More and more people are turning to podcasts to spread the valuable information that they offer. It is becoming increasingly popular to add these to your site and blog, while it can seem like a lot to get started, this doc will break down everything you need to know.
New! - single page & full site podcast designs now available in the Design Market.
Hosting Your Podcast Files
We highly suggest using a podcast dedicated service such as Blubrry or Buzzsprout to host your media files. You'll be able to get the most accurate listener statistics by using one of those dedicated services. These services will handle the RSS for your podcasts and can be configured to distribute that to your favorite podcast platforms (Spotify, iTunes, etc.)
Podcast Episode Posts
Your podcast show notes can easily be hosted on Showit through a standard blog post placed under a Podcast category.
All three of the mentioned services provide a WordPress plugin that can sync between their services or easily add an episode audio player to a post. PowerPress by Blubrry and Buzzsprout are great options. We highly recommend using one of these plugins with an Advanced Blog on Showit because it helps make the process easier each time you add a new episode.
Note: You will need the Showit Advanced Blog subscription in order to be able to use the plugins mentioned above.
Linking to and Customizing a Podcast Category
The podcast episodes will be added as blog posts in WordPress. You’ll likely want a way for your users to find a feed that contains just your podcast posts. This can be set up as either a page or a category.
The easiest method is to link to categorize all of your episode posts under a "Podcast" category and then link to that category page (found under Posts > Categories in WordPress) to show the most recent episodes. You can also customize the look of the Podcast Category page by creating a custom category template just for that category. An example link to a category page would look like: yourdomain.com/category/podcast
Create a Dedicated Podcast Page
An additional option would be to create a dedicated Podcast page that would showcase information about your podcast and show a selection of your most recent or popular episode posts (*link to the category to view all). This could load online at yourdomain.com/podcast
You can set this up with live updated WordPress posts by creating a custom page template in Showit.
Inside Each Episode Post:
In each podcast blog post, you’ll embed the podcast player from your podcast host (Blubrry, Buzzsprout) into the post via their WordPress plugin instructions. This will allow your users to listen to the episode directly on your website.
Examples
Here's an example from Elizabeth McCravy:
Podcast Host: Fusebox
Podcast Episode Notes: Hosted on Showit blog and tagged with Podcast category. Example (https://elizabethmccravy.com/beliefs-keeping-your-business-stuck/)
WordPress Plugin(s) Used: Fusebox.fm (for individual episode player), Pretty Link (to create short links to each episode for sharing).
(pictured above: the lottie, the viola, stonefield)
Whether you need some inspiration for your own page or you're ready to purchase a pre-made template and get to work, these templates from our Design Partners have you covered!
The Lottie Podcast Page by Gillian Sarah (single page)