How Long Does It Take to Upload Podcast to Soudcloud

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Update August 2017 – SoundCloud take made quite a few changes since I originally wrote this article. They've also had quite a few bug with funding and their future is uncertain. I no longer recommend using SoundCloud for hosting your podcast. If you're looking for an alternative, I recommend LibSyn.

Update May 2015 – SoundCloud have now opened up their podcasting service to everyone.

Thinking of launching a podcast? Practice y'all accept a podcast already? Have yous thought of hosting your podcast on SoundCloud? Although at that place are a few disadvantages when compared to the likes of LibSyn, there are some large advantages in using SoundCloud. In this commodity, I tell you how to go started with your podcast and how you can use SoundCloud to host and boost your podcast.

Why SoundCloud?

You could think of SoundCloud as the YouTube of sound. Every bit well as a place for people to host their sounds (music, podcasts, sound clips) it's also a place to share, collaborate and comment. It'due south got a social networking aspect to it. This has a huge reward to podcasters, because you lot tin grow a customs around your podcast and extend its reach- with your audience sharing and liking episodes. It'southward also piece of cake to embed soundcloud episodes into your blog posts using the Soundcloud thespian. Equally information technology uses HTML5 it displays on smartphones, tablets and computers and yous can fifty-fifty customize the look and feel.

Finally, yous can upload unlimited episodes with the SoundCloud unlimited plan. It'due south not quite unlimited, but I think nigh everyone would struggle to upload more the limit of 30hrs per week and 2Gb per rail! When you compare the pricing with other providers it's amazing value. You likewise go some very detailed analytics, peculiarly with the unlimited program. That includes the number of plays, likes, comments, reposts and downloads too as the location (country and city) of the listeners and the page that the episode was listened on.

The downsides

Then, why aren't many podcasters using SoundCloud despite all these advantages?

It'southward basically down to the following disadvantages:

Trouble 1: Just embedding the SoundCloud actor into your posts doesn't give you a podcast feed.

It'southward easy to presume that but embedding a SoundCloud rail in a blog post or page gives you a podcast. Just it doesn't. Your podcast subscribers need a feed to subscribe to. If subscribers use your blog or website'southward RSS feed, their podcast app won't come across any podcast tracks because the SoundCloud player doesn't link to an mp3 file. Podcasting feeds need to link to the sound file for each episode as an "enclosure", and unfortunately SoundCloud doesn't offer that out of the box. Nonetheless, there is a way round this which I will cover later.

Problem ii: You take to utilise for the podcasting plan which is in beta

Update – the Soundcloud podcasting service is at present open to all. Nevertheless, you might not want to use their podcast feed service (come across problem iii). I'll leave the following for posterity…

Technically you don't have to apply for the podcasting beta since there is a workaround to get a link to your mp3 files, only it'due south still worth applying. The podcasting service from SoundCloud has been in beta for well over a year at present. That'southward an eternity when information technology comes to the social web! I did ask them most this, and they just replied to say that they are working on it:

@iagdotme Watch this space Ian, nosotros're working on information technology. /G

— SoundCloud Support (@SCsupport) November x, 2014

For the fourth dimension beingness, you have to employ, and look for them to review each i. They review each one individually, but this can take time:

@iagdotme Ah yes, we take well-nigh applications. We have to check that there is no copyrighted content though, and this can accept time. /G — SoundCloud Support (@SCsupport) Nov 10, 2014

Problem 3: The RSS feed that SoundCloud give y'all is divide to your blog or website

The SoundCloud podcasting service gives you a pretty useless RSS feed. It's useless in my opinion, because yous need a podcast feed which is associated with your blog and website. A podcast feed hosted on your website means that listeners will be directed to your website and non your SoundCloud contour. The reason y'all're applying for the podcasting service is so you lot can admission your tracks as mp3 files, which brings me on to…

problem 4: It'southward very hard to get a link to the mp3 file

SoundCloud brand it very hard to access your mp3 files. This is accented madness and I accept no idea why they do this. One time you are on the podcast service, the mp3 files are accessible merely merely via your RSS feed. You could search through your RSS feed and extract it that way, or you lot could use a picayune tool that I've developed called the SoundCloud MP3 Extractor. More about that later!

Merely, It's still worth it!

Despite all these disadvantages I notwithstanding experience SoundCloud is worth using. I don't expect to convince all podcasters out in that location, but it does work and y'all tin receive all the benefits of SoundCloud. Here is how:

#1 Create a SoundCloud account

If you oasis't already created a SoundCloud account, yous can practise so. You tin can first with a free account, but if y'all are serious, upgrade to the pro or unlimited programme.

#ii Get a decent microphone

I'thousand not a sound expert, but since I trained as a musician I do have a good ear and wanted to accomplish decent sound quality without breaking the bank. The Blue Yeti Microphone* ticked all those boxes and at that place are plenty of podcasters who use this microphone with stunning results. Information technology'south a USB microphone, so yous tin plug it straight into your laptop, desktop or tablet. It'southward a fiddling over $100, and then it'due south not exactly inexpensive, but you'll get a lot for your coin. A decent microphone like this is your first step. You may want to await into microphone stands, pop shields and more. That's out of the scope of this article, but the Podcaster Reply Homo has all the answers!View Blue Yeti Microphone on Amazon*.

#3 Get recording software

Everyone will accept different views here, merely you can't go incorrect with Brazenness. It ain't pretty, just information technology's adequately piece of cake to use and information technology's gratis and open source! If you happen to be an Adobe Artistic Cloud subscriber, so you lot could use Adobe Audition. Mac users could consider Garage Band.

If you lot are interviewing someone remotely then Skype is your friend. Yous'll need an add-on to record the interview, and for that I recommend Full Recorder (for PC) or Call Recorder for Skype (for Mac)

#four Get Music

This is optional, but having a professional person outset and end to the podcast unremarkably includes some music. Be careful here and make sure you take a licence for the music you are using, or you have permission or information technology's royalty costless. A skilful place to kickoff for free music is the Free Music Archive. Another pick is to arrive touch with some artists on SoundCloud and ask them if they would be ok with you using their track for your podcast. They may turn down or ask for a fee, but sometimes yous might find that they are happy for a section to be used for free.

#5 Get Voice-overs

It used to be the instance that commissioning a voice-over creative person for your podcast would cost you serious money. Well, thanks to web sites such as Fiverr, this is no longer the case. For my Seriously Social News podcast I ordered ii gigs from Fiverr – a male person and a female person voice-over. I gave them a script and within a couple of days I got my mp3 files- each costing just $5!

There are lots of voice-over gigs on Fiverr, just make sure you accept a listen and check their rating. Send them your script- arrive clear and explicate any words that are unusual. Some artists provide "gig extras" such as giving y'all it in wav format, or recording it in a college quality. Have a wait and come across what you can find. Here is an example of one of the total recordings I received for my podcast:

And hither is the other one from Peter Baker, who I subsequently realised lives in the next village to me!

#6 Record your first podcast

Now that yous've got all your equipment yous can get on with recording your podcast. How yous get about doing this is up to you. It's oft good to accept a invitee on the show, so y'all could invite a piece of work colleague or an interesting guest. You could also invite someone via Skype or Google Hangouts and record the interview that way. In one case you've done this, upload it on to SoundCloud and offset promoting it. Y'all can also embed the SoundCloud player in your blog posts. Equally I've previously mentioned, this is technically not a podcast yet, considering you don't have a podcast feed.

#7 Apply for the SoundCloud Podcasting Beta

Update – equally the Soundcloud podcasting service is now open to all, you no longer need to apply for the podcasting beta! Motility on to #8

Now that you lot have your get-go podcast or ii, information technology's fourth dimension to apply for the podcast beta. First of all, accept a read of this short article entitled "Can I podcast with SoundCloud?"  Once you are fix, you lot tin fill in the SoundCloud Podcast Application Form. Check the box for "I have a SoundCloud contour, and I take uploaded at least one full episode".

Unfortunately it may take some time for your application to be processed since they manually check each one. The main reason for this is downward to copyright. If you're even so waiting after a few weeks, do contact them. They are quite a friendly agglomeration. You can do this via Twitter (@SCSupport) or the contact grade. It helps if you are a SoundCloud Pro Unlimited customer as you will get priority help.

#8 Install SoundCloud Shortcode

While you are waiting for SoundCloud to take you lot, yous can get-go making your weblog or website podcast ready. I recommend adding the SoundCloud Shortcode WordPress plugin. Information technology's developed by Soundcloud and allows you to copy in a simple shortcode to embed your Soundcloud tracks. Y'all can run across this process in pace #x.

#9 Install Blubrry PowerPress

To convert your feed into a proper podcast feed and the ability to customise all the settings, I'd recommend the PowerPress Podcasting plugin from Blubrry. To be honest it'south a fiddling overkill, but later a lot of inquiry information technology seemed the best plugin for the job. Install the plugin and then get to PowerPress->Settings in your WordPress dashboard.

I'd recommend checking "Category Podcasting" in Advanced Options. This means you can create a defended podcasting feed for a specific category in your blog. You lot could phone call this category "podcast" for instance, and the podcast category feed would exist the podcast feed you'd give out to your potential listeners. Now, click on "configure podcast categories".

At present choose your podcast category and add podcast settings to this. Although you'll get a page with a bewildering array of options, you won't demand to worry too much almost any of these for now. Just save the options and your feed will exist gear up. Your feed URL will be listed on the page (as in the screenshot above).

#x Excerpt MP3s

With your SoundCloud account, y'all can now embed your MP3s. The trouble is that Soundcloud hide the links to your MP3s. It frustrated me so much that I ended upwards building my own tool to extract the MP3. Information technology'southward now very piece of cake. Earlier Soundcloud made the podcasting service available to all, I had 2 extractors, only I've now made it a bit easier for you lot. This tool extracts the MP3 file from whatever SoundCloud track. All y'all need to do is paste the URL of the Soundcloud track page:

---

SoundCloud MP3 Extractor II

To obtain MP3s from all tracks

by Ian Anderson Gray

#11 Add MP3s and embed SoundCloud

Now go to your weblog post for your podcast episode. You can paste in the SoundCloud WordPress shortcode in the editor.

Now scroll down to the Podcast Episode window and paste the MP3 link (the one you got from the SoundCloud MP3 Extractor) into the Media URL box. Click verify and it should add the file. If it does non, I found if I played the MP3 file first (in another window), it added without whatever problems.

#12 Apply to iTunes

After you accept a few episodes under your belt you lot tin at present use to have your podcast added to iTunes. I personally don't employ iTunes, only a lot of people practice, and it's an absolute must if you desire your podcast to reach the ears of the majority of podcast listeners. You tin can read all virtually the requirements on the Apple Making a Podcast folio. PowerPress should have fabricated your feed into the correct format for iTunes to handle, but you will need to make sure you add some artwork. Your artwork needs to be in foursquare format and at least1400×1400 pixels. That's pretty large, then you may demand to create something new. Once you've got your image, go to PowerPress settings and click the artwork tab (or if yous created a category feed, edit your podcast category feed). Add your images and so click Relieve Changes. You tin now submit your podcast to iTunes. This requires you to have iTunes installed on your estimator.

Other Resource

If you want to read a bit further, have a look at the following articles:

• Podcasting for Small Businesses (via Seriously Social)
• Add together Voicemail to your Weblog with SpeakPipe (via Seriously Social)
• All-time Podcast Software and Tools for A Not bad Podcast (via Ian Cleary, RazorSocial)
• Podcasting Technology Resource (Google+ Customs)
• The Podcasters' Studio
• Podcasting Gear (via The Podcasters' Studio)
• iTunes Tutorials (via the Podcasters' Studio)
• Podcast: Setting Upwardly a Mix-Minus and Hosting Pitfalls (including using SoundCloud to host your podcast) (via Podcasters' Studio)

Conclusion

At present yous tin can use SoundCloud with all its advantages on your WordPress blog and have a dedicated podcast feed and have information technology submitted to iTunes. I've non gone into the effectively details, but hopefully that is enough to get you started. But are you lot convinced by using SoundCloud or would y'all adopt to utilise an culling such as LibSyn? Let me know in the comments below, and if you lot've just launched your podcast- tell me!

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Source: https://iag.me/socialmedia/12-steps-launch-podcast-soundcloud/