How to Upload a Podcast to Spotify: Our Step-by-Step Guide
Quick Summary
We provide a step-by-step guide on how to upload a podcast to Spotify, from preparing your podcast to submitting it to the platform. Additionally, we share some best practices to make your Spotify podcast successful. Podcasting is a powerful way to engage with your audience, and understanding how to leverage platforms like Spotify is key to success.
Figuring Out How to Upload Your Podcast to Spotify?
Spotify has been a rising force in the U.S. podcast market with 21% of podcast listeners, trailing only YouTube’s 31% share and far ahead of Apple’s 12%. If you’re a podcast creator, uploading your show to Spotify is an excellent way to reach this massive audience.
But how do you go about it?
In this Cleanvoice guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to show you how to upload a podcast to Spotify.
But before we dive in…
Why Listen to Us?
At Cleanvoice, we’ve helped countless podcasters— both beginners and pros— polish their episodes and streamline their editing process. With a track record of providing intuitive solutions for audio enhancement, we’re trusted by over 15,000 podcasters worldwide.
Count on us to produce professional-sounding episodes without the hassle of manual editing.
Why Is Spotify a Key Platform for Podcasters?
Spotify has become a dominant force in the world of podcasting, offering millions of episodes to users worldwide. Some key reasons to consider Spotify are:
- Massive Audience: Spotify has over 100 million regular listeners and half a billion people engaging with their podcasts since 2019.
- Cross-Platform Availability: Spotify works seamlessly on mobile, desktop, and smart devices, providing convenient access to podcasts anywhere.
- Monetization Opportunities: Spotify’s podcast advertising platform gives creators opportunities to monetize their content.
- Podcast Discovery: Spotify's algorithms help users discover new podcasts based on their interests, attracting new listeners to your podcast organically.
With the benefits of reaching a global audience and the chance to grow your show, Spotify is a vital platform for any podcaster looking to expand their audience base.
How to Upload a Podcast to Spotify in 4 Key Steps
Step 1: Prepare Your Podcast Content
Before uploading your podcast to Spotify, ensure your content is polished, engaging, and well-prepared. Here are some pre-upload essentials:
Plan Your Podcast Episodes
Plan out your episodes to maintain consistency and quality. Decide on the structure, length, and style of your podcast, keeping in mind your target audience’s preferences.
Record Your Podcast
Use high-quality recording equipment like microphone and headphones so that your podcast sounds professional. Your environment should be free from background noise to avoid any disruption in your audio.
Edit Your Podcast
This includes removing unnecessary content, cutting out filler words, and ensuring smooth transitions between segments.
One tool to simplify this process is Cleanvoice AI. It automatically removes filler words, stutters, and background noise, producing polished, professional-sounding episodes in a fraction of the time.
Export Your Files
Export your edited podcast in the correct format for Spotify. The ideal file type for uploading a podcast to Spotify is MP3, with a bitrate of 128kbps for optimal quality.
You can also add metadata like episode titles, descriptions, and cover art during this stage.
Make sure your cover art meets Spotify's requirements: a 1:1 square image, preferably 1400x1400 to 3000x3000 pixels, in either JPEG or PNG format.
Step 2: Choose a Podcast Hosting Platform
Spotify doesn’t host your podcast directly. Instead, you’ll need to choose a podcast hosting platform to upload your episodes.
The hosting platform will generate an RSS feed which Spotify uses to display your podcast on their platform. Some popular hosting platforms include:
- Anchor: Owned by Spotify, Anchor is a free and beginner-friendly platform that simplifies the hosting process.
- Buzzsprout: Known for its easy-to-use interface, Buzzsprout offers free and paid plans with excellent analytics.
- Podbean: An affordable hosting platform with unlimited storage and built-in monetization tools.
When selecting a podcast hosting platform, consider factors like storage capacity, ease of use, analytics, and pricing.
Step 3: Upload Your Podcast to Your Hosting Platform
Once you’ve selected your podcast hosting platform, follow these steps to upload your podcast:
- Create an Account: Sign up for an account on your chosen hosting platform.
- Upload Your Episodes: Upload your MP3 files to the platform. Make sure you’ve added episode titles, descriptions, and any relevant metadata.
- Generate an RSS Feed: The hosting platform will generate an RSS feed which contains all the information about your podcast like episode details, cover art, and show notes.
Step 4: Upload Your Podcast to Spotify
Create a Spotify for Podcasters Account
Go to the Spotify for Podcasters website. Sign up or login with your existing Spotify account.
Submit Your RSS Feed
Once logged in, click on “Add a Podcast” and paste your RSS feed link from your hosting platform into the submission form. Spotify automatically pulls all the necessary information from your feed, including episode details and cover art.
Verify Ownership
Spotify will send a verification email to the email address associated with your podcast’s RSS feed. Check your inbox, click the verification link, and confirm podcast ownership.
Complete the Podcast Information
Fill in the remaining details, including your podcast category, language, and country. This information will help Spotify categorize and recommend your podcast to the right audience.
Submit Your Podcast
After completing the required fields, click “Submit.” Spotify will then review your podcast—it can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days for approval.
Once approved, your podcast will be available for listeners on Spotify.
Best Practices for Your Spotify Podcast
Optimize Your Podcast
Getting your podcast onto Spotify is just the first step. To maximize your reach and grow your audience, you need to optimize your podcast.
1. Write a Compelling Podcast Description
Your podcast description is one of the first things your potential listeners will see. It should clearly convey what your podcast is about and why they should listen.
Use keywords relevant to your podcast’s niche to improve searchability on Spotify.
2. Optimize Episode Titles
Make sure your episode titles are catchy and informative. They should give your potential listeners an idea of the content and entice them to click. Avoid vague titles, and instead, use descriptive keywords that align with your target audience’s interests.
You can also use our AI-powered episode title generator for quick suggestions. Its customization options let you input specific themes or keywords to give you personalized results.
On the other hand, our podcast name generator also delivers the perfect name for your podcast. It lets you input keywords, select specific genres or categories, and generate relevant ideas instantly.
3. Promote Your Podcast
Don’t rely solely on Spotify’s algorithms to grow your audience. Actively promote your podcast through social media and email newsletters.
Sharing behind-the-scenes content, teasers, or quotes from episodes can create buzz and attract more listeners. Also go for cross-promotion on different platforms and collaborate with other podcasters to boost its marketing.
4. Release Episodes Consistently
Consistency is key to building a loyal audience. Stick to a regular release schedule, whether that’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
Spotify’s algorithm tends to favor podcasts that release new content frequently, improving your chances of being recommended to users.
5. Engage with Your Audience
Spotify allows podcasters to interact with their listeners through polls, Q&A sessions, and comments. Engage with your audience by asking for feedback, encouraging reviews, and responding to listener questions.
Monitor Your Podcast’s Performance
Once your podcast is live on Spotify, it’s important to track its performance. Spotify for Podcasters provides detailed analytics to help you understand how your episodes are performing based on:
- Number of Listeners: How many people have tuned in to your podcast?
- Average Listen Duration: How long are they staying engaged with your content?
- Geographic Data: Where are your listeners located?
- Episode Performance: Which episodes are the most popular, and why?
Analyzing these metrics can help you refine your content strategy and identify areas for improvement.
Improve Your Podcast Over Time
Podcasting is an evolving medium, and there’s always room for improvement. Use listener feedback and performance data to continually enhance your podcast— whether it’s improving your episode structure, refining your audio quality, or experimenting with new formats.
As you refine your podcast, our audio editing and enhancing features can be a valuable asset in improving the quality. By streamlining the editing process, we let you focus on content creation while fine-tuning your podcast.
Monetize Your Podcast
Turn your passion into profits by monetizing your podcast on Spotify. It helps you build revenue streams through sponsorships, listener support, or paid content.
There are multiple ways to go about it:
- Podcast Sponsorships: Brands pay you to mention their product or service during your episodes. The more listeners you have, the more valuable your podcast becomes to potential sponsors.
- Listener Donations: Use Spotify’s “Listener Support” feature to accept donations directly from fans who appreciate your content.
- Monetizing via Ads: Spotify Ad Studio lets you run targeted ads in your episodes. Spotify also offers Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI) that places ads tailored to specific listeners, improving the profitability of your podcast ads.
Take the Next Step with Cleanvoice AI
Uploading a podcast to Spotify is a straightforward process, but maximizing its potential requires effort, strategy, and consistency. Remember to invest in quality content, engage with your listeners, and leverage tools like Cleanvoice AI to produce high-quality podcasts.
Try out Cleanvoice AI today to polish your podcast and stand out on Spotify!
