In today’s RSS.com review, we’re looking at a popular yet simple solution for podcast hosting in the growing audio content market.
The global demand for podcasting is skyrocketing. As digital consumers look for more convenient ways to consume content on the move, podcasting popularity has exploded.
According to some studies, the podcasting market is now growing at a CAGR of 31.5%, to a value of around $149.34 billion by 2030. For companies looking to generate more interest for their organization, or content creators trying to build a presence online, podcasting can offer an excellent solution. Of course, before you can start to unlock the benefits of podcasts, you need the right tools.
Creating a podcast doesn’t just mean investing in the right marketing and audio editing software. You’ll also need a hosting solution provider to help you get your podcasts to other people. RSS.com is one of the more convenient tools for podcast hosting today, intended specifically for those who want a quick, simple, and convenient way to get online.
Let’s take a closer look at what this solution can do.
What is RSS.com?
Let’s start with a basic introduction to RSS.com, and what it does. A media host designed to be more accessible to beginners with limited knowledge in the podcast space, RSS.com makes standing out online as simple as possible. With this convenient tool, you can access all the features you need to upload, host, and share your podcast with others.
Compared to other podcast hosting providers, RSS.com might not be the most advanced option on the market. However, it is one of the simplest for beginners, with almost no learning curve to worry about. The podcast hosting site also comes with a significant amount of flexibility.
Here, you can find unlimited audio storage options, automatic distribution to some of the major podcast directories on the web, and more. There’s also a host of monetization options, including sponsorship opportunities, and access to cross-platform analytics.
As an added bonus, you can create a free podcast website, leverage episode scheduling, and automate your podcast publishing strategy to reach a wider audience. Overall, the result is a podcasting platform which ensures you can promote weekly or daily episodes by uploading them through a web browser in the same way you would a standard webmail attachment.
Main Features of RSS.com
RSS.com is all about making podcast hosting and publishing as easy as possible. In today’s competitive environment, anyone hoping to launch a successful podcast needs to have the freedom to publish as many podcasts as they choose, on all the directories where they can find their audience.
It’s also important to have access to analytics for understanding your audience, monetization tools for gaining an income, and promotional tools to boost your visibility. RSS.com offers all of this. It can automatically generate and update your podcast feed, create a dynamic and customizable website on your behalf to showcase your recent episodes, and offers access to a media streaming player.
You can also archive podcasts to come back to them later. Some of the most significant features of RSS.com include:
- All-in-one dashboard
- Cross-platform analytics
- Monetization
- Episode management
- Soundbites and chapters
- Transcripts
- Automatic distribution
- Website builder
Ease of Use
Since simplicity is key to a good podcast hosting experience, it’s important to have an environment where you can access all the tools you need at once.
RSS.com comes with a convenient interface where you can customize your podcast’s online appearance with custom covers, chapter art, and episode titles.
You can then share your podcasts directly onto social media, and embed them into external websites using the custom episode player from RSS.com too.
For episode management, you’ll get an episode scheduling tool for quickly and conveniently publishing your content and episodes whenever your audience is most likely to be active. To figure out when that is, you can use the analytical tools built into RSS.com. The insights should let you know when your listeners are most engaged.
To enhance the listening experience for your audience, RSS.com ensures you can add chapters, soundbites, transcripts, and a range of other features. This makes it easy to boost the accessibility of your show and potentially reach a wider audience.
Distribution
There are plenty of ways to get your podcast to the widest possible audience with RSS.com. The solution comes with an automatic distribution feature. This ensures you can get your podcast listed with the most popular directories around. Publishing options include Spotify, Amazon Music, Samsung Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
The embeddable episode player also ensures you can take your podcasts wherever you like. You can simply add a small piece of code to a third-party website, which means it’s easy to list on existing blogs and even ecommerce stores.
What’s more, simple social media sharing means you can easily share all of your content and episodes across the most popular websites with a single click. This functionality makes it easier to keep fans and followers engaged, up-to-date and happy.
Alternatively, if you want to take your podcast to the next level, you can create your own free website. Every podcaster on RSS.com will automatically have access to a free and fully optimized website environment. You can customize this landscape to showcase your unique personality and match your branding. Within the website, you’ll be able to highlight your show, add donation buttons, show transcripts, and list episodes.
Each website comes with:
- A web-based audio player
- Custom “Listen on” buttons for the podcast directories
- Customizable design and template
- Optimized mobile performance
- Fast loading speed
- SEO enhancements
Notably, RSS.com also has a “Community” section on its own website. Here it curates podcasts from creators using the RSS.com environment. Depending on the nature of your podcast, you might be able to boost your chances of being found by being featured in the community.
RSS.com Review: Analytics
As mentioned above, creating a podcast that stands out in today’s marketplace takes some strategy. The more you understand your customers and their listening preferences, the better your podcast is likely to become. With RSS.com, you’ll gain access to comprehensive cross-platform analytics, so you can understand your audience and grow your show.
Once you start uploading episodes, you’ll find instant access to your metrics on your dashboard. These will include:
- Overall downloads and trends
- Episodes downloads and trends
- Estimated number of followers
- Location of your listeners
- Type of device used to download your show
- Applications used to listen to your podcast
You can also export your show’s metrics into Excel or CSV format.
Monetization
The monetization options included with RSS.com will help you to transform your audio content into a source of regular income. There are a few different ways you can monetize your podcasts with RSS.com, including:
- A Donation button: Your listeners can easily access a custom donation or funding page to help you gather money for your show.
- Sponsors: You can use the Podcorn ads marketplace on RSS.com to find sponsors for host-read ads on your podcast.
- Dynamic ads: For high traffic podcasts, RSS.com has its own dynamic ads insertion technology. This allows you to insert ads pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll in every podcast, so you can start making cash this way.
Other Standout Features
While RSS.com might not be the most advanced podcast hosting solution in the world, it’s custom-made for beginners hoping to make a positive spart in their space. There are free learning materials included on the site, to help you discover how to make your business grow.
As an added bonus, you’re getting access to some of the most impressive technology on the market. RSS.com uses state-of-the-art content distribution networks with more than 255 points of presence, and a 99.99% uptime. There are even connections to more than 47 countries worldwide.
For those with an environmentally-conscious approach to business, it may also help to know that RSS.com is dedicated to sustainability. The brand is invested in the latest podcasting technology, including Podping on Hive, which helps to stream content in the most environmentally friendly way possible, with minimal strain on resources.
For creators who already have their own podcast, RSS.com recently introduced a new “migration” option which allows you to shift all of your content into the platform in a matter of minutes. You can also get access to all the features for free for 6 months when you migrate. Plus, your show remains available during the transfer process.
RSS.com Pricing
You’ll have a handful of options available from RSS.com when it comes to pricing. The good news is most of these options are quite affordable – no matter what your budget might be. You can try all the features for free with a trial, and access a money-back guarantee for up to 30 days.
There are special discounted and free plans available for non-profit companies, educators, and students if you contact the team directly. What’s more, if you do sign up for a paid plan, there are no contracts. You can simply cancel or change your package whenever you like.
The three primary pricing plans include:
- Student and NGO: $4.99 per month: This special discounted rate package comes with support for unlimited episodes for an unlimited duration of play. You also get an RSS feed for your podcast, free website, cross-platform analytics, custom embedded player, episode scheduling, auto submission and distribution, and social media sharing.
- All in one podcasting: $8.25 per month when paid annually: This package supports all the features of the Student package mentioned above. You’ll also have access to monetization via sponsors, and 24/7 customer support.
- Podcast networks: This is a custom podcasting plan designed to suit people in the media industry. It supports all of the features in the “All in one” plan, plus multiple podcasts, dynamic ad insertion, custom analytical reports, dedicated 24/7 service, and special requests.
How is the RSS.com Customer Service?
RSS.com is one of the most straightforward and easy-to-use solutions on the market for podcast hosting. With that in mind, you’re not likely to have issues very often. However, if you do happen across a problem or two, there are a few ways you can get help.
RSS.com has a pretty extensive knowledgebase, and a great onboarding process for users. When you sign up for the service, the interface will guide you through the process of managing your podcast step-by-step. There are also clear directions on how to distribute your podcast to the major directories, so you can jump in straight away.
If the included guidance in the RSS.com environment isn’t enough for you, then you can click on the “Support” link on the RSS website to start a support ticket. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any more advanced support options until you upgrade to a more expensive package. If you’re using the “Networks” plan, you should have access to more assistance.
RSS.com Review: Final Verdict
Ultimately, RSS.com isn’t going to be your number one choice for podcast hosting if you’re looking for something particularly extensive or advanced. However, if you’re launching your podcast for the first time, and you want to keep complexity to a minimum, this could be the platform for you.
Podcast hosting with RSS.com is extremely straightforward and requires very little effort on your part. You can upload as many episodes as you want to the system, distribute your content in a range of ways, and even build your own website.
It’s hard to find another podcast hosting website which offers the same degree of flexibility as RSS.com for the same low costs.
With a free trial available for beginners, there’s nothing to stop you from giving it a try.
