How to create an internal podcast: hosting, access and a first episode

How to create an internal podcast: what to decide before you start

An internal podcast is a show for your own people, not the public. Before you record, settle three things: who is allowed to hear it, how their access will end when they leave, and which app they will use.

Do not assume everyone knows how to add a podcast feed. A 2026 national survey found that 58 percent of Americans age 12 and older consumed a podcast in the last month. That leaves many people who may not have a podcast app. Plan a one-page instruction sheet, or choose a host with its own app.

Also decide what does not belong. Castos and Transistor both say a downloaded file cannot be pulled back, and Transistor suggests treating private podcasts like internal email. Do not put restricted material in audio without advice from your legal team. This is not legal advice.

Steps: set up the show and the audience list

• 1. Pick a host that issues a private feed for each person. Castos, Transistor and Podbean describe private shows, and the host shortlist sets them side by side.
• 2. Create the show and mark it private, so it stays out of public directories. On Castos this is a switch in the show settings, and the public show page can be hidden.
• 3. Add listeners by work email, one by one or in bulk. Castos lists a bulk import arranged with its team, plus Zapier. Transistor lists manual entry, CSV upload, Zapier and invite links.
• 4. Record and upload an episode as for any show. Castos says recording a private show is the same as recording a public one.
• 5. Send people the instruction sheet: open the invitation, tap the button for your app, and confirm the show appears.
• 6. Write the leaver step into your offboarding checklist: remove the person from the subscriber list the day they leave.

Choose how people listen: podcast app, host app or web player

Most podcast apps can add a private feed by its address. A Spotify help page for listeners of paid podcasts shows the steps. In Apple Podcasts, go to Library and choose Add a show by URL. In Overcast, tap the plus icon and choose Add URL. Castos names Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts and Castro as working. Transistor lists a longer set of apps and also names apps that do not support private feeds, including iHeartRadio, Amazon Music and Audible.

Spotify is the exception. Castos says Spotify does not support private feeds, and Transistor lists Spotify only through its own Spotify Open Access feature. If staff mostly use Spotify, choose a host with its own app. Castos offers a free iOS and Android app from its Growth plan, where people sign in with their email and a one-time code. Podbean names a Podbean Pro App for private listeners. Transistor describes a web player and email notices instead.

Control access: invite, remove and what you cannot control

Use individual feeds, not one shared link or password. Castos says a shared link cannot be revoked person by person, while a personal feed can be revoked alone. When someone leaves, remove them from the subscriber list the same day. On Castos Growth and up, the app follows the same list.

Know the limit. Removal stops new episodes arriving. It does not delete files already on a phone. Check your headcount against the plan cap, because the cap sets the plan: see Castos plan caps for private lists.

Test and launch: check a new listener's first ten minutes

Before you announce the show, run a test with three people. One uses an iPhone, one uses Android, and one has never added a podcast. Time how long each takes from invitation to first play. Check that the invitation email did not land in spam, and ask your IT team to allow the sender if it did. Remove one tester and confirm no new episode arrives.

Launch with a short first episode and the instruction sheet. After a month, look at the listening numbers your host shows, and keep the format only if people use it. Castos says private shows get the same analytics as public ones. If the show works and you need a bigger list or single sign-on, read the Castos review.