Publishing a podcast isn’t particularly complicated, but the process may be different than you expect. You do not directly publish your podcast on podcast platforms (‘podcast directories’) such as Apple Podcasts, Google podcasts, or Spotify. You first need a hosting location to store your podcast. Once you have found a suitable hosting location, you can submit your podcast to the directories or make it available on a personal website using an ‘RSS-feed’.
It may be beneficial to use hosting services that specialize in podcasting (rather than a standard web host). These hosting services are specifically focused on the storage and distribution of podcasts and automatically generate an RSS feed when you upload an audio file and enter the details (metadata) of your podcast. Several hosting services also automatically submit the RSS feed to major podcast platforms.1 Often, they also offer additional services such a basic website for your podcast and analytics to analyse usage statistics (more on this later). There are a plethora of services available, and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is therefore smart to inform yourself about the options, also because there are typically costs involved.2
It’s smart to keep the target audience in mind when you decide which distribution channels you will use. If you want to make the podcast available to a wide audience, than you may want to considering distributing your podcast to as many directories as possible. Or at least make sure that your podcast can be found on the large and popular platforms. Alternatively, you can also use more specialized platforms, for example platforms that specifically focus on educational podcasts. If you are focusing on a very specific group then a more targeted means of distribution may perhaps be more fitting.
Other distribution channels
Depending on your goals, it may also be interesting to think about other distribution channels that may help to reach or increase your audience. For example, many podcast creators add a video to their podcast and publish their episodes on platforms like YouTube. Many people make a video out of static cover art or an image, but others show the entire recording in video. Of course, going for the latter may require extra resources (material, time, money). When thinking about distribution channels also think outside of the box, perhaps your podcast could be very interesting material for a training module or an (e-learning) course.
Experience
The “Resilience” podcast has been submitted to several major podcast platforms. The podcast can be found on Soundcloud, Apple Podcast, Spotify and Google Podcast. The creators wanted to make the podcast easily accessible to the primary target group, while at the same time appealing to a broader audience. For similar reasons, the recordings were also filmed and placed on YouTube.
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