What Is A Podcast Directory?

It’s possible that you were unaware of the fact that podcasts are not kept on directories such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Rather, they are stored on your podcast host. The directory is more akin to a phonebook – it serves as a guide to locate what you are searching for. 

When an individual listens to a podcast on their preferred directory, it is essentially being accessed from the podcast host where it was originally uploaded. In essence, what happens is that audio is transmitted from a different location through the channel. 

A directory doesn’t actually store your podcast media files; it simply plays them from the hosting site.

For podcasters, directories serve as a means to gain exposure and attract more listeners. Certain directories cater to specific niches, such as NASCAR, providing access to an audience already interested in your content. 

Alternatively, there are broad directories that encompass all topics, which tend to be the most widely used. Apple Podcasts and Spotify are known for having this characteristic.

Apart from that, your directory serves as a platform where you can gather evaluations and feedback from your audience to enhance the credibility and standing of your program. 

When you have listed your show on prominent platforms such as Apple, Google, Stitcher, and TuneIn, you can also utilize a WordPress plugin to accomplish this goal. You can utilize PowerPress tool to distribute your podcast on your website.

For those who listen to podcasts, directories offer the simplest method of finding them, and they usually permit browsing by either topic or alphabetical order.

What Do I Need To Submit My Podcast?

If you opt for a top-notch podcast hosting platform such as Buzzsprout or PodBean, you will enjoy seamless integration with directories. 

This implies that you will be able to manage everything from your host’s dashboard. However, at the very minimum level, you will require an mp3 file of your recording along with an RSS feed.

 Your web host creates RSS feeds that utilize standard web formats to disseminate information through episode titles, author names, and descriptions. 

You can update these feeds with new content and metadata. When you add your podcast to a directory, it will automatically retrieve future episodes.

Different directories have various requirements when it comes to detailed specifications. The industry standard specified by companies such as Apple and Spotify involves conforming an RSS 2.0 feed, including a link to a square cover image with dimensions between 1400 x 1400 pixels and 3000 x 3000 pixels, as well as a title, artist name, and track listings. 

However, other directories may request further information or employ alternative formatting criteria. It is necessary to review each directory’s guidelines thoroughly in order to confirm that your content matches their specificities. 

The audio files that you upload need to have a resolution of at least 3000 x 3000 pixels. Moreover, your host server must support byte-range requests for the files to be streamed effectively.

After uploading your podcast on preferred platforms such as Apple and Spotify, it is advisable to “claim” it to access significant podcast statistics, such as the count of listeners and downloads.

How do I publish my podcast online?

After selecting a podcast hosting platform and directory, the typical procedures for promoting your podcast are as follows:

  1. Make an RSS feed for your podcast using the hosting platform you have.
  2. Send your podcast directory the RSS feed.
  3. Wait for your RSS feed to be approved.
  4. Publish and view your podcasts.

We understand that the procedure varies depending on the podcast platform you use, therefore we have provided a more comprehensive explanation of some of the most commonly used options.

What steps do I need to take to have my podcast available on iTunes or Spotify?

Apple Podcasts (Previously iTunes)

Listing your podcast on the Apple Podcasts app is the best method to connect with a committed audience and gain admiration and a favorable standing.

  1. To begin with, you must have an RSS 2.0-compatible feed, which was explained previously. Certain hosting sites have a validator tool for RSS feeds to ensure that there are no issues and everything is ready to be published. If you created your own feed, it’s recommended that you utilize Podbase, which is Apple’s suggested podcast validator, to verify its accuracy. Check it to ensure that it meets the necessary requirements.
  2. We suggest that you should have a minimum of three episodes ready before submitting your podcast to Apple directory. Otherwise, the chances of being featured as remarkable are greatly reduced.
  3. Generate a fresh Apple ID intended solely for your podcast and sign in to Podcast Connect.
  4. To add your podcast show, simply click the addition symbol ( ).
  5. Choose a program that has an RSS feed and click on the Next button.
  6. You will be redirected to a basic webpage where there will be a space provided for you to enter your RSS URL.
  7. Press the validate button to verify your URL. If there is an issue with the feed, an error message will display.
  8. Click submit.
  9. You need to wait for the authorization which may take from a few hours up to several weeks.

After you have confirmed that your feed is valid, press the Submit button and await approval that could take anywhere between one to fourteen days. You will receive an email from Apple sent to the email address provided for iTunes.

Once Apple gives the green light to your program, it will be accessible for streaming in the Podcast app on devices running iOS or macOS.

Spotify

Spotify has achieved the second position in the list of podcast directories with more than 150 million active subscribers. It is a close competitor of Apple for being the most preferred choice for downloading shows worldwide.

The requirements are as follows:

  • The audio is in the MP3 format, which is governed by ISO/IEC 11172-3 MPEG-1 Part 3. The bitrate ranges from 96kbps to 320kbps, indicating that the audio quality is good.
  • In order to comply with the guidelines, each episode needs to have a size under 200MB. This translates to approximately 83 minutes of content at a bit rate of 320kbps or 200 minutes at a bit rate of 128kbps.
  • The art should be in either JPG or PNG format and have a 1:1 square aspect ratio. The image should also have the highest resolution possible.
  • In order to adhere to proper standards, titles for episodes must be limited to 20 characters and any special characters, such as [email protected]£$%^&*(), must be properly encoded in HTML.
  • In order for your podcast to be eligible, it must have a title, artwork, and a minimum of one episode.

handles the submission process for you. Rather than submitting your podcast’s RSS feed like you would with other directories, Spotify requires you to utilize your media hosting service. However, using Spotify’s distribution service Anchor can simplify this process by handling it for you automatically. Your podcast is made available on Spotify through publication.

To release a podcast on Spotify via Anchor, follow the given instructions:

Create an Anchor account or access your existing account by logging in.

To begin a new episode, simply click on the ‘Lets do it’ button located on your welcome dashboard.

You have the option to create a podcast directly on Anchor or upload a pre-recorded one. Once finished, choose ‘Save Episode’.

Enter all the necessary information for your episode, and once finished, click on “next.” A pop-up window will appear and give you the option to set up your podcast show. Provide all the necessary details about your podcast show and add some attractive cover art to customize it.

  1. After completing the necessary steps, you will be able to publish your podcast, which will subsequently be available on Spotify without requiring any additional action.

Spotify has introduced the feature of video podcasts and collaborated with Riverside to ensure the best production method for such podcasts. With Riverside, you can create high-quality video podcasts and easily share them with Spotify’s extensive audience.

To make a podcast available on Spotify using Riverside, the following steps need to be followed:

  1. Create a recording studio in Riverside and welcome a maximum of 7 individuals.
  2. To begin recording your podcast, simply click the ‘Record’ button in the studio and then press the stop button when you are finished.
  3. Once all the content has been uploaded, access your video recording and click on ‘Edit and create clips’ to commence personalizing and modifying your podcast.
  4. Once you have completed editing your podcast, select the ‘Export’ option to finalize the preparation of your video podcast for exportation. The process of exporting may require a few minutes to complete.
  5. Once you have finished creating your video, head over to the preview section and select the “Spotify button” in order to upload your video podcast onto Spotify using Anchor.
  6. You will be directed to Anchor, and there you can either sign up or log in. Afterwards, you can select a podcast to transfer your video to and complete the necessary episode information.
  7. Once you have finished, click on the ‘Publish now’ button and your video podcast will be made available on Spotify as well as other platforms that are connected to your Anchor account.

It’s effortless to publish a podcast on Spotify using Riverside, so try it out and see for yourself. You can begin producing high-quality podcasts right away!

Instructions on how to submit your podcast to a variety of different directories.

Fortunately, several directories and apps that allow podcast listening rely on Apple Podcasts as their primary source of information. Therefore, if you have already added your show to Apple Podcasts, it will effortlessly show up on other applications like Pocket Casts, Overcast, and Castbox.

However, it is recommended that you manually submit your feed to other well-known podcast directories, which generally have a process similar to Apple’s. Keep reading for a comprehensive guide on how to get listed on Google Play Music, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

Google Play Music

  1. If you do not possess a Google or Google Apps Account, make one. You may also create a collective account for your enterprise to allow several individuals to supervise and add podcasts. Nevertheless, it is essential to adhere to the principles and regulations for Podcasts on Google Play regarding content and conduct of all podcast material.
  2. To begin, access Google Podcast Manager and select the option that says, “Start Now.”
  3. Please provide your RSS feed that complies with the standards of RSS 2.0 and includes all mandatory tags. If you have previously created a podcast and used an RSS feed to publish it on iTunes, you can use some of the same tags while adding an RSS feed on Google Play Music.
  4. It is important to make sure that your RSS feed includes a correct or tag with an email address that you can access, as this is where the verification code will be sent. Once you have verified ownership, you can delete the email address.
  5. Before posting your content, make sure to check your feed and confirm that everything is accurate.
  6. Google will forward a verification code to the email that is connected with your RSS feed, which you have entered in the provided field.

Make your podcast available to the public.

  1. You must await approval for your podcast. Your podcast may not be accepted for various reasons like:
  • The title and author of the content are too alike to a podcast that already exists.
  • It is impossible to verify the ownership of the podcast.
  • Content that is found to violate the terms of service or content policies will be considered as a content violation. This includes podcast content and images. For instance, explicit content must be labeled appropriately in the RSS feeds to meet the requirements.
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After Google gives their approval, your podcast will be accessible on the built-in podcast application on Android devices.

Stitcher

  1. Make sure your podcast meets the standards of Stitcher. They adhere to industry norms such as having 1:1 square cover art (in either JPG or PNG format) with a minimum size of 1400×1400 pixels, a distinct title, and at least one episode on the RSS feed.
  2. To make a profile tailored to content creators and add your podcast’s details, sign up for the Stitcher partner portal.
  3. After that, a pop-up window will appear asking for your RSS Feed URL. You need to copy it from your hosting platform and paste it into the given space. If the link is deemed invalid, you will be informed through an alert message. However, if it is valid, you can proceed to the next step by clicking on the “Next” button.
  4. To confirm that you are the authorized entity, Stitcher will dispatch an email for verification to the email connected with your podcast’s RSS feed. Check your inbox, and select the “I agree to Add This Show To Stitcher” button in their message.
  5. Go back to the set-up screen on Stitcher and select the option “Got It”.

Step 6 involves agreeing to the Terms and Conditions. It is important to read through the platform’s Terms and Conditions before clicking on the ‘Agree’ button.

7. Your podcast has been added to Stitcher and you will receive a message congratulating you on the successful listing.

You should modify the information of your podcast first. Then, access the Partner Portal by clicking on “Take Me to the Partner Portal”. On this page, select the “Manage Show” tab and you will be able to add links for your podcast’s Facebook page, Twitter account, and website URL so that they are displayed in your listing.

Include a button on your podcast’s website that allows users to subscribe to Stitcher.

To ensure that your audience stays engaged, you should add a subscription button to your website. Access the URL of the listing on Stitcher and short-codes for embedding players by clicking on the “Promote Show” option in the portal.

If you want your audience to easily follow and access your podcast on Stitcher, it’s advisable to include a button on your website. You can locate the URL of your podcast’s listing on Stitcher’s embeddable player short-codes and buttons by clicking the “Promote Show” tab.

TuneIn

TuneIn serves as a platform that provides a list of online radio stations, featuring various genres such as sports, music, news, talk shows, and podcasts completely free of charge.

  1. Fill in their podcast submission form.
  2. Your email address, title of the podcast, and the URL for its RSS feed are necessary.
  3. To add a podcast feed to an existing program on TuneIn, you need to mention the program ID (e.g. ‘p123456’) explicitly in the Comment section. TuneIn will then update the feed accordingly.

To proceed, mark the box beside “I agree to the Terms & Conditions” and then press the button that says “Send Email”.

You will be sent an email from TuneIn that will update you on the status of your submission.

TuneIn will include your podcast on their platform from now on.

Amazon Echo

If you’ve already added your podcast to a major directory such as Apple, Google or TuneIn, it’ll be accessible via Amazon Echo. However, you can increase your audience by having it included in the “Flash Briefing” function.

This implies that if users have designated your episode as part of their briefing, it will be played automatically when they ask Alexa for their Flash Briefing.

Just like how you add your podcast to other directories, if you do it once, your new episodes will be automatically received for Flash Briefing.

Is this distribution method suitable for my podcast?

The Flash Briefing works well for brief episodes and regularly published content that is typically consumed in the morning, such as daily news updates, affirmations, or motivational pieces.

If you have longer episodes, it might be a good idea to create a customized edit. This is intended to be disseminated exclusively on Amazon Echo through this method.

If you want your podcast to appear on Amazon Echo, follow these steps. First, create a skill on Alexa Developer Console containing your podcast content. Second, upload your RSS feed to TuneIn or any Amazon supported hosting platforms. Third, submit your skill for certification by Amazon.

Once approved, it will become available on all Amazon Echo devices and can be accessed through voice commands.

It is essential to go through Amazon’s guidelines regarding feeds prior to beginning. The feed must be in HTTPS and there are specific prerequisites for streaming audio files as well.

1. Create an Amazon Developer account.

2. Click the ‘Alexa’ tab.

To commence, select the ‘Get Started’ option located below Alexa Skills Kit.

4. Click on “Add A New Skill.”

Pick “Flash Briefing Skill API” as the type of skill and enter the name of your podcast into the “Name” category.

You can skip the ‘Interaction Model’ page as it contains irrelevant information for Flash Briefing and proceed to the ‘Configuration’ page.

The podcast named [PODCAST NAME] cannot be accessed at the moment due to a custom error message.

To add your podcast’s feed details, select the “Add new feed” option and fill in the required information.

Here are the basic facts about the details of your podcast:

  • The Preamble is a brief introduction provided by the Amazon Echo before beginning an episode of your podcast. It informs the audience about the nature and title of your content.
  • Name – the name of your podcast
  • Genre – the category of your podcast
  • Type of content – audio
  • The Feed Icon is the picture that will appear in the Flash Briefing settings of the Amazon Alexa app.

It is essential to make sure that your ‘Alexa Feed’ permits only one episode at a time. Otherwise, it may play numerous episodes and disturb the regular briefing of your listeners.

Proceed to the page that provides details about the publishing of the material.

  1. Select the classification that is most appropriate for your podcast.
  2. This podcast has an audio feed available in the Testing Instructions section.
  3. Provide 2-3 words that summarize your podcast in the “Brief Skill Description” field.
  4. Write a brief overview of your podcast in the Complete Skill Description section. This is the explanation that Alexa users on the Alexa app will see.
  5. You can submit pictures to the Alexa and Amazon search apps in two sizes, 108×108 and 512×512.

10. Fill in privacy information.

11. Use Alexa’s beta test option.

If you do not possess an Amazon Echo, you are able to experiment with the voice assistant service by utilizing the Alexa mobile application. Additionally, you may extend an invitation to additional individuals to partake in testing as well.

12. “Submit for certification”

You will receive approval within a few days and have access to a completely new audience.

What is the expense associated with publishing a podcast?

If you decide to use a free plan on a hosting platform and podcast directory, you can put your podcast out there without any cost. The majority of directories offer free plans, but it might be worth considering paying a small monthly fee for additional perks. These fees are typically in the range of $10- $20, depending on which plan you opt for.

Wrap Up

experiences to engage your audience even more. With your podcast now listed in top global directories, you can concentrate on producing compelling content for your listeners and observe a rise in numbers.

As your podcast gains popularity, you can leverage this momentum by utilizing efficient marketing strategies and creative methods to enthrall your audience further. Characteristics such as broadcasting live events and conducting real-time question and answer sessions with your viewers.