Are you looking to start your podcast adventure and journey into the world of streaming spoken word? Getting your podcast up and running is the first step to becoming a new internet sensation.
For your podcast to reach as many listeners as possible, you must ensure it is available across all platforms where listeners search for various podcasts. This is when and where you distribute your podcast.
Let’s take a look at how you should distribute your show today!
Table of Contents
First, you need to think about content syndication. This is the process of pushing your podcast out to third parties who can re-publish it on their sites.
Creating brand awareness with your podcast is essential so listeners know what to look for and what to expect when they listen to you. This can be done by publishing notes on your podcast on various websites, social media, multiple channels, and different communities.
The benefits of content syndication include gathering a multi-channel presence. You get to distribute your podcast more widely, establishing more presence on various content and social platforms.
Chances are, you already share your podcasts on your Facebook or Twitter as soon as they go live. This is helpful, but you can also use Medium or Blogger sites to gain even more attention. It also helps you get more significant results in traffic and discoverability.
Distribution
Once you have recorded your podcast and shared it on your social media accounts, you will probably want to spread it even further. Let’s take a look at the platforms you should be aiming for.
Anchor.FM
Anchor.FM is primarily used for hosting podcasts and distributing them. It is effortless to record and edit audio before publishing your episodes on the platform.
As soon as you hit that publish button, your podcast is automatically distributed to various channels such as Apple, Google, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, and Radio Public.
The best thing about Anchor.FM is that it is free to use with optional premium features. It offers all the basics to get your podcast distributed easily.
Soundcloud
Soundcloud is one of the most visited audio-listening platforms on the internet. It boasts a large social community meaning the target audience could be colossal.
You will have to pay a monthly fee to publish your podcast on Soundcloud and upload it manually or with a cross-platform distribution tool.
Repurpose
A cross-platform distribution tool is Repurpose. You create automation that converts your podcast into youtube videos, Facebook videos, tweets, and blog posts. It is fantastic for getting your podcast to a broader audience.
It also lets you upload other RSS-enabled podcasts onto Soundcloud. It isn’t free, but it is worth trying out.
Podcast Directories
Other podcast directories such as Blubrry, iPodder, and DigitalPodcast are superb ways of getting higher listener numbers for your podcast episodes.
Uploading your podcasts to these will ensure your listener numbers go up every week.
Hubhopper
This is an excellent tool if you already have an existing podcast on other platforms. Email Hubhopper with your RSS feed, and they’ll do the work for you.
The benefits of Hubhopper include expanding your distribution network beyond just podcasting platforms. These include smart speakers and OEMs. If you host your podcast with Hubhopper, it will become available on the following:
- Hubhopper
- Amazon Alexa
- Ola Play
- Samsung Bixby
- Google Home/Assistant/Podcast
- TuneIn
- Pocketcasts
- Indus OS devices (Micromax, Karbonn, Intec, etc.)
iHeartRadio
iHeart radio is just as simple as submitting your podcast. It is one of the most popular choices for distributing podcasts with a large and enthusiastic listening audience. This will undoubtedly benefit your podcast in numerous ways.
Stitcher
There are very few requirements needed for distributing your podcast with Stitcher. Stitcher will make it a lot easier to gain reliable listeners every week in different countries. It is handy for improving your listener numbers, especially outside the country you’re in.
Apple Podcasts
Distributing to Apple Podcasts is imperative for every podcaster. Apple requires some basic requirements from you before using their services.
It would help if you had podcast cover art that is 1400 x 1400 px, while your channel must have at least one episode. These episodes must not include any copyrighted music too.
Spotify
Spotify is a beneficial service for getting your podcasts out there. All you need is good audio quality and a few specific requirements, which we will detail below.
These are all the leading networks you should consider or use to distribute your podcasts. However, your work isn’t finished once the podcast is distributed. You will still need to publicize your podcast to inform potential listeners that it is available on all these platforms.
How do I get my podcast on all platforms?
As I have shown above, there are many options available for distributing your podcast far and wide. You should use podcast hosting platforms to get your podcast on all platforms.
Hosting your podcast through third-party hosting platforms is the best and most favored way for podcasters worldwide. You will benefit from better bandwidth and more support and receive an automatic generation of your RSS feed. This is how publishers can pick up on your podcast more easily.
There are many platforms to choose from, such as Transistor.FM, Blubrry, BuzzSprout, Libsyn, PodBean, SimpleCast, and many more. Visit these platforms, and you will have the option of signing up to use their services or just by simply sending them an email to get onto their platform and start streaming.
How do I get my free podcast on Spotify?
Before you start, some requirements exist for uploading podcasts to Spotify. All audio needs to be in ISO/IEC 11172-3 MPEG-1 Part 3 (MP3) with bit rates between 96 and 320 kbps to be uploaded. Episodes can’t exceed 200MB in size.
Your podcast artwork should use a square (1:1) aspect ratio in the highest possible resolution in either PNG or JPEG formats. The title can’t exceed 20 characters, and all RSS feeds must include a title, image, and at least 1 episode.
To upload onto Spotify, start by creating an account with the same email you use with your podcast host. Then, log in and add your show’s RSS feed to the platform. Here’s how:
- Click “Get started.”
- Paste in the link to your podcasts’ RSS feed
- Add the details of your podcast (category, language, country)
- Review your details and submit
It’s as easy as that!
How can I get my podcast on iTunes?
Now is the easiest and best time to upload your podcasts to iTunes! Right now, iTunes is one of the biggest Podcast search directories in the world.
Luckily, the process of getting your podcast on iTunes is pretty simple. To upload a podcast to iTunes, you will have to upload it to your podcast hosts, such as BuzzSprout, Blubrry, or Transistor.FM. Your host will publish this episode to your RSS feed and podcast hosting website, such as the Podcraft site on BuzzSprout.
You can also publish show notes on your website and embed a player on your site. iTunes and Apple Podcasts will detect your new episode on your RSS feed and make it available to all subscribers.
iTunes usually takes around 24 hours to 14 days to approve a podcast.
Where can I upload my podcasts for free?
There are many podcasting hosting services to choose from, but only a few are free. You will usually have to pay a monthly or yearly subscription to get the best services from most of these sites, but fortunately, there are a few free options.
The best free podcast hosting services are:
- BuzzSprout
- Spreaker
- PodBean
- SimpleCast
- Anchor
All of these have pros and cons but, on the whole, will positively impact your listener numbers. For example, BuzzSprout gives you a little less than 250 GB of bandwidth each month on free plans and supports multiple audio file types before optimizing them for distribution.
Some weaknesses include less storage space on free plans and a limited hosting time for free podcasts. You may have to upgrade to a paid plan with some services after a certain amount of time, too, but this isn’t a bad idea to start with.
How long does it take for a podcast to be approved?
When you upload your podcast, it will be “under review” for a certain amount of time. This timing can be pretty random on occasion. Sometimes it can take as little as a few hours or up to a week.
If you are uploading to Apple Podcasts or iTunes, new podcast episodes should take around 24 hours. This is sometimes quicker and occasionally longer. Brand new podcasts with no history of any episodes typically take approximately 3-5 working days, but this can vary.
It can sometimes take up to 14 working days for your podcast to first get published. The reason these times vary is that real people look over to either approve or reject the shows. If there is an issue, it could take longer than 14 days.
It will take 2-5 days for Spotify to approve your podcast.
Final Words
Distributing your podcast is crucial to ensure that your content is available on multiple platforms. Content syndication will allow the podcast to be heard on various channels and help reach a wider audience.
Many podcast hosting services make podcast distribution easy with just a few clicks – some of the most popular platforms include Transistor.FM, Blubrry, BuzzSprout, PodBean, and SimpleCast.
Make sure to be patient with podcast publishing, though. It can sometimes take up to 2 weeks for your show to be approved by some directories.
With the right effort and tools, you can grow a giant fanbase with just a few clicks!
