There have been some amazing things happening with the Lightning Network and podcasting. Apps like Breez and Sphinx Chat allow users to stream payments to their favorite podcasts while they listen. This has changed the game for both podcast hosts and listeners. To aid in revolutionizing the way that podcasts work, we’re teaming up with Breez to offer a new type of node made specifically for podcast hosts.

To date, it’s been easy for listeners to start streaming to their favorite Lightning-enabled podcasts. However, a podcast host must have a node that’s always online so it’s ready to accept sats anytime, anywhere. Because of this, there’s been limited options for podcast hosts to get involved. We wanted to offer our services to help get as many people involved as we can. So we created the Podcast Node.

What is it?

We now offer a Lightning node built specifically for podcast hosts. The node is like our other nodes because it’s always on and you control all funds. However, with this node you will get automated inbound channels created to you from Breez. This makes it almost effortless to start receiving sats from your listeners.

By alleviating infrastructure headaches, podcastors can put all necessary brain power towards perfecting the craft. Additionally, the Podcast node will allow you to connect to Sphinx Chat to interact with your audience. We’ve also created a simple podcast stats page on our dashboard to let you view how many sats you’ve received from your listeners.

Why is this significant?

It’s no secret that content creators pour in endless amounts of hard work and sweat equity to perfect their craft and create the highest quality product for their followers.  However, given the current podcast infrastructure, the vast majority of these creators have no choice but to rely on advertisers to pay the bills.

This comes at a cost to more than just the advertisers.  Paid adverts sometimes limit what can be said, can disrupt the message being conveyed, or take away from the entertainment being provided.  This compromise ultimately dilutes the quality of the content, and can taint the way it’s consumed by a listener. By opening up a direct stream from creator to user, the advertisers are cut out of the game. Content can flow organically as intended, and users can send micropayments directly to creators in order to access content, without intermediary ad interference.

How do I get started?

The easiest way to get started is by going to podcasterwallet.com and claiming your podcast’s RSS feed. After you’ve done that, you’ll be able to create a node. Select ‘Create a node on Voltage…’. You’ll be redirected to our site where you’ll create your node. After your node is created it will automatically link your node to Podcaster Wallet and tell Breez to open a channel to you.

We’re excited about this new era of podcasting on the Lightning Network. By combining the Breez LSP with the Voltage Platform we’re able to make a product that’s perfect for podcasters. You can find support in our individual Telegram groups or emails: Voltage, Breez, Podcast Index. We look forward to watching the Lightning podcast ecosystem grow!