Publish Your Podcast on Spotify: The Shortest Path to Success in 7 Steps.

As a podcast publisher, creating great content is only half of the equation. Real success comes from delivering that content everywhere potential listeners are. Today, one of the top places is Spotify, which has gone from being a music streaming giant to becoming one of the biggest players in the podcast world. According to Edison Research's reports, a large portion of monthly podcast listeners now consume their episodes through Spotify. This means listing your show on this platform is no longer an option, but a strategic necessity to reach new audiences.

However, the question "how do I submit my podcast to Spotify?" can seem daunting, especially for beginners. What is an RSS feed? What technical requirements do I need to meet? How long does the process take? This comprehensive guide is prepared to eliminate all these questions. We'll not only list the steps but also explain "why" each step is important, supporting it with screenshots to make the process as simple and understandable as possible. With the up-to-date 2025 requirements, if you're ready to bring your podcast to millions of potential listeners, let's begin.

Before You Start: Spotify Preparation Checklist

Before diving into the Spotify submission process, taking a step back and making sure your podcast meets the platform's basic requirements will prevent any potential rejections or errors you may experience later. This is like the final checks an aircraft does before takeoff and is vital for a smooth submission process.

• Do You Have a Live Episode?: Spotify does not accept an empty RSS feed. Before submitting to the directory, you need to have at least one (preferably an introduction episode or first episode) published and publicly available episode.
• Is Your Podcast Information Complete?: Your RSS feed must contain the basic information needed for the listener and Spotify to understand your show. These are; podcast title, description, cover image, at least one category, and language information.
• Does Your Cover Image Meet Standards?: Your cover image is your podcast's showcase. It should be in 1:1 (square) ratio, at the highest possible resolution (at least 1400x1400 pixels, preferably 3000x3000 pixels), and in PNG or JPEG format.

If you have completed these basic preparations, we can now move on to the official submission process.

Step-by-Step Process for Submitting a Podcast to Spotify (With Screenshots)

Most podcast directories follow a similar process that involves submitting your RSS feed and waiting for approval. Spotify is no exception. Here's how to submit your podcast to Spotify in 7 simple steps:

Step 1: Verify Spotify Podcast Submission Requirements

Spotify expects submitted podcasts to meet certain technical standards. This is to ensure that all shows on the platform offer a consistent and high-quality listening experience. Before submitting, make sure your podcast and audio files meet the following critical requirements:

1. Audio Format and Quality: Your audio files must be in ISO/IEC 11172-3 MPEG-1 Part 3 (MP3) format. The bit rate should be between 96 kbps and 320 kbps. (Generally, 128 kbps or 192 kbps offers a good balance between quality and file size.)
2. Cover Image: As we mentioned above, it should be in 1:1 square ratio and high resolution (PNG or JPEG).
3. RSS Feed Content: Your feed must contain at least one live episode and details such as title and description belonging to that episode.
4. Character Limits: To prevent texts from being cut off with "..." in the Spotify app, take care that your episode titles and other short text fields don't exceed 20 characters. (This is more of a best practice recommendation than a strict rule.)
5. Special Characters: If there are special characters such as "&", "<", ">" in your podcast titles or descriptions, they need to be written with their HTML coded counterparts (for example, & for "&"). However, remember that Spotify does not support style tags such as or and removes them from the text.
6. Maximum Episode Length: The size of a single episode file should not exceed 200 MB. This corresponds to approximately 200 minutes of duration at 128 kbps, which is more than enough for most podcasts.

Step 2: Create or Sign In to a "Spotify for Podcasters" Account

The center of the operation is the "Spotify for Podcasters" platform. Visit this platform's website and sign in with your existing Spotify account. If you don't have an account, you'll need to quickly create a new account before continuing the process. This can be the same as your personal listening account.

Step 3: Read and Accept the Terms and Conditions

After signing in, you'll be greeted by a starting screen. By clicking the "Get Started" button, you'll be directed to Spotify's Terms and Conditions page set for publishers. It's important to carefully read this text to understand the platform's rules and content policies. After reading, enter your full name, check the box, and click the "Continue" button.

Step 4: Enter Your RSS Feed Link

Here's the most critical step. On this screen, you'll be asked to enter your RSS feed link, which is the unique identity of your podcast. You need to obtain this link from the service hosting your podcast (Castos, Libsyn, Buzzsprout, etc.). It's usually located in your podcast's "Distribution" or "Settings" section. Copy the link and paste it into the relevant field on Spotify, then click the "Next" button. Spotify will check the link you entered and show your podcast's title, description, and cover image on the right side of the feed. If you receive an error message, make sure you copied the link correctly.

What is an RSS Feed? Briefly, it's a URL that contains all the information about your podcast (episodes, descriptions, cover image, etc.). Directories like Spotify regularly check this feed and when you publish a new episode, they automatically detect it and display it on their platforms. This way, you don't have to update all platforms one by one for each new episode.

Step 5: Verify That You Are the Owner of the Podcast

Spotify applies a verification step to ensure that no one can submit someone else's podcast in their name. It sends a unique 8-digit verification code to the email address associated with the RSS feed you entered (this is usually the email address you used when registering with the podcast hosting service). Check your email, copy this code, and paste it into the verification field on Spotify. You usually have an hour to complete this process. If you miss the time, you can request a new code. After entering the code, click the "Next" button.

Step 6: Specify the Details of Your Podcast

After verification is successful, Spotify will ask you for some additional information about your podcast. This information helps your show reach the right audience:

• Country Where the Podcast is Produced: Choose the main geography of your content.
• Primary Language: Specify the language of your podcast.
• Hosting Provider: Choose your own podcast hosting service from the list.
• Primary Category: Choose the main category that best describes your show (for example, "Comedy", "Business", "News").

After choosing the primary category, you have the option to choose up to three subcategories to make your show more specific. You can also add two more general categories and their subcategories. If your show covers more than one topic, filling in these additional categories will help Spotify's algorithm recommend you to more relevant listeners. After filling in all fields, click the "Next" button.

Step 7: Review and Submit!

You've reached the last step! On this screen, a summary of all the information you've entered so far is displayed. Carefully check the title, description, categories, and all other details, because editing this initial information after pressing the "Submit" button is usually difficult. Once you're sure everything is correct, click the "Submit" button.

Congratulations! You have officially submitted your podcast to Spotify. From this point on, it usually takes a few hours for the Spotify team to review and approve your submission. Once approved, your podcast will be published on the platform and you'll be able to start tracking your listener statistics from your "Spotify for Podcasters" dashboard.

Bonus for Castos Users: Submit to Spotify in 3 Clicks

If you're using a modern podcast hosting service like Castos, this process is much simpler. Castos's "Integrations" section allows you to submit to Spotify with one click. All you need to do is log in to your Castos panel, select Spotify from the "Integrations" menu, and click the "Submit to Spotify" button. Castos handles the entire technical process for you in the background and automatically submits your podcast to Spotify. This is an incredibly convenient feature.

Conclusion: A Strategic Step, Expanding Horizons

Submitting your podcast to Spotify is one of the most important steps that multiplies your show's growth potential. By following the steps in this guide, you can complete this technical process smoothly and without errors. Remember, just as creating great content is the key to success, so is bringing that content to the audience on the right platforms. Now, turn on your microphone and prepare to make your voice heard by millions.