What is a Hosting Platform?
A hosting platform is where you upload your audio so it can be found by directories like Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Google Podcast. Very similar to uploading a video to Youtube for people to find. There are lots of hosting platforms available to choose from, but they all do the same thing. When you upload your episode they create an RSS feed.
The RSS Feed
The RSS feed is like a signal that allows your podcast to be found all over the internet. The RSS feed will also have necessary information about your show, such as the title, episode length, description, and other data that will make your show easy to find for those listeners who are looking for your specific content.
The hosting service is useful for keeping your podcast up to date on the many podcasting directories that are out there. So if you upload a new episode, you don’t need to go to Google and Apple separately to upload your episode to each platform. You simply upload your episode to your hosting site and they will ensure that it gets to the directories.
Does it Cost Money to Host a Podcast?
It is common for a hosting website to charge a fee, but there are plenty of free options available. There are some limitations to the free options, such as a limited number of episodes per month or a cap on how long your episode can be, but these limitations might be worth it when you’re in the experimental phase.
On the Recording & Editing tab of this libguide, we featured some "all-in-one" services that allow you to record, edit and distribute your podcast episodes. These distribution options are also featured on this page.
All-In-One Recording, Editing, and Distributing Service
These applications allow you to record, edit, and distribute your podcast all in one place. Most of them are free to use, with some limitations.