Getting your show onto Spotify is a straightforward process. All it takes is a reliable podcast host, a properly configured RSS feed, and a quick submission through Spotify for Podcasters. But don't let the simple steps fool you—this single action unlocks one of the largest and most engaged listener bases in the world. For any B2B podcaster, it's not just a good idea; it's an essential move for growth.
Why Spotify Is a B2B Podcasting Powerhouse
Before we get into the nuts and bolts, let's talk about why this is such a critical move. Listing your show on Spotify is more than just checking a box on your launch list. It's a strategic play to connect with a high-value professional audience that's already there, headphones on, ready to listen. For B2B brands, Spotify isn't just another directory—it's a serious channel for building authority and driving real business results.
Unlocking a Massive, Engaged Audience
The sheer scale of Spotify is hard to ignore. As of 2025, the platform is home to nearly 7 million podcasts and commands a staggering 37% of the global podcast audience. That puts it ahead of heavy hitters like Apple Podcasts and even YouTube. When you submit your show through Spotify for Podcasters, their user-friendly portal, you’re plugging directly into that massive pool of listeners.
This reach is especially powerful when your content is niche, as most B2B podcasts are. Your ideal clients, partners, and future hires are already on Spotify. They're listening during their commute, at the gym, or while winding down. By showing up in their feed, you meet them exactly where they are, turning your podcast into a natural and effective way for them to discover and connect with your brand.
Building Brand Authority and Gaining Insights
Being on Spotify lends your podcast instant credibility. It sends a clear signal that your brand is a serious player in the audio space, which is foundational for building thought leadership. It's a huge reason why so many companies are now seeing podcasting as a growth engine for their entire business.
But it's not just about visibility. Spotify gives you incredibly valuable audience analytics. We're talking about insights that go way beyond simple download counts—think listener demographics, engagement patterns, and drop-off points. This is the kind of data that helps you sharpen your content strategy and actually prove the ROI of your podcasting efforts.
When you boil it down, skipping Spotify means willingly leaving a huge, relevant, and data-rich audience on the table. For any serious B2B show, that’s a risk you can’t afford to take.
Getting Your Podcast Ready for Submission
Before you even think about hitting 'submit' on Spotify, there's some essential groundwork to cover. Think of this as your pre-flight check. Getting these pieces right from the start means you'll avoid rejection and make a killer first impression when new listeners discover your show.
It all boils down to two things: your audio and a reliable home for it.
Your Foundation: Audio and a Podcast Host
You can't just upload your MP3 files directly to Spotify. It doesn't work that way. Instead, Spotify needs a way to pull your episodes from a central location, and that's where a dedicated podcast host comes in.
This service is the hub for your show. It stores all your media files and, most critically, generates the RSS feed that directories like Spotify use to find and distribute your podcast. A solid host like Fame Host ensures your files are delivered quickly and reliably every time someone hits play—a small detail that makes a huge difference in the listener's experience.
Your raw audio is the heart of your show. While you don't need a million-dollar studio, clean, well-mixed audio is non-negotiable if you want people to stick around. For a deeper dive into the gear, our guide on the best podcasting setup will get you sorted.
Once you upload an episode to your host, it automatically updates your RSS feed. This little piece of code is the universal standard for getting your podcast out into the world. After your feed is ready, you'll submit it through Spotify for Podcasters, a free service that will check everything and get you into their massive catalog. For more context on where the industry is heading, these podcast statistics are worth a look.
Nailing Your RSS Feed Metadata
Your RSS feed is much more than just a link; it's your podcast's digital business card. It holds all the crucial information—the metadata—that listeners see on Spotify. Getting this right from day one is critical for discovery and attracting your target audience.
Here's what you need to lock in:
- Show Title: Make it memorable and crystal clear about what you offer.
- Show Description: This is your elevator pitch. Hook potential listeners and sprinkle in relevant keywords for your B2B niche so the right people can find you.
- Cover Art: This is your visual handshake. It has to be high-quality and meet Spotify's specific size and resolution requirements. Don't skimp here.
- Category: Choose the most relevant category and sub-category. This is how you show up when people are browsing for new shows.
If your B2B podcast starts as a video or you want to make it more accessible, transcribing your episodes is a great move. Using YouTube to text transcription services can be a huge time-saver for creating show notes or full transcripts.
To make sure you've got all your bases covered, here’s a quick checklist of everything Spotify looks for. Run through this before you submit to avoid any last-minute headaches.
Spotify Podcast Submission Checklist
Once you can check off every item on this list, you're officially ready to move on and get your show submitted. The prep work is done, and now for the exciting part.
Getting Your Podcast Onto Spotify
Alright, you've got your RSS feed polished and ready to go. Now for the final leap: getting your show onto Spotify itself. This all happens through the Spotify for Podcasters platform, which is basically the front door for getting your content in front of their massive audience.
First things first, you'll need to head over to their site and sign up for an account. A quick pro-tip: use an email address you actually check. Spotify will be sending some important stuff your way, including a verification code you can't proceed without.
This whole process is the final step in a longer journey, connecting your recorded audio and your podcast host to the listener's ears.
This just hammers home the point that a smooth submission depends on getting the earlier steps right—quality audio and a reliable host are the foundation.
The Submission and Verification Dance
Once you're logged into your new account, Spotify makes it pretty obvious what to do next. You'll see an option to add your show, and this is where you’ll paste that RSS feed link from your podcast host.
Spotify’s system will immediately get to work, pulling in all the metadata you've already set up—your show title, description, cover art, the works.
Next up is the most critical part of the whole thing: verification.
To prove you're the actual owner of the podcast, Spotify will fire off an 8-digit code to the email address listed in your RSS feed. You have to grab that code from your inbox and plug it into the submission form.
This isn't optional. It’s a security checkpoint to make sure no one else can claim your show. If that email doesn't show up in a few minutes, circle back to your hosting platform. Double-check that the email address in your settings is correct and make sure the message didn't get lost in your spam folder.
After you've successfully verified your show, there are just a few more details to iron out. You'll need to select your podcast’s primary language and choose up to three categories.
For a B2B show, don't just settle for "Business." Get specific. Think "Marketing," "Management," or "Tech News" to zero in on the right listeners. Nailing your categories is a huge deal, as this is how many top podcast platforms help new audiences discover you.
Give everything one last look-over and hit ‘Submit’.
The review is usually pretty quick—sometimes just a couple of hours. That said, it can take up to five days, so don't panic if it's not instant. They don't send a "you're live!" notification, so your best bet is to just search for your show in the Spotify app every so often. Once it pops up, congratulations—you're officially on Spotify.
Even when you've double-checked everything, hitting a snag during the Spotify submission process is more common than you'd think. It happens to the best of us. The good news is that most of these "uh oh" moments are simple fixes once you know where to look.
Nine times out of ten, the culprit is an invalid RSS feed. This error can pop up for a handful of reasons, from a missing email address in your settings to trying to submit before you've even published an episode. Before you start pulling your hair out, the first thing you should do is run your feed through an RSS validator tool. It'll give you a specific diagnosis and point you in the right direction.
Diving Into RSS Feed and Artwork Fixes
Think of an error message from Spotify not as a dead end, but as a signpost. It’s telling you exactly which part of your setup needs another look.
Here are the most common things that trip people up with their RSS feed:
- Missing Email: Spotify needs to see a public email address in your feed to confirm you're the real owner of the show. Make sure it's included and verified in your podcast host's settings.
- No Published Episode: Your RSS feed is basically an empty shell until you upload your first episode. You have to have at least one episode live before you can submit it to any directory.
- Weird Formatting: Your podcast host usually handles all the technical XML stuff, but sometimes strange characters or broken tags can sneak in. A good validator will spot these for you.
The other frequent hang-up is rejected cover art. If your artwork gets kicked back, it's almost always a simple spec issue. Go back to the checklist and make sure it's a perfect square between 1400x1400 and 3000x3000 pixels and saved in the right file format (JPG or PNG).
At the end of the day, a smooth submission really just comes down to solid prep. Spending a few extra minutes double-checking your setup and using the right podcast tools can save you hours of frustration later on. It’s the difference between a quick launch and a delayed one.
Growing Your B2B Audience on Spotify
So, your podcast is officially on Spotify. Fantastic. Pop the champagne, take a breath… but don't get too comfortable. Getting listed is the starting line, not the finish line. For any B2B brand, the real work starts now: turning that listing into a reliable channel for discovery and audience growth.
This process kicks off with a deep dive into optimizing your Spotify presence. Think of your episode titles and descriptions as prime real estate. They need to be packed with the keywords and phrases your ideal customer is already searching for.
Don't just slap a generic title on there. Put yourself in their shoes. What problems are keeping them up at night? What solutions are they looking for? Frame your content around those very specific pain points, and you’ll grab their attention right out of the gate.
Activating Your Growth Levers
With your listing tuned up, it's time to get proactive. You can't just publish and pray for listeners to show up. In the B2B space, this means weaving your podcast promotion directly into your existing marketing engine.
Here’s how to pull those levers:
- Social Promotion: Distribute your episodes as compelling clips and share your Spotify link across your social channels. LinkedIn is gold for this, putting your content right where a professional audience is already scrolling. Working with a dedicated B2B Social Media Agency can help you build and execute this strategy.
- Email Campaigns: Don't forget your existing contacts. Announce new episodes to your email list to drive a burst of initial listens from a warm audience that already trusts you. A specialized B2B Email Newsletter Agency can help you craft campaigns that convert subscribers into listeners.
- Data-Driven Content: Spotify’s built-in analytics are your new best friend. Seriously, live in there. See which topics pop, figure out where listeners are dropping off, and get a clear picture of who's tuning in. Use those insights to refine your content and give the people more of what they want. For a deeper look, check out our guide on audience development strategies.
As our founder, Tom Hunt, always says, "The goal isn't just to launch a podcast; it's to build a targeted audience with consistent, high-value content." Spotify is simply one of the most effective channels for making that happen.
If you’re really looking to hit the accelerator, you could even explore how to hire a Spotify promoter to broaden your reach. And the opportunity is massive—with over 158 million people in the U.S. listening to podcasts monthly, you're tapping into a huge market. Want more data? Check out the latest podcast listening stats on Podcastatistics.com.
A Few Final Spotify Questions, Answered
Before you hit publish, let's clear up a few common questions that always seem to pop up during the final stretch. Getting your show live on Spotify is a lot smoother when you know what to expect.
So, How Much Does It Cost to Get on Spotify?
This is the best part: it costs exactly zero dollars to submit and list your podcast on Spotify. They don't charge a fee to be in their directory, which is fantastic for creators.
Your only real cost is the podcast hosting provider, like Fame Host, which you need anyway. That’s a separate monthly or annual fee for storing your audio files and generating the all-important RSS feed.
How Long Until My Show Is Actually Live?
Usually, it's surprisingly quick. I've seen shows go live in just a couple of hours.
That said, don't panic if it takes a bit longer. Spotify officially says it can take up to 2-5 business days for everything to process and appear in their directory. The best thing to do is just search for your show's name every so often after you submit.
Can I Just Upload My Files to Spotify and Skip the Host?
Nope, a podcast host is non-negotiable. This is a common point of confusion.
Spotify doesn't actually store your audio files. It works by streaming them directly from your host via your RSS feed. Think of your host as the warehouse storing your inventory and Spotify as the massive retail store that points listeners back to your product.
Your RSS feed is the bridge connecting your content to Spotify. Without it, Spotify has no idea your show—or your new episodes—even exist.
What if I Switch Hosts and My RSS Feed Link Changes?
No problem at all. This happens all the time.
If you switch hosting providers down the road, your new host will help you update your RSS feed link and set up a redirect from the old one. The next time Spotify crawls your feed, it will automatically pick up the change. Your subscribers won't miss a beat, and new listeners will find you without any issues.
Ready to turn your B2B expertise into a powerful podcast that drives real business growth? Fame is the specialized agency that handles everything from production to promotion, guaranteeing results. Learn how we help B2B companies build authority and generate pipeline with podcasting.
