How to Host a Private Podcast and Share It with the Right People

Introduction

Thinking about how to host a private podcast? Whether you’re building a membership program, training your team, or launching an exclusive audio series, private podcasting lets you control exactly who gets access to your content. But “private” can mean different things depending on your goals and your hosting setup. In this article, we’ll clarify what private podcasting really means, why it matters, and how to set it up properly using trusted tools 🎯

1. What Does “Private Podcast” Really Mean?

Before you learn how to host a private podcast, it’s important to understand the different levels of visibility a podcast episode can have. Not all “private” content works the same way, and depending on your needs, one option might suit you better than another. Here are the three main types of podcast visibility (available on Ausha) 🎙️

Public

A public episode is accessible to everyone. It’s automatically included in your podcast’s RSS feed and distributed to all listening platforms you’ve enabled such as Spotify or Apple Podcasts. This is the default mode when publishing an episode, designed for maximum reach 🌍

Unlisted

An unlisted episode is only accessible to listeners who have the direct link to the episode on Ausha. It won’t appear in your public RSS feed, and as a result, will stay completely invisible to podcast platforms.

Private

A private episode is completely hidden even from your audience. It is only visible to you, from your own Ausha dashboard 🔒

Each of these visibility levels gives you a different degree of control. Choosing the right one depends on your strategy and who you want to reach (or not reach) with your content 📌

2. Why Create a Private or Unlisted Podcast?

Choosing to publish your podcast privately or as unlisted is a strategic decision. It allows you to control access, target a specific audience, and create a more personalized listening experience. Depending on your goals, this approach can unlock real value for your brand or project 🎯

Offer exclusive content to your core audience

If you’re running a paid membership, an online course, or a coaching program, an unlisted podcast is a powerful way to deliver premium audio content. It helps you increase perceived value while keeping access simple, no password or login system needed 💡

Strengthen internal communication within your organization

For companies, private podcasts are an efficient tool to share updates, onboard new employees, or deliver internal training. Audio content is easier to consume than long documents, and the private setting ensures that sensitive information stays in-house 🧑‍💼

Test and iterate before going public

Publishing an episode in private or unlisted mode allows you to test content formats, styles, or messaging with a limited audience. You can gather feedback, make adjustments, and only publish publicly once the content is ready. It’s a smart way to reduce risk and improve quality before launch 🛠️

3. How to Host a Private or Unlisted Podcast (Step-by-Step with Ausha)

Once you’ve decided to share your podcast privately, the next step is choosing a hosting platform that gives you control over who can access your episodes. On Ausha, setting up a private or unlisted podcast is fast and beginner-friendly. Here’s how to do it 👇

Step 1: Upload your audio file

Head to the Episodes tab in your Ausha dashboard. Click on “Upload a new episode”, then choose the audio file you want to publish. Just like with a public episode, you can add your title, description, and visuals at this stage 🎧

Step 2: Set your privacy level

Scroll down to the Privacy section. You’ll see three options:

Public: your episode will be available on your RSS feed and published on all listening platforms 🌍
Unlisted (available on the Boost plan): your episode won’t be visible on platforms and won’t appear in your RSS feed. Only people with the direct link will be able to access it 🤫
Private: your episode will only be visible to you, inside your Ausha account 🔒

Choose the setting that best fits your goal, then save your episode.

Step 3: Share your episode

If the episode is unlisted, copy the episode link from your Ausha dashboard and send it to the people you want to reach, whether it’s clients, collaborators, or paying members.
If the episode is private, it will remain visible only to you. You can use it for drafts, internal reviews, or audio storage without external access.

That’s it. No technical setup, no complicated permissions. Just clear, controlled distribution with a few clicks ✅

4. Best Practices for Private Podcasting

Publishing a private or unlisted podcast is about curating a high-value experience for a defined audience. Here is a few Best Practices that can make all the difference👇

Define a clear purpose and audience

Private podcasts work best when they serve a specific goal, exclusive content, training, or internal updates. Before publishing, ask yourself: Who is this for? What outcome am I expecting? The more targeted your content is, the more useful and engaging it becomes 🎯

Make access as smooth as possible

If you’re sharing unlisted episodes, make sure your audience understands how to access them. Include the episode link in onboarding emails, membership portals, or internal dashboards. Clarity reduces friction 💡

Structure your episodes for focus and retention

Private content is usually consumed in a more intentional way. Keep your episodes concise, well-structured, and action-oriented. For internal podcasts: go straight to the point. For premium content: front-load the value and respect your listeners’ time ⏱️

Conclusion

Private and unlisted podcasts are powerful tools for delivering content in a controlled and intentional way. From exclusive audio for members to internal updates for your team, choosing the right privacy setting allows you to align your podcast with your goals.

On Ausha, publishing a private or unlisted episode is quick and easy. You stay in full control of who listens, how it’s accessed, and how it fits into your content strategy.

You’ve got the content. Now you’ve got the method and the tool. Try using Ausha to host your first private episode today 💪