How to Submit Show to Apple Podcasts (iTunes)

Podcast is an audio Shows available in our Smartphone via the Internet . Its a Audio entertainment anywhere, anytime, about anything.There are plenty of Apps available to broadcast audio shows. In that few of the popular apps are Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify etc. Each Shows are run by individuals related to a particular topic. Listeners can subscribe any show and listen any time. Also a particular show can be any length from 1 Min to hours and new shows will publish with the convenience of the Host running that particular show. The podcasts are a great way to reach a wide audience.

Each Show available will be having a Podcast metadata ( A Simple html page) and describes details about Show name, author name, description and category. This will be useful for new listeners for getting details about the show.

What is Apple Podcasts?

Apple Podcasts is one of the most popular podcast directory for podcast discovery and listening with over one million shows across a broad variety of categories and subcategories. Like the name Apple podcasts is available on Apple devices like iPhone, iPad etc.

What is Podcasts Connect?

Podcasts Connect is the web portal where anyone can submit their Podcast shows through RSS feed to get their show available in Apple Podcasts. Podcasts Connect also allows us to manage and monitor our shows, gain insight into how users are listening to them, download reports, and more.

Now lets see how to Submit our Show to Apple Podcasts (iTunes) for reaching the broad range of listeners in Apple Podcasts

A few recommendations before submitting to Apple Podcasts (iTunes)

We already have a live Podcast show available through a Podcast hosting providers, like Buzzsprout, Anchor etc.
In our show settings Set our Podcast title, description, category and logo as per the recommendation.
Make sure at least one episode published. If a show trailer is available that will be great.
Get your podcast RSS feed from the Hosting Provider and make sure the RSS feed contains the email address of yours. Podcast Hosting providers will have such options.

Lets see how we can get RSS feed from few of famous Podcast Hosting Providers.

From anchor.fm

Log into the Anchor FM web portal through Computer
Click ‘Settings’ at the top right of your Anchor dashboard
Select ‘Distribution’
Locate ‘Your RSS Feed’ to see our Anchor RSS feed

From BuzzSprout

From BuzzSprout dashboard >> Go to the “Directories” >> “RSS Feed” tab.

From Podbean

Go to “Podcast Dashboard” >> “Settings” >> “Feed” in our Podbean dashboard. At the top you will see “View RSS feed”. Once click, we will get our feed URL on new tab.

Create Apple ID

Browse the url https://appleid.apple.com/

Click On “Create Your Apple ID”

Fill the account creation form
Click on Continue

The email address we gave is your Apple ID. Make sure you gave same Email address that included in your RSS feed.

A verification Code will send to our Mobile Number gave and the email address. Input those codes and Continue.

This will complete the Account creation steps.

Submit Podcast Show Using Podcasts Connect

If we already have the AppleID, with same email address in the RSS feed, you don’t have to follow above steps.

Click On “Podcasts connect”

We will see the message like below. So we need to create iTunes Store account.

“Podcasts Connect requires an iTunes Store account.”

An iTunes Store account is an Apple ID that was used to sign in and make purchases in the iTunes Store, App Store, Apple Books, or Apple Music.

For creating iTunes Store account. Follow below steps.

How to Create iTunes Store Account

We can do that using any of below mentioned methods.

Simply Sign in to the iTunes Store on from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, or Apple TV.
If you have Windows PC, Download and install iTunes for Windows from Windows store.
If you don’t have an Apple device And Windows Store options, Use your Android Mobile Phone.

Here, we are describing the steps we need to follow in An Android Device.

Go to the “Google Play Sore ” from your Android Phone and Install the “Apple Music” App.
Open the Apple Music App and Click On “Sign in”
Enter our Apple ID and Password.
We will get the message as “This Apple ID has not yet been used in the iTunes Store”
Tap Review to sign in, then review your Account information
So click on Review button
Agree to Terms and Conditions and Click Next.
Fill the billing information form and Click on Next
We will get a message as “Apple ID completed”
Click the Done button

Resubmit the Podcast Show Using iTunes Podcasts Connect

Go back to our iTunes url and refresh the page https://itunesconnect.apple.com/login
We will have the option to enter the RSS feed url.
Paste RSS Feed URL
Validate RSS Feed & Submit using using Buttons available. Fix any errors shows on Validate before Submit.

This Concludes Submission of our Podcast Show to Apple Podcasts Directory. Wait for Apple Approval Email from Apple end. Normally it will take up to 2 weeks. The Approval email we get normally contains a unique Apple Podcasts subscribe URL of our show.

We can also make our Show Unique link using below Apple url. We can use our Show link for Creating Banners and Share it in Social media Platforms.

https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/en-gb

Now suppose we get the message as “Can’t submit your feed. Your feed was previously submitted”. This will normally happens if your Podcast Hosting Provider already submitted your Show into Apple Podcast Directory. In such cases, you can request Apple to transfer the Ownership of Our Podcast Show in to your Apple ID. Then only you can analyse your Show Performance through iTunes Podcast dashboard. So Lets see how it can be done.

Transfer the Ownership of Our Podcast Show in to your Apple ID

Contact Apple Support team using either of below method.

Using the contact us link https://itunespartner.apple.com/contact/?content_type=podcasts

Email them directly to podcastsupport@apple.com from your Apple ID email address.

Fill up the form and make sure you added below details.

Apple Podcasts link, which you can get from the Apple unique Podcast link generator.
The podcast RSS feed URL
Your contact details

Submit the form and we will get the message as. Thank you for contacting us. We try to respond to all inquiries within one business day.
Now wait for email from Apple Support team. With in few days, We will get an email as Insert a six-digit authorisation code provided in the email in to our RSS Feed or Metadata tags. Most Podcast hosting providers will have such option in their dashboard. If you are not able to see it, contact the Podcast Hosting Provider.
After that email back the Apple support team and authorise them for changing management in Podcasts Connect and access to Podcast Analytics to your Apple ID account.
With in 1-2 days, you will get another email as We have transferred the ownership of your podcast to your Apple ID.
This concludes the ownership transfer process for Apple Podcast.

After that if we go the Podcast section from iTunes portal,we can see our Show is visible.