This is Podcasting where I'm on a quest to conquer the podcasting realm, and I'm bringing
you along for the journey to help you achieve your own podcasting success.
What is going on guys, welcome back to Podcasting.
In today's episode we are reviewing a podcast hosting platform, RSS.com.
But before we dive into the review, let's answer an important question and that is,
what is a podcast hosting platform?
So we can think of it as a magical stronghold that keeps your podcast safe and accessible.
It's where your episodes are stored, ready to be summoned at any time by your listeners.
The platform handles all of the technical wizardry, like crafting an RSS feed.
This feed sends your podcast to directories like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.
It does the heavy lifting if you will, so you can focus on your quest.
And there are six key functions a podcast hosting platform provides, so let's go over
those real quick and then we will get into the review.
So the first function is storage.
It securely hosts your podcast episodes in media files so your listeners have access
to them whenever they want.
The second function is RSS feed generation.
So it automatically creates and updates your RSS feed, which directories like Apple Podcasts
and Spotify use to list your show.
The third function is distribution.
So it ensures your podcast reaches all the major platforms and directories.
And now the fourth function is analytics.
Provides you with the listener stats and performance insights to help you understand your audience
and grow.
And then the fifth function is customization, which allows you to tailor your podcast landing
page, add episode notes, descriptions, and artwork to enhance your branding.
And then the sixth and final function is monetization.
So it offers ways to generate income from your podcast through ads, sponsorships, and
other methods.
Now let's dive into this review and take a closer look at all these six functions and
more with RSS.com.
So I've been using RSS.com for a little over a month now.
And why did I choose RSS.com?
Well the primary reason I chose RSS was the sheer value it offered.
So for just $20 a month, I unlocked their network plan, which gave me the ability to
create unlimited podcasts and episodes and even bring in contributors for someone like
me whose ultimate quest is to build a podcasting network.
This was a home run, a legendary find if you will, that I could not find anywhere else
as far as the price point is concerned.
I ventured through other realms like Podbean and I still believe it to be one of the best
platforms that being Podbean.
You know, it's consistently evolving, becoming a true all in one solution for podcasters.
So if Podbean had the same cost as RSS.com, I'd probably still be using it.
But so far RSS.com has fulfilled my needs.
So a little background for RSS.com.
Its first iteration was rolled out in January of 2018.
It's been rapidly evolving with new features and upgrades ever since.
And so let's talk about kind of the ease of use function of the platform.
Crucial elements I seek in a hosting platform is how user friendly it is.
RSS.com's interface is like a well drawn map guiding you easily through its dashboard,
switching between podcasts and releasing new episodes.
It's intuitive and smooth.
If you're seeking a platform that doesn't require a wizard to navigate, RSS.com has
you covered and it is very easy to use.
Like I mentioned, I am enjoying that ease of use currently.
Now let's venture into the first key function that we talked about, which is storage.
A crucial part of any hosting platform is its ability to store your episodes.
And RSS.com offers unlimited storage on all plans, which is a big deal for podcasters
with growing libraries.
However, there is a bandwidth limit, which is one terabyte per month.
And that's equivalent to nearly 20,000 hours of audio, which is more than enough for most
podcasters.
Personally, I've never run into any issues with storage yet, or had any trouble with
any of my episodes not appearing on the dashboard or in directories.
As far as storage is concerned, you get a lot of bang for your buck.
Now let's talk about RSS feed generation.
So this feature works smoothly.
One thing I really like is that RSS.com automatically hides your email in the feed to prevent spam
and protect your privacy.
The only downside really is when you need to verify ownership with some directories,
you'll have to enable your email in the settings.
Once you do this, your email will be visible for 12 hours before it's hidden again.
And you know, it's a minor inconvenience, but worth it for the spam protection that
this feature provides.
Now what's the point of generating an RSS feed if you don't use it for distribution?
And that's the next key function, of course, which is distribution.
So RSS.com offers automatic distribution to major directories like Spotify and Amazon
Music.
For others like Apple podcasts, they do provide some guides to help you submit your podcast
to other directories manually.
But it is manually if you are new to podcasting, these guides can be helpful.
But it is pretty easy once you kind of figure out how to do it with one directory, you can
pretty much do it with the others.
They are very similar.
You might just have to enable that email if you are on RSS.com.
Now let's talk about analytics.
Okay, so analytics is a huge thing for a podcast hosting platform when you're looking for one.
And recently RSS.com upgraded its analytics dashboard.
And I mean recently, like the last week, and I was happy with the old version, but this
new one offers a more detailed metrics and trends.
A couple of features I like is you can now compare episodes performance side by side,
which helps figure out what your audience really connects with and really compare those
episodes to get a better idea.
There's also advanced filtering to weed out bots and malicious downloads, which I didn't
even know was an issue before I saw that and I was like, wow, that's a new thing.
And then I happened to be listening to another podcast about podcasting and they were talking
about this and they were specifically talking about analytics.
And so this was interesting to see that they are doing this and I think it's a good thing
that they are doing this and they do remove these potential bots and spam downloads from
your analytics.
Let's talk about customization.
So customization is also evolving, especially with, you know, podcasting 2.0.
Podcasting 2.0 is something is a new movement and you can check out the episode I did on
that as well.
RSS.com is a big proponent of podcasting 2.0 and they rolled out features that reflect
that like live streaming.
Another cool feature is sound bites where you can create a short trailer or preview
for each episode or just sound bites from the episode that you want to feature.
My favorite customization option though is the ability to upload specific cover art for
individual episodes.
And it reminds me much like, you know, YouTube has thumbnails.
And so I think it's a cool feature that they are starting to do.
And I know it shows up on Spotify as well as some other directories.
Now let's talk about monetization.
So you know, with RSS.com, it does allow you to do some 2.0 features like accept donations
through PayPal or things like that.
And a button will appear on your podcast website or in directories that support this.
Another interesting feature is value for value, which lets podcasters receive real time Bitcoin
payments.
And if you do want to learn more about this again, I'd recommend checking out my episode
on podcasting 2.0 link is in the show notes.
RSS.com also allows you to enable podcast Apple subscriptions, which is a great way
to monetize your show by offering early access or exclusive episodes to paying subscribers.
Now I haven't tried this yet, but it is on my radar and I'll eventually definitely be
reviewing it once I do.
And for traditional monetization methods, you know, RSS.com offers sponsorship opportunities,
but you do need to hit at least 1000 downloads per month to qualify.
Now this doesn't guarantee sponsors, but they do reach out to you if a sponsor fits your
podcast.
I haven't used this feature yet as well.
So I can't give a review or my thoughts on that or pros and cons, but but I do like the
concept that they are doing here.
So I'm excited to give it a go.
And then one thing that RSS.com is missing is dynamic ad insertion, which lets you automatically
insert ads into your episodes, however, but according to their website, this feature is
coming soon and in development.
Dynamic ads are a great way to monetize podcasts at scale.
And I hope to see this feature roll out sooner rather than later.
But overall RSS.com is evolving with some interesting monetization tools.
You know, the lack of dynamic ads is a downside, but the podcasting 2.0 features kind of make
up for it in a way, you know, compared to long standing platforms like Podbean or Libsyn.
RSS.com monetization features are solid though still catching up in some areas like dynamic
ad insertion as I previously mentioned.
Now a few extra features that I do like in RSS.com is the automated transcripts.
And so RSS can generate show transcripts for you and they seem pretty accurate so far from
what I've seen.
And they're pretty quick.
They also support chapter markers, though this is a manual process and I'm not the biggest
fan of the time it takes to do this.
So I haven't really been utilizing them very well.
Another thing RSS.com can do is automatically turn your episodes into static YouTube videos,
which a lot of the hosting platforms do have, which is a nice bonus.
I'm currently using this feature to upload my episodes of podcasts to YouTube and it's
working out, you know, pretty nicely to get some more eyes on to the podcast if you will.
It does have the branding of the hosting platform on the video, which is kind of a downside.
So finally, let's talk about the pricing that RSS, you know, charges.
So as I mentioned earlier, the network plan for RSS.com is pretty unbeatable at $20 per
month or $14.99 if you pay annually.
You know, you get unlimited podcasts and episodes.
If you're starting a network like I am, this is by far the best deal I found.
Let me know if you found anything else that's, you know, a good deal as well with similar
features.
But, you know, for comparison, Podbean charges $79 per month annually or $99 monthly for
its network plan, which is obviously a huge difference.
Now Podbean does offer more features like video podcasting and AI mastering and things
like that.
So if you have the budget, it's worth considering.
But for now, you know, RSS.com's pricing is a perfect fit for my needs.
And if you're looking to host just one podcast, RSS.com offers a plan at $11.99 per month
when paid annually or $14.99 monthly, which is a industry standard if you're looking at
like that.
And for unlimited episodes and audio, this is a solid deal compared to other platforms
that charge similar prices but don't offer, you know, unlimited storage.
So one standout feature is their $4.99 plan.
Now it provides the same benefits as the main plan, but it's specifically designed for students
and educators and non-governmental organizations, making it an excellent budget friendly option
for those groups.
I really like that they are catering to students and offering a reduced price to students.
I think that's awesome.
You know, RSS.com has been a great hosting platform for my needs currently.
I do wish they did have some features like dynamic ad insertion.
You know, I'm impressed with its current features and how the platform continues to evolve though.
Still a young company is already offering great value.
I would love to see them add, you know, like video podcasting, AI mastering and a mobile
app for checking analytics.
I imagine those features will come as the platform grows, of course, but they might
impact, you know, the platform's current budget friendly pricing.
As they create more features, the price might go up.
Would I recommend this platform?
Well, yes and no.
If you're a beginner or a seasoned podcaster planning to upload a lot of content, then
yes, I'd recommend it.
The competitive pricing for the main plan paired with the unlimited audio storage lets
you upload as much as you want.
But if you're only uploading, you know, like 30 to 60 minutes episodes once a week or once
a month or something, you know, there are other more budget friendlier options.
For example, Lipson, a trusted name in the podcasting industry has been around forever.
It's kind of the grandfather, if you will, offers a $5 plan with limited features.
And also pod being has a free plan with its own limitations.
If you go on Lipson, you'll find the $5 plan.
It's kind of in small print on the bottom there when you go to the plans.
But if you're serious about podcasting, and especially if you're looking to start a network
like I am, I think rss.com is hard to beat when you're looking at network pricing.
You know, you can add contributors to your podcast, host unlimited shows under one account.
And if you're focusing on audio content, and that's all can be very affordable for anyone
seeking unlimited plan with strong features that support, you know, podcasting 2.0, you
know, rss.com is a great option.
And so far, I've been enjoying using rss.com.
And I plan to stick to it for the foreseeable future.
Eventually, when my budget increases, you know, I would like to go into another platform
or maybe like a pod being again, as I am a huge fan of pod being.
And they do have a lot more features.
For now, I think rss.com is a great option.
So if you're in the market for a podcast hosting platform, it's something I'd recommend checking
out.
One of the issues currently with podcasting is the abundance of podcast hosting platforms.
There are so many it is hard to choose which one to go with.
We have Lipson, rss.com pod being Buzzsprout, Spotify, which is free.
We have so many different options.
And there are new ones coming every day.
And so it is hard to decide on which one to go with.
And so personally, I would take a look at your budget and your needs and just see what
fits you best and kind of go with it.
You can always switch to a different hosting platform.
And you can always move your content from one hosting platform to another pretty easily.
And so that's something that you don't necessarily need to worry about.
And so yeah, I think it is hard to decide on which hosting platform to pick.
But there are a lot of good options out there.
I will be doing a future episode kind of comparing some of the well known hosting platforms,
maybe doing the top five hosting platforms in my mind that I've seen based off of my
research and hopefully that helps you as well.
This is kind of just a quick review of rss.com so far, I've been using it for about a month
or over a month here.
And so it seems to be a great option for a podcaster.
I hope you enjoyed this episode.
Let me know if you have any comments or questions you can reach out on social media.
And until next time, enjoy podcasting and enjoy your quest and we will see you in the
next episode.