One of the best ways to grow your podcast listeners is by publishing your podcasts on iTunes. iTunes allows podcasters to publish podcasts without any cost, making it a great platform to attract more listeners.
Are you new to Apple podcasts? Then you might think it will be super-complicated to publish a podcast on iTunes. Well, what if we say you are wrong?
Uploading podcasts on iTunes is quite easy, and even beginning podcasters can do it without getting into trouble. Here is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to starting a podcast on Apple Podcasts.
The first thing you need to do is record your podcast using the right equipment. The basic equipment you will need to create a professional podcast is a microphone, headphones, laptop or computer, and recording software.
Next, you need to plan the topic of your podcast and script the podcast episode. Choose a noise-free location and then start recording the podcast.
Edit your podcast to ensure it sounds professional and does not have background noise or filler words. For this, you can use free editing tools like Audacity, which offers almost all the basic audio editing features. Make sure your audio quality meets Apple podcasts guidelines.
Add all the required details to your podcast to make sure that iTunes accepts it. Give your podcast a suitable and catchy title. Write a description of the podcast that tells listeners what the podcast is about.
Think about the category in which you want to put your podcast. Let’s say your podcast is about entrepreneurship. In that case, the suitable category for it will be ‘Business.’
Now, create cover art for your Apple podcast. A podcast cover art is the first thing that people see when searching for podcasts in iTunes. So, make sure it is attractive and relates to your podcast topic well.
Follow the Apple podcast guidelines while writing title, description, and even designing the cover art to increase your podcast’s chances of being accepted by iTunes.
Podcast hosting is a place where you store all your podcasts. It acts as a middle man or bridge between a podcaster and podcast directories.
There are many podcast hosting providers such as Buzzsprout and Podbean. They offer different packages and features. Some examples of the features include podcast statistics, automatic podcast optimization, and chapter markers. Make sure you thoroughly check the features of every package and then select the one that best meets your needs.
Both Buzzsprout and Podbean offer a free package as well. But it has some limitations. The first paid package of Buzzsprout starts at $12 per month, and the first paid package of Podbean starts at $9 per month. You can pay these sites on a monthly as well as annual basis.
Your podcast RSS feed URL connects iTunes with your podcast hosting, where your podcasts are stored. It helps you take your podcasts to directories and then connect to the listeners.
You can find your RSS feed URL on your podcast hosting platform. Once you get your feed address, submit it to iTunes to let it display your podcasts on Apple Podcasts.
Sometimes people have difficulty in finding their RSS feed URL. The process of locating your RSS URL varies from one podcast host provider to the other. Therefore, you should head over to your podcast host provider’s website and read the ‘how-to find RSS feed URL’ guide.
Download iTunes from the Play Store if you already do not have it. You can use your personal iTunes account to submit your podcasts, but it is better to create a separate, professional iTunes account that represents your channel and topic. It will allow you to give your Apple ID your channel’s name.
Initially, Apple used to allow its users to directly submit their podcasts to iTunes. However, it has now created a separate podcast portal called iTunes Podcasts Connect. It is the place from where you will submit your podcast and manage everything related to it. It also helps podcasters gain insight into how their listeners are responding to their podcast episodes.
You can get a link to your iTunes Podcasts Connect dashboard through the iTunes Store tap. Tap on the ‘iTunes Store’ and then click on the ‘Podcasts’ link. Now, tap on the ‘Submit a Podcast.’ The Podcasts Connect page will appear on your screen.
Wait for a few hours to days to get approval from iTunes. You will receive an email saying that your podcast is being reviewed. You will receive a confirmation email after your podcast episode has been approved.
Once you are done then you are all set up to start using Apple podcast / iTunes to gain followers and make it easy for people to find your podcast. Every time you make a new podcast make sure you submit it to Apple podcast and the other podcast directories.
Other directories include Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio just to name a few. Submitting to multiple directories will give people a better chance to find your podcast. Start your first episode today what are you waiting for.
