How To Add Podcast To WordPress Website

Introduction.

Podcasts have become incredibly popular, with millions of people tuning in weekly for their favourite shows.

If you’re a podcaster, adding your podcast to a WordPress website can be a fantastic way to boost your reach, engage your audience, and build a hub for your content.

Not only does it make your episodes more accessible, but having a dedicated website also helps with SEO, allowing more people to discover your show.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of adding a podcast to your WordPress website, covering various methods from plugin-based solutions to embedding options, and even setting up an RSS feed.

Why Add a Podcast to Your WordPress Website?

Having your podcast on a dedicated website adds credibility, gives you full control over the user experience, and allows you to keep your audience within your ecosystem rather than relying solely on podcast platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Here are some reasons why adding a podcast to WordPress is a great move:

Improved SEO: You can optimize episode descriptions, titles, and keywords to rank in search engines.
Audience Building: Listeners may visit your website and discover more content.
Monetization: Running ads, affiliate links, and even premium content becomes easier on your own site.
Brand Identity: A website gives your podcast a home, making it easier to establish a consistent brand.

How Do I Add a Podcast To a WordPress Website?

Step 1: Choose a Podcast Hosting Service.

Before adding your podcast to WordPress, it’s best to host your audio files on a reliable podcast hosting platform.

This keeps your WordPress site fast by offloading large audio files to a dedicated server. Popular options include:

Buzzsprout: Known for its ease of use and excellent analytics.
Libsyn: One of the oldest podcast hosts, offering reliable uptime and various pricing tiers.
Anchor: A free option (owned by Spotify) that is great for beginners.

Each hosting service provides an RSS feed for your podcast, which is essential for distribution and embedding on WordPress.

Step 2: Choose Your Method to Embed Podcasts in WordPress.

There are a few popular ways to embed podcasts in WordPress, including plugins, audio players, and direct embedding.

Option 1: Using a Plugin

Podcast plugins simplify the process of embedding episodes and managing them on your website. Here are some top-rated podcast plugins:

Seriously Simple Podcasting: This plugin allows you to manage podcasts directly from WordPress, supports multiple shows, and provides an integrated audio player. It’s free and straightforward to set up.
PowerPress Podcasting Plugin by Blubrry: A feature-rich plugin with SEO tools and various player options. It’s also compatible with multiple podcast hosting services.
Podlove Podcast Publisher: Great for customization and provides advanced analytics. It’s highly flexible if you’re looking for more control over the player’s appearance.

To use any of these plugins, go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New, and search for your chosen plugin. Once installed, follow the plugin’s setup instructions, which usually involve adding your podcast RSS feed or uploading individual episodes.

Option 2: Direct Embedding with an HTML Embed Code

If you prefer not to use plugins, most podcast hosting services provide an HTML embed code for each episode. To add this to a post or page, follow these steps:

Copy the embed code from your podcast host.
Go to the WordPress page or post where you want to add the episode.
Switch to the Text editor (HTML view) in WordPress.
Paste the embed code where you’d like the player to appear.

Option 3: Upload Audio Files Directly

If you want complete control over hosting, you can upload audio files directly to your WordPress media library.

However, keep in mind that this could slow down your site if you have a large audience. Also, your hosting provider may impose file upload limits.

To add an audio file, go to Media > Add New, upload the MP3, then copy the file URL. Use the native audio block in WordPress to embed it in your posts or pages.

Step 3: Set Up Your Podcast RSS Feed

Having a dedicated podcast RSS feed on your site allows your episodes to be automatically distributed to platforms like iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Most plugins, like Seriously Simple Podcasting, offer an option to create this RSS feed.

Pros and Cons of Adding a Podcast to WordPress

Pros

Increased Visibility: Your site can rank in search engines, bringing more organic traffic.
Centralized Audience Engagement: Easier to funnel listeners to related content, subscribe options, or mailing lists.
Customization Options: Full control over branding, player style, and layout.
Easy Content Management: With plugins, managing multiple episodes or shows is straightforward.

Cons

Site Performance: Hosting audio files directly on WordPress can slow your site. It’s better to use a dedicated podcast host.
Maintenance: WordPress sites require occasional updates, plugin maintenance, and backups.
Initial Setup Complexity: Some podcasting plugins have a learning curve, especially for beginners.

FAQ

Q: Is it free to add a podcast to my WordPress website? A: Yes, it’s free if you use free plugins or embed audio players from hosting platforms like Anchor. Premium plugins or hosting services may come with costs.

Q: Can I upload my episodes directly to WordPress? A: Yes, but it’s not recommended for most podcasts, as it could slow down your site. Use a podcast host for better performance.

Q: Will my website visitors be able to subscribe to my podcast? A: Yes, with most plugins, you can set up RSS feeds or direct links to subscription platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Q: Which podcast plugin is best for beginners? A: Seriously Simple Podcasting is often recommended for beginners because of its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with WordPress.

Q: How do I promote my podcast on WordPress? A: Consider adding show notes, related blog posts, and social sharing buttons. You can also create a dedicated podcast page where listeners can find all episodes in one place.

Conclusion

Setting up your podcast on WordPress is a powerful way to create a digital home for your show and control how your content is displayed and shared.

Whether you’re embedding episodes with a plugin or hosting directly on your site, the added visibility, SEO benefits, and engagement opportunities make it worthwhile for any serious podcaster.

So, have you decided how you’re going to integrate your podcast into your WordPress site? Or maybe you’re thinking of adding some extra customization to your podcast page?