Does your internet radio station need a website?

There are a few ways to think about this. But, the simple answer is no - your online radio station doesn’t need a website!

You’re an online radio station so you obviously need to give your listeners a way to tune in. However, technically, this doesn’t need to be your own, dedicated website.

Curious how you can have an online radio station without a website? Let’s get into it.

Mini-website

Hold on, I know “mini-website” sounds a lot like just having your own website but hear me out. When we refer to a “mini-website” we’re referring to something pre-built that requires almost no effort on your end.

What is this miracle solution you ask? It’s simple - certain streaming providers will give you pre-built components or mini-websites that you can point your listeners directly towards. Just check out this pop-out website powered by us here at Radio Cult.

Apply your own styling, or don’t and leave it as is (it’ll still look good!), and share the URLs with your listeners. It couldn’t be easier. Most people won’t even realise this isn’t a website built by your station.

Mobile

Mobile phones are only getting more and more popular. In fact, many people exclusively consume content via their phone and don’t own their own computer.

So, it’s important to provide a way for your listeners to tune in on mobile. More than this, depending on the demographics of your listeners, it could be perfectly valid to forgo a website entirely in favour of a mobile-first strategy.

Now I know what you’re saying - not much of a time saver skipping a website and developing your mobile app, is it? We agree. That’s why the Radio Cult mobile app comes free with all of our plans. Give your mobile listeners somewhere to lock in in less than 5 minutes.

Direct streaming link

This is the old-skool method. It’s not pretty, but, hey, it sure does work. Simply share your streaming URL directly with your listeners. Modern browsers will render your streaming link with some audio controls - so that’s a plus.

Why would you choose this method? Well, it’s easy. And, if your provider doesn’t provide any pre-built components or “mini-websites” then it might be the easiest way forward.

Conclusion

You can see there’s a range of options that allow listeners to tune in to your station that don’t require you to develop and maintain a full-blown website.

Past a certain point, you most likely will want to develop your own website. This is a good thing though. Start simple and then scale as needed. If you start without a website and get to the level of success where you need a dedicated website, then you know you’re doing something right.

If you are looking to create your own radio station website then consider powering your site with the Radio Cult CMS or get going quickly with our range of radio embeds.