I recently wrapped up a podcast launch. As I reflect on the project, I thought sharing some common things you might face when launching your next podcast might be helpful. So, I give to you:

Podcasting Launch Insights and Wisdom

Your podcast episodes are ready, you have your RSS feed set up, you are about to submit your show to podcast apps (like Apple and Spotify) and shout to the world, “My Podcast is live!!”

What you need to know: In some cases, newly submitted podcasts can take 3-4 days to appear in various podcast listening apps once submitted. As we head into December, it's also common for the approval process to take even longer due to the holidays.

Additionally, sometimes, there can be an issue with your submission that you’ll need to address before your show is accepted or approved. For example, if your podcast cover art does not meet Apple and other app specifications, you may need to fix it before getting the greenlight.

My advice: Submit your podcast to all of the apps at least one week before you wish to promote and officially launch your show. This way, you give yourself some breathing room to ensure all the apps have accepted your show and that all systems are go before you start sharing it with others.

During that one-week timeframe, you may start to see your show appearing on Apple, Spotify, and others - use this time to share it with close friends and associates, asking them to subscribe (or follow) and leave a review, if they desire. It's also a perfect time to ask for some early feedback from those you trust (Important note: Try to not allow feedback derail your launch. The great thing about podcasting is that you will most definitely improve as a podcaster if you keep at it - so keep at it).

What you need to know: While you may hear people say reviews matter and help increase the likelihood of getting into Apple's New and Noteworthy - it's not always the case. Apple doesn't specifically share its algorithm for adding to new/noteworthy, by the way.

My advice: Subscribers/followers and the number of listens certainly will rate higher than some random person leaving a review for the show. So, in your call to action prompts for your show - encourage subscribers first, shares second, and invite people to leave reviews last. Yes, reviews are still an excellent buy-in for those who want to see what others think before checking it out.

What you need to know: When submitting your podcast to an app for the first time, you'll need to have at least one episode published and live.

My advice: Create an introductory episode or a trailer for your podcast. This audio track is a great option to roll out during the podcast submission process. his allows you to share a little bit about what your podcast will be about and have your first episode done while still working on the rest of your launch tasks.

What other launch or podcasting questions do you have? I'd love to answer them in a future newsletter. Simply hit reply and ask away!

Oh, and one final piece of wisdom: I know it 's easy to get wrapped up in how many listens your new show gets. Don’t overwhelm yourself with that right out of the gate. My philosophy has always been this: If you’ve reached one person, you’re making an impact. You can only go up from there.

**If you want to launch a new podcast and work with me, please reach out. I only take on two launch clients each quarter to ensure they get my full attention.