Are looks important when it comes to your podcast player?
A snazzy podcast player isn’t going to make up for a crappy show but it does form part of the brand of your podcast so you want it to look the part.
Luckily this isn’t something you have to put together yourself because your podcast host will have one but which one do you choose?
Why is a podcast player important?
When you’re promoting your show you’re often pointing people to places other than a podcast app. So when people find your show via social media or your website you want to make sure they can hear it.
And a podcast player is the way they do that.
If this is how someone is listening to your show you want to make sure the process is simple and that the look of the player fits in well with the overall brand of your podcast.
You also want to make sure it has links to all the major podcast apps so if people want to subscribe or follow your podcast they can easily see where to do that.
How do you put a podcast player on your website?
When you upload a new episode, your podcast host will generate an embed code that you copy and paste into the text tab of a page or post.
This allows people to play your podcast episode on your website without needing to store the actual audio file there.
If you’ve got a player that looks good it can also add a really nice design element to your page or post that also serves an important purpose.
How do you find the right podcast player?
Your podcast host
Different podcast hosts prioritise player design differently and make updates regularly so when you’re deciding which host to go with make sure you look at their player design if that is important to you.
Podcast apps and independent players
If you don’t like the design of the podcast player inside your podcast host you can embed playable episodes of your podcast by sharing them via podcast apps like Castbox, Spotify and Radio Public or via the podcast search engine Listen Notes.
There are also independent podcast players that are paid like Fusebox or free like this customisable podcast player widget.
A quick google search will turn up other player options or you can check out this list care of Podnews and find one that suits your design style.
Because while looks aren’t everything having a well-designed podcast player on your website can make your show look more polished and professional and that’s always a good thing.
Got a burning podcasting question you’d like answered? Send me an email.
Want to start your own podcast but need a little help? Download my “How To Start A Podcast” guide or sign up for my online podcasting course, PodSchool.
Got some time on your hands? Read the full episode transcript
Hello and welcome to the show. Is there anything worse than an ugly podcast player? There are plenty around. And in fact, in some of the older podcast hosts like libsyn and blubrry they're a little nondescript and a little not fun but as the technology is getting better and better there are plenty of platforms that are creating really lovely players that look awesome on your website and you don't need to go and hire a designer to do this. There are some plug and play options that can make your podcast player really fit in to the style of your website.
If you already have a podcast host like Blubrry or Libsyn and you think that their players are damn ugly. Then I would suggest a podcast player called smart podcast player by Pat Flynn of smart passive income. He is a delightful guy. He knows a lot about online business and he has created a player that looks really nice that you can embed onto your website and it doesn't matter where you host your podcast you can just link it up with the podcast player and it looks really lovely. So, I'll leave links to all of these suggestions at podschoolpodcast.com. You can find the show notes page there.
If you haven’t got a podcast host yet, I would suggest either Omny or Whooshka. Both of these platforms have really great design when it comes to their player. I use Whooshka for this podcast and my other podcast “You Gotta Start Somewhere”. So, if you head to the show notes page you can see what my podcast player looks like on the website. And the great thing about Whooshka is that the way that the podcast plays natively in twitter and facebook is really great as well. So, those are some options if you think to yourself these players that I’ve been seeing are really ugly. If you’ve already got a podcast host and you don’t wanna shift it, then that’s fine. You can go with something like the smart podcast player or if you just google for podcast players. If that one doesn't tickle your fancy design wise there are others out there that you can find. Or alternatively if you're just starting out then go with the platform like Whooshka or Omny where they have thought about the design of the player that goes on your website and then that’s just one less thing you have to additionally buy because it comes with your hosting account. There is no reason to have an ugly podcast player on your website. It’s a small thing, I get it. And it’s not all about appearance but you just wanted to look nice and professional. If you poured a lot of effort in your website particularly, then It helps if your podcast player suits that style. That's all for this episode. Please head to iTunes if you are enjoying the shows. To leave a little review there and you can head to podschoolpodcast.com to send me an email if you would like it if you would like a question answered on this show. I am always happy to hear from you. I'll see you next week. And until then. Happy podcasting.
