Spotify is home to over 4 million podcast titles. It has the biggest market share, about a third (31.7%) of all podcast listeners use Spotify. So, if you want people to listen to your podcast it is important to get it there. But, how to get your podcast on Spotify? 

You do not have to worry, in this in-depth guide, we will be giving you a play-by-play of how you can get your podcast on Spotify. Right from creating an account to submitting your podcast for review, we will be covering every step of the process. So, whether you are a newbie in the world of podcasting or a seasoned podcaster looking to brush up on the basics, read on and reach those listeners on Spotify.

1. What are the Requirements for How To Get Your Podcast on Spotify?

Before you submit your podcast to Spotify, there are a few things that you need to ensure your podcast follows. So, here is the checklist you need to run your RSS feed podcast Spotify through;

• Your podcast should be in MP3 which further should be in  ISO/IEC 11172-3 MPEG-1 Part 3 (MP3) audio. The bitrates need to be between 96 -320 kbps. 
• Your uploaded cover art should be in a 1:1 ratio (that’s a square). The format of the said cover art needs to be either PNG, JPEG, or TIFF. It shouldn’t be distorted.
• The RSS feed where your podcast is uploaded needs to have a title, updated cover art, and relevant details for at least one episode. An episode doesn’t have to be a full episode, it can be a trailer or a preview as well.
• (Tip) Try and keep the episode title and other visible fields limited to 20 characters as otherwise, you might see the “…” truncation on Spotify.
• All special characters are required to be HTML coded within the titles and descriptions 
• The size of your podcast cannot be more than 200Mb.

2. How to Get Your Podcast on Spotify?

2.1. Create Your Spotify Account

The first step on your path to how to get your podcast on Spotify is to create a Spotify account. Make your way to Spotify for podcasters. Login with your existing account or if you don’t have a Spotify account then create one. It’s a simple process that requires you to have a working email address. It is recommended if you are planning on starting a podcast for your business to make a new account. 

2.2. Accept The Terms and Conditions

Once you log in to Spotify for podcasters then you can begin listing your podcast. Click the “Get Started” button and you will be redirected to the Spotify terms and conditions page. It is advisable to go through the fine print to better understand your rights as a podcaster on the platform. Once completed, you have to fill in your Full Name or the name of the registered corporation on behalf of whom you will be posting the podcast. Agree to the terms and conditions and proceed to click on “Continue”

2.3. Go To Your Podcast Hosting Platform

Your podcast hosting platform is where you would have uploaded your podcast. This is like the central base of operations for your podcast. You upload and manage your podcast there and then effectively distribute it everywhere else. Your podcast hosting platform provides you with an RSS feed. Once you make your account you will be provided with a URL which is what you use to distribute your podcast to listening applications like Spotify. 

Remember: This is different from Spotify or Apple podcasts; those are directories. Directories are where people come in and listen to your podcast the basically function as listening platforms.. But they themselves aren’t the place where you are uploading your podcast. Directories monitor the RSS feed you provide them with and accordingly update your show. 

Your podcast hosting platforms are Buzzsprout, Anchor, Captivate, and Transistor. These are where you create your podcast RSS feed by uploading your podcast.

2.4. Copy The RSS Feed Link

Find your RSS feed link on your podcast hosting platform. You would have received it the moment you uploaded your first podcast episode. The URL would look something like this:

http:.//Name of your podcast hosting platform.com/ Feed/ Name of your podcast 

This link is what Spotify would monitor and every time you upload a new podcast episode it will be automatically updated on the website. 

Your RSS feed is not only important for Spotify but rather any other directory that you want to upload your podcast to.

2.5. Open Spotify for Podcasters

Once you have copied the RSS feed link go back to Spotify for Podcasters and enter it in the given space. Press “Next” to move on. If in case you put the wrong link, you will receive a prompt asking you to enter the right link. 

The RSS feed is where Spotify will collect information like the title, artwork, description, category, rating, and language for your podcast

(Fun Fact: The RSS feed format that is being used for podcasts at the moment was initially developed by Apple Podcasts.)

Once you put in the right URL, you will see the email address associated with your RSS feed displayed on the screen with the option to send a code to it. Click on it and you will receive an eight-digit code in your email. Paste this to verify that you are indeed the owner of the podcast. 

2.6. Add All The Relevant Information

After the submission of the code you will move to the next page where Spotify will ask you a couple of extra questions in regard to your podcast. These fields are the country where the podcast is based, the primary language, the name of your hosting provider, and the primary category in which your podcast falls. Once you select the primary category, you will have the option to select up to three subcategories. 

Spotify also allows users to select 2 additional categories for their podcasts. If you have a podcast that covers a wide array of topics then you should make use of this option. Having more categories also increases your chances of discovery by users as it is more likely they will spot you. 

Once you complete all the fields, press “Next”.

2.7. Review and Hit Submit

The final step in how to get your podcast on Spotify is to review all the information that you filled out in the forms. Double-check all the information that you filled out since you cannot edit this once you submit it,

Once you are happy with the information provided, hit the submit button. Congratulations! your podcast will now be available on Spotify. Not immediately though, it takes the Spotify team a couple of hours to vet the provided information and to make your listing live. 

3. Tips To Optimize Your Podcast For Spotify

3.1 Cover Art

Start by creating eye-catching cover art for your podcast. Your cover art needs to be an accurate representation of your show and should be attractive enough for potential listeners to stop and have a look. Some ways you can do this is through high resolutions images featuring clear text and bright visuals. 

3.2. Description

Writing a compelling description is a must for any podcast show. The description needs to provide an overview of the show while being concise and easy to understand. Try to avoid the use of fancy words and jargon in your descriptions. Also, do remember to add show notes and episode transcripts as that will help improve the overall listening experience.

3.3. Utilize Keywords

The last thing you need to take care of when you are uploading a podcast to Spotify is the keyword. A keyword is a term that is being searched for by people and allows you to understand user intent. You can use these keywords in your podcast’s name, title and description to increase your chances of discoverability on Spotify.

4. FAQs

Is it free to upload a podcast to Spotify?

Yes, it is free to upload a podcast to Spotify

How much does it cost to have a podcast on Spotify?

There are no costs associated with having a podcast on Spotify. 

Can I upload my own podcast to Spotify?

Yes, you can easily upload your own podcast to Spotify. However, to do so you will first need to create an RSS feed where your podcast will be uploaded. Once you get a link to the RSS Feed you can upload that on Spotify