iHeartRadio Podcast Submission: Being Found Everywhere
iHeartRadio Podcast Submission: At-a-glance
- iHeartRadio is a podcast and streaming audio platform with around 250 million active monthly listeners.
- You can easily make your show available in iHeartRadio – just check first that it isn’t there already.
- iHeartRadio podcast submission takes less than a minute. Just grab your RSS feed, fill out their very short form, and click submit.
- Read on to get the full guide…
Some podcasters like to say things like “find us on iTunes” to potential listeners. But there are hundreds of places to hear podcasts. Podcast fans already have their own habits, routines, and preferred platforms. The job of the podcaster is to make sure their podcast is available, and let people choose where they want to listen.
Though there are hundreds of podcast listening platforms, the good news is that, once you submit your show to Apple/iTunes, your podcast will show up in most platforms. There are a few podcast directories that require you to submit to them independently. Here, we’re going to look at the iHeartRadio podcast submission process.
What is iHeartRadio?
iHeartRadio is a broadcast, podcast, and streaming radio platform. According to podcast hosting giants Libsyn, iHeartRadio accounted for 1.1% of downloads on their platform for the month of November 2020. With Apple/iTunes at 64.5% and Spotify at 9.9%, this might seem small. But, iHeartRadio reportedly has around 250 million monthly active listeners, and 128 million registered users. That’s a big pool to go and play in.
Even if just a handful of folks want to listen to your show on iHeartRadio, why would you want to exclude them? One of the most common obstacles we hear from podcasters is that they are struggling to grow their audience. With that in mind, the easier you can make it for all podcast listeners to find and consume your show, the better.
A Guide to iHeartRadio Podcast Submission
First thing’s first – before submitting your podcast to any platform or directory, you should check to see if you’re already in there. This will avoid wasting time and potentially creating a duplicate version of your show. Here’s where you can search for your podcast in the iHeartRadio directory.
How to Submit Your Podcast
First, create your show on your chosen podcast hosting platform. You’ll get a unique URL, known as an RSS feed. If you ever need to submit your podcast to a particular directory, this is likely the link you’ll use.
Copy your RSS feed, then head over to the iHeartRadio Podcast Submission form. Paste it in, along with the title of your show, and a contact email. Read and agree to the T&Cs, then hit Submit. Approval could take as long as 2 weeks, but typically your podcast is listed in iHeart in a couple of days.
How to Promote Your Podcast on iHeartRadio
Remember, it’s your job as a podcaster to have your content available anywhere podcasts are found, rather than trying to dictate where listeners consume it.
With that said, it’s a good idea to create a dedicated ‘Subscribe’ page on your website. Here, you’ll have one single URL you can share with potential listeners, and they’ll find links to all the main directories your show is available. On top of that, you can tell them to search for the podcast in any listening app that you haven’t mentioned. If they can’t find it in a particular place, ask them to contact you and let you know.
Most podcast hosting platforms will provide fields where you can enter links to your show on individual listening platforms. That means, after your iHeartRadio podcast submission and approval, you can grab your unique iHeart link and pop it in there. This will create a button on the default website you get with your hosting account, and makes it simple for new listeners to subscribe to the show on iHeartRadio.
Need More Help?
Submitting your show to iHeartRadio is one brick in the very large wall of podcast growth. Here are some important resources.
- Not launched your show yet? See our ultimate step-by-step guide on how to start a podcast.
- Still weighing up where to host your podcast? Our roundup will help you choose the best option for you.
- Want your show available everywhere? Here are the key listening directories to send your podcast to.
- Looking for as many other podcast growth tips as possible in one handy place? We wrote a book about that.
We also run weekly live Q&A sessions inside Podcraft Academy, so we’re always on-hand to give you help, advice, and support with your podcasting ventures. On top of that, you’ll find all our courses in there (everything from editing to monetisation), as well as downloadable resources, checklists, and a load of other handy features to keep you moving forward.
