If you’re looking to upload your podcasts to iTunes or Apple Podcast, then you’re ready to make a big step as a creator. Uploading your podcast to iTunes provides you with a global audience that can easily listen to and download your podcast, providing you with a growing global fan base.
After you’ve recorded and created your podcast; including writing the XML, creating artwork, and posting the RSS feed online, it’s time to submit your podcast on iTunes for review and publication. Podcasts Connect by Apple is a great tool that will help you to test, validate, submit, and manage your podcast. In this post, we shared the 3 basic steps on how to submit a podcast to iTunes using Apples Podcast Connect.
1. Testing your podcasts RSS feed
It is very important to test your podcast before you submit it to Apple Podcasts. You should only submit your podcast after you successfully test it. Always ensure that the server where your podcast is hosted in exchange for an RSS feed uses a publicly addressable URL and supports byte-range requests which allow users to conveniently stream your podcast episodes.
To test your podcast, open iTunes, choose File > Subscribe to Podcast, enter your RSS feed URL in the text box, then click OK. If you can successfully download and play the episode, then your podcast is working and you can submit it to Apple Podcasts. You can also make use a third-party feed validation service such as Podba.se or Cast Feed Validator to diagnose problems with your feed.
Also Read: 6 Creative Ways To Promote Your Podcast In 2019.
2. Validate using Podcast Connect
After you create and successfully test your podcast, add your RSS feed to Podcasts Connect and validate your podcast before you submit it to Apple Podcasts. You must have an active Apple ID to submit podcasts to the iTunes Store Apple Podcasts directory. You may create a new Apple ID if you do not already have one Below steps will guide you on how to validate your podcast using iTunes Podcast Connect.
- Sign in to iTunes Podcasts Connect
- Click the iTunes Connect Add podcast button
at the top left of the iTunes Connect dashboard. - Enter your RSS feed into the provided text box and then click the “Validate” button.
- A Feed Preview will load if you do not have any validation errors. Please take a moment and review your podcast artwork, description, general information (e.g. description, categories, etc), and episodes. Please see the Validation Errors section if you have any problems validating your podcast feed.
You can also validate your podcast using a pass-through URL which helps Podcast Connect prepopulate the URL text box and validates your RSS feed. A pass-through URL is an RSS feed URL with “?submitfeed=” appended to the end. Below is a typical example of a valid pass-through URL for podcast connect.
Also Read: Free Online Podcast Name & Episode Title Generators.
3. Submit your podcast
After you successfully test and validate your podcast, use Podcasts Connect to submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts. If everything within the Feed Preview is correct after clicking the validate button, click the “Submit” button. Podcasts Connect then validates and submits your RSS feed.
After your RSS feed is successfully submitted, it’s submitted to Apple for a review and once it is finally reviewed by Apple the status becomes “Active” and it is listed on Apple Podcast. Apple sends you an email to confirm your podcast is under review. If approved, Apple sends you another confirmation email indicating your submission review is complete. Your confirmation email also includes the link to your active podcast.
The information Apple Podcasts displays about your podcast is based on your current RSS feed. Any changes you make to your RSS feed can take up to 24 hours to appear in Apple Podcasts.