Spotify for Podcasters Beta: Why It's a Big Deal & How It Works

Three years ago, Spotify announced podcasts were going to be available for listening on their platform. It was considered a big deal, given the Spotify brand was known up until that point as a music-only club.

Unfortunately, for many, the news ended up falling flat.

While consumers would be able to find many enjoyable podcasts on Spotify, their selection would be limited to a cherry-picked list of programs from "top-tier" providers, as podcast submissions were not open to the public. 

That changed last week, when Spotify unveiled the beta of Spotify for Podcasters... 

"We want more people to have access to the tools they need to become great storytellers and have their voices heard, which is why we’re proud to introduce the beta of Spotify for Podcasters.

Through this new platform that we’re testing, podcast creators who are hosting their podcasts elsewhere will be able to make their show available to Spotify users by providing us with their podcast feed.

This will easily make them available to our audience of more than 180 million listeners around the world, and allow podcasters to see daily stats about who is listening and from where."

This is a big deal, considering Spotify is only second place (admittedly a distant second place) to Apple Podcasts as a podcast provider. So, here is what you need to know. 

How Does Spotify for Podcasters Beta Work?

Through this new beta program, podcasters publishers can submit their RSS feed to Spotify, so their show can be found on the Spotify platform.

Fellow IMPACTer Liz Murphy (host of Content Lab) took the beta of Spotify for Podcasters for a test drive earlier today, and said the whole process of submitting her show took less than five minutes.

Here's how it works... 

First, visit the Spotify for Podcasters website:

Next, you follow the prompts to submit your show:

Then, complete and confirm your podcast show's information:

Next, give yourself a high-five and enjoy the Spotify confetti:

Liz mentioned that within 30 minutes, her podcast was live on Spotify, although others may find it takes longer:

As an added bonus, podcasters will have access to analytics, including episode performance, daily stats on listener demographics, location, engagement, and much more.

Why Is This a Big Deal?

The answer to this is simple: You now have another way to forge a connection with your audience on an extremely popular media consumption platform! 

So, if you have a podcast, submit it today and then share with your audience that it's available on Spotify, as soon as it is approved and goes live on the platform.

Remember, however, that while being on the right platform is important, the key to having a successful podcast is providing helpful content and, most of all, being authentic. 

Some of my most favorite podcasts are off-the-cuff, with very little scripting and natural, barely noticeable editing. Instead, the true personality of the host (and their guests) is on display. 

That's what people what. They want you to create moments of real, human engagement. And, much like video, podcasts are another avenue to building those personal connections and establishing trust with your audience.

(Just remember to stick to a schedule and be consistent with your publication, so you are a reliable, go-to resource for your listeners.) 

So, if I were you, I would jump on board the Spotify for Podcasters train -- there are 180 million+ users waiting to hear your story.

Happy podcasting!