Publishing a podcast to one app is not a distribution strategy. Listeners discover shows through podcast players, YouTube, search, recommendations, and niche communities. Your job is to make the show easy to find in the places your ideal listener already uses.
This guide covers 13 useful places to post or promote a podcast. You do not need to use all of them. Start with the major listening apps, choose one discovery channel you can maintain, and build from there.
Before you submit your podcast
Prepare these essentials first:
- A public RSS feed from your podcast host
- Square cover art that meets each platform's current requirements
- A clear show title, description, category, and author name
- At least one published episode and, ideally, a short trailer
- An email address you can use to verify ownership
Keep your metadata consistent. Small differences in the title or author field can create duplicate listings and make analytics harder to interpret.
1. Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts for Creators remains a core directory because many podcast apps use Apple's catalog and because it gives your show access to listeners across Apple devices.
Submit the RSS feed through Apple Podcasts Connect, verify ownership, and review the preview before publishing. Apple's current show-submission guide explains the validation and review process.
After launch, claim the show, check that new episodes arrive correctly, and monitor completion and follower data in Apple Podcasts analytics.
2. Spotify
Spotify for Creators can host a show or ingest an RSS feed from another host. It also provides audience analytics and supports video episodes for eligible creators.
If you host elsewhere, follow Spotify's current show-submission instructions. Do not upload a second copy of the same show if your host already distributes it to Spotify; claim the existing listing instead.
3. YouTube and YouTube Music
YouTube is both a listening destination and a discovery engine. In 2025, YouTube reported more than one billion monthly viewers of podcast content.
You can publish full video episodes, use a static or lightly animated visual for an audio show, or connect an RSS feed where YouTube's RSS delivery feature is available. Put full episodes into a playlist marked as a podcast, use descriptive titles and thumbnails, and link to your website and preferred listening apps.
Do not stop at full episodes. Publish one or two useful clips that answer a specific question or deliver a strong moment from the conversation.
4. Amazon Music and Audible
Amazon Music for Podcasters distributes eligible shows across Amazon Music and Audible. It is particularly useful if your audience already uses Alexa-enabled devices or Amazon's audio ecosystem.
Submit the RSS feed, claim the show, and confirm that the title, artwork, and episode order match your primary feed.
5. Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is a popular cross-platform podcast player. Its catalog is RSS-based, and most public shows are already discoverable. Search for your show first; if it is missing or stale, use the publisher submission tools linked from Pocket Casts support.
Treat this as a distribution listing, not a paid-growth channel. Accurate metadata and a reliable feed matter more than promotional copy.
6. Podcast Index
Podcast Index is an open podcast directory used by a growing number of independent apps and services. Adding or checking your feed there improves availability beyond the largest closed platforms.
Search the index for your show, then submit the RSS feed if it is absent. Make sure the feed remains publicly accessible and follows common podcast namespace standards.
7. Castbox
Castbox combines a podcast player with discovery and community features. Claiming your show lets you correct metadata and access creator tools where available.
As with any directory, search before submitting so you do not create a duplicate. Direct interested listeners to the canonical show rather than splitting engagement across copies.
8. TuneIn
TuneIn mixes radio, news, sports, music, and podcasts. It can be useful for shows whose audiences already listen to live audio or use smart speakers.
Availability and submission options change, so use TuneIn's current help center rather than relying on an old submission form.
9. iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio offers podcasts alongside its radio catalog. Before submitting, check whether your hosting provider already sends feeds to iHeart. If not, follow the current publisher route offered by iHeart or its distribution partners.
This is an additional listening destination, not a substitute for Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
10. Your podcast website
Your website is the only destination on this list that you control. Give every episode its own permanent page with:
- An embedded player
- A concise summary and key takeaways
- Guest names and relevant links
- A transcript or edited article when useful
- Subscribe links and one clear call to action
- Descriptive page titles, headings, and image alt text
An owned site gives search engines indexable context that an audio feed alone cannot provide. It also lets you collect email subscribers and keep a direct relationship with listeners. Podfan can help you create a podcast website without building one from scratch.
11. Reddit
Reddit works when you participate as a member, not when you drop links and leave. Join communities related to the subject of your show, read each community's self-promotion rules, and answer questions with genuine expertise.
Share an episode only when it directly helps the discussion. A written summary with one useful takeaway usually performs better than a bare link. Podcast-focused communities such as r/podcasting can also help with production questions, but niche communities are often better for reaching listeners.
12. LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X
Choose social networks based on audience fit, not habit:
- LinkedIn: B2B, careers, leadership, and professional education
- Instagram and TikTok: Visual stories, personalities, entertainment, and short clips
- Facebook: Existing groups, local communities, and older audience segments
- X: Live commentary, news, technology, and creator conversations
Use native posts rather than publishing the same link everywhere. Turn each episode into a quote, short video, carousel, question, or written insight. Then direct interested people to the full episode.
13. Email newsletters and partner audiences
Email is easy to overlook because it is not a public directory, but it is one of the most dependable ways to bring listeners back. Send a short note for each important release: lead with the problem the episode solves, include two or three takeaways, and add one listening button.
Guests, co-hosts, communities, and complementary newsletters can extend that reach. Give partners a small sharing kit with a suggested post, vertical clip, square image, and tracked link. Make it easy for them to share without dictating the exact wording.
A practical distribution order
If you are starting today, use this sequence:
- Publish a valid RSS feed and a website episode page.
- Submit or claim the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Music.
- Check Pocket Casts, Podcast Index, and other relevant directories.
- Pick one community or social channel where your audience is active.
- Build an email list from the first episode.
- Review analytics after four to six episodes and invest in the sources that produce engaged listeners.
Track more than clicks. Follows, episode starts, completion, email sign-ups, and repeat listeners tell you whether a channel is attracting the right audience.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate RSS feed for every podcast app?
No. In most cases, one public RSS feed can be submitted to multiple directories. Platform-exclusive video or paid content may require a separate workflow.
Should I publish everywhere at once?
Claim the major listening destinations early, but do not try to actively promote on every social network. Consistent participation in one relevant community is more useful than abandoned accounts on five platforms.
What replaced Google Podcasts?
Google announced the transition from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music for 2024. YouTube itself has also become a major podcast destination. Do not send new listeners to old Google Podcasts links.
How often should I check directory listings?
Review them after a rebrand, host migration, artwork change, or feed issue. Otherwise, a quarterly check is usually enough.