How to create a private podcast
A private podcast allows you to generate a unique, protected RSS feed for each subscriber. This allows you, as the publisher, to restrict access to the podcast content.
How does a private podcast work?
A private podcast isn't publicly accessible or discoverable. Instead, each subscriber gets a unique RSS feed that they can add to their podcast player.
This allows subscribers to:
Subscribe to the podcast in their podcast player (Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts)
Receive new episodes on their phone
Download episodes on their phone for offline listening.
You can use private podcasts to send updates to investors, members, students, employees, and committee members.
Set up your team's private podcast
Start a 14-day trialPrivate podcast overview:
What can you do with it?
A private podcast allows you to give members access to a series of audio files that they can listen to in their favorite podcast app. Here's how companies and organizations are using it:
Offer ongoing audio training to your employees.
Onboard new employees.
Send a weekly "Message from the CEO" to all employees.
Here's how authors, course creators, and online training organizations are using it:
Authors are creating an audiobook version of their books and giving folks who purchase the physical copy free access to it.
Course creators, colleges, and online training organizations are adding audio lessons to their regular curriculum. Students receive individualized access and can listen in their favorite podcast app.
Membership sites are doing exclusive private podcasts just for members.
Private podcast invite links
You can manually upload a list of people you'd like to receive your private podcast; or you can share your invite link.
How to create an enhanced podcast for your team
You'll need to upgrade to the Professional, Business, or Enterprise plan to use this feature. Each plan has a limit on the number of individual private subscribers you can have.
Once it's enabled on your account, you'll see the option to create an enhanced private podcast when you click "Add a new show:"
After filling out your Show Settings, you'll need to add an episode.
Set up your team's private podcast
Start a 14-day trialHow to record audio for your private podcast feed
You can record your weekly podcast however you’d like:
On your desktop, with a fancy microphone
Or, simply record using your “Voice memos” app on your phone
Once you're done recording, upload your audio to Transistor straight from your phone or computer. Transistor will turn it into a podcast episode, and publish it to your private employee feed.
Employees get notified in their podcast app, or by email, that a new episode is available.
Companies that are using this are finding these audio updates are much more personal and “human” compared to traditional email updates.
How to share the private podcast with your employees
Now that your first episode is published, you can go to the "Subscribers" tab and add subscribers (members, employees, etc) to your podcast.
They can be added manually (one at a time), or via CSV upload.
Once you've added a subscriber, they'll automatically receive a welcome email that looks like this:
When they click the button in their email, they'll receive a list of podcast app options that are supported on their device:
They can choose their preferred option, and it should open the podcast in the listening app they selected
Note: sometimes, they might have to select an option twice for it to work.
Once they are subscribed, they'll automatically receive new episodes when they are published.
You can also send them this tutorial, which shows them how to add a private feed to their favorite podcast app.
Case study: Dan, Startup CEO
Recently, I met Dan. He's the founder of a startup in Canada. In the last four years, they've grown from 5 employees to over 60! But with that growth has come communication challenges:
This is where the idea of a "private company podcast" comes in.
As a CEO, you can record your weekly podcast however you'd like:
On your desktop, with a fancy microphone
Or, simply record using your "Voice memos" app on your phone
You can upload your audio to Transistor straight from your phone or computer. Transistor will turn it into a podcast episode, and publish it to your private employee feed.
Employees get notified in their podcast app, or by email, that a new episode is available.
Companies that are using this are finding these audio updates are much more personal and "human" compared to traditional email updates.
What podcast apps support private podcasts?
These iOS podcast apps allow you to add private feeds:
Apple Podcasts (video demo)
Google Podcasts
Pocket Casts (instructions here)
These Android podcast apps allow you to add private feeds:
Google Podcasts
Castbox (instructions here)
Pocket Casts (instructions here)
Podcast Addict
Podcast Republic (instructions here)
Player FM (register for an account first)
Dog Catcher
Beyond Pod
Podcasty
PodKicker
These podcast apps don't support private podcasts:
Spotify
Google Play
Stitcher
iHeartRadio
Acast
Podcast App
PodcastOne
DoublePod
PodcastHD
Podcast Guru