The Podcast Setup Show (Pt 2)

Episode Summary: Part 2 of the podcast setup series — ID3 tagging, choosing a media host and building a website, generating a valid RSS feed, launching on iTunes and other directories, and marketing every new episode.

What You’ll Learn

• What ID3 tags are and why they matter for every podcast episode
• How to choose a media host and set up a website as your podcast’s home base
• The 2 methods for generating a valid RSS feed
• The full launch-day and directory-submission process, from Podcasts Connect to Stitcher

Part 1 covered planning, pre-launch decisions, and gear/production. This episode picks up with tagging and uploading to a media host, building a website, creating an RSS feed, going live on iTunes, submitting to other directories, and marketing.

Step 11: ID3 Tags

ID3 tags are the digital metadata baked into an MP3 podcast file. The process: record and edit the episode, export as .mp3, and add ID3 tags. Software used: ID3 Editor.

Step 12: Media Hosts

The place podcast MP3 (and video, for video podcasts) files actually live. Libsyn is the choice here, at $15/month; other notable options include Spreaker, SoundCloud, Podbean, and Blubrry.

Step 13: Set Up a Website

A home base is essential. The exact setup used: WordPress (free), the Divi theme by Elegant Themes ($69/year), and Bluehost ($13/month for cloud hosting).

Step 14: RSS Feeds

RSS stands for Real Simple Syndication, and a podcast can’t launch without a valid feed — it’s how new episodes reach subscribers’ devices automatically the moment they’re published.

How to generate an RSS feed — 2 methods:

• Method 1: generate it directly through a media host like Libsyn.
• Method 2 (the method used here): use the PowerPress plugin by Blubrry on a WordPress site, even while hosting media through Libsyn — a mixed approach that works well.

Step 15: Launch on iTunes

Copy the RSS feed to the clipboard, head to Apple’s Podcasts Connect portal, sign in with (or create) an Apple ID, click the blue +, and paste the feed in.

Step 16: Submit to Other Directories

iTunes is the biggest, most prominent library, but submitting to as many others as possible — Stitcher, Spreaker, TuneIn, Google Play — genuinely widens reach. Each one just needs an account and a one-time RSS feed submission for validation.

Step 17: Marketing & Promotion

The process after every episode: use Buffer to send the blog post and show notes out to Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Facebook — repeated 4–5 times per episode. A promo video accompanies most episodes, though a simple photo with text graphics works fine too. A Medium article also gets written, essentially repurposing the show notes or script into a standalone blog piece.

Bonus Step 18: Monetization

It’s possible to earn money directly from a podcast — through sponsorships, listener-supported donations via services like Patreon, or affiliate links and product/service promotion. Worth keeping in mind from day one, even if it’s not the primary motivation for starting.

Full Steps to Launch a Podcast (Recap)

From Episode 76: start, confirm you have the time, know your why, know your topic and audience, decide on format, pick a title, buy the domain, prepare artwork and branding, buy gear, and choose a DAW. From this episode: tag your files with ID3 metadata, choose a media host, build a website, set up RSS feeds, launch on iTunes/Podcasts Connect, submit to other directories, market and promote, and — as a bonus — think about monetization.

Show Notes & Links

• ID3 Editor

Related Episodes

• Episode 76: The Podcast Setup Show (Part 1)