So, you have your podcast branding and you maybe even have your cover art designed out, but your footprint in the online world doesn’t end there. Another major piece of production is going to be your website.
Having a website for your podcast is going to give you a more legitimate feel and it is going to give you a platform where you can dive into all of the details of your show in a more extensive way.
As a web designer who has worked on multiple podcast websites, what would I suggest you have on yours? Let’s dive into the top things you need to have on your site and some podcast website examples to show you what this can look like in action.
Full Site vs Single Page
Before I dive into what you need to have on your site, let’s talk about whether you need a full website or if it can be part of your current business website. The main thing I want you to ask yourself is: Does my podcast directly relate and connect with the product or service that I am offering in my business?
If the answer is yes, then it could make sense to have your podcast “site” on your main business website. In this case, you can have a page on your site dedicated to the podcast and include all of the important information that we will get into. You can also have your podcast episodes as ‘posts’, just set a separate category for them so they can be organized on the query for your podcast page.
I did this for one of my clients, SJ Digital Solutions. Their podcast is directly connected to their main business, so it made sense for it to all be on their existing site as its own landing page. We still made sure to include all the essential information on that page so people knew exactly what to expect on the podcast.
If the answer is no, then you need to have a completely separate website for your podcast. You wouldn’t want people to get confused and you don’t want to have to try to talk to multiple different audiences on your website. So, setting up a separate site helps keep everything streamlined and ensures you are attracting the right audience.
PS If the answer is yes, BUT I want to build a separate podcast brand/business- then you will want a new site for it. This is the case with my own podcast. It directly relates to my business, but I want the option of exiting and selling one day without having it attached to my business as an asset.
A Note On Your Podcast Domain
One important thing to note is purchasing the domain name for your podcast. If you are going to have it on a separate site, this is important so that you are able to keep everything consistent across the board.
However, purchasing the domain is still important, even if you are going to have a single landing page on your current site. In this case, you still want the separate domain so that:
- You can forward it to the podcast page website. This way if anyone tries to look up your podcast but just typing in what they think the domain is, they’ll be redirected to the right spot.
- If you do ever decide to separate them in the future, you’ve already secured the domain name and don’t have to worry about that. It’s an essential brand ownership move!
Key Elements for Your Podcast Website (with Real-Life Podcast Website Examples)
Who You Are
Just like any other website, you want to talk about who you are. When we think about podcasts, especially in the business space, people are listening to them because they want to learn important information and hear valuable insights from other people in this space.
Your about sections are where you can show why you are an expert in this space and why people should listen to what you are saying. Unlike something that just shows up on your feed, podcasts are something that people intentionally choose to listen to.
So, use this space to show people why they should listen to you and why they should trust you. You want to build a relationship with your audience and giving them a glimpse into your backstory can help do just that.
Why You Are Doing This
Talking about who you are is only one piece of the puzzle. You also want to talk about why you are doing what you are doing. Dive into your own origin story. Maybe you started this podcast because you made simple mistakes early on and want to help other business owners avoid them.
Maybe you wanted to create a space where you could amplify voices that are often silenced or don’t have the platform that they deserve. Maybe you just wanted to build a community of like-minded people where you can support people and grow together.
Whatever the reason behind your podcast, talk about it on your website. You can also go as in-depth or as simple as you want. A great, real podcast website example of this is Revive Her. You can check out their full site here.
Remember, you don’t need to overcomplicate it, but you want to give people something to connect to you with.
An Easy Slogan
If you listen to any great podcast, you’ll hear that they all have some sort of slogan or phrase that is really easy and quick but also powerful. This is something that can feel very small, but it plays a big role in the overall podcast. In some cases, it might be the title of your podcast, as is the case for “Shift Is Happening” podcast with my client Sheila Wenger. Or, what is more likely, is a slogan that accompanies the title to bring in an easy identifier.
So, if you do have any sort of slogan that you say (maybe even in your intro or outro of your podcast), you want to make sure that this is on your website. Not only will this help to create a consistent feel across all of the platforms but it will also quickly set the expectation for the content.
Also, in case you didn’t think about this, your podcast does not need to be your business name. It should have its own name. You probably know this, but just want to be sure to point that out!
Podcast Episode Lists
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If you look at any podcast website example, the one thing you are bound to see is a list of the podcast episodes that have been published. This is something that is a must-have for your website and is going to make your podcast as a whole more of a resource for your listeners.
A great way to create this feel on your website is through a blog. You’ll be able to add all of your episodes as blog posts and even create categories to make it easy for your audience to sort and search for what they are looking for.
This is also a great place to put any show notes or transcripts that you have for the episode. Plus, you can SEO optimize these posts with keywords, so you’re not only going to get listeners from your podcast, but you can also reach an entirely different audience through Google.
A great way to set up these posts is by including an embedded player from your podcast (almost all podcasting platforms or even places like Spotify will allow you to grab an embed code that you can add to your site), transcripts, or show notes from the episode, any information about guests (if you had one), and finally, additional episodes that they may find helpful. For Anna, the host of the Power Shift, you can see that they have their podcast episodes listed out and they are easy to access. You can see what that looks like here.
Button to Follow You on All Platforms
Let’s be real, we are not here to try and settle the debate on which is better, Spotify or Apple. At the end of the day, people are going to listen to your podcast wherever they want to, so you want to make sure that you have buttons that are easily accessible that take viewers to all of the different platforms.
The key here is making sure people don’t have to search for these buttons. We want to make it so easy for them to find and follow our podcast.
For example, on the Revive Her Podcast site, we have multiple spots where people can find the podcast episodes. The first section someone scrolls to on the site has links to Spotify, Apple, and Google podcasts. We also have all of those links down in the footer, so if someone makes it all the way through the page, there is a quick and easy way to hop over to the podcast.
At the end of the day, user experience is so important and we want to make sure that we are making things as easy as possible for our audience.
Email Sign Up
Email newsletters and marketing can be so beneficial, especially for podcasters. So, you want to make sure that you have some way for people to join your email list: whether that is just a regular sign-up or through some sort of freebie.
Your email list is a powerful tool when it comes to building an engaged community. Not only does this allow you to connect with your audience in a different way and provide them with other helpful resources, but it can also help to create a more active audience.
Even something as simple as sending out an email when a new podcast episode is live can make a big difference. Sometimes people get busy (especially business owners) so finding ways to connect with your audience and stay top of mind is key!
Are You Ready to Build Your Own Podcast Website?
Hopefully, these tips will help you as you plan out your own podcast website. Just like any other site, you want to make sure you are thinking about the strategy behind the site and the goals of the site as a whole.
Also, if you want to learn more about podcast cover art design go here or for podcast branding go here for more info.
And, if you do want someone to help create a stand-out site like some of these podcast website examples, I’d love to connect. You can click here to check out my brand and web design services, or you can head over here to get in touch with me!
