To get listed in the various podcast directories, you will submit your dedicated podcast RSS feed. I love how PowerPress walks you through the process of submitting your podcast RSS feed to these various directories, letting you know exactly what you need in order for things to work properly.
What you need to get listed in podcast directories
To get into most podcast directories, you’ll need:
- A dedicated podcast RSS feed. This means that it is a feed that only contains blog posts that have a podcast episode attached to it.
- Your RSS feed must include information about your podcast such as the name of the show, the creator’s name, a category and whether it’s explicit. PowerPress will generate a good feed for you. All you need to do is provide the information in the plugin.
- Podcast artwork – The PowerPress plugin explains the specifications for this.
- At least one published episode
- To get listed in Apple Podcasts/iTunes, you’ll need an Apple ID. This turned out to be the most frustrating part of the process for me. I got stuck in a circular loop that gave me no clues about how to get out of it. I don’t recall there being any Apple support to help me. I ended up using Brian’s Apple ID. This is typically not recommended – using someone else’s Apple ID to submit your podcast – because the last time I heard, it is not possible to transfer it to another owner. So be aware. The upshot is that as you gather your stuff to get ready to start your podcast, set up an Apple ID. So when it comes time to submit your podcast RSS feed to the Apple Podcasts directory, you’ll be set to go.
It can be exciting to get into the podcast directories. In the various podcast forums you’ll see people celebrating getting into Apple Podcasts etc. That’s certainly great. But keep in mind a directory is a directory. It is not your podcast any more than your website showing up in a Google search result is your website.
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