Podcast launch & promotion checklist

Transistor Team

2 min

Here's a marketing checklist for launching a new podcast:

Podcast promotion checklist

Pre-launch checklist

  • Choose your podcast name

  • Create podcast cover art

  • Record trailer episode

  • Publish trailer episode

  • Submit to Apple Podcasts

  • Submit to Spotify

  • Create a "coming soon" web page

  • Create an email waiting list

  • Set up social profiles for your podcast (Twitter, Instagram, FB, LinkedIn)

  • Create a profile on Podyssey.fm

  • Create a profile on Podchaser.com

  • Get confirmation from Apple Podcast

  • Email waiting list: "Subscribe (and rate) in Apple Podcasts, Spotify"

Click here for an interactive version of this list.

Regular episode promotion checklist

  • Record episode

  • Schedule episode

  • Create an animated video clip for social (use Headliner.app)

  • Email your waiting list about the episode

  • Promote the episode on social media

  • Promote, and rate, the episode on Podyssey.fm

  • Promote, and rate, the episode on Podchaser.com 

Podcast marketing tips

Your podcast's name:

It helps if you can include topical keywords in the title of your podcast. For example:

❌ Steve Smith – the modern agrarian
✅ The Farming Podcast by Steve Smith

However, this doesn't mean your name should be generic! Tom Webster recommends making up a brand name that is unique, and easy to search: "Brandsavant" and "The Freenoter" are two examples.

Your podcast's cover art:

Make sure your art stands out on Apple Podcasts.

How to submit to Apple Podcast directory

We've made a special preview tool here.

Record and publish your trailer episode as soon as you can

It can take 5-8 days to submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts. Publish a trailer episode right away so you can submit to Apple and Spotify, and start building anticipation (and subscribers) for your podcast.

Make your podcast's teaser should be short (1-5 minutes) and energetic.

An email list is one of the best ways to launch a podcast

Building an email list will help you build up anticipation. Also: when you launch, you'll have a group of fans ready to listen and share your trailer with their friends.

The best way to do this is to have a "coming soon" web page for your podcast.

Coming soon website for a podcast

Embed an email form from MailChimp or ConvertKit, and start collecting subscribers.

Look for a podcast hosting company that helps do all this

We provide an embeddable player, a built-in website, and the other tools you'll need to launch and promote your podcast.