The buying journey
A clip, guest spot or recommendation, then a sample of one episode on the listener's preferred app, a follow or subscribe, then habit. For niche and B2B shows, people often search a topic or guest name and land on an episode page.
CreatorsPodcasts playbook
Most new listeners come from another show, a clip or a search. Not from the app's charts.
Outpost covers the part that lives on your website: episode pages that keep getting found and how AI assistants answer topic questions.
01 · DISCOVERY
How customers find you
Listeners find new shows through recommendations, guest appearances on shows they already like, clips on YouTube and short-form video, and search inside apps and on Google. YouTube is now the service US weekly podcast listeners use most often, so a video or YouTube presence matters even for audio-first shows. Directory listings mostly make the show available; they rarely drive discovery on their own.
What podcasters aim for
- Be correctly listed on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the open directories
- Grow through guest swaps with shows in the same niche
- Turn each episode into clips and a searchable page
- Convert one-time listeners into followers
02 · CHANNELS
Channels, ranked by what matters most
Ranked 5 (essential) to 1 (optional) by the research for this industry.
YouTube (video or RSS upload)
EssentialYouTube is the service US weekly podcast listeners use most often. Video episodes, or audio shows uploaded through YouTube's RSS ingestion, put the show where many listeners already are.
Guest swaps and feed drops
EssentialAppearing on shows with a similar audience is the most direct way to reach people who already listen to podcasts like yours.
Apple Podcasts and Spotify listings
HighA clean RSS feed, clear show title, artwork and episode descriptions make sure the show appears and displays correctly across apps.
Clips on short-form video
MediumA strong short moment on Shorts, TikTok or Reels introduces the hosts to new people.
Episode pages and show notes
MediumPages with a summary, guest name, timestamps and a transcript can rank for topic and guest searches long after release.
Podcast industry and community spaces
SupportingPodchaser, Podnews and r/podcasting help with credits, news and peer advice.
03 · YOUR FIRST MONTH
A 30-day campaign that costs $0
A sample month. Your own plan is built from your audit, stage and goal, and paid options only ever appear as optional boosts.
Week 1 · days 1–7
Feed and listings
- Validate the RSS feed against Apple's requirements: unique enclosures and GUIDs that never change
- Claim the show on Apple Podcasts Connect and Spotify for Creators
- Submit the feed to Podcast Index and Amazon Music for Podcasters
- Set up a YouTube channel or YouTube RSS ingestion, checking its rules on ads
Week 2 · days 8–14
Episode pages
- Create a page per episode with a summary, guest name, timestamps and transcript
- Update show and episode descriptions to say clearly who the show is for
- Claim the show and guest credits on Podchaser
Week 3 · days 15–21
Guest swaps
- List 20 shows with a similar audience and size
- Pitch a guest swap or feed drop with a specific episode idea
- Book the first two swaps
Week 4 · days 22–30
Clips and review
- Cut three clips per episode for Shorts, TikTok and Reels
- Post clips with the show name and where to listen
- Review downloads, YouTube views and follows by source
04 · WHERE TO BE LISTED
Directories, stores and communities
Costs are as published by each destination when the research was reviewed; check before you pay for anything.
- 7 destinations
- 6 free to start
- 0 in Outpost’s registry
podcastsconnect.apple.com
Submit and manage the show on Apple Podcasts; feeds must meet Apple's RSS requirements.
creators.spotify.com
Distribute audio and video episodes on Spotify and see analytics, whoever hosts the show.
support.google.com
Upload an audio-first show to YouTube from its RSS feed; available in select countries.
podcasters.amazon.com
Puts the show on Amazon Music.
- Podcast IndexFree
podcastindex.org
Open podcast directory used by many independent podcast apps.
- PodchaserFree
podchaser.com
Podcast database with credits for hosts and guests; useful for guest discovery.
Free profile; paid tools
- PodMatchPaid
podmatch.com
Matches hosts and guests for bookings.
Paid plans with a money-back guarantee
05 · SEARCH DEMAND
Keyword themes worth owning
Primary search
podcast marketing
480searches a month
DataForSEO Google Ads, US/en, Oct 2026: 'podcast marketing' 480/mo. Related: 'how to promote a podcast' 260/mo, 'how to grow a podcast' 70/mo.
- how to promote a podcast
- how to grow a podcast
- podcast on youtube
- podcast guest swap
- podcast seo
Topic podcasts
CommercialComparing: show why you
- [topic] podcast
- best podcasts about [topic]
- podcasts like [famous show]
Guest and episode searches
NavigationalLooking for a place: be listed there
- [guest name] podcast interview
- [guest name] [topic] episode
- [show] episode [number]
Questions answered in episodes
InformationalLearning: answer with guides
- how to [topic question]
- [topic] explained
- [topic] for beginners
Podcaster growth
InformationalLearning: answer with guides
- how to grow a podcast
- how to get on podcasts as a guest
- podcast on youtube
06 · AVOID
Common mistakes
Changing episode GUIDs
Apple requires a GUID that never changes for each episode. Changing hosts or regenerating feeds carelessly can create duplicates or lost episodes in apps.
Ignoring YouTube
YouTube is the service US weekly podcast listeners use most often. An audio-only plan leaves out a large share of potential listeners.
Uploading ad-filled audio through YouTube's RSS feature
YouTube's RSS ingestion says content can't contain ads, and sponsorships must be disclosed. Check this before connecting a feed with dynamic ads.
Expecting directories to bring listeners
Being listed makes the show available; growth comes from guest spots, clips, search and recommendations.
Guesting on shows with the wrong audience
A big show with a different audience brings fewer followers than a smaller show in your exact niche.
07 · WHAT OUTPOST DOES
How Outpost helps
Audits your show's website for titles, descriptions, canonical URLs and sitemap coverage, and lists the fixes
Writes episode articles that rank for topic and guest searches over months
Connects Search Console and reports which episode pages earn impressions and clicks
Tracks whether AI assistants recommend your show for topic queries
Outpost doesn't submit to podcast directories or book guests; it covers your site, articles and AI answers
Every action Outpost takes gets a receipt: the live URL, a timestamp and what it drove, or “nothing yet”.See how receipts work
08 · QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify?
Host the show with a provider that gives you an RSS feed, then submit it through Apple Podcasts Connect and Spotify for Creators. Apple requires a valid RSS 2.0 feed, at least one episode, artwork and a stable GUID per episode.
Should an audio podcast be on YouTube?
Usually yes. YouTube is the service US weekly podcast listeners use most often. You can publish video, or upload an audio-first show through YouTube's RSS ingestion where it's available.
Do guest swaps actually work?
They are one of the most direct ways to reach people who already listen to shows like yours. Fit matters more than size: pick shows with the same audience.
Does podcast SEO exist?
Yes, in two places: search inside apps, which relies on clear titles and descriptions, and Google, where episode pages with transcripts can rank for topics and guest names. Avoid stuffing keywords into the show title.
How long does it take to grow a podcast?
Most shows grow slowly and steadily over months. Guest swaps and clips add listeners episode by episode; search traffic to episode pages compounds over time.
Does Outpost work for podcasts today?
Outpost's campaigns are built for SaaS, apps and games. For a podcast, it covers your website, articles and AI answers today; it doesn't manage podcast directories or guest bookings. This page lays out the playbook so you can run the rest yourself.
10 · EVIDENCE
Research sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these sources.
- Edison Research / SSRS: The Infinite Dial 2025ssrs.com
YouTube is the service used most often to listen to podcasts, at 33% of US weekly podcast listeners
- Apple Podcasts for Creators: Podcast requirementspodcasters.apple.com
RSS 2.0, publicly accessible feed, at least one episode, unique enclosures, GUIDs that never change
- YouTube Help: Upload podcasts via RSSsupport.google.com
RSS ingestion for audio-first podcasts in select countries; content can't contain ads; sponsorships must be disclosed
- Spotify for Creatorscreators.spotify.com
Distribution, video podcasts and analytics wherever the show is hosted
- PodMatchpodmatch.com
Host and guest matching platform with paid plans and a money-back guarantee
Last reviewed . Search volume: DataForSEO Google Ads, US/en, Oct 2026: 'podcast marketing' 480/mo. Related: 'how to promote a podcast' 260/mo, 'how to grow a podcast' 70/mo.
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