PUBLISHING YOUR PODCAST
Intro
Understand the basics of podcast publishing.
Getting your podcast published on Apple Podcasts and other platforms can seem daunting at first. What is an RSS feed? What is Libsyn? What am I doing?!
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The first thing to understand is that you don't actually upload anything directly to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or other platforms. Instead, you upload to a "hosting site" and this site then pushes your podcast to the various platforms for you.
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There are many different hosting sites available but the one I recommend is Libsyn.
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What makes Libsyn better than other hosting sites?
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Discounted Pricing - I am partnered with Libsyn, so all Be Heard podcasters get access to special offers and discounts;
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Premium Support - I have used Libsyn for many years so I can help if you get stuck. I also have direct access to Libsyn's support team if needed;
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Ease of Use - Libsyn is very intuitive and user friendly compared to other platforms;
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Reliable - As Libsyn is one of the biggest players in podcast hosting it is dependable and reacts quickly to any industry changes.
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Let's get your hosting site set up.
Set up your Libsyn
1. Sign up
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Click here to sign up for a Libsyn account. You'll be prompted for your email address and to create a password.
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2. Choose your Libsyn plan
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On the next page you will be asked for some basic account information and also to pick your payment plan. The price varies depending on how much audio you want to upload per month. If you're unsure, don't worry it's very easy to change your plan at a later date if you need more / less storage.
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Make sure to use promo code "BEHEARD" to get two months free!
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3. Customise your account
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On the next page you will be asked if you want to configure a new podcast or import an existing one. Assuming you don't already have a podcast, you'll want to configure a new one.
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Libsyn will then guide you through the process of adding the relevant information for your show. Podcast title, description, artwork etc.
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If you have any questions about what you should be inputting into any of these fields then don't hesitate to contact me.
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4. Your account is set up!
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Great job, the first step is complete. If you ever need to change any of your show settings you can do so by clicking the "Settings" cog in the bottom left corner of your screen.
Uploading to Libsyn
Let's get your first episode uploaded!
Before you can proceed any further you will need to have at least one episode (or trailer) ready to upload. If you don't have any episodes to upload yet then come back here when you are ready.
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1. Start a new upload
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From the Libsyn homepage, click "New Episode" in the top right hand corner of your screen.
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2. Input the episode information
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You will then be prompted to upload the audio file and add the relevant information about the episode. Libsyn have some guidance on this here, if you have any questions about what to include feel free to ask me.
Once you are done, click publish and your episode is uploaded to Libsyn! Now we will cover how to get the podcast to other platforms.
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Submit to Apple Podcasts
The platform that started it all. Let's get you on it.
​To submit to Apple Podcasts you need to have at least one episode published in Libsyn. If you haven't published an episode yet, come back here later.
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1. Sign into Podcasts Connect​
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2. Add your show
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On the next page you'll be prompted to add your show. On doing so you will be asked if you have an RSS feed. Select the option which says you have an RSS feed.
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You will then be prompted to insert your RSS feed. This can be found in Libsyn under the "Quick Links" section of the dashboard under "Feed". Alternatively it can be found via Settings > Destination > Apple Podcasts / Libsyn Classic Feed > Edit.
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If you have any trouble locating your RSS feed URL, please contact me with your Libsyn login details and I can help.
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After inserting your RSS feed into Apple Podcasts Connect, the site will then walk you through the steps to getting your podcast submitted and approved. Again, if you have any problems please don't hesitate to get in touch.
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3. Common Errors
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During the submission process it is very common for an error to come back saying that the podcast was declined for one of a number of reasons. The most common is that your artwork doesn't meet the required specs. If so it will outline what you need to do to fix this.
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If you come across an error that you're not sure how to fix then do get in touch.
4. Add other destinations
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You can submit to many other platforms, not just Apple Podcasts. A lot of these can be done directly within Libsyn. Just go to Libsyn Settings > Destinations to see your current destinations and options to add more.
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Moving forward
Managing your podcast for future episodes and beyond.
Congratulations on getting your podcast published! From here on you can use Libsyn to manage all aspects of your podcast. Such as adding new episodes, editing episode, changing your podcast settings etc.
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Any changes made within Libsyn will be reflected on the platforms you publish to.
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Now that you're launched, you might consider checking out my Launchpad for ideas on how to improve further.
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Happy podding!