These are the elements and steps we will need to have in order to set up the podcast show and release the first episode.
There are 3 stages to the process. Please read thorugh the 3 stages first so you have a general idea of the whole process. Then you can move onto stage 1.
The times indicated are estimates. The process could take a shorter or longer time period according to how fast we advance thorugh the steps.
Stage 1: Basic assets (around 4 business days)
- Show description: It’s a summary or pitch of around 150 words that will tell people how they’ll benefit from the show, and who the host is. This will be displayed in the description field of iTunes and all the other podcast platforms.
- Podcast cover art. This is the graphic that will represent your show on different sites. The image size must be 3000*3000 pixels and it also needs to be easily readable in thumbnail size.
- Music. It helps your show’s branding and identity. The music will be played in each episode’s intro and outro, as well as a transition between the sections.
- Free sources: Pixabay (Licensed as Public Domain – No attribution required).
- Paid sources: Premiumbeat.com
- Voiceover for the show’s Intro and outro. This recording will usually go with a music bed. The intro should tell tell your listeners what the show is about and how they’ll benefit from it. The outro should include calls to action such as subscribing to the show, registering to a mailing list, etc.
Stage 2: Setup assets (around 5 business days)
- Submit 2 raw episodes (ideally 4) for editing. In order to send the show to iTunes, Spotify, and others, the platforms require that the show has at least 1 piece of content published so they can do a manual review. We’ll need to fully process 2 episodes before submitting the show to the platforms.
- A podcast hosting plan. This is where the audio will be uploaded and hosted. It will also generate necessary tools such as the show’s RSS feed. There are numerous companies providing this service. We particularly use and like Podbean (affiliate link) because of its balance between price and features. Another recommended option is Libsyn.
- Midrolls (optional). These are short recordings (around 30 to 60 seconds) that can include a Call to Action to a service or product, etc. They can also be third party sponsorships.
Stage 3: Launch assets (around 5 business days)
- You need to have an active account on iTunes and Spotify Podcasters (it’s 100% free)
- 2 (ideally 4) approved and finalized episodes with their corresponding descriptions and shownotes
- Book a 20-minute call with the team for carrying out the submission process. Once submitted, iTunes and the other platforms will take around 5 business days to review and approve/reject the show.