Easy Podcast Publishing to YouTube Music

Podcast publishing to YouTube illustrated with phone screen shots

In an industry first, Libsyn has successfully integrated with YouTube’s newly announced Podcast API features, as announced by YouTube at The Podcast Show in London. This integration allows podcast publishing to YouTube Music, enhancing Libsyn’s previous integration with YouTube. It provides Libsyn customers with exclusive access to several capabilities directly from their Libsyn account, including streamlined publishing of audio podcasts to YouTube Music, podcast playlist creation, and playlist artwork updates. Creators can now engage with their audience on this powerful discovery platform with more features than ever before.

Key features of this integration include:
  • Automatic designation of any playlist as a Podcast Playlist
  • Publishing to YouTube Music
  • Automatic conversion of audio files to video (MP4)
  • Automatic publishing of video files to a designated Podcast Playlist
  • YouTube podcast playlist artwork updates from within Libsyn
  • Access to YouTube stats through the Libsyn Advanced Stats Plan

This first-ever YouTube podcasts API integration significantly simplifies the process of growing a YouTube audience for Libsyn audio podcasters. If you already have a publishing workflow for YouTube outside of Libsyn, you can continue to use it, but the Libsyn integration may streamline some aspects of your workflow — a fantastic, free way to expand your reach and marketing.

If you think the YouTube platform doesn’t apply to your audio-only podcast because you doubt anyone would watch a video with a still image or if you believe your audience doesn’t use YouTube, think again. This integration is about reaching new listeners and being present where your current audience engages with video content.

Last year, a survey on YouTube and podcasting found that “in 2021, YouTube was the third most accessed destination for podcasts. In 2022, it tied Spotify as the platform used most among weekly podcast listeners. Now, across two studies in 2023, YouTube has pulled away from the pack and leads as the most used podcast platform in the U.S.” Forbes Magazine, 2024

The fact that people consume a lot of free content on YouTube is attributed to this growth, so adding podcasts to the platform is a natural extension of their existing habits.

screenshot of YouTube Music
The Official Libsyn Podcast on YouTube Music

How to Set up the YouTube Integration

This new integration ensures automatic alignment between show artwork updates in Libsyn and your playlist thumbnail on YouTube. Before you complete the integration process, consider what kind of podcaster you are and if you are already using Libsyn to publish to YouTube. This will help to ensure you make the best use of the available features.

Libsyn Audio-only Podcasters

The Libsyn integration allows you to publish your audio content automatically as video to YouTube Music by converting your audio files to MP4 video files. Your original audio remains unchanged and is distributed to audio-only platforms, while a video version is created only for YouTube podcast listeners. You can customize the artwork for each podcast episode, creating a unique image that will be displayed throughout the episode. If you don’t provide custom episode artwork, the video content will default to your show artwork. Your podcast playlist artwork on YouTube will also update to match the podcast artwork you have uploaded to Libsyn.

Libsyn Video-only Podcasters

If you’re already experienced with video podcasting and are currently publishing and hosting your video podcast episodes on Libsyn but have yet to share them on YouTube, you can use this integration. Libsyn will publish your videos on YouTube just as they would on other channels and maintain the format and quality of your original video file.

Audio Podcasters with a Separate Video Podcast

Creators who host an audio podcast on Libsyn and also publish a video version directly through the YouTube platform for your YouTube audience only, you can continue to maintain that workflow. If you would like your video-only version available everywhere video podcasts are available, you can create a new podcast on Libsyn and use the new integration. Libsyn will also distribute your new video podcast to YouTube and other video-compatible podcast platforms. Yes, Libsyn supports video podcast hosting and distribution.

Gif of YouTube Libsyn
Accessing the YouTube Social Destination on Libsyn from Settings

Completing The Libsyn Integration

These instructions are for anyone who is not currently using Libsyn to publish to YouTube but is a current Libsyn customer. They apply to both video and audio podcasters. If you already have a YouTube channel and playlist set up, you can skip to step #3 below. If you already have the Libsyn YouTube integration set up, skip ahead and see how to apply the new integration features.

Complete the following three steps:
  1. Create or Select a YouTube Channel that you have verified.
  2. In YouTube Studio, create a New Playlist and enter the title and description of your podcast. 
    1. You do not need to select New Podcast. The Libsyn integration will populate your new playlist with your show artwork, keep it updated, and convert it to a Podcast Playlist when you complete the configuration within Libsyn. If you update your show artwork in Libsyn, it will update the Podcast Playlist thumbnail automatically! 
  3. Follow Libsyn’s instructions for publishing your podcast on YouTube to complete the integration.
How to Apply the Enhanced Integration to Your Current Libsyn Integration

If you are already using Libsyn to publish to YouTube and want to ensure your podcast has the enhanced features available in the integration, please review the YouTube Social Destination in Libsyn. Please complete the new configuration options, verify your YouTube channel, and save the destination to implement the new connection. Once complete, your playlist artwork will update to match the artwork for your podcast provided in Libsyn. If you are making changes on YouTube after publishing from Libsyn, you can also continue to do so with this integration. Support for completing the latest settings in Libsyn can be found in our YouTube support article. 

wine and crime podcast screenshot from youtube music
The Wine & Crime Podcast on YouTube Music

YouTube Podcast Playlist Examples

Every creator takes a different approach to content creation. Some use the same show artwork for every episode, while others opt for unique artwork per episode. Additionally, some creators record full video-only podcasts. Libsyn can accommodate all of these options and does not require you to select a specific format for publishing through the integration.

Below are some examples of Podcast Playlists to consider. Not all are using the Libsyn integration, but Libsyn can support the combinations of original audio + artwork or a video-only approach to podcasting. Libsyn’s Official Podcast, The Feed, is a great example of an audio-only podcast with unique episode-level artwork. 

Cover art for Newsworthy feature podcast host Erica Mandy in a white dress with long brown hair
The Newsworthy This audio-only podcast uses their show artwork as the persistent image in the video footage for each episode. Podcast Playlist
The Osbournes The Osbournes create video episodes of the recording of their podcast, a popular video podcast concept. Podcast Playlist
Wine & Crime podcast cover art
Wine & Crime Podcast These creators allow their show artwork to become their episode artwork with a few episode exceptions. Podcast Playlist
The Feed cover art with the Libsyn logo in teal, black, and white with sound waves
Libsyn's Official Podcast, The Feed The Feed uses unique episode artwork to help translate the topic of each episode to the listener. Podcast Playlist

We are Here to Help Your Audience Grow

Libsyn has a long-standing history of ensuring that creators have an easy path to the most popular podcast apps and discovery platforms. This integration echoes our solid commitment to helping podcasters find new listeners and illustrates the YouTube team’s dedication to podcasters. If you have any questions about the integration, please consider joining one of our upcoming YouTube Lives, reading our help articles, or contacting our support team.

YouTube Podcast Integration Features FAQ
Do I need to create a New Podcast on YouTube?

Any Playlist or Podcast Playlist available on your YouTube channel is designated as a Podcast Playlist through the Libsyn integration, so you do not need to create a new podcast; a new playlist will also work. The Libsyn integration offers a drop-down menu of your current YouTube playlists. It lets you select the one you would like Libsyn to designate as your podcast playlist, including existing podcast playlists. Once complete, it automatically includes that playlist on YouTube Music along with your show artwork! 

How do I update my YouTube Podcasts Playlist artwork?

Show artwork changes in Libsyn will automatically update on YouTube. If you rebrand your podcast show artwork in Libsyn, your Podcast Playlist artwork on YouTube will also update automatically—like magic! 

How does my audio podcast get on YouTube Music?

This integration automatically converts your audio files to MP4 files and designates any existing playlist as a podcast playlist, making your podcast available on YouTube Music. 

Can I see my YouTube stats in Libsyn?

This integration will transfer the number of views your videos receive from your podcast audience on YouTube to the Libsyn stats if you have the Advanced Stats plan. If you want more detailed YouTube statistics for your podcast videos, log in to YouTube.

Will my episode descriptions and episode artwork be published on YouTube?

If you create unique episode artwork and descriptions, both will be published on YouTube with each episode. If you are an audio podcaster, your episode artwork will be the visual that displays on-screen while your video plays. If you publish a video, your original content will display on YouTube just as if you had published it using YouTube. 

 

Descriptions will also be published on YouTube, but the API does not currently import hyperlinks and some other formatting, so you may need to go to YouTube and add naked links in order to have clickable links in your YouTube description. Other formatting may not be supported, so if you have particularly long episode descriptions, blog-like content, and complex formatting, you may want to adjust it within YouTube.

Can I publish to multiple YouTube playlists per episode?

At this time, one default playlist is available. All episodes published after the integration settings are complete will only go to the playlist you select from the drop-down in Libsyn. If you want them to appear in multiple playlists, you can edit them on YouTube. 

What about my older podcast episodes?

This integration is designed to publish new episodes, not to back-publish all the episodes on your RSS feed. It won’t automatically upload all the episodes from your back catalog to YouTube. This is a current limitation of the API, which means bulk ingestion of old episodes isn’t possible. This limitation might improve in the future, but for now, you can focus on new episodes. 

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