How to Upload and Publish a Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Justin Jackson
To upload a podcast and have it distributed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and others, you’ll want to follow these steps.
Follow these steps to upload your podcast on Spotify and Apple
Record Your Podcast: Use a quality microphone and recording software. For remote interviews, consider tools like Riverside.fm, SquadCast, or Zencastr.
Edit Your Audio: Use editing software like GarageBand, Descript, or Audacity.
Export as MP3: Save your finished episode in MP3 format, the standard for podcasts.
Choose a Podcast Host: Sign up for a podcast hosting service like Transistor, Simplecast, or Libsyn.
Upload Your MP3: Log into your hosting platform and upload your episode file.
Add Episode Details: Fill in your episode title, description, show notes, and other metadata.
Publish the Episode: Your host will update your RSS feed with the new episode information. An RSS feed URL looks like this:
feeds.transistor.fm/build-your-saasSubmit to Podcast Directories: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Pocket Casts. You can find a list here. You only need to do this once!
The whole process looks like this:
Submitting Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts
Ensure your podcast meets Apple's requirements (e.g., square artwork, clean audio).
Create an Apple ID if you don't have one.
Go to podcastsconnect.apple.com and sign in.
Click "Add a Show" and enter your RSS feed URL.
Verify ownership of your podcast via email.
Review your podcast details and submit for review.
Wait for approval (typically 1-5 business days).
Submitting Your Podcast to Spotify
Go to podcasters.spotify.com and create an account.
Click "Add Your Podcast" and enter your RSS feed URL.
Verify ownership via email.
Review your podcast details.
Agree to Spotify's terms and submit.
Your podcast should appear on Spotify within a few hours.
More resources
How to start a podcast (complete equipment guide)
How to promote your podcast (and grow your audience)
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you only need to upload your audio to your hosting provider. Platforms like Apple and Spotify will read your RSS feed and update their directories.
Yes, most hosts allow you to easily migrate your podcast while maintaining your subscribers.
Most hosting platforms provide analytics. Additionally, Apple Podcasts and Spotify offer their own analytics dashboards for publishers.