Introduction to Streamio podcast hosting
Streamio includes a podcast platform at no extra cost. Downloads and the storage of episodes are using the account allowances, but since podcast episodes are so small compared to videos, this consumption is usually negligible. You can create as many podcasts as you need in Streamio.
Benefits of using Streamio as your podcast platform:
- FAST distribution of episodes via our Video CDN
- Easy to use & Low cost
- Auto publishing
- GDPR-compliant
Get started with podcasting
Creating a Streamio account
If you don’t have an account, you can quickly sign up for one here – our free trial account provides plenty of storage for podcast hosting, but be aware that it has to be renewed monthly, which isn’t a good idea, in the long run, to risk having the account deleted. However, it works great, and you can upgrade it to a paid plan whenever you are ready.
Navigating to podcasts in Streamio
When logged in to Streamio, you will find everything related to podcasts in the Library, where podcasts have their tab named accordingly. Please note that the podcast section handles everything about podcasts, episodes and publishing of these. You can find the podcast content in the audio tab, where all audio in Streamio is kept.
Creating a podcast
First we need to create the actual podcast.
What is a podcast?
From a technical perspective, a podcast is essentially a series of audio files distributed over the internet. The key to how these audio files are organized and shared is through an XML file, often referred to as an RSS feed. Think of this as a digital table of content. It’s a text file that contains all the essential information about the podcast series, such as the title, description and a list of all the episodes. This XML file is hosted at Streamio and can be accessed by podcast apps (like Apple Podcasts or Spotify). These apps read the XML file to display the podcast information and provide links to download or stream the episodes hosted at Streamio.
How do I create a podcast in Streamio?
Under Library, select the Podcasts tab and press Create New Podcast.
In the following screen, you will find a list of fields to fill in. We recommend that you fill it all in. This is what creates the information about the actual podcast. Specific information regarding each episode can be entered at a later stage. Right now all we need to enter is the basic information of the podcast, its category, title, description and so on. If you don’t have a homepage for the podcast, you could use our channels to easily publish a podcast page in 30 seconds as soon as the podcast is ready; read more under Publish the podcast. When everything is filled out, you can create the podcast (which for now is empty) by pressing the button at the very bottom “Create Podcast”.
Upload podcast episodes
All episodes are uploaded to Library – Audio – Upload Audio. An episode doesn’t require specific data, but we recommend using a descriptive title and preferably tags to differentiate the content as it grows. A suggestion could be to add the podcast name, year, and/or season as tags.
Please note that audio can be published outside of the podcasts as well. There is a publish section allowing you to embed audio into your website, send a short link to someone to pre-listen or even use the QR code that can be used to “display the audio” in an exhibition, a shop window or printed matter.
Add episodes to your podcast
When the podcast is created, it needs at least one episode. Otherwise, there is no point in publishing it. We recommend making a “teaser” episode to have some content and be able to publish the podcast before the first actual episode is released.
Under Episodes on the podcast page is an “Add new episode” button. Here, you will find a selector for audio, and you can give it a title, a description, and a cover art. Note that this is now the title, description, and title art for this particular episode, as opposed to the one on the podcast page for the entire podcast.
Before saving, you can leave the podcast unpublished or set a publish date and time for when the podcast will be released. Don’t forget to click “Create podcast episode” on the far right. Now, the podcast page has an episode added to it, and you can see when it is published or available at a glance.
Publish a Podcast
Below the episodes, there is an area for publishing from Streamio podcast hosting. There are a few ways of doing this:
Publish to a directory (e.g., Apple or Spotify)
To be found by new listeners and to make it easy to add your podcast posting to directories, of which Apple and Spotify are the most important, is a winning strategy. How to navigate these services is outside of the scope of this article, but what you need to accomplish this is to copy the link in the Publish section under the heading RSS(XML) and use that on the other services. Note that some services don’t allow the publishing of podcasts via XML since they require all content to be uploaded to their service. Not cool – leave them alone!
Internally
People can also use the XML link to add the podcast directly to most podcast players. This is a working method if you want all the podcast functionality for a group without making it available at the usual places.
To Streamio Channels
Streamio Channels support Streamio podcasts. You can create any channels you require, containing different selections of video, live video, chat and podcasts. Check out our article on creating channels, and then add your podcast to any existing or brand-new channel.
To your website
Streamios podcast player can be integrated into your website by copying the iframe code and inserting it wherever required. You can also go to a specific episode and pick that iframe code to publish a particular episode (it is still possible to jump back to the index with all episodes).
Short link / QR-code
The short link and the QR code are built to make it easy to share a podcast via e-mail, text messages, or using the QR code in print, for example. Like the iframe, this is available for both podcasts and episodes.
Podcasts - Frequently Asked Questions
My podcast won't register with a provider
A common mistake is trying to register an empty podcast. Some distributors won’t publish podcasts with no episodes.
The best practice to allow for publishing a podcast ahead of its first actual episode release (for people to subscribe to the podcast) is to create a “teaser” episode, allowing the podcast to be published beforehand.
Why should I publish the podcast with Apple or Spotify?
When you subscribe to a podcast on a directory, such as Apple or Spotify, this is what they offer:
1. A directory where users can discover and subscribe to podcasts. This is where you find the podcast’s information, such as its title, description and episodes.
2. Based on your subscription preferences, Spotify and Apple podcasts can send notifications to your device when new episodes become available.
3. Sync across devices: If you’re using multiple devices, your subscriptions and playback progress can sync across devices, allowing for a seamless listening experience.
The directory does not host the podcast files; they remain on Streamio. The role is facilitating access and providing a user-friendly interface for discovering and managing podcast subscriptions.
Is publishing via Apple / Spotify / others necessary for a Podcast?
No, publishing is primarily for distribution. It is possible to distribute the XML address to users manually so they can enter it into their players manually.
This could even be a good idea for internal podcasts within an organization.
Other ways of publishing podcasts are only on a webpage or in Streamio channels.
What role does the podcast app play
Once you subscribe to a podcast, your device (iPhone, iPad, etc.) downloads or streams the episodes. The podcast app checks the podcast’s RSS feed for new episodes and updates your library accordingly. Your device manages the actual playback of episodes and the storage of downloaded files. You can stream episodes directly from Streamio or download them for offline listening.
Can I upload my podcast to Apple
Yes, Streamio podcast hosting work with Apple and other podcast services following the standard.
Please refer to this Apple support article for information: https://podcasters.apple.com/support/897-submit-a-show
Can I upload my podcast to Spotify?
Yes, Streamio podcast hosting work with Spotify and other podcast services following the standard.
Start here: https://creators.spotify.com/