You made the decision to start up a podcast, you picked your topic, convinced someone to be your co-host, and landed that great guest you wanted. You had a deep intellectual conversation and got the audio levels just right. The editing process was a challenge, but you persisted through it. You went through all that trouble of getting that first podcast episode created, so now what? You’re now wondering how to upload a podcast. Don’t worry, with our help we will get your audio out there for the whole world to hear!
The following is a step by step guide to uploading your podcast:
Step 1 – Find a Hosting Platform:
When we say podcast host in this circumstance, we’re not talking about the person sitting next to you chatting with you for an hour. We are talking about the different websites that are dedicated to storing your audio files. The reason you need to find a podcast hosting platform is that you cannot upload your file directly to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc. Instead, you link your podcast from the hosting platform to the media destination (where you want your listeners to find it) through what is called an RSS feed.
There are many different podcast hosting websites out there. Some are paid subscription-based, and some offer free services. Wait until you are ready to upload your podcast. See what the file size of the .mp3 is. If each episode will be a similar length in the future, add up the size and how often you will be posting. Certain hosting platforms charge more for the amount of space you need to upload, so it may be important to know how much storage you will need. To make your life easier, I found this sheet here made by a user on Reddit, which lists out many different podcast hosts so that you can see which options may fit your needs the best:
Step 2 – Setup and Upload a Podcast to the Hosting Platform
Once you have found out which hosting platform is right for you, be sure to set up the podcast with your cover art, description, etc. Now it’s time to upload your first episode. It’s very clear and easy on most hosting platforms on how to add an episode. Find where the .mp3 file is on your computer and hit upload. This can sometimes take a little bit of time to upload depending on the file and your internet speed. Spend some effort to make a captivating description. If someone were to stumble across your podcast while looking for a specific topic, and they have to decide on listening to yours or someone else’s podcast, make them want to choose yours.
A little tip is if you swear in your podcast, we won’t judge you, however, Apple Podcasts will. If you try posting an episode with swearing you must mark it as explicit. Failing to do so will likely result in not being approved. You’d have to wait another few days to get it approved.
Once you have a podcast hosted, you are given what is called an RSS feed. The RSS feed is a URL link that will provide code from your hosting platform to the platform you want your podcast on. Here is an example of an RSS feed using the popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast as an example: http://joeroganexp.joerogan.libsynpro.com/rss
Notice how the .libsynpro is featured in the link. Libsyn is the host, and the entire URL link is his RSS feed.
You should be able to connect to almost any platform you want directly through your podcast host. Getting your podcast to Apple Podcasts, however, is an extra step. Simply find your RSS feed and you want to connect it to Apple’s iTunes Connect.
Apple can take all the way from a day to a week or more depending on their demand for approval. You can go back to iTunes Connect at any time to check on the approval status of your podcast.
So here you go, now you know how to upload a podcast! Do you still need help uploading your podcast? This is a service we can provide. Contact us here for more information.