Podcaster
Covers: independent podcast shows, podcast networks, interview-format podcasts, narrative/storytelling podcasts, educational podcasts, podcast studios offering production services, live podcast events. See also creator for general content creators and video creator for video-first creators. See the "Podcast and video as marketing" section in content-guide.md for businesses using a podcast as a marketing channel.
What your visitors will find
I build the pages your customers actually look for — not a generic template.
Episodes
The episode archive. Each episode is a blog post with: embedded audio player, show notes, guest info and links, timestamps/chapters, transcript. This is the single most important thing for podcast SEO — search engines can't listen to audio but they can read show notes and transcripts. Newest first, organized by season if applicable. Filter by topic/tag if the show covers multiple subjects.
About
What the show is about, who it's for, who hosts it. Include a short "elevator pitch" version (1–2 sentences for sharing) and a longer version. Host bio with photo. Origin story. If there are multiple hosts, individual bios.
Subscribe / listen
Links to every platform where the show is available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, RSS feed. Make the RSS feed prominently available — it's the open standard and ensures listeners can use any app. Include simple instructions: "Search for [show name] in your podcast app, or paste this RSS link."
Guests
If the show features guests: a guest directory with name, episode link, and brief bio. Past guests check this page. Potential guests check this page. It's also great for SEO — each guest name is a searchable term.
Contact / pitch
How to suggest topics, pitch as a guest, or send listener feedback. If the show accepts guest pitches, include what makes a good guest and what to include in the pitch (topic, credentials, previous appearances). Business inquiries and sponsorship contacts separated from listener feedback.
Sponsorship / advertise
If the show accepts sponsors: audience demographics, download numbers, audience description, ad formats offered (pre-roll, mid-roll, host-read, produced), pricing or "contact for rates," past sponsors (if they're willing to be listed). This is the podcast's sales page.
Blog / news
Show announcements, behind-the-scenes, host commentary, bonus content, show milestones, listener spotlights.
Newsletter
Email list for show announcements, episode notifications, bonus content. The most valuable audience asset — platform-independent. "Get new episodes in your inbox."
Live events
If the show does live recordings, meetups, or touring shows. Dates, venues, ticket links.
Merch / support
Show merch, listener support (Patreon, Ko-fi, memberships), bonus episodes behind a paywall.
A design that fits your brand
Clean, audio-focused, and inviting. The site can be bold or minimal depending on the show's personality — a true-crime podcast feels different from a comedy show. The design should reflect the show's tone, but audio content needs clear structure more than visual flair.
Show brand colors drive everything. Pull from the podcast cover art — that artwork is the most recognized visual asset. Warm or cool based on the show's personality. Strong contrast for readability since episode pages are text-heavy (show notes, transcripts). Avoid clutter — the design frames the content, not competes with it.
Modern stack (system-ui sans-serif). Medium weight. Episode pages need clear hierarchy — episode title, guest name, date, and description must be instantly scannable. Body text optimized for reading show notes and transcripts at length.
Your business tools, connected
I integrate with the platforms you already use — styled links, not embedded scripts. Your site stays fast and private.
Buzzsprout
Beginner-friendly. Distribution to all platforms, episode transcription, basic analytics. Good starting point. buzzsprout.com
Transistor
Multiple shows on one account, better analytics, private podcasts for paid content. Good for growing shows. transistor.fm
Captivate
Growth-focused features, unlimited team members, built-in calls to action. captivate.fm
Libsyn
One of the oldest hosts. Reliable, good for high-volume shows. libsyn.com
Castopod
ActivityPub integration (federated social). The IndieWeb/self-sovereignty option. Requires a server. castopod.org
Anchor/Spotify for Podcasters
Free but Spotify-controlled. Limited portability. Fine for starting out; move to an independent host when the show grows. podcasters.spotify.com
Apple Podcasts Connect
Submit the RSS feed. The largest traditional podcast directory. podcasters.apple.com
Spotify for Podcasters
Submit the RSS feed. Second-largest platform, growing fast. podcasters.spotify.com
Podcast Index
Open podcast directory. The Podcasting 2.0 hub. Submit the RSS feed. podcastindex.org
YouTube
Upload full episodes as video (with audiogram or video recording). YouTube is increasingly the primary discovery platform for podcasts. Separate from RSS distribution — requires uploading to YouTube directly.
Descript
Edit audio by editing the transcript. Removes filler words, generates transcripts. Good for beginners who find traditional audio editing intimidating. descript.com
Audacity
Traditional audio editor. Powerful, free, widely used. audacityteam.org
Hindenburg
Audio editor designed for spoken word (podcasts, radio, journalism). Better than Audacity for voice. hindenburg.com
Riverside
Remote recording with separate audio/video tracks. Better quality than Zoom for interviews. riverside.fm
Zencastr
Remote recording alternative. Records each participant locally for better quality. zencastr.com
Chartable
Podcast analytics and attribution. Track how listeners find the show. chartable.com
Podcorn
Marketplace connecting podcasters with sponsors. Good for smaller shows. podcorn.com
Patreon
Bonus episodes and membership content. patreon.com
Ko-fi
Listener tips and support. ko-fi.com
Memberful
Private podcast feeds for paying members. memberful.com
Buttondown
Newsletter for episode announcements and listener engagement. buttondown.email
Compliance handled
I know the regulations for your industry so you don't have to research them.
Music and audio licensing
Background music, sound effects, and intro/outro music must be licensed. Options: royalty-free music libraries (Epidemic Sound, Artlist, Free Music Archive), Creative Commons music (credit required), or original music. Using copyrighted music without a license can get episodes pulled from platforms.
Guest consent
Get explicit permission to record and publish. A simple email or message confirming consent is the minimum. For sensitive topics, a written release is better. If a guest asks to have their episode removed, honor the request.
Trademark in show name
Check that the show name doesn't infringe on existing trademarks. Search the USPTO database (tmos.uspto.gov) before committing to a name. Changing a show name after building an audience is painful.
FTC disclosure
If the show has sponsors or affiliate links, disclose them clearly. "This episode is sponsored by [brand]" at the beginning of the ad read. See docs/smb/legal-checklist.md for website-specific disclosure.
Accessibility
Transcripts make the show accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. They also improve SEO dramatically. Auto-generated transcripts are a starting point — review for accuracy, especially with technical terms and proper nouns. See docs/accessibility.md.
Privacy for guests and listeners
Don't share guest contact info without permission. If collecting listener data (email signups, surveys), follow privacy requirements. See docs/security.md.
Platform terms of service
Each distribution platform has content policies. Apple Podcasts and Spotify can remove shows that violate their terms. The website is the one platform the podcaster fully controls — another reason the website matters.
Content that keeps visitors coming back
Episode teasers and clips (30–60 second audio or video snippets for social), behind-the-scenes of production (recording setup, editing process, guest booking), listener Q&A episodes, milestone celebrations (100 episodes, download milestones), "best of" compilations, guest announcements, topic polls (let listeners vote on future topics), show recommendations (other podcasts worth listening to), equipment and process posts (what mic, what software, what workflow), blooper reels, host AMAs, year-in-review episodes, listener stories and feedback spotlights, cross-promotion with other podcasters.
Your industry calendar
I'll surface seasonal content ideas so your site stays timely and relevant.
- International Podcast Day — Listener milestones, episode highlights, behind-the-scenes, guest spotlights, "how I started podcasting" content.
- World Radio Day — The spiritual ancestor of podcasting. History of audio storytelling, audio medium appreciation.
- Podcast Movement conference — Networking, learning, industry trends. Content around conference takeaways.
- Hot Pod Summit — Podcast industry event. Content about industry direction.
Ready to build your podcaster website?
I'll use everything above to build you a site tailored to your industry — the right pages, design, tools, and compliance from day one.
Get started