How to Start 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 monthly listeners within the U.S. alone.

And I’ve obtained even higher information: Spotify for Podcasters makes it straightforward 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 am going to cowl the whole lot you might want to learn about podcasting on Spotify, the best way 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 starting a podcast on Spotify is ensuring you meet its podcast necessities. This 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 situations on this guidelines, you are formally able to add your podcast to Spotify. Take a look at the steps beneath.

Unsurprisingly, you will want a Spotify for Podcasters account to add your podcast to the platform. You should utilize this form 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 along 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 electronic mail.

If you have already got a podcast however wish to change to Spotify, observe 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 title.
• Description.
• Cowl artwork.
• Class.
• Language.
• Content material sort (clear or express).

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3. Add your recordsdata.

If you have already got a podcast, you’ll be able to add present audio or video episodes or create and edit an episode inside the Spotify for Podcasters platform.

Earlier than importing your audio recordsdata, I like to recommend adhering to those few greatest practices:

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

To add an episode able to be revealed, 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 recordsdata you’ve beforehand uploaded to your library, and edit and add results.

I feel the drag-and-drop builder is a simple approach to construct your whole episodes, and you’ll preview every as many instances as you’d like throughout your enhancing 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 must be formatted as a high-resolution PNG, JPG, or TIFF in a 1:1 facet ratio (or as a sq. picture).

5. Share your podcast on different directories.

As soon as revealed, 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 page, and click on Get Began, then observe the steps to log in.

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

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

Possibility 2: Including your podcast via Spotify’s Switching Web page.

1. I merely went to the Spotify for Podcasters switching page and used the search area to enter my podcast title. You should utilize a feed URL, however you may also merely sort within the title.

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2. I confirmed I owned the podcast.

3. Lastly, I signed up for a Spotify for Podcasters account (or you’ll be able to 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 greatest follow to observe their distinctive steps.

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

I do know that there are multiple podcast hosting platforms available, however I needed to know what Spotify for Podcasters’ present customers assume, so I spoke to some specialists. Right here’s what they need to say:

“An Equitable Pathway for Creatives”

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

Sandidge goes on to share that Spotify for Podcasters is particularly helpful for minority-led podcasters, with its applications just like the “Making Space” initiative that “actually helps podcasters discover free locations the place they’ll file episodes.

That’s by far such an exceptional approach to make issues extra accessible for many who might not have the identical monetary skill to begin, however this offers an fairness pathway for extra creatives to proceed.”

“Large Benefits for Podcasters”

Al and Leanne Elliot, hosts of Truth, Lies, and Workplace Culture, 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 embody:

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

“A Turnkey Answer”

Sandidge says, “From applications 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 all the time potential pitfalls. Whereas the specialists I spoke with gave largely constructive suggestions, they shared a number of 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 in a roundabout way.
• Spotify isn’t all the time clear about how new options work. For instance, the Elliots say the Q&A panel is a singular function, however they haven’t found out the place the responses seem.