Do you want to start a podcast?
Wondering how to get it to show up for FREE on iTunes?
Look no further, because in this comprehensive article, I’m going to share with you exactly how to do that in a few simple steps.
If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to get your show listed in the iTunes marketplace easily and without any headaches.
I’ll also give you a glimpse of how podcasting can open up a world of possibilities. You can go from being a nobody to having fans around the world, a growing source of passive income, and even secure lucrative speaking gigs!
The video above walks you through each of these steps. You can easily follow along (and leave comments if you have any questions).
For a more comprehensive tutorial, I recommend joining my FREE podcasting course which shows you how to start, grow, and monetize a show.
I’m going to go through each of these steps in this article as to how to set up a show, submit your podcast to iTunes, and start sharing your voice with the world.
Step 1: Get Podcast Hosting
You need a 3rd party website or “host” to house all of the mp3 files that will make up your show. These are the literal individual shows that listeners will tune into.
In my other article, I covered some of the website hosts that are out there in the podcasting industry. Some of these are better than others for beginners.
If you don’t have a podcast hosting provider, then you’d need to house all of the individual mp3 files on your OWN website and also create an RSS feed for the show that iTunes can access.
Simply put, you need a podcast host because:
The podcast host will generate an RSS feed that iTunes needs to publish your show
Personally, I use Libsyn to host my podcast, and I also used it to start a new show. I’ve found Lisbyn to be reliable and easy to use.
The great thing about Libsyn and other podcast hosts is that they will automatically generate an RSS feed for your show that you’ll need to submit the podcast to iTunes.
You can also syndicate your show to many other locations like Spotify, Stitcher, and other podcast-listening apps out there.
You’ll be using this RSS feed link in the next step when you want to put the show on iTunes. I should also explain that the RSS feed is simply a bunch of code that a marketplace like iTunes can use to access your show.
It’s a bunch of gobbledygook that only computers will understand.
Basically, iTunes doesn’t want to host the podcast itself. They aren’t in the business of podcast storage. They just want to provide shows to their listeners on the podcast app.
Now that you have signed up for podcast hosting, you’ll want to next submit the podcast to iTunes. I’ll cover this step below.
Step 2: Submit Podcast RSS to iTunes
Before you submit your podcast RSS to iTunes, you’re going to need a thumbnail (or artwork) that is 1600 x 1600 and stands out to your listeners.
I’d recommend putting in the keywords that you want to rank for in iTunes (or check out some similar shows) and get a feel for what their headline looks. Then, try to improve upon that design. Try to make yours stand out amid the competition.
I used Fiverr to get my latest show artwork made. It cost me $7 and came out great. This is very inexpensive solution for getting your artwork made.
You can also create artwork yourself using a tool like Canva or photoshop.
I had an idea in mind when I looked into Fiverr, so I knew what I wanted.
Fiverr is also a great source for getting other elements of your podcast, like your show intro, music, or other assets.
One of the cool things going on right now is that Fiverr will give you 20% off your first purchase.
I don’t know how long that new promotion will last, but it’s a killer bargain on an already affordable option.
As a reminder, you will have to add your artwork to your show in whatever podcast host you chose to go with. If you’re using Libsyn, you’d have to edit the podcast settings and add the show thumbnail.
Once you have the 1600 x 1600 artwork for your show, you can then add the podcast to iTunes!
You have to start your show by going to Podcasts Connect.
Once you’re there, you can then see your existing shows or add a new one. When you add a new one, the first thing that Podcasts Connect will ask you to do is to provide the RSS feed.
When you punch that in, you’ll then be able to enter all of the relevant information for that podcast, and submit it! It may take a few days for the team to verify it, but you’ll eventually get an email notification when it goes live.
After it goes live, you should see all of the information that you’ve specified with your podcast host show up on iTunes, including the show episodes, thumbnail, description, and title.
It’s really that easy!
So… what’s the hard part?
Haha… well… getting listeners, sounding good, and makin’ money from the show.
But, don’t worry. I’ll show ya how to do that in future content. Or, you can speed up the process by grabbing a copy of my book OR joining my free course on podcasting.
Step 3: Launch a Website for Your Show
It’s not enough that you only have a podcast host and a show that pops up in iTunes. You also need a website for the show.
Simply put… if you wanna make money, you are gonna need a website for the show.
Thankfully, your podcast host makes it pretty easy to embed episodes on your website. They will likely give you a simple embed code that you can use to embed an episode on a blog post.
I think that your best bet is to start a blog that goes hand-in-hand with your podcast. I know that might seem like a lot, but you can just use this blog to share episodes. It will serve as a home base for you content.
I have a great step-by-step guide showing you how to start a blog/website here. You can get it up and running in a few simple steps.
If you don’t want to follow that guide, then basically, you’re going to need a hosting provider that will allow you to host a WordPress website.
The best website hosting provider that I know out there is Bluehost due to its affordable options.
When you got the hosting, the artwork, and the website, your show should be up and running!
The next step is to promote it, monetize it, and start to build a following.
There are incredibly effective ways to improve your voice, sound more confident, and come off as a real podcast host.
I put together a free course that goes through all of this (and much more).
I hope you enjoyed this article!
