Why should you get listed on Apple Podcasts and iTunes?
Apple still dominates the podcast listening space. Though there are many third-party apps, and Google and Spotify are beginning to gain momentum, Apple still accounts for as much as 80% of the podcast listening market.
Apple Podcasts Connect also has opened up analytics for podcast listener behavior as of late 2017. The data is available now to anyone who uploads shows to its Podcast platform, in more than 150 countries worldwide. This means that on top of the analytics you should be getting from your hosting provider (like those that come free with your Shortwave subscription), you get additional details about users specifically listening on Apple software (iOS11+ and iTunes 12.7+).
Finally, the majority of third-party podcatchers (Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Podcast Republic, iCatcher, to name a few), get their feeds from the Apple Podcasts and iTunes library That means that as soon as you are listed here, you are listed in those apps as well.
How do you list your podcast on Apple Podcasts and iTunes?
- You’ll first need an iTunes connect account. If you already have an Apple ID, this will work. Otherwise, navigate to the Podcast Connect Dashboard and make an account.
- Once you’re logged in, you should be at an empty list of podcast feeds here. On that page, you should see a text input for an RSS feed URL. You will input the RSS feed of your podcast here. This feed will be in different places, depending upon your hosting provider. If you use Shortwave for hosting, you can follow this guide to locate and copy your RSS feed: What is my podcast’s RSS feed.
- Once you add your feed, you should see a button labeled “Validate”, click it to run an initial validation on your RSS feed.
- If iTunes finds errors with your feed, they should come up here. Remedy those errors, and try validating again.
- When you have successfully validated your podcast’s RSS feed, click “Submit” next to the “Validate” button.
- Your podcast is now submitted for approval by Apple. This may take a few days, but a member of the Apple Podcasts support team will contact you when your podcast has been approved for listing in iTunes and the Apple Podcasts app.