Podcasting is a process that entails a lot of work, and publishing your first episode is just the beginning. As such, choosing the right hosting platf
Podcasting is a process that entails a lot of work, and publishing your first episode is just the beginning. As such, choosing the right hosting platform is crucial to avoid the hassle of migrating to another application in the future. Simplecast offers a comprehensive solution that meets your needs and provides room for expansion.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of hosting your show on Simplecast and the features it offers.
What Is Simplecast
Simplecast is a podcast-hosting platform that was founded in 2013 by Brad Smith and Josh Long. The platform was created to address podcasters’ challenges in publishing and distributing their content.
Simplecast is a web-based platform that provides podcasters with all the tools they need to create, publish, and distribute their podcasts. The platform offers a user-friendly interface and a range of features that make it easy for podcasters to manage and grow their audience. Some of the features of Simplecast include analytics, custom domains, monetization tools, and integrations with popular podcasting apps.
Over the years, Simplecast has become one of the most popular podcast hosting platforms, serving thousands of podcasters worldwide. And it has earned the trust of numerous individual creators and organizations, such as Politico, Shopify, TechCrunch, Harvard, Medium, Fast Company, and other notable names.
Main Features Of Simplecast
Simplecast has recently overhauled its platform, bringing numerous new features for long-time and new users. What sets Simplecast apart is its cutting-edge features, which are fantastic and beneficial to use.
 Files Uploads
Simplecast makes it easy to get your podcast episodes out there. It converts MP3s of 128kbps or lower to the required bitrate and keeps the original stereo/mono encoding. Larger files can be re-encoded down to 128kbps, although you can contact the company if you need a higher bitrate |
 Publishing Episodes
Publishing and distributing an episode is now simpler than ever. Streamlined workflows and templates make it possible to get your episode from post-production to listeners everywhere in no time. With one click, you can deliver your episode to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and many other platforms. It’s almost like magic! |
 Embed Player
Simplecast offers web players designed to be attractive, powerful, and intelligent. These players can be used to embed single episodes or entire shows and are compatible with sites like Squarespace, WordPress, Medium, and social media. Additionally, they track information like listeners’ listening speeds, share points, and drop-offs. |
 Podcast Website
No need to worry if you don’t want to have a third-party site for your podcast. Simplecast’s new site builder makes creating a website straightforward. You can customize theme colors and add extra pages, and you’re all set. All sites are mobile-friendly and optimized for search engines, and they even support custom domains with HTTPS security. |
 Team Member Management
With the new permission levels, you can invite Team Members to one or multiple of your shows and grant them access to the information you want them to see or edit. Plus, if you are publishing more than one show, you can now manage them all from one account. |
 Analytics
Meet Audience is an audio analytics platform that provides you with insights into your listeners, where they listen, and what parts of your show are shared the most. As an IAB Certified platform, you can rest assured your numbers are audited and industry standard. Simplecast makes enterprise-level analytics accessible and affordable for all podcasters. |
 Recast
Stories bring people together and can have a huge impact on people’s lives. Simplecast is always coming up with new ways for listeners to engage with the content they love. Recast is a podcast-sharing and discovery platform. It is the first listener-powered audiogram tool that makes it easy for podcasters and their audiences to share clips of episodes on social media. What’s more, Recast provides invaluable insights into how people are sharing your content with its comprehensive reporting tools. |
 Simplecast 2.0 API
Simplecast API 2.0 is a highly advanced audio publishing and distribution API for podcasters and developers. With the API, you can construct your own website, uploader, listening app, and analytics dashboard. |
 Customer Support
The Simplecast team of experienced podcasters offers comprehensive tutorials and live educational sessions to help you with any podcasting-related questions. These sessions provide guidance on recording and production, marketing, promotion, monetizing, and more, so you can spend less time looking for answers and more time podcasting and growing your audience. |
Pricing & Plans
The platform offers three main plans – the Basic Plan, the Essential Plan, and the Growth Plan.
BASIC
$15/MO ($13.50 /mo if prepaid annually)
“EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO LAUNCH A PODCAST “
- 2 team member seats
- Unlimited storage & uploads
- Distribution to everywhere your audience listens
- Basic analytics
- Customizable show website with custom domain
- Manage multiple shows with one account
- Embeddable episode web player
- Recast for you (and your listeners)
- A secure (HTTPS) site and RSS feed
- 20K downloads included per month
- Email support
|
ESSENTIAL
$35 /MO ($31.50 /mo if prepaid annually)
“EVERYTHING IN BASIC, PLUS ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR THE GROWING PODCAST “
- 4 team member seats
- Additional web players
- (Mini & Show)
- Compare analytics across 2 episodes
- Location analytics
- (country & state/region)
- Unique Listener reports
- Web Player analytics
- Technology analytics
- (apps, browsers)
- 50K downloads included per month
|
GROWTH
$85/MO ($76.50 /mo if prepaid annually)
“EVERYTHING IN ESSENTIAL, PLUS COLLABORATION TOOLS AND DEEPER INSIGHTS “
- 9 team member seats
- Compare metrics across 5 episodes
- Location analytics
- (+ detailed metro areas)
- Detailed Device analytics
- Web Player Embed Location analytics
- Network (ISP) analytics
- (home, office, mobile)
- Technology analytics
- (+ device details)
- 120K downloads included per month
|
 Pros
|
 Cons
|
| Easy-to-use |
The uptime feature falls below the average mark, with a rating of 75% |
| Cost-effective |
The RSS feed feature is rated at 53%, which is also below average |
| Excellent customer service |
Long uploading time |
| Enables content sharing |
Advanced functionalities come with premium plans and cost extra |
| Provides comprehensive and sophisticated analytics |
|
| Offers limitless bandwidth and storage |
|
| Supports multiple users with different accessibility levels |
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Final Verdict: Simplecast is a Powerful and Easy–to–Use Podcast Hosting Platform
After considering the features and benefits of Simplecast, we can conclude that it is an excellent platform to host your podcast. It offers a comprehensive toolkit with all the essential tools you need to develop and maintain a successful podcast channel with multiple shows. The user-friendly interface also makes it easy to navigate and publish content. Therefore, we highly recommend Simplecast as a podcast hosting platform.
Your insights and expertise can help others make informed decisions, so please share your knowledge in the comments section.
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