What do you need?
Before you start, make sure you have:
- An Apple Account with two-factor authentication and a valid payment method.
- A podcast with its details completed, cover artwork and at least one published episode. This can be a trailer.
- Your RSS feed URL.
Submitting your free podcast to Apple Podcasts costs nothing. You do not need a paid Apple Podcasters Program membership. That program is for offering paid subscriptions.
Add a payment method
If your Apple Account does not have a valid payment method, sign in at account.apple.com to add one.
You can also do this on an iPhone:
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Select Payment & Shipping. Sign in if prompted.
- Select Add Payment Method.
- Enter your payment details and check your billing address.
- Select Done.
For more information, see Apple Support: add a payment method.
Accept Apple's terms
Sign in at podcasts.apple.com. If Apple asks you to accept the Apple Media Services terms and conditions, accept them before continuing with your submission.
How do you submit your podcast?
1. Copy your RSS feed URL
Open your podcast in FERRY.FM | Podcast Hosting. Go to Podcast settings > Distribution > Podcast apps and copy your RSS feed URL. Keep it handy.
2. Sign in to Apple Podcasts Connect
Go to Apple Podcasts Connect and sign in with your Apple Account.
If this is your first time using Apple Podcasts Connect, give your account a name, choose whether you represent yourself or an organization, and accept the terms.
3. Add your podcast
Under Podcasts, open the add menu and select New Show.
Select Add a show with an RSS feed. This lets Apple retrieve your podcast and episodes from your RSS feed. You will continue managing and publishing everything through your podcast hosting provider.
Select Next. Paste your RSS feed URL into the field and select Add.
4. Check your podcast details
Apple reads the information in your RSS feed. Check that the correct podcast has loaded and that its details are accurate.
Under Content Rights, indicate whether your podcast contains third-party material and whether you have the necessary rights to use it. Provide the requested contact details too.
Select Save. If your podcast details are not fully visible yet, wait a little, then refresh the page to check whether Apple has processed the feed.
Set the publishing frequency when that setting becomes available. Choose the frequency that best reflects your schedule, so listeners know roughly when to expect a new episode.
5. Set availability
Open Availability and check these settings:
- Countries or Regions: choose where your podcast should be available.
- Distribution: choose whether other podcast apps may discover your RSS feed through Apple's catalog.
- Show Release: choose whether your podcast should become available immediately after approval or on a specific date and time.
6. Set transcripts and chapters
Open the Settings tab.
Under Transcripts, select Display auto-generated transcripts if I don't provide any.
Under Chapters, select Display automatically created chapters if they aren't provided.
These options allow Apple to use the transcripts and chapters supplied through your RSS feed and generate them when none are provided.
If you have your episodes automatically transcribed through FERRY.FM | Podcast Hosting, those transcripts are supplied through your RSS feed. Automatic transcription is included in every plan.
7. Submit your podcast
Select Save, then Publish.
If Apple reports a problem with your RSS feed, read the message and resolve the issue before selecting Publish again.
Your podcast has now been submitted. Apple reviews it before making it available. You will receive updates by email and can follow its status in Apple Podcasts Connect. Once approved, you will receive a confirmation with a link to your podcast.
How do you add Apple Podcasts to your landing page?
Copy your podcast's public Apple Podcasts URL. You can find it in Apple Podcasts Connect or in Apple's confirmation email. Use the link listeners can open to access your podcast, rather than the address of your management page.
Then open your podcast in FERRY.FM | Podcast Hosting:
- Go to Podcast settings > Distribution > Podcast apps.
- Paste the URL into the Apple Podcasts field.
- Save your changes.
Visitors can now open your podcast in Apple Podcasts from your landing page.