How Do Podcasts Work on Spotify?

Discover the Podcast Secrets on Spotify

By Tom Seest

How Do Podcasts Work on Spotify?

At PodcastBig, we help new podcasters develop strategies to create content, traffic, and revenue from podcasts based on our experiences and experimentation.

Spotify is a music streaming service that lets you listen to songs and podcasts on any of your devices – be they computers, phones, or tablets. Furthermore, it enables users to create playlists of songs to share with other users.
Spotify provides access to many podcasts free of charge; however, some require a subscription in order to listen.

How Do Podcasts Work on Spotify?

Looking to discover new podcasts on Spotify?

Spotify is a major podcast host with the largest user base worldwide and takes pride in supporting new episodes to find listeners. That is why they have an active podcast directory as well as features that enable creators to promote their work such as daily playlists or directories for creators to showcase their podcast content. However, before uploading it onto Spotify, it is crucial that you first create the show in its original format.
Start by setting up your podcast with one of the hosting services offered by Alitu, Gimlet Media or Anchor (all three were recently acquired by Spotify in 2019), then drag and drop audio files directly into it using an audio converter to convert them to the MP3 file format compatible with Spotify podcasting.
Once you are ready to submit your podcast, simply log onto Spotify for Podcasters page and select “Submit podcast.” On this page, you will be asked for various details regarding it such as its title, description, cover art and episode details as well as your RSS feed link which contains this data.
After entering this information, Spotify will verify you as the owner by sending a unique code to the email address associated with your podcast hosting account. Next, select one or more main categories and subcategories that best describe your podcast – this will determine its appearance in search results.
Once you’ve reviewed and submitted all the required information, press “submit.” Your podcast should appear on Spotify within several hours; to monitor its submission progress log into your Spotify for Podcasters dashboard and go to Catalog (for non-hosted users) or Analytics (for hosted users). After uploading, it can be played directly from your dashboard, or you can use the little devices icon on it to beam it directly onto another piece of hardware running an appropriate version of the Spotify app.

Looking to discover new podcasts on Spotify?

What Makes Spotify Podcasts Stand Out?

Spotify’s mission to democratize audio includes podcast creation tools that make it possible for anyone to produce a show. Their all-in-one platform provides recording, editing, publishing, and distribution – all it requires is an internet connection and the podcast creator app!
On your mobile app, you can also stream an entire episode. The podcast page features an image of each episode cover and a play button to initiate listening. Select from normal, 1x, or double speed playback and create playlists of episodes or shows that match specific searches; alternatively, you can access recent episodes by tapping the cog icon, marking them played or unplayed with one tap of the cog icon!
Subscribers of podcasts will have it appear in their library and be notified as new episodes become available. Mobile users can view new episodes in Your Library or Podcasts & Shows sections; alternatively they can visit their profiles and select “Subscribe” to ensure updates in other areas as well.
Spotify does not host audio files directly; rather, it uses a podcast hosting provider to store the content and distribute it through RSS links – these links can then be submitted to other directories if you wish to publish your podcast. In order to utilize this service you will typically need to find an affordable host provider with these capabilities and pay a subscription fee each month for their subscription plan.
One major disadvantage of using Spotify as your podcast host is that episodes won’t automatically distribute to other directories – which may result in reduced listenership for your show.
One factor at play here is iTunes and YouTube not allowing Spotify subscribers to subscribe directly within their apps, presumably as an effort by these directories to avoid having to pay Apple a cut of every sale made within them. However, this may soon change: Spotify recently announced a partnership with Anchor to allow subscribers to pay for premium content directly within their apps.

What Makes Spotify Podcasts Stand Out?

Why Should You Listen to Podcasts on Spotify?

If you enjoy podcasts, Spotify provides an ideal platform to stream and download episodes. Plus, the app comes equipped with extra features that make listening even simpler: playlist management tools; control of playback volume settings and volume adjustment – plus many others!
To start listening to a podcast on Spotify, visit the search bar and type in its name. When you find something interesting, simply click on its name; once your episode list pops up, simply scroll through until you find what you want!
Just click the Play button next to a podcast episode to start listening, and continue with subsequent or previous episodes as needed. Each episode displays its length and the date it was uploaded; tapping an episode allows you to view its summary, including details about what has happened in it, as well as links directly to its website host.
After listening to a podcast episode, you can share it by clicking the Share button. This will open a window with a unique Spotify QR-like code; your recipient must scan this code using Spotify app in order to access it.
As a podcast creator, Spotify provides you with the means to reach millions of listeners with your podcasts and track listener metrics for potential advertisers – all for free! It is the ideal solution for podcasters.
Your podcast files require storage and streaming platforms in order to be available to listeners, with popular examples including Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Blubrry and Podbean among many. Selecting one will depend on both budget and storage needs – or free services like Alitu that provide recording, editing and publishing tools!

Why Should You Listen to Podcasts on Spotify?

What Makes Podcast Sharing on Spotify Unique?

Podcasts are an ideal way to reach a wider audience with your message or brand, whether that be increasing sales, attracting new customers or just creating an entertaining and unique connection between yourself and your listeners. There are multiple methods you can take when sharing a podcast; whatever works for you can be easily implemented into the process.
Spotify is one of the world’s most popular podcast-consuming platforms, boasting millions of users and billions of minutes played by users worldwide. Offering users access to both popular and obscure podcast content – wherever they may be located – Spotify also allows them to download episodes for offline listening as well as follow shows they find interesting.
As a podcast creator, it is crucial that you know how to share your podcast on Spotify. There are various methods available; which method you select depends on the nature of your podcast (for instance if it is business related you could share via promo video).
To listen to a podcast on Spotify, open the app and select Search. Type the name of the show you would like to hear before hitting Enter; the results page will then display all available podcasts; from here, either click any individual title for playback, or scroll down and hit See All to browse them all.
Once you’ve discovered a podcast you want to listen to, just click on any episode and it will stream automatically. When finished listening, simply click the Share button which gives a link back to it so you can share it on social media or websites.
As a podcast creator, the best way to distribute your show on Spotify is with a podcast distributor like Libsyn, Podbean, Blubrry or Buzzsprout. In order to do this, first create an account with one of these distributors before filling out their necessary information and submitting your podcast for approval – once approved it should appear within about 10 minutes on Spotify and other listening directories.

What Makes Podcast Sharing on Spotify Unique?

Please share this post with your friends, family, or business associates who are new to podcasting or just starting a podcast.