You’ve done your research on B2B podcasting. You’ve established your business podcast’s brand identity. You’ve recorded and edited your first few episodes and now you are ready to send your new podcast out into the world. But how do you do that?
Don’t worry. You’ve already done the hardest part of making a podcast. The process of getting it out to your listeners is pretty easy. This guide will walk you through the steps of getting your podcast hosted and published on all the major platforms.
Step 1: Find a hosting service
It’s possible to host your own podcast, but it’s probably not the most efficient option. Hosting your own podcast will mean you’ll need to be the problem-solver on call if something goes wrong with the RSS feed. It also means you could be limiting your bandwidth, and thus, how many people can download it. It’s best to upload your final files to a podcast hosting site, instead. They’ll provide stability, plenty of bandwidth, and support for any issues that come up.
You’ll have to decide which hosting service is right for your podcast. We outlined six of the best hosting options for a business podcast in a previous post, and here are our top three most popular recommendations:
- Buzzsprout. This is one of the most popular options out there right now, as more than 100,000 podcasters use the service. If you are just dipping your toe into the world of B2B podcasting, they offer a free option. This allows you to upload two hours of content that they’ll host for free for 90 days. If you decide podcasting is for you, though, you can upgrade your plan for $12-24 a month. That gets you unlimited hosting with enough bandwidth for up to 40,000 downloads. As a bonus, they have a widget that allows you to stream the podcast through your website. That could be a great way to bring in more traffic.
- Libsyn. Libsyn is one of the original podcast hosting sites, started back in 2004 when podcasting was in its infancy. Plans start as low as $5 per month and there is no free option. Their hosting service is big on promising that you’ll always own your content, and they’ll keep your brand front and center. There are great analytics and smart monetization tools to work with, too. They are official partners with Pandora and Spotify, so your podcast will seamlessly integrate on these juggernaut platforms.
- Podbean. This is a really user-friendly hosting option. If tech isn’t your strong point, their clean design and easy-to-use tools may appeal to you. They also have some great podcasting tools that help you track your stats and monetize your podcast. There is a free plan, but you can upgrade to the $29 a month plan and get unlimited hosting. This plan also allows you to add ad campaigns to your content. If you are hosting a video podcast, then this is a great hosting option. Podbean offers unlimited video hosting and can sync with your company’s YouTube page for automatic uploads.
Do a little research and find the hosting service you like the best. While the free programs are hard to resist, it’s likely you’ll be paying for an upgraded plan soon. You’ll get more tools, more bandwidth, and better service for your podcast listeners. So make sure you compare the paid plans before you pick a hosting service.
Step 2: Start publishing your podcast
Once you’ve uploaded your podcast files to a hosting service, you’ll need to grab the RSS feed link. This will be provide the podcast services with your metadata. Most services automatically generate this information for you. It’s the primary info you need to publish your podcast on the main platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play.
A few tips for publishing your podcast
Know what’s in your RSS feed
When your hosting service creates your RSS feed, it includes a lot of information. That’s great for you because it makes the process of publishing your podcast a lot easier. The RSS feed will include your podcast’s name, description, artwork, language, rating, and category. Make sure all that information is correct on the hosting site before you start publishing.
Submit your RSS feed once
You don’t need to submit your RSS feed every time you upload a new episode. Once you submit the feed, you’ve done your work. The platforms will automatically update with your new episodes when you load them onto your hosting service. So you’ll only need to go through this publishing process once for each platform.
You might already be published
Some podcast hosting services will automatically publish your podcast to certain platforms. You may not have to do it yourself. Check out any publishing features your podcast hosting service offers so save yourself some time. However, you may want to log into these services anyway and optimize the information yourself.
How to publish your podcast on Apple podcasts
April 20th was a big milestone for Apple Podcasts this year. It’s the day they reached one million podcasts on the platform. That’s a lot of content, but it’s important to note that only 46% of those shows published an episode in the last 90 days. Apple won’t purge your show due to inactivity, but you can bet your listeners will. Still, there is no disputing that Apple Podcasts is the reigning champion in the podcasting world. Here’s how to get your show into their ranks:
- Make sure you have your Apple ID (or make a new one for your podcast)
- Log into Apple Podcast Connect
- Enter your RSS feed information
- Click “Validate”
- Review the preview information
- Click “Submit”
You’ll need to wait for the approval. Apple says this can take up to five business days, so keep an eye on your email.
How to publish your podcast on Google Play
Apple may have a million podcasts, but Android has a bigger market share overall. So you’ll want to make sure your podcasts are available to Android users. Google has ramped up its podcast tools in the last couple of years for both creators and listeners. They have an updated podcast app as well as new and improved analytics tools. Here’s how to tap into the Android market:
- Log into Google Play Podcast Portal
- Click on “Add a Podcast”
- Enter your RSS feed information
- Click “Submit”
- Wait for the ownership verification email (they will send it to the email listed in your RSS feed information)
- Click link in the verification email
- Review podcast information
- Click “Publish”
Google will need to approve your podcast before it’s published. While they say it can take up to 10 business days, most people get their approval in around three days.
How to publish your podcast on Spotify
Spotify has an impressive 19% share of the podcast listener market. The service is also reporting that they’ve reached the million show milestone, hitting it around the same time Apple did in April 2020. It’s no wonder Spotify is catering to the podcast listener, either. These listeners tend to listen to more music, too, making them more likely to be subscribers to Spotify’s premium service. You’ll likely find an audience on Spotify, so here’s how to get your podcast into those listeners’ ears:
- Log into Spotify for Podcasters
- Enter the link to your podcast’s RSS feed
- Wait for email with 8-digit verification code (they will use the email listed in your RSS feed)
- Enter your verification code and click “Next”
- Enter details about your podcast such as category, where you host it, etc.
- Review all your information
- Click “Submit”
It’s another approval process, but one that should only take a few days.
How to publish your podcast on Stitcher
Stitcher is one of the most popular apps for podcasts, and it’s available for both iOS and Android. Stitcher positions itself as a premium podcast service, taking on the best of the best in the podcasting world. The service has over 100,000 podcasts. They make money on ads, but listeners can pay for the premium service that eliminates the ads and offers exclusive content. Here is how to join the Stitcher ranks:
- Apply to be a content provider for Stitcher
- When approved, log into your account
- Click “Add shows”
- Enter RSS feed information
- Add extra details about the show
- Review information then click “Submit application”
Stitcher manually approves each show that’s uploaded to its service, so you’ll have to wait for them to get to you. This can take up to a week.
A few post-publishing tips
While the RSS feed is automatic, it’s not a bad idea to check your podcast is showing up correctly on the different platforms. That way you can address any issues that may come up. Make sure you are putting your hosting service’s analytic data to good use, too. There is a wealth of information there that can help you identify how your target audience is responding to your content and how you might be able to improve it. Most importantly, remember that all the great content you create for your podcast can be reused on different platforms, too. It’s an excellent way to expand your reach without expanding your workload.
The Tech Qualified podcast provides B2B technology marketers with access to real world case studies and best practices. We interview industry leaders to uncover what is working in the world of B2B technology marketing.
Written by Tristan Pelligrino
Tristan Pelligrino is the Co-Founder of Motion. He’s a serial entrepreneur who started his career as a consultant with large IT companies such as PwC, IBM and Oracle. After getting his MBA, he started and grew one of the fastest video production companies in the country – which was listed on the Inc. 5000. Tristan now enjoys leading the content marketing strategies of some of the most innovative B2B technology companies in the country. You can find him on LinkedIn and Facebook.
