Publishing a podcast isn’t just about recording great episodes—it’s about making sure those episodes actually reach your listeners.
That’s where podcast distribution comes in.
Done well, distribution ensures your show appears seamlessly on listening platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music, giving your audience easy access wherever they tune in.
But if something goes wrong, even the most compelling podcast can get stuck behind the scenes, hidden from the listeners who want to hear it. The good news? Most podcast distribution mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for.
In this blog, we’ll break down the most common distribution pitfalls podcasters face and how to fix them so your show gets where it needs to go.
What is podcast distribution?
Podcast distribution is the process of making your show available across listening platforms. It starts with your RSS feed — that’s the universal file that tells podcast apps when you’ve published a new episode, what your show is about, and how it should appear.
A podcast hosting platform like CoHost generates and manages this RSS feed for you, ensuring your podcast can be distributed across directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and beyond. From there, listeners can subscribe, stream, and download your episodes.
Ultimately, this process is pretty simple when you use the right hosting platform. However, if it’s your first time publishing a podcast, you may run into some hiccups along the way. Here are some of the most common:
Mistake #1: Expecting instant publishing
You hit “publish” and immediately refresh Spotify only to find… nothing. Many podcasters assume their show will appear instantly, but in reality, directories often take time to process new submissions or updates. Some platforms can take hours, others a couple of days.
Patience is key here. For new shows, plan for a review period of up to a few days before the podcast appears live. For existing shows, allow time for your RSS feed to refresh. With CoHost, you can track whether your feed has updated correctly, giving you peace of mind while platforms catch up.
A helpful strategy is to schedule your publishing ahead of important launches. For example, if you’re marketing a season premiere with a campaign, upload the episode at least 48–72 hours early to ensure it’s live everywhere by your target date. Educating your team and stakeholders about these delays also prevents unnecessary panic when an episode isn’t visible immediately.
Mistake #2: Incomplete submissions
Few things are more frustrating than having your podcast rejected during the submission process. The most common reasons include:
- Missing or incorrect metadata (like episode titles or descriptions)
- Invalid cover art dimensions or file types
- An incomplete RSS feed
To avoid this, double-check each platform’s submission requirements before uploading. CoHost simplifies this by flagging incomplete information or invalid artwork, so you can fix issues before submission. This proactive step prevents back-and-forth rejections and gets your show live faster.
Mistake #3: RSS feed errors
As we mentioned, your RSS feed is the backbone of podcast distribution. If it’s broken, your podcast won’t show up anywhere. Common feed errors include:
- Incorrect formatting
- Missing required tags (like copyright or language)
- Broken links
- Invalid characters
Regularly monitoring your RSS feed health ensures you catch issues early. Choosing a hosting platform that actively manages and updates your feed is the simplest way to avoid headaches, especially as directories evolve their requirements over time.
Free tools like Podbase or Cast Feed Validator can check for errors. Better yet, let CoHost handle it — our system automatically generates compliant RSS feeds and ensures your show meets industry standards.
Mistake #4: Violating platform guidelines
Even if your RSS feed is flawless, your podcast can still be rejected or removed for violating content guidelines. Platforms have strict rules around copyrighted material, hate speech, violence, or illegal activity. Using unlicensed music is one of the most common culprits here.
Before publishing, review each platform’s content policies. Make sure you’re only using licensed or royalty-free music and that your content doesn’t cross into prohibited territory. If you’re ever in doubt, we’ve put together a complete list of free and paid websites where you can find royalty-free podcast music.
Mistake #5: Migrating without proper redirects
Switching podcast hosting platforms can be tricky. If your RSS feed isn’t redirected correctly, platforms may continue pulling from your old feed. This means new episodes won’t update, and loyal subscribers may stop receiving your content.
It’s smart to monitor download analytics closely during the switch. A sudden drop in numbers may indicate a redirect isn’t working correctly, allowing you to address issues quickly before they snowball.
If you’re migrating to CoHost, check out this support article to learn how we make this process straightforward, ensuring you don’t lose listeners during the transition. Or alternatively, if you’re migrating your show to CoHost, our team can cover the migration process for you to ensure there are no bumps in the process and historical data is carried over.
Mistake #6: Confusing distribution with discoverability
Sometimes your podcast is distributed correctly — it’s live on every major platform — but no one’s listening. That’s because distribution and discoverability aren’t the same thing. If your titles, descriptions, and metadata aren’t optimized, your show is most likely going to remain invisible in search results.
Think of podcast distribution as getting your show on the shelf, and discoverability as helping people find it once it’s there. Here are a few ways to increase visibility on listening apps:
- Include podcast keywords your audience is searching for across your metadata: Think about the words or phrases your ideal listener would type into a search bar. For example, “Episode 3” tells a listener nothing, but “Why Remote Teams Fail (and How to Fix It)” speaks directly to a pain point your ideal audience is likely searching for.
- Write episode descriptions that answer “Why should I listen?” With over 4.5 million podcasts available, your listeners are spoiled for choice. Your description should quickly explain the episode’s benefit and what listeners should expect from tuning in.
- Use categories and tags strategically: Placing your podcast in the right category helps platforms recommend it to the right audience.
- Highlight guest names or notable contributors: People often search for experts or influencers by name. Mentioning them in your title or description, e.g., “with Dr. Jane Smith, workplace psychologist,” increases discoverability.
- Update older episode metadata: Refreshing titles or descriptions with current keywords can improve long-term discoverability. For example, an episode originally titled “Marketing Tips 2022” could be updated to “Marketing Tips That Still Work in 2025.”
- Encourage ratings and reviews: Engagement signals like reviews help algorithms surface your show to new listeners.
Make sure your show is seen across the airwaves
At its core, podcast distribution is about removing friction between you and your audience. Every mistake — from RSS feed errors to missing metadata — creates barriers that stop listeners from finding and enjoying your show. The fix isn’t just troubleshooting each issue as it comes; it’s building a proactive system that keeps your podcast discoverable, compliant, and reliable long-term.
That’s where CoHost makes a difference. By automating compliance checks, generating error-free RSS feeds, and providing tools for discoverability, CoHost doesn’t just get your podcast live — it keeps it optimized across every stage of growth.
For more podcast tips like these, make sure to subscribe to Tuned In – our bi-weekly newsletter dedicated to all things audio.
.webp)
