Building the perfect website
Fireside.fm is a podcast hosting platform that covers the core publishing workflow. It hosts your MP3 files, generates your RSS feed for distribution to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other directories, and includes built-in security and automatic publishing features. Fireside also has a statistics engine that tracks every download and provides accurate analytics.
The platform includes an embedded podcast player, a bookmarklet for quick sharing, and support for monetization and membership platforms like Patreon. For straightforward hosting and distribution, Fireside does the job well.
Fireside also has a website feature included in their plans, but it is too limited for most podcasters who want a real web presence. The site can display episodes and basic information, but the design and content tools do not go deep enough to support brand growth or search visibility.
Where the Fireside website falls short
The main limitation is scope. Fireside's website is designed for basic episode display, not for building a content platform around your show. You cannot feature multiple podcasts on the same website, which is a constraint for creators running more than one show.
There is no full drag-and-drop editor, no rich content sections, and limited ability to add custom pages or blog posts with embedded media. The design options are restricted, and there is no way to set up guest intake forms, listener voice messages, or deeper engagement features from within the Fireside site.
If your podcast needs a website that supports SEO, audience conversion, multi-show presentation, and flexible page architecture, the Fireside default site does not reach far enough. These podcast website examples illustrate what a full podcast site can do when you are not limited by your host's built-in page.
What Beamly gives Fireside users
Beamly connects to Fireside through RSS and imports all your episodes automatically. The setup is fast: search for your podcast or paste the RSS feed URL, pick a template, and your site is live. You can continue hosting on Fireside exactly as before.
The website experience is a significant step up. Beamly provides a visual drag-and-drop builder, multiple professionally designed templates, and full control over colors, fonts, layouts, and section structure. You can create unlimited custom pages, publish a full blog, and build out an entire content hub around your show.
Beamly also supports features Fireside's site does not offer: podcast review imports from Apple Podcasts and Podchaser, audio voice messages from visitors, guest intake forms, subscribe buttons for all major platforms, and integrations with tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and ConvertKit.
The audio player is fully customizable. You can match it to your brand, add social sharing and download buttons, or enable a sticky player that keeps playing as visitors navigate your site. You can also add collaborators and team members to manage the site alongside you.
For monetization, Beamly supports memberships, paywalled content, and digital products, all with 0% Beamly transaction fees.
How to connect Fireside to Beamly
- Create your Beamly account and start a new site.
- Search for your Fireside show or paste the RSS feed URL.
- Choose a template and publish your first version.
- Customize layout, pages, and player settings.
- Connect your custom domain and continue publishing via Fireside.
Your episodes sync automatically as new content goes live.
