Result of our test: 4,8/5
The most famous platform to host and distribute its podcasts. Easy to use, Buzzsprout is a safe bet in the podcast world!
If you host a podcast or want to create one, you’re probably wondering how to host and distribute it on streaming platforms. Usually, you would have to import your audio files by hand on each streaming service. However, this would take far too long!
To remedy this problem, there are podcast hosting platformsthat allow them to be integrated with all streaming services at the same time. This software also allows you to monetize your audio content with advertisements, sponsors or others.
Today, here is our test on Buzzsprout, the most popular podcast hosting platform. You will be able to discover its price, its advantages, its functioning and especially, its usefulness for podcasters!
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Contents
Presentation of Buzzsprout
Used by more than 100,000 podcasters, Buzzsprout is now a reference in the podcast world. This platform is an all-in-one software that allows you to create a podcast, distribute it on streaming services and monetize it.
Basically, the platform allows you toimport an audio file, then to cut it into episodes. Then, we can add a description, a thumbnail and a title. As soon as an episode is uploaded to Buzzsprout, it will be automatically integrated into the streaming platforms of your choice(Apple podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc.).
The tool is intended to be a gas pedal to enable publishers to gain visibility. Buzzsprout also offers the possibility to monetize its audio content directly from its platform. You can ask for donations, place ads or doaffiliation to earn money from your podcasts.
In short, Buzzsprout is an ally for all podcasters who want to make a living from their audio creations.
Who is Buzzsprout for?
Buzzsprout is primarily intended for anyone who already has or wants to host a podcast. Easy to use, the platform is suitable for both novice and expert podcasters. However, its use will differ depending on the progress of a podcast.
For beginners, Buzzsprout will be one of the easiest ways to host your audio content for distribution on streaming services(Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc.). Besides, the platform will allow you to promote your podcast thanks to the different integrated tools.
If you’re just starting out in the podcast world, it’s safe to say that Buzzsprout will be a shortcut to avoid all the hassles experienced by podcasters. With this platform, you will be able to quietly develop an audience, and monetize it when you are ready.
For experienced podcasters who already have a large audience, Buzzsprout can also be interesting. In this case, the software will be an excellent way to monetize your audience without using third-party tools.
Next to it, Buzzsprout will be very useful to analyze its audience. Indeed, the software offers a whole bunch of statistics that will allow podcasters to evaluate their audience. With this data, it will be easier to retain listeners and gain new ones by building on the episodes that have already worked.
Services offered by Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout offers several features, so we will present you the main ones, so you can get an idea of the potential of the platform.
Creation and integration of podcasts
As soon as you arrive on the platform, you can immediately start importing audio files. To do this, nothing could be easier. Just go to the “Episodes” section. Then you can directly import an audio file by drag and drop.
Once the audio is uploaded, you can add a title, a description and a thumbnail. In addition, you will have to indicate the chronology of the episode, i.e. whether it is part of a season with other episodes or not.
Once all the characteristics of the episode have been met, you can publish it instantly or schedule it for a specific date.
For theintegration on the different streaming services, you have to go to the “Directories” section. In this section you can connect your podcast to different platforms. Once this is done, all the episodes you download will automatically be integrated into them.
Creation of websites
Buzzsprout offers the possibility to create a mini website to promote your podcast. In reality, this site will create itself according to the information given at registration(name of the podcast, description, etc.). However, we will be able to customize this site.
To do this, simply go to the “Websites” section. Directly, you can see thata website already exists, but contains only the name, logo, description and a button to generate an RSS feed. The episodes will automatically be integrated into the site.
Note that the domain name will be the name of the podcast + buzzsprout.com.
Of course, the website can be modified. However, the changes remain quite limited. We will only be able to add a logo, change the color, add a background image and integrate links to our social networks.
Unlike other platforms, the creation of sites is quite limited. The advantage is that it creates itself, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time to have an online presentation page.
Monetization
Buzzsprout offers several tools to help creators monetize their audio content. You can add advertisements, talk about sponsors, doaffiliation or ask for donations. Let’s look at the different monetization strategies.
Buzzsprout Ads
Buzzsprout Ads, as its name suggests, allows you to place ads in your podcasts.
First of all, we will have to check our eligibility to access the ads. To be eligible, you need at least 1000 downloads, 5 published episodes and a subscription to one of the premium versions. Podcast episodes must also be at least 23 minutes in length.
Once accepted, you will be able to receive requests from advertisers. Each time, you will have the choice to accept or decline a promotional offer. Once accepted, Buzzsprout takes care of placing the ads at the right time, and removing them once the campaign is over.
Sponsors
The platform has a partnership with Podcorn, a service that connects podcasters and advertisers. To find sponsors, you will have to register on Podcorn. Once this is done, you can find reliable sponsors to promote it in your podcast.
Each sponsor has its own pay rate. This will be displayed on the platform, so there is no risk of promoting a service without being paid.
Affiliation
This platform offers its own affiliate network. Here you can promote several offers in your podcasts. For now, we can only recommend a few services, but more will be coming soon.
Donations
Finally, we can also ask for donations. To do this, it is possible to combine your account with donation/tipping services. For example, you can connect a Patreon account, Buy Me a Coffee, PayPal, etc.
Once connected, the platform will automatically embed a link to donate in each podcast episode.
Statistics
The advantage of this type of tool is that you can access many statistics to analyze your audience. Buzzsprout also offers shortcuts to direct access to the stats of streaming platforms(Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc.).
On the dashboard, Buzzsprout displays the number of downloads for the last 7, 30 or 90 days. Next to it, you can see the best performing podcast episodes and the most used applications to listen to them. Then, the software displays the type of device used as well as the location of the listeners.
Finally, the platform displays a prediction of the number of downloads in the next few days.
Buzzsprout itself does not provide a lot of statistics. However, we will be able to know which type of episode works best in order to produce them again.
The rates
Buzzsprout offers several rates as well as a free version:
Depending on the subscription package, not much will change. The only differences will be the amount of audio files you can import per month and the unlimited storage access.
With the free version, you can import 2 hours of audio content per month. However, we will not have access to the monetization plans. In addition, podcasts will only be hosted for 90 days.
Note that Buzzsprout imposes a monthly import limit, but that storage is unlimited.
Advantages & Disadvantages
After testing Buzzsprout for several weeks, here are the strengths and weaknesses that emerged:
The advantages
✅ Easy to use
✅ Access to different monetization plans
✅ Unlimited storage
✅ Detailed statistics tool
The disadvantages
❌ Fairly limited free version
❌ Unable to create a private podcast
In summary: our opinion on Buzzsprout
In short, Buzzsprout is one of the best solutions for creating, hosting and broadcasting an online podcast. Easy to use, the platform is suitable for beginners as well as for the more experienced. With this tool, you can easily create a podcast, even if you don’t necessarily have any knowledge of the subject.
The big plus of the platform is the monetization. In fact, you will no longer need to use third-party software to earn money with your content. Here you only need to place ads or talk about sponsors to generate income with your podcast.
The rates are very reasonable and allow you to start with a small budget. The free version is nevertheless more limited than on other platforms. You can still import 2 hours of content per month, but the audio will no longer be hosted after 90 days.
Therefore, it is better to go for one of the premium versions. In this way, you will be able to store your podcasts in an unlimited way, but above all you will have access to monetization plans.
To conclude, we really recommend Buzzsprout if you want to create a podcast. With many features and a good price-quality ratio, it is one of the most reliable solutions to start a podcast and gain visibility.
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The alternative to Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is in our opinion the most complete tool to host and distribute a podcast. Nevertheless, there are some serious alternatives to this software that will also allow you to monetize your audio content.
Podbean is an all-in-one platform designed to host and distribute podcasts and livestreams. This tool also allows you to monetize your podcasts through ads, donation campaigns or premium podcasts. Prices range from $9 to $29 for unlimited storage.
Libsyn is a complete service that allows you to easily host and distribute a podcast. The software also offers the possibility to create a mini website to promote its audio content. Besides that, you can monetize your podcasts with ads or private podcasts.
Castos is a very complete tool that offers to create a podcast, to host it and to broadcast it on streaming platforms. This service also allows you to automatically transcribe your audios into YouTube videos. In terms of monetization, it is possible to create a private podcast and sell it as a subscription.
Note that there are also a lot of free services to host podcasts. Unfortunately, they will be limited in storage and do not allow to monetize its contents. However, if you only want to host a few podcasts, these services may be suitable. Anchor FM, Podcloud are for example free hosting services.
How to use Buzzsprout?
Buzzsprout is very easy to use to host your podcast. Justimport your audio files, cut them into episodes and embed them on the streaming platforms of your choice. However, the most interesting thing about this tool will be the possibility to monetize your podcasts.
To do this, you have 3 options available to you, donations, sponsors/advertisements and affiliation. So we will see in detail how to use the different monetization tools.
For donations, just go to the “Support Show Link” section. Then, the software offers us several programs to integrate to ask for donations. Examples include Patreon, Podfan, Buy Me a Coffee, PayPal and Cash App.
You will have to choose one or more of these tools and connect your account to it. Once this is done, Buzzsprout will automatically include a link to your donation page in the description of each podcast.
For the ads, you have to go to the “Buzzsprout Ads” section. Attention, to be able to place advertisements on its podcasts, it is necessary to have a premium subscription, 1000 downloads as well as 5 episodes of podcasts and at least 23 minutes per audio content.
Then you can choose which advertisements to place in your podcasts.
Finally, you can include affiliate links in the descriptions of your podcasts. Buzzsprout has an affiliate network with several offers to promote. Here, nothing could be easier, just go to the “Affiliates” section and choose a product/service to promote.
If you want to monetize your podcast with Buzzsprout, we leave you with this video that explains in detail all the monetization strategies of this platform:
