Tips on how to Begin a Podcast on Spotify for Free [+ Expert Insight]

I’ve obtained excellent news for you: Spotify is the go-to vacation spot for podcasts, commanding 35.8% of all listeners and over 40 million month-to-month listeners within the U.S. alone.

And I’ve obtained even higher information: Spotify for Podcasters makes it simple to begin a podcast and attain these listeners — no fancy gear or superior abilities required. And, when you’ve began your present, you will discover alternative ways to advertise and market your podcasts to maximise your attain.

Right here, I will cowl every thing you want to learn about podcasting on Spotify, tips on how to add your subsequent episode to the platform, and listen to from seasoned podcasters about their ideas on the platform.

Desk of Contents

Step one to beginning a podcast on Spotify is ensuring you meet its podcast necessities. Here is a fast rundown.

Your podcast ought to have:

• A title together with related particulars (i.e., class and first language).
• Cowl artwork in a 1:1 ratio and PNG, JPEG, or TIFF format. The upper the decision, the higher.
• A high-bitrate MP3 format (128 kbps+) or MP4 with AAC-LC.
• Episodes that don’t exceed 12 hours.

When you meet the circumstances on this guidelines, you are formally able to add your podcast to Spotify. Try the steps beneath.

Unsurprisingly, you may want a Spotify for Podcasters account to add your podcast to the platform. You need to use this manner to enroll and choose both “I wish to begin a podcast” or “I’ve a podcast.”

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If you happen to click on the primary possibility, log in together with your present Spotify account or create a brand new one. If you choose the second possibility, choose your present podcast host from the listing and declare your present by including your RSS feed and getting into a verification code you recover from e mail.

If you have already got a podcast however wish to change to Spotify, comply with the steps outlined right here.

2. Add details about your podcast.

When you arrange your account, you’ll add details about your podcast, together with:

• Podcast identify.
• Description.
• Cowl artwork.
• Class.
• Language.
• Content material sort (clear or express).

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3. Add your information.

If you have already got a podcast, you possibly can add present audio or video episodes or create and edit an episode inside the Spotify for Podcasters platform.

Earlier than importing your audio information, I like to recommend adhering to those few finest practices:

• Make sure that your episode is formatted as both MP3, M4A, or WAV information.
• Smaller information add sooner.
• Episodes have to be shorter than 12 hours (whereas most are, that is the utmost size that Spotify recommends).

To add an episode able to be printed, click on Fast Add and add an audio or video file. If creating from scratch, click on Create an episode.

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When creating an episode inside the platform, you’ll land on a dashboard that allows you to file or add audio, add information you’ve beforehand uploaded to your library, and edit and add results.

I believe the drag-and-drop builder is a simple option to construct all your episodes, and you may preview every as many occasions as you’d like throughout your modifying course of.

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4. Add episode info.

When you’re able to publish, add an episode title, description, and publishing timeline. You may as well be aware if the episode is a part of a collection, the kind of episode, and whether or not the content material is clear or express.

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Don’t neglect your cowl artwork! It ought to be formatted as a high-resolution PNG, JPG, or TIFF in a 1:1 side ratio (or as a sq. picture).

5. Share your podcast on different directories.

As soon as printed, your podcast will likely be obtainable to Spotify customers globally. You’ll want to make use of your RSS feed hyperlink to share it on different platforms. On podcasters.spotify.com:

Click on Settings, then Podcast Availability, then click on RSS Distribution to get your distinctive hyperlink to stick within the designated distribution spot on different directories.

1. If you have already got a Spotify account, go to the Spotify For Podcasters web page, and click on Get Began, then comply with the steps to log in.

2. Then select “I have already got a podcast.”

3. Kind in your RSS feed. If you happen to don’t know your RSS feed, I believe possibility two could also be simpler.

Choice 2: Including your podcast by means of Spotify’s Switching Web page.

1. I merely went to the Spotify for Podcasters switching web page and used the search subject to enter my podcast identify. You need to use a feed URL, however you may also merely sort within the identify.

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2. I confirmed I owned the podcast.

3. Lastly, I signed up for a Spotify for Podcasters account (or you possibly can import your podcast into an present account after which redirect your RSS feed so it factors to your new Spotify URL). The precise course of for this remaining step varies by internet hosting supplier, so it’s a finest observe to comply with their distinctive steps.

When you’ve migrated efficiently, you should use the platform for all it presents and add audio or video or create a brand new episode with its built-in options.

I do know that there are a number of podcast internet hosting platforms obtainable, however I wished to know what Spotify for Podcasters’ present customers assume, so I spoke to some specialists. Right here’s what they must say:

“An Equitable Pathway for Creatives”

Troy Sandidge, host of iDigress Podcast, says, “Spotify for Podcasters gives a plethora of artistic instruments and options to share your podcast episodes.”

Sandidge goes on to share that Spotify for Podcasters is very helpful for minority-led podcasters, with its packages just like the “Making House” initiative that “actually helps podcasters discover free locations the place they will file episodes.

That’s by far such an outstanding option to make issues extra accessible for individuals who might not have the identical monetary potential to begin, however this gives an fairness pathway for extra creatives to proceed.”

“Large Benefits for Podcasters”

Al and Leanne Elliot, hosts of Reality, Lies, and Office Tradition, additionally use Spotify for Podcasters:

“We’ve had Spotify as a part of our Podcast Distribution combine for the reason that starting of Reality Lies & Work podcast, and though it’s no ‘silver bullet’ for podcast attain, we’ve seen enormous benefits to utilizing it, and see a shiny future for podcast distribution.”

A few of these benefits embrace:

• Spotify’s analytics (they are saying it presents sharper perception in comparison with platforms like Apple Podcasts).
• The event group’s openness to receiving suggestions and concepts.
• A simplified monetization course of for integrating paid placements or advertisements.
• Frequent releases of recent options that “assist podcast creators and encourage listeners to swap to the platform from extra established apps.”

“A Turnkey Resolution”

Sandidge says, “From packages to group analysis and extra, Spotify is working to supply a completely streamlined turnkey answer coupled with coaching and alternatives to assist creatives elevate and develop.”

What About Downsides?

As with all instruments, there are at all times potential pitfalls. Whereas the specialists I spoke with gave largely optimistic suggestions, they shared just a few challenges:

• The podcast class is a comparatively new addition, so gaining visibility in search outcomes can take a while. However even with that, there’s nonetheless excellent news — the superior algorithm means there’s a great likelihood your listeners will discover you indirectly.
• Spotify isn’t at all times clear about how new options work. For instance, the Elliots say the Q&A panel is a singular characteristic, however they haven’t discovered the place the responses seem.