful analytics. In addition to its robust hosting features.
If this sounds like a good option for your podcast, then you should definitely give Buzzsprout a try!
Top Features
- Transcript Distribution Toolset - If you host your podcast on Buzzsprout, you can add a transcript to each episode in your dashboard. This increases organic discovery and makes it more accessible to the hearing impaired.
- Automatic Episode Optimization - Buzzsprout is a great way to publish your podcast, but did you know they offer automatic episode optimization? It’s true! With just a few clicks, you can have Buzzsprout analyze your episode and make changes that will help you get more views and downloads.
- Dynamic Content - With the help of Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content tool, you can effortlessly add and delete short intros and outros to your podcast episodes. For new episodes, you may set this up to automatically add the material, or you can choose all of your previous episodes and apply it to them.
#2. Podbean
Podbean podcast platform provides a great opportunity for churches to connect with their members and promote their church. Churches can create podcasts quickly and easily without any prior experience or technical knowledge with its easy-to-use interface.
They can also use the built-in tools to customize their podcasts according to their church branding and marketing plans. So if you’re looking to start a podcast and are unsure where to start, Podbean is an excellent option!
Top Features
- Easy Publishing - If the process of starting a podcast is overwhelming, Podbean will help you out. They have all the tools you need to publish your podcast in a matter of minutes, and with their easy-to-use interface, they can get it done just as quickly.
- Social Media Auto Sharing - This awesome feature makes it super easy to share your new content with your followers and promote your podcast to a wider audience.
- Downloads and Trends - Not only does Podbean give you download statistics for each episode, but the trending data also helps you better understand how your podcast is doing with your listeners.
#3. Transistor
The interface of Transistor is straightforward, with all the basic features you need to get started. It's easy to add files by dragging and dropping them, which means you can get your podcast out there quickly and easily.
This is a great way for churches to get their content out, gain new followers, and promote the church through their social media channels. Transistor is a terrific platform to start your church podcast!
Top Features
- Responsive Embedded Players - To make your podcasting experience even better, Transistor makes it easy for you to embed your podcast directly into any website or app. This means that everyone can view your podcast, regardless of where they are, with no additional coding required.
- Advanced Analytics - Transistor offers a full suite of analytics tools that let you know exactly how your audience engages with your content. You can also use third-party analytics tools to combine your RSS feed.
- Multiple User Logins - Each podcast has its own set of users who can contribute episodes, upload audio, and examine statistics. You can have many users with different permissions on the same account, either administrators or members.
#4. Anchor.fm
Anchor is the largest free podcast host and it has many features that you might not expect. There are a lot of different ways to create a podcast on Anchor, which is awesome because it means that anyone can do it, regardless of experience level.
Plus, Anchor is integrated with Spotify, so you can easily share your podcast with the world. Give it a try—you won't be disappointed!
Top Features
- Unlimited Hosting - This is great news for podcasters, who can now grow their audiences without worrying about hitting data caps or exceeding storage limits.
- Listener Support - This means listeners can choose to donate a certain amount of money every month directly to the podcasters they love. And even better—they don't even need an Anchor account to do it! So if you want to give your listeners a chance to support a great cause, this is the place to do it.
- Flexible Recording and Uploading - The platform’s recording tools allow you to record audio directly from your phone, tablet, or computer and sync it across your connected devices.
#5. Blubrry
This platform offers a suite of tools to help podcasters of all levels grow their audience and improve their content.
They also have a famous WordPress podcasting plugin called PowerPress, making it quite simple to run a podcast from your WordPress site. PowerPress with Blubrry makes it simple to upload podcast episodes straight to your podcast host.
Top Features
- Social sharing - You can post links to your latest episode on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn with just a few clicks. You can also embed episodes on your website, giving your congregation a way to share your latest content with your audience.
- Live customer support - The platform offers live chat and phone support, both invaluable to podcasters. So you can be sure you'll receive quality, timely help and suggestions for both your podcast and website. You can also request a specific resource (such as a resource guide) to help you with your podcast hosting needs.
- Impactful statistics - It has extensive statistics to help podcasters improve their audience measurement. For example, if you're looking to launch a podcast, you can see a comprehensive breakdown of your audience monthly. Additionally, a detailed report looks at your top podcasting metrics, including downloads, plays, and subscribers.
How to get your church podcast listed in every directory
Before we get into the details, let's first understand why it is important to get listed on directories.
Podcast directories are simply a service that lists podcasts by different categories or genres. Getting your podcast listed on the main directories gives potentially new listeners a way to discover your podcast and new episodes. Without these directory services, your church podcast would be greatly limited in getting discovered.
Here are the big players in podcast directories. They’re the ones you need to focus your attention on getting listed :
Apple is the dominant player in the podcasting space, and if you want your podcast to thrive, it must be listed on Apple Podcasts or iTunes.
Spotify, the giant music streaming service, has been slowly but surely pushing into podcasting. So if you want to move up in the ranks and get noticed, then grab a spot on their podcast directory.
Google Podcast (formerly known as Google Play Podcast) allows users to search by topic or keyword, subscribe to shows, and download episodes for offline listening. This is an excellent option to get your church’s podcast out to a broader audience.
TuneIn provides live news, music, and podcasts to millions of listeners worldwide. Submitting your show to TuneIn gives your church podcast a leg up and puts your podcast on the map.
Stitcher enables users to listen to the latest in news, sports, talk, and entertainment radio from any location, at any time, on any device. It’s an excellent resource for finding new content to listen to, and your church podcast could benefit from being listed here.
The fastest way to grow an audience for your podcast is to get listed in as many podcast directories as possible. The more places people can find your show, the more chances you have of being heard.
Now, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of getting your podcast listed.
First, you need to submit your podcast to any directories of your choice. Your podcast host will have steps walking you through this process. They may ask for things, including show title, description, categories, author name, logo, and episode artwork.
After you submit your podcast to a directory and get approved for listing, you will be able to find your podcast on the directory’s podcast listings page.
The directories to which you submit your podcasts will be listed in the search results. These results are searchable and provide recommendations for other podcast directories you may wish to submit your podcast.
Also, when you add your RSS feed to a podcast directory, you only have to do it once. After that, the directory will automatically be updated with each new episode that you make. So, you won’t need to worry about manually adding your RSS feed to a podcast directory again.
Once you're finished, just sit back and wait for the listens to roll in!
Over to you
Choosing a podcast hosting platform is one of the first steps you'll take in getting your podcast off the ground.
Weigh what features are most important to you in making that decision. For example:
Are you planting a church that could benefit from outreach and community involvement? Maybe Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content feature would be a deciding factor, allowing you to add timely announcements to previous and current episodes easily.
Are you considering frequently published, long-form content for your podcast episodes? Maybe Anchor's unlimited uploads and bandwidth would be your best bet.
Managing a large church with lots of involved administrators? Then, Transistor might be the most appealing to you with its multiple user logins (and different permissions) under one account.
Ultimately, having the right platform will keep your church podcast on track and increase your chances of connecting with your audience.
Hopefully, this blog has set you on your way to finding the right platform. With this knowledge, we know that you can make the most of your church podcasts and distribute them to not only your congregation, but the world with ease!
podcast transcript
Travis Albritton has been serving Christians online for more than 5 years, and has been starting and leading ministries in the southeast United States for more than a decade. His popular podcast, The Practical Christian, has been downloaded more than 300,000 times in 160 countries around the world. He's an Amazon best-selling author, passionate husband and father, and driven disciple on a mission to launch Christians into online ministry.
Podcasting is a type of digital media broadcasting that consists of episodic audio or video files usually downloaded through online subscription services.
It has grown increasingly popular in recent years due to the advent of smartphone apps that make podcast listening easy and convenient.
If you wanted to hear a story, you had to go to a library or buy a book. If you wanted to learn about something, you had to go to school or talk to an expert. But now, there are so many ways to get information and entertainment without leaving your couch. And podcasting is one of them.
It has become more popular among organizations, corporations, and churches to reach their target audiences fast and efficiently.
Church podcasts are a relatively new way to spread the gospel.
The idea is simple: Record sermons or other religious content, post them online and let people listen to them whenever they want.
But how do they work? And are they effective?
The answer to both questions is yes.
To dig deeper into this answer, let's see how podcasts work in detail and the platforms that have been proven to be the most effective.
How do podcasts work?
Podcasting is a great way to reach out to your church's audience. They’re quick to set up and easy to share. But before you hit record, there are a few things you need to know.
Here’s an overview of how podcasting works, from ideation and production to publishing and distribution.
Ideation
The first step in creating a podcast is coming up with a great idea. You'll want to think about what topics you want to discuss. Do you want to talk about theology? Church history? Contemporary issues affecting the church? Once you have a few topics in mind, you can start brainstorming ideas for episodes.
Production
Once you have your format nailed down, it’s time to start production. This includes recording episodes, editing them, and adding any necessary audio effects or music.
Publishing
Once you've finished recording your first episode, the next step is to upload it to a podcast hosting service. In the next part, we explore the five most popular hosting platforms that will help your church podcast reach its audience.
On the tech side of things, any new episode you upload to your hosting account will be instantly posted to what’s called your RSS feed. This is a feature of every hosting service that makes your podcast discoverable.
Additionally, with integrations like Tithe.ly Sites, you can embed your podcast onto your church's website, making it simple for your members to listen to your podcasts from anywhere. To learn more about this, click here.
Distribution
If you've already submitted your show's RSS feed to several podcast directories, those directories will get new episodes of your show when you post them. This is a great way to reach out to your target audience and get your podcast noticed quickly.
5 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms
Now that we've covered the basics of podcasting, let's take a look at the best podcast hosting platforms. These are the most popular podcast sites for their high-quality content and features.
#1. Buzzsprout
When it comes to podcast hosting platforms, Buzzsprout is at the top.
Buzzsprout makes it simple for individuals and organizations to share their content with the world due to its user-friendly interface and powerful analytics. In addition to its robust hosting features.
If this sounds like a good option for your podcast, then you should definitely give Buzzsprout a try!
Top Features
- Transcript Distribution Toolset - If you host your podcast on Buzzsprout, you can add a transcript to each episode in your dashboard. This increases organic discovery and makes it more accessible to the hearing impaired.
- Automatic Episode Optimization - Buzzsprout is a great way to publish your podcast, but did you know they offer automatic episode optimization? It’s true! With just a few clicks, you can have Buzzsprout analyze your episode and make changes that will help you get more views and downloads.
- Dynamic Content - With the help of Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content tool, you can effortlessly add and delete short intros and outros to your podcast episodes. For new episodes, you may set this up to automatically add the material, or you can choose all of your previous episodes and apply it to them.
#2. Podbean
Podbean podcast platform provides a great opportunity for churches to connect with their members and promote their church. Churches can create podcasts quickly and easily without any prior experience or technical knowledge with its easy-to-use interface.
They can also use the built-in tools to customize their podcasts according to their church branding and marketing plans. So if you’re looking to start a podcast and are unsure where to start, Podbean is an excellent option!
Top Features
- Easy Publishing - If the process of starting a podcast is overwhelming, Podbean will help you out. They have all the tools you need to publish your podcast in a matter of minutes, and with their easy-to-use interface, they can get it done just as quickly.
- Social Media Auto Sharing - This awesome feature makes it super easy to share your new content with your followers and promote your podcast to a wider audience.
- Downloads and Trends - Not only does Podbean give you download statistics for each episode, but the trending data also helps you better understand how your podcast is doing with your listeners.
#3. Transistor
The interface of Transistor is straightforward, with all the basic features you need to get started. It's easy to add files by dragging and dropping them, which means you can get your podcast out there quickly and easily.
This is a great way for churches to get their content out, gain new followers, and promote the church through their social media channels. Transistor is a terrific platform to start your church podcast!
Top Features
- Responsive Embedded Players - To make your podcasting experience even better, Transistor makes it easy for you to embed your podcast directly into any website or app. This means that everyone can view your podcast, regardless of where they are, with no additional coding required.
- Advanced Analytics - Transistor offers a full suite of analytics tools that let you know exactly how your audience engages with your content. You can also use third-party analytics tools to combine your RSS feed.
- Multiple User Logins - Each podcast has its own set of users who can contribute episodes, upload audio, and examine statistics. You can have many users with different permissions on the same account, either administrators or members.
#4. Anchor.fm
Anchor is the largest free podcast host and it has many features that you might not expect. There are a lot of different ways to create a podcast on Anchor, which is awesome because it means that anyone can do it, regardless of experience level.
Plus, Anchor is integrated with Spotify, so you can easily share your podcast with the world. Give it a try—you won't be disappointed!
Top Features
- Unlimited Hosting - This is great news for podcasters, who can now grow their audiences without worrying about hitting data caps or exceeding storage limits.
- Listener Support - This means listeners can choose to donate a certain amount of money every month directly to the podcasters they love. And even better—they don't even need an Anchor account to do it! So if you want to give your listeners a chance to support a great cause, this is the place to do it.
- Flexible Recording and Uploading - The platform’s recording tools allow you to record audio directly from your phone, tablet, or computer and sync it across your connected devices.
#5. Blubrry
This platform offers a suite of tools to help podcasters of all levels grow their audience and improve their content.
They also have a famous WordPress podcasting plugin called PowerPress, making it quite simple to run a podcast from your WordPress site. PowerPress with Blubrry makes it simple to upload podcast episodes straight to your podcast host.
Top Features
- Social sharing - You can post links to your latest episode on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn with just a few clicks. You can also embed episodes on your website, giving your congregation a way to share your latest content with your audience.
- Live customer support - The platform offers live chat and phone support, both invaluable to podcasters. So you can be sure you'll receive quality, timely help and suggestions for both your podcast and website. You can also request a specific resource (such as a resource guide) to help you with your podcast hosting needs.
- Impactful statistics - It has extensive statistics to help podcasters improve their audience measurement. For example, if you're looking to launch a podcast, you can see a comprehensive breakdown of your audience monthly. Additionally, a detailed report looks at your top podcasting metrics, including downloads, plays, and subscribers.
How to get your church podcast listed in every directory
Before we get into the details, let's first understand why it is important to get listed on directories.
Podcast directories are simply a service that lists podcasts by different categories or genres. Getting your podcast listed on the main directories gives potentially new listeners a way to discover your podcast and new episodes. Without these directory services, your church podcast would be greatly limited in getting discovered.
Here are the big players in podcast directories. They’re the ones you need to focus your attention on getting listed :
Apple is the dominant player in the podcasting space, and if you want your podcast to thrive, it must be listed on Apple Podcasts or iTunes.
Spotify, the giant music streaming service, has been slowly but surely pushing into podcasting. So if you want to move up in the ranks and get noticed, then grab a spot on their podcast directory.
Google Podcast (formerly known as Google Play Podcast) allows users to search by topic or keyword, subscribe to shows, and download episodes for offline listening. This is an excellent option to get your church’s podcast out to a broader audience.
TuneIn provides live news, music, and podcasts to millions of listeners worldwide. Submitting your show to TuneIn gives your church podcast a leg up and puts your podcast on the map.
Stitcher enables users to listen to the latest in news, sports, talk, and entertainment radio from any location, at any time, on any device. It’s an excellent resource for finding new content to listen to, and your church podcast could benefit from being listed here.
The fastest way to grow an audience for your podcast is to get listed in as many podcast directories as possible. The more places people can find your show, the more chances you have of being heard.
Now, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of getting your podcast listed.
First, you need to submit your podcast to any directories of your choice. Your podcast host will have steps walking you through this process. They may ask for things, including show title, description, categories, author name, logo, and episode artwork.
After you submit your podcast to a directory and get approved for listing, you will be able to find your podcast on the directory’s podcast listings page.
The directories to which you submit your podcasts will be listed in the search results. These results are searchable and provide recommendations for other podcast directories you may wish to submit your podcast.
Also, when you add your RSS feed to a podcast directory, you only have to do it once. After that, the directory will automatically be updated with each new episode that you make. So, you won’t need to worry about manually adding your RSS feed to a podcast directory again.
Once you're finished, just sit back and wait for the listens to roll in!
Over to you
Choosing a podcast hosting platform is one of the first steps you'll take in getting your podcast off the ground.
Weigh what features are most important to you in making that decision. For example:
Are you planting a church that could benefit from outreach and community involvement? Maybe Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content feature would be a deciding factor, allowing you to add timely announcements to previous and current episodes easily.
Are you considering frequently published, long-form content for your podcast episodes? Maybe Anchor's unlimited uploads and bandwidth would be your best bet.
Managing a large church with lots of involved administrators? Then, Transistor might be the most appealing to you with its multiple user logins (and different permissions) under one account.
Ultimately, having the right platform will keep your church podcast on track and increase your chances of connecting with your audience.
Hopefully, this blog has set you on your way to finding the right platform. With this knowledge, we know that you can make the most of your church podcasts and distribute them to not only your congregation, but the world with ease!
VIDEO transcript
Podcasting is a type of digital media broadcasting that consists of episodic audio or video files usually downloaded through online subscription services.
It has grown increasingly popular in recent years due to the advent of smartphone apps that make podcast listening easy and convenient.
If you wanted to hear a story, you had to go to a library or buy a book. If you wanted to learn about something, you had to go to school or talk to an expert. But now, there are so many ways to get information and entertainment without leaving your couch. And podcasting is one of them.
It has become more popular among organizations, corporations, and churches to reach their target audiences fast and efficiently.
Church podcasts are a relatively new way to spread the gospel.
The idea is simple: Record sermons or other religious content, post them online and let people listen to them whenever they want.
But how do they work? And are they effective?
The answer to both questions is yes.
To dig deeper into this answer, let's see how podcasts work in detail and the platforms that have been proven to be the most effective.
How do podcasts work?
Podcasting is a great way to reach out to your church's audience. They’re quick to set up and easy to share. But before you hit record, there are a few things you need to know.
Here’s an overview of how podcasting works, from ideation and production to publishing and distribution.
Ideation
The first step in creating a podcast is coming up with a great idea. You'll want to think about what topics you want to discuss. Do you want to talk about theology? Church history? Contemporary issues affecting the church? Once you have a few topics in mind, you can start brainstorming ideas for episodes.
Production
Once you have your format nailed down, it’s time to start production. This includes recording episodes, editing them, and adding any necessary audio effects or music.
Publishing
Once you've finished recording your first episode, the next step is to upload it to a podcast hosting service. In the next part, we explore the five most popular hosting platforms that will help your church podcast reach its audience.
On the tech side of things, any new episode you upload to your hosting account will be instantly posted to what’s called your RSS feed. This is a feature of every hosting service that makes your podcast discoverable.
Additionally, with integrations like Tithe.ly Sites, you can embed your podcast onto your church's website, making it simple for your members to listen to your podcasts from anywhere. To learn more about this, click here.
Distribution
If you've already submitted your show's RSS feed to several podcast directories, those directories will get new episodes of your show when you post them. This is a great way to reach out to your target audience and get your podcast noticed quickly.
5 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms
Now that we've covered the basics of podcasting, let's take a look at the best podcast hosting platforms. These are the most popular podcast sites for their high-quality content and features.
#1. Buzzsprout
When it comes to podcast hosting platforms, Buzzsprout is at the top.
Buzzsprout makes it simple for individuals and organizations to share their content with the world due to its user-friendly interface and powerful analytics. In addition to its robust hosting features.
If this sounds like a good option for your podcast, then you should definitely give Buzzsprout a try!
Top Features
- Transcript Distribution Toolset - If you host your podcast on Buzzsprout, you can add a transcript to each episode in your dashboard. This increases organic discovery and makes it more accessible to the hearing impaired.
- Automatic Episode Optimization - Buzzsprout is a great way to publish your podcast, but did you know they offer automatic episode optimization? It’s true! With just a few clicks, you can have Buzzsprout analyze your episode and make changes that will help you get more views and downloads.
- Dynamic Content - With the help of Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content tool, you can effortlessly add and delete short intros and outros to your podcast episodes. For new episodes, you may set this up to automatically add the material, or you can choose all of your previous episodes and apply it to them.
#2. Podbean
Podbean podcast platform provides a great opportunity for churches to connect with their members and promote their church. Churches can create podcasts quickly and easily without any prior experience or technical knowledge with its easy-to-use interface.
They can also use the built-in tools to customize their podcasts according to their church branding and marketing plans. So if you’re looking to start a podcast and are unsure where to start, Podbean is an excellent option!
Top Features
- Easy Publishing - If the process of starting a podcast is overwhelming, Podbean will help you out. They have all the tools you need to publish your podcast in a matter of minutes, and with their easy-to-use interface, they can get it done just as quickly.
- Social Media Auto Sharing - This awesome feature makes it super easy to share your new content with your followers and promote your podcast to a wider audience.
- Downloads and Trends - Not only does Podbean give you download statistics for each episode, but the trending data also helps you better understand how your podcast is doing with your listeners.
#3. Transistor
The interface of Transistor is straightforward, with all the basic features you need to get started. It's easy to add files by dragging and dropping them, which means you can get your podcast out there quickly and easily.
This is a great way for churches to get their content out, gain new followers, and promote the church through their social media channels. Transistor is a terrific platform to start your church podcast!
Top Features
- Responsive Embedded Players - To make your podcasting experience even better, Transistor makes it easy for you to embed your podcast directly into any website or app. This means that everyone can view your podcast, regardless of where they are, with no additional coding required.
- Advanced Analytics - Transistor offers a full suite of analytics tools that let you know exactly how your audience engages with your content. You can also use third-party analytics tools to combine your RSS feed.
- Multiple User Logins - Each podcast has its own set of users who can contribute episodes, upload audio, and examine statistics. You can have many users with different permissions on the same account, either administrators or members.
#4. Anchor.fm
Anchor is the largest free podcast host and it has many features that you might not expect. There are a lot of different ways to create a podcast on Anchor, which is awesome because it means that anyone can do it, regardless of experience level.
Plus, Anchor is integrated with Spotify, so you can easily share your podcast with the world. Give it a try—you won't be disappointed!
Top Features
- Unlimited Hosting - This is great news for podcasters, who can now grow their audiences without worrying about hitting data caps or exceeding storage limits.
- Listener Support - This means listeners can choose to donate a certain amount of money every month directly to the podcasters they love. And even better—they don't even need an Anchor account to do it! So if you want to give your listeners a chance to support a great cause, this is the place to do it.
- Flexible Recording and Uploading - The platform’s recording tools allow you to record audio directly from your phone, tablet, or computer and sync it across your connected devices.
#5. Blubrry
This platform offers a suite of tools to help podcasters of all levels grow their audience and improve their content.
They also have a famous WordPress podcasting plugin called PowerPress, making it quite simple to run a podcast from your WordPress site. PowerPress with Blubrry makes it simple to upload podcast episodes straight to your podcast host.
Top Features
- Social sharing - You can post links to your latest episode on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn with just a few clicks. You can also embed episodes on your website, giving your congregation a way to share your latest content with your audience.
- Live customer support - The platform offers live chat and phone support, both invaluable to podcasters. So you can be sure you'll receive quality, timely help and suggestions for both your podcast and website. You can also request a specific resource (such as a resource guide) to help you with your podcast hosting needs.
- Impactful statistics - It has extensive statistics to help podcasters improve their audience measurement. For example, if you're looking to launch a podcast, you can see a comprehensive breakdown of your audience monthly. Additionally, a detailed report looks at your top podcasting metrics, including downloads, plays, and subscribers.
How to get your church podcast listed in every directory
Before we get into the details, let's first understand why it is important to get listed on directories.
Podcast directories are simply a service that lists podcasts by different categories or genres. Getting your podcast listed on the main directories gives potentially new listeners a way to discover your podcast and new episodes. Without these directory services, your church podcast would be greatly limited in getting discovered.
Here are the big players in podcast directories. They’re the ones you need to focus your attention on getting listed :
Apple is the dominant player in the podcasting space, and if you want your podcast to thrive, it must be listed on Apple Podcasts or iTunes.
Spotify, the giant music streaming service, has been slowly but surely pushing into podcasting. So if you want to move up in the ranks and get noticed, then grab a spot on their podcast directory.
Google Podcast (formerly known as Google Play Podcast) allows users to search by topic or keyword, subscribe to shows, and download episodes for offline listening. This is an excellent option to get your church’s podcast out to a broader audience.
TuneIn provides live news, music, and podcasts to millions of listeners worldwide. Submitting your show to TuneIn gives your church podcast a leg up and puts your podcast on the map.
Stitcher enables users to listen to the latest in news, sports, talk, and entertainment radio from any location, at any time, on any device. It’s an excellent resource for finding new content to listen to, and your church podcast could benefit from being listed here.
The fastest way to grow an audience for your podcast is to get listed in as many podcast directories as possible. The more places people can find your show, the more chances you have of being heard.
Now, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of getting your podcast listed.
First, you need to submit your podcast to any directories of your choice. Your podcast host will have steps walking you through this process. They may ask for things, including show title, description, categories, author name, logo, and episode artwork.
After you submit your podcast to a directory and get approved for listing, you will be able to find your podcast on the directory’s podcast listings page.
The directories to which you submit your podcasts will be listed in the search results. These results are searchable and provide recommendations for other podcast directories you may wish to submit your podcast.
Also, when you add your RSS feed to a podcast directory, you only have to do it once. After that, the directory will automatically be updated with each new episode that you make. So, you won’t need to worry about manually adding your RSS feed to a podcast directory again.
Once you're finished, just sit back and wait for the listens to roll in!
Over to you
Choosing a podcast hosting platform is one of the first steps you'll take in getting your podcast off the ground.
Weigh what features are most important to you in making that decision. For example:
Are you planting a church that could benefit from outreach and community involvement? Maybe Buzzsprout's Dynamic Content feature would be a deciding factor, allowing you to add timely announcements to previous and current episodes easily.
Are you considering frequently published, long-form content for your podcast episodes? Maybe Anchor's unlimited uploads and bandwidth would be your best bet.
Managing a large church with lots of involved administrators? Then, Transistor might be the most appealing to you with its multiple user logins (and different permissions) under one account.
Ultimately, having the right platform will keep your church podcast on track and increase your chances of connecting with your audience.
Hopefully, this blog has set you on your way to finding the right platform. With this knowledge, we know that you can make the most of your church podcasts and distribute them to not only your congregation, but the world with ease!
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Travis Albritton has been serving Christians online for more than 5 years, and has been starting and leading ministries in the southeast United States for more than a decade. His popular podcast, The Practical Christian, has been downloaded more than 300,000 times in 160 countries around the world. He's an Amazon best-selling author, passionate husband and father, and driven disciple on a mission to launch Christians into online ministry.
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