Create a Podcast on Spotify in 7-Simple Steps
Creating a podcast on Spotify is a straightforward process that involves several essential steps. This guide will walk you through the process and help you understand what’s required to get your podcast listed on Spotify. Let’s get started with these seven steps, complete with screenshots to assist you along the way:
Step 1: Ensure Your Podcast Meets Spotify’s Requirements
Before you begin, ensuring your podcast aligns with Spotify’s requirements is crucial. Use our checklist to confirm that your podcast meets these criteria:
- Your MP3 files should be in ISO/IEC 11172–3 MPEG-1 Part 3 (MP3) audio format with bitrates ranging from 96 to 320 kbps.
- Cover art must have a square ratio (1:1) and be in PNG, JPEG, or TIFF formats at the highest resolution possible.
- Your podcast’s RSS feed should contain a title, cover art image, and relevant details for at least one episode.
- Episode titles and consumer-facing fields must not exceed 20 characters to prevent truncation within Spotify’s platform.
- Special characters in podcast titles and descriptions must be HTML-coded. For example, “News & Politics” should be written as “News & Politics.” (Note that Spotify does not support other HTML tags like <bold>; they will be removed from your descriptions before publication.)
- The maximum episode length should not exceed 200MB (approximately 83 minutes at 320Kbps or over 200 minutes at 128Kbps).
Step 2: Create a Spotify Account
You’ll need to create a Spotify account if you don’t already have one. Visit Spotify for Podcasters and log in to your account.
Step 3: Agree to the Terms & Conditions
Once you are logged in, you will start setting up your podcast’s listing. Click the “Get Started” button to take you to Spotify’s Terms & Conditions page. Read the terms, provide your full name, and agree to them. Then, click “Continue.”
Step 4: Enter Your RSS Feed Link
Next, provide Spotify with your podcast’s RSS feed link. Retrieve this link from your podcast hosting service and enter it on Spotify. Make sure to enter it correctly to avoid error messages.
Not sure what an RSS feed is? It’s a URL used by websites and podcast platforms to distribute updated information. Podcast directories monitor this feed for new content, so you don’t have to update each platform when creating a new episode manually. A podcast RSS feed contains additional information, such as a title, description, artwork, category, language, and explicit rating, making it different from an RSS feed used by a standard website.
Step 5: Verify Ownership of Your Podcast
Spotify will send an eight-digit verification code to the email address associated with your RSS feed. Retrieve this code from your inbox and enter it on Spotify within an hour. If you miss the window, you can request another unique 8-digit code. After verification, click “Next.”
Step 6: Provide Details About Your Podcast
Next, enter some key details about your podcast, including the country where it’s produced, its primary language, your podcast hosting provider’s name, and the primary category of your podcast.
After selecting a primary category, you can choose three sub-categories. Additionally, Spotify allows you to select two more overall categories, each with its own sub-categories. If your podcast covers a wide range of topics, consider adding additional category fields to enhance discoverability. Once you’ve completed each field, click “Next.”
Step 7: Review and Submit Your Podcast
Your final step is to carefully review all the information you have provided. Once you click “Submit,” you won’t be able to make changes. When you’re confident that everything is accurate, click “Submit.” Spotify will receive your podcast, and it typically takes a few hours for their team to review the information and make your podcast listing live on the platform. Your podcast will soon be accessible to Spotify users. Enjoy your podcasting journey on Spotify!”
