Podcast Hosting

Self hosting is hosting your podcast's RSS Feed on a domain that you own and control, especially in a way that allows you to access and modify every part of your podcast, including its RSS Feed. When you host with the Orange Feed Network, formerly Sound 72, you are not actually self hosting, since you are hosting your podcast on the domain orangefeednetwork.net rather than your own. However, hosting with the Orange Feed Network will allow you to edit your own RSS Feed, while also not having to worry about many technical obstacles and responsibilities that would normally come along with that ability.

Self hosting allows you more control over the URL of your RSS Feed, and over the contents of your RSS Feed. 

Your RSS Feed URL is the link which is given to podcast players like Stitcher and Spotify, so they can read your RSS Feed and display that information to your listeners. If this URL was to be changed or broken, you would no longer be able to control your podcast. It would be nothing but a stagnant entity floating in space, unretrievable. Having control over the RSS Feed's URL decreases the likelihood of this ever happening, since even if the domain's web host was to go down, a new web host would be applied to the same domain and the link would be preserved.

Even more important than the link to your RSS Feed, is what's actually inside your RSS Feed. Retaining the ability to modify the contents of your RSS Feed in its entirety at any time, and for any reason, is an invaluable capability that most podcast hosts don't provide. It allows you to easily swap out audio for certain episodes, change information like episode titles, descriptions, and even the most fundamental aspects of the podcast itself, like its category, cover art, title... anything. You can even configure the order in which your episodes show up on screen, or manipulate the publishing dates by changing them to different dates and times. Few third party podcast hosts allow you to edit your own RSS Feed in the ways necessary for achieving some of these outcomes.

Third party hosts also expressly reserve the right to remove your podcast or delete your account for violating their terms of service. Even if your content is age appropriate and does not violate copyright laws, you are never immune to having your entire podcast get turned off like a light switch at any time. When you host your podcast on your own domain, or the domain provided by the Orange Feed Network, you are taking a necessary step in protecting your podcast from the content policies of most podcast hosts.

Control of your podcast in every aspect is something that's often helpful. If this is an ability you are seeking, you may want to consider hosting your podcast with the Orange Feed Network.

Standard ($12.00 per month)

1. You retain full ownership of your podcast and all its contents.

2. We initially create and format your RSS Feed and cover artwork to meet iTunes submission standards.

3. You host your own images and mp3 audio files. However, this can still be done for free, and we will show you where you can host them.

4. After its creation, you update your own RSS Feed when adding new episodes, send it to us, and we upload it.

5.  Bandwidth and Storage limitations depend on where you decide to host your audio files.

6. We promptly distribute your podcast to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify for you. You will also be able to distribute your RSS Feed to other platforms manually if you so choose.

7. You are given access to analytics from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify individually. Additional third party analytics are supported, however not provided by us.

8. You receive timely, real-person customer service to help with any technical issues you may incur.

Premium ($25.00 per month)

**All benefits of the free plan apply. Additionally:

1. After creating it, we will update your RSS Feed with every new episode. All you do is send us the title, show notes, and audio file.

2. We host your RSS Feed, images, and mp3 audio files online.

3. You have 

   1. an unlimited number of episodes

   2. unlimited storage space

   3. unlimited bandwidth.

4. We promptly submit your podcast to over 25 major podcast directories for you other than the 3 listed in the Standard plan, including iHeartRadio, Pandora, Stitcher, TuneIn, and many more.

5. You are provided with advanced IAB certified analytics from Podtrac for your podcast.

6. You are given a website for your podcast, according to your specifications, which you will also be able to customize at any time. Search engine optimization is established by us, and analytics are provided by us through Google Analytics.

7. We offer to actively pursue options that would allow you to monetize your podcast, mainly through partner sponsorships.

This service is meant specifically for those who need:

• The ability to edit their own RSS Feed; and/or

• The ability to control the location of their RSS Feed

If you are looking for a simple, user-friendly podcast host with minimal effort on your part, it's recommended that you search our Simple Host Comparison for a more fitting alternative.

If you are a previous customer of Sound 72, or if you have been personally referred, you can request to sign up by emailing support@orangefeednetwork.net.