Podcast Server

Do I Need a Separate Podcast Server?

Yes.

Why?

Podcasting has the potential to get you an unpredictably large amount of downloads. Getting in the New and Noteworthy section of iTunes could quite realistically send thousands of people to your host requesting your podcast.

If you’re using a shared sever like HostGator, GoDaddy, NameCheap, Enom or any other of this type, there is a good chance that your podcast will not be served quickly enough. This over request is called “crashing your website” in geek speak.

“Okay, let me tell you the difference between Facebook and everyone else, we don’t crash EVER! If those servers are down for even a day, our entire reputation is irreversibly destroyed!”
– Mark Zuckerberg’s character in The Social Network

A Server Analogy

If you host your podcast on a your shared website server, it’s like running a advertisement on the superbowl for a local shop. You’ll get a tremendous rush of traffic, you risk failing to fulfill your promise.

Your shop will be crushed by a million half drunk football fiends.

The key to avoiding this is to backup your shop before the wave of customers comes. The good news is that in internet land, that costs very little to implement.

How to Set Up a Podcast Server

What is Happening – Simply

Essentially, you are putting your files in a place where your website and the various podcast platforms can fetch the files from. It’s that simple.

How to do it

Once you finish mastering your audio files, tag them and upload them to the podcast server (just like you upload a photo to facebook.)

The podcast server provides you with an address for the download of your audio file. Use this address to build your RSS feed. Your RSS feed tells your website and podcast platforms (notably iTunes) where to find the audio portion of your podcast.

The most common forms of marketing your podcast are:

1.) Your Website

• Your website will display a media player that allows listeners to directly download or listen to your file right off your site. Though they will actively be on your website, they will be sourcing the media from the podcast server.

2.) Podcast Platforms

•  Podcast platforms will help you reach a greater audience. iTunes and Stitcher are some of the most powerful available to people seeking to get their message out there.

What We Use

At Freedom Podcasting, we use Libsyn. They have had 100% track record with us and their backend provides some helpful statistics once the big download counts start coming in.

Out Reach

Do you have any questions? Has this helped you in your podcasting efforts? We’d love to hear from you.