How To Get Your Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Apple Podcasts and Spotify are currently the dominant listening apps. According to Libsyn, Apple accounts for more than 60% of podcast downloads.

Apple Podcasts is the built in podcast app on iOS and Mac OS. Once you are in its directory, it will help get your podcast get listed in other podcast apps such as, Overcast, Castro, Pocket Casts, Castbox, and hundreds more, since most podcast apps populate their databases by using the Apple Podcasts API.

Apple Podcast Submission Time

Libsyn recommends that you begin the submission process a full month before the date you want to launch your show.

  • Apple takes between 24 hours up to a week to approve your show.
  • Once approved, It can take another week before your show becomes fully searchable in the Apple Podcasts Directory.
  • Apps that are populating from the Apple Podcast Directory also need time to index the new show information.

It’s important to also consider that, if your show gets rejected by Apple for any reason, submitting a month ahead of your launch date gives you enough time to address issues and resubmit.

Preparing Your Podcast for Submission

There are some fundamental pieces of content and information that you need to have ready before you submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts.

  • Your podcast title
  • Your podcast description
  • Your podcast artworkconfigured to these specs
  • An audio file – it can be a 60 second podcast trailer or the first episode of your show

If you are missing any of the above, get them ready before you do anything else.

Configuring your RSS feed

Now that you have some pivotal content and information for your podcast you are ready to configure your RSS feed.

Libsyn makes it easy for you to do this, automatically configuring your RSS feed from the information that you add to your show settings in your account.

Make sure that you fill out all the information for your show as outlined here.

After you set up your show, make sure to publish a 60 second promo or your first episode to your feed.

You need to publish at least one audio file in order for your RSS feed to be ready to be submitted to Apple Podcasts.

Once you publish your audio file,  you are ready to submit to Apple Podcasts!

Submit Your Show Into Apple Podcasts Connect

For your podcast to appear in Apple Podcasts, you must submit it to Apple for approval via Apple Podcasts Connect.

To do this, you’ll need information from Libsyn, so it’s useful to have two windows open: one with your Apple Podcasts Connect account, and the other with your Libsyn account.

NOTE: Before you begin, make sure that you already have an Apple ID. If you don’t already have one, you need to create one. Go to to Apple’s Create Your Apple ID page.

You can find step by step instructions on how to submit your podcast into Apple Podcasts here.

Once your podcast is submitted, it goes to Apple for review. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, your podcast might be approved within 24 hours all the way up to a full week. Once it is accepted, you will get an email from Apple letting you know.

Your show’s directory listing might not be searchable right away. It can take a little time for Apple to index your information. Be patient and rest assured that your show is in Apple Podcasts on iOS and Mac OS.

From now on, when you publish a new episode from your Libsyn account (or wherever you host your podcast) it will appear in Apple Podcasts automatically.

Apple Podcasts Troubleshooting Tips

  • Before you submit your RSS feed to Apple Podcasts Connect,  double check that the podcast artwork meets the specs required by Apple.
  • As we mentioned in Good Podcast Names: Best Practices, Apple has rejected heavy-handed keyword stuffing since 2019. Don’t take that chance. Do not stuff keywords into your title or author field.
  • If you submitted your RSS feed and you haven’t heard from Apple Podcasts Connect in ten days, contact Apple Podcast support.

When you are listed in the Apple Podcasts directory, your show is exposed to a large global audience, with potential listeners in countries all over the world. This is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.