There you are.
You’ve designed a podcast, recorded your voice and produced a final *.mp3 file. You’ve decided on a podcast media host, created an account, and started a show. Once you’ve uploaded your first *.mp3 file, you finally receive the one thing that makes you a podcaster: a freshly minted RSS feed file with a single episode in it!
What comes next?
You’re going to need a base of operations that everything can be centered around. So you go about purchasing a domain name, building a website, and embedding your media’s hosts podcast player on the front page.
Now listeners can come to your website and play your podcast because that’s how this thing works, right?
Wrong.
You are ready — There is no doubt about that! You already have a website for your show, a media host to hold your content files, a first episode, and that RSS Feed. You’ve certainly come 80 percent of the way there. However, it is that last 20 percent that needs to get done before you will start to find an audience.
It’s time to go where your audience listens to podcasts and it’s time to tell the top podcast directories that your podcast exists.
Here’s how:
Spotify
- First, you will need a Spotify Account just like all the other directories (see a theme forming here?). Once you have a Spotify account, you need to log in and begin the process.
Note: If you have a podcast media host that does this for you AND gives you Spotify stats, then you might not need this step. However, what happens when the relationship between your media host and Spotify ends? Will you know how to get your Spotify stats then? Just saying…
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You will be asked to “Get Started” by linking your RSS feed with Spotify by clicking the GET STARTED button.
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Add your RSS Feed to the form provided. Some hosts provide a different RSS Feed URL for Spotify submissions. Make sure you place the correct RSS Feed into the Spotify form.
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When you place your correct RSS Feed into the form, it should automatically validate it and display the “Looking good. Let’s keep going” message. Additionally, your podcast — complete with show art, title, author, and description — will appear. If you don’t see any errors, click NEXT.
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Spotify will then do something cool: they will verify that you own your podcast by sending a code to the email in your RSS Feed. You should see that email address on the screen. If it is correct, click SEND CODE to continue the process.
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Now it’s time to enter your Verification code. Check your email for the code and enter it in the form. You should see it check your code and display the “You’re verified! Let’s continue” message. If you don’t see any errors, click NEXT.
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Next, you will be asked to provide some information about your podcasts such as your country of origin, language, hosting provider, and primary category. When you select your primary category you will be given the option to choose up to 3 sub-categories in that category. You can also add additional categories by selecting the link at the bottom. Once you are done adding this information, click NEXT.
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Finally, you will be asked if what you entered looks good. If it does, click the SUBMIT button.
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You should see the screen change to a party with the message “Nice! We got your podcast. It takes a few hours for your podcast to show up on Spotify.” Below that message will be a TRACK PODCAST button.
You should now be able to see your podcast in your Spotify Podcast Account. This is where you can add a trailer, see stats, find your Spotify-specific podcast links, and even download buttons for your website.
What now?
Now you get to wait. And wait. And wait some more! If you’ve done everything above all you can do is keep checking. It will show up at some point. If it has been 2-weeks and you STILL cannot find your podcast in any of these directories, then you should investigate. Otherwise, keep waiting until you magically find your podcast listed where you think it should be.
It takes time for these directories to index your RSS Feed. Think about the other 2,000 podcasts being created each week, all asking to be indexed right alongside yours! If you have to wait, why not go find some of the other 200 other directories out there and add your podcast to them too.
A Quick Strategy to Consider While Waiting
Look, you’re going to be waiting a long time when you submit a new podcast to any directory. Facebook groups are full of new podcasters freaking out when Spotify doesn’t list their podcast within an hour of submission. Don’t be that kind of new podcaster. Waiting for your new podcast submissions to be approved is a right of passage for ALL podcasters!
One big problem that new podcasters run into is the infamous “Launch Date”. The idea that you need to launch your podcast on a certain date because it is part of a marketing campaign or needed to mark a special anniversary, trips up too many new podcasters to ignore. They get into a big rush to get their podcast submitted to all the big directories only to be stymied by long submission delays.
Don’t set yourself up for disappointment!
If you already know you’re going to be waiting, do something early to take advantage of that delay. A sneaky way to get around this problem is by creating either a short episode #1 or a trailer. This episode is either a summary of the highlights from what is to come, an introduction to your podcast, or a quick win that early listeners can benefit from. This becomes your first episode and is already something you need to get yourself a valid RSS feed.
Once you have that episode up in all the directories THEN decide your “Launch Party” date. Why? Nobody knows you exist! Just because you have an episode out there doesn’t mean anyone has found it, heard it, or even knows it can be discovered. Use this special podcast anonymity to create Episode #2 — the real episode that will launch your podcast. That way you never have to wait for your new episodes to show up in all the directories.
You will have already paid the waiting time price and be ready on any date you choose!
Now go create something great!
