What is Podcast Website?
A podcast website is a web presence for your show—a destination for show notes, episode archives, subscription links, about information, and everything listeners can't get from the RSS feed alone.
Website Components
Essential
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Episode list | Browse all episodes |
| Show notes | Links, references, summaries |
| Subscribe links | All platforms |
| About page | Show and host information |
| Contact | How to reach you |
Valuable
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Embeddable player | Listen on-site |
| Transcript pages | SEO, accessibility |
| Blog/articles | Additional content |
| Newsletter signup | Direct audience relationship |
| Community links | Discord, social media |
Advanced
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Membership area | Premium content |
| Merchandise store | Revenue stream |
| Sponsor information | Attract advertisers |
| Media kit | Press resources |
Website Options
| Approach | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting-provided | Easy, automatic | Limited customization |
| WordPress | Flexible, powerful | Requires maintenance |
| Squarespace/Wix | Easy, professional | Monthly cost |
| Custom | Full control | Most effort |
SEO Considerations
| Element | SEO Impact |
|---|---|
| Episode pages | Each episode = searchable page |
| Transcripts | Full text content for search |
| Show notes | Keywords, links, context |
| Blog content | Additional discoverability |
| Structured data | Rich search results |
Website Must-Haves
- Mobile responsive design
- Fast loading times
- Clear subscribe buttons
- Episode audio players
- SSL certificate (HTTPS)
- Contact information
Why It Matters
A podcast website is your owned digital real estate. Unlike social platforms or podcast apps, you control everything—design, content, data, and monetization.
Why podcast websites matter:
-
Ownership: You own your website. Platforms can change; your site is yours.
-
SEO: Websites get indexed by search engines. Podcast audio doesn't.
-
Rich content: Show notes, transcripts, and supplementary material need a home.
-
Conversion hub: Central place to convert visitors to subscribers.
-
Professional credibility: Legitimate shows have websites.
Website impact on discoverability:
| Source | How Website Helps |
|---|---|
| Episode pages rank for topic searches | |
| Social media | Link destination for shares |
| Guest appearances | "More info at..." destination |
| Press coverage | Journalists need a website to link |
Ownership vs platform dependency:
| Asset | You Own | Platform Owns |
|---|---|---|
| Website | ✓ | - |
| Email list | ✓ | - |
| RSS feed | ✓ | - |
| Social followers | - | ✓ |
| App subscribers | - | ✓ |
| Platform reviews | - | ✓ |
Minimum viable website: At minimum, you need: episode list, subscribe links, about page. Even a single-page site with these elements is infinitely better than no web presence.
How to Use This in Dispatch
Your podcast website is automatically generated and customizable:
Automatic website: Every podcast gets a website at your custom URL with:
- Episode list with players
- Show notes for each episode
- Subscribe links for all platforms
- About page with show info
- Contact information
- Mobile-responsive design
Customization options: Go to Settings → Website to customize:
- Colors and branding
- Logo and header image
- Page layout
- Custom domain (yourpodcast.com)
- Analytics integration
Custom domain setup:
- Purchase a domain from any registrar
- Add your domain in Settings → Website → Custom Domain
- Update DNS records as instructed
- SSL certificate provided automatically
Episode pages: Each episode automatically gets a dedicated page with:
- Audio player
- Show notes
- Transcript (if enabled)
- Share buttons
- Related episodes