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How to Add Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts and Apple Podcasts Connect
How to Add Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts and Apple Podcasts Connect

Apple Podcasts is one of the leading podcasts apps - make sure your podcast is added with this step-by-step guide!

Danny Brown avatar
Written by Danny Brown
Updated over a week ago

Getting your podcast on Apple Podcasts is super simple with Captivate's submission process.

Additionally, if you want to see demographic data for your listeners, setting up on Apple's Podcasts Connect service is perfect for you.

In this guide, we'll show you how easy it is to submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts, as well as how to create an account on Apple Podcasts Connect.

Getting your podcast ready for submission to Apple Podcasts

Before submitting your show to Apple Podcasts from the Distribute section of your Captivate dashboard, you will need to ensure that you check the following:

  • The show artwork aligns with Apple's specifications.

  • You've chosen at least one category for your show.

  • You've published at least one episode.

  • Your show settings are updated.

  • Your Apple ID. This is the email account that you use for iTunes and the Apple App Store, etc. If you don't currently have one, you can quickly set one up here.

Using Captivate's One-Click Submission to Add Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts

In the Distribute section of your Captivate dashboard, click Start Submission for Apple Podcasts (you may want to copy your RSS feed from the top of the screen, in case you need it).

This will open up a new browser tab with the log-in screen for Apple Podcasts Connect.

Just enter your email and password for your Apple ID, and then click the little arrow to log in to your account.

Note: If you use two factor authentication for your account, you may need to enter your authorization code next before logging in.

Once logged in, you'll see the Podcast Connect Add an RSS Feed box, which is where you can add your show.

  1. Your Captivate RSS feed should already be in the box. If not, paste it into the Add an RSS Feed box

  2. Click Add

This will open up the main display screen for your show information. There are some steps you need to take to confirm details of your new show before submitting:

  • Availability of show (do you want it across all of Apple Podcasts)

  • Does it contain 3rd-party content

  • Contact information

Note: If there are any errors with your show on this screen, Apple will advise what they are and how to fix, so you can make any relevant changes.

If everything looks good, click Save and Apple will put the show into Draft mode while the approval process is managed (on your Captivate dashboard, under Distribution, it'll show Pending Approval so you know it's been submitted).

New shows can be approved fairly quickly, but need you to complete the process, so it's worth checking your Podcasts Connect account frequently.

Once your show has been approved, you'll see that it's still in Draft mode on Podcasts Connect. To publish on Apple Podcasts, follow these steps:

  • Add the frequency of your podcast's publishing schedule

  • Check all the information is correct

  • Click on Submit for Review to complete the submission

  • This will now change to Published

And that's it - your podcast is now live on Apple Podcasts!

All you need to do now is copy your show link and make sure you add it to your My Links section!

Using Captivate's Marketing Features to Promote Your Apple Podcasts Link

Make sure you copy this link and paste it into the My Links section in your Captivate dashboard, under the Promotion header.

This will then add the icons for these podcast apps onto your free Captivate Site if you use it, your Single Subscription Link that you can share to make it easy for people to listen to your podcast, and the Subscribe link on your Captivate web player.

And that's it!

Once your show is approved, you can access Podcasts Connect and check out the audience analytics Apple provides, which perfectly complement the awesome Captivate analytics for your podcast!

Using Your Podcasts Connect Features

As well as getting access to additional audience data on Apple's Podcasts Connect, you also get some cool features to help with your show. So, what do you get?

View Analytics. On top of the industry-leading podcast analytics that Captivate provides for all our users, Apple's Podcasts Connect can give you additional audience data and behaviour.

  • Overview: get details about Top Countries/Regions, Top Cities, Unique Listeners, Engaged Listeners, Plays, and Average Consumption

  • Trends: see how many listeners you have, plays, and time listened, either by episode, country or region, city, or engagement

  • Episode performance: including listeners, engaged listeners, plays, average consumption, top countries/regions, and top cities

  • Performance: how your episode has performed over different time ranges, as well as comparing to your top episode and average median listens

Coupled with your Captivate analytics data, this really helps you get down to super granular level about your podcast audience, episodes, and analytics.

Marketing Tools. When you're on your podcast's dashboard in Podcasts Connect, you'll see a link for Go To Marketing Tools in the footer. Clicking this opens up a suite of marketing tools, including:

  • a direct link to your podcast on Apple Podcasts, including a special short link

  • an embeddable playlist player

  • Listen on Apple Podcast badges for your website

  • An app icon for a mobile app, and a QR code to scan

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