Build a podcast website with an episode page for every show
Your podcast already lives in listening apps, so a podcast website does a different job: it gives every episode a page search engines can find, tells new listeners where to subscribe, and gives guests and sponsors a proper way to get in touch. Here's how to structure it and build it with Anticode.
What the apps don't do for you
Podcast apps are where people listen, but they're poor at being found. Most episode descriptions are short, hard to link to and invisible to people searching for the topic rather than the show. A site gives you three things the apps can't: a page per episode that answers a search, an address you own to print on merch and say on air, and a home for the business side of the show.
Three visitors arrive, each with a different goal. Listeners want to hear an episode and subscribe in their app. Prospective guests want to know what the show covers and how to pitch. Sponsors want to understand who listens and how to advertise. Give each a clear route from the main menu.
Episode pages that get found
Each episode page should stand on its own for someone who has never heard of the show. A good structure:
- A title that names the topic or guest, not just the episode number.
- Two or three sentences on what the episode covers and who it's for.
- Listening links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and your RSS feed.
- Show notes: timestamps for the main sections, people and books mentioned, links to anything referenced.
- Guest bio and where to find them.
- A transcript or a substantial summary if you have one. This is the part search engines and AI assistants can actually read.
In Anticode, keep episodes in an episodes CMS collection with fields for number, title, date, summary, guest, show notes and listening links. Each entry is served at its own address, such as /episodes/the-slug, and there's an overview list at /episodes/. Publishing a new episode means adding an entry in the dashboard, not rebuilding the site. Each published site also serves its own sitemap and llms.txt, which helps crawlers find new episode pages.
Subscribe links, done once
Put a compact row of subscribe buttons near the top of the homepage and every episode page: the two or three apps your audience uses most, then RSS. Avoid a wall of twelve platform logos. Test each link on a phone, since most listeners will tap through from a mobile browser into an app.
Guests and sponsors
A guest page sets expectations before pitches arrive: the kinds of guests you book, topics you won't cover, recording format and length, how far ahead you schedule, and what you'll ask of guests after release. Then a form. Anticode's standard contact form takes a name, email and message, so prompt applicants to include a short bio, the topic they'd discuss and links to previous interviews. If you'd rather have separate fields, use a custom form tied to a site function (up to 30 plain-text fields) or ask for the application form as an app build; both deliver through the same pipeline. Applications can go to a Notion database or Airtable base through connectors, which makes shortlisting easier.
For sponsors, write a media kit page with the show's format, release cadence, audience description, ad formats (pre-roll, mid-roll, host-read) and any past sponsors who've agreed to be named. Only share audience figures you can show from your hosting provider's statistics. The newsletter sponsorship page and podcast guest page cover both pages in more depth.
Newsletter and the look
A newsletter sign-up turns casual listeners into people you can reach directly. Anticode's newsletter form collects an email address and can pass it to Mailchimp (with double opt-in) or Kit. Visually, match the cover art: the Playful (Fredoka) design system suits comedy and chat shows, Editorial (Geist) suits interview and narrative shows, Technical (IBM Plex Sans) suits tech and business podcasts. Anticode's analytics count page views by source without cookies, so you can see which episodes bring new visitors.
What Anticode doesn't do for podcasts
Anticode isn't a podcast host. It doesn't store audio files, generate an RSS feed for apps, or show download statistics; keep using your hosting provider for those. Standard pages contain no scripts, so plan on linking to listening apps rather than embedding a third-party player. There's no comments section, no premium members' feed and no blog scheduling: entries publish when you save them. And forms can't receive audio or file uploads from guests.
Questions people ask
Does a podcast need its own website?
It isn't essential to publish, but a site gives every episode a findable page, a home for guest and sponsor enquiries, and an address you own.
Can Anticode host my podcast audio?
No. Keep your audio and RSS feed with a podcast host, and link to it from each episode page.
How do I add a new episode?
Add an entry to the episodes collection in the dashboard. It gets its own page and appears in the episode list.