Distribution is the step that transforms a podcast from a set of audio files on a hard drive into something people can actually find and listen to. Most new podcasters either delay this step because it sounds complicated, or they submit to one or two platforms and assume they are done, missing the audiences that listen only on the platforms they skipped.

The reality is that getting your podcast listed on every major platform available to Indian listeners is a single afternoon's work if you do it in the right order with the right preparation. The process is not technically complex. It is sequential, and understanding the sequence prevents the rework that happens when people start without the materials the submission process requires.

This guide covers every major platform relevant to Indian podcast listeners, the specific submission process for each, and the preparation work that makes the afternoon go smoothly rather than grinding to a halt because a required asset is missing.

The Preparation Work That Happens Before the Afternoon Begins

The submission afternoon only takes one afternoon if the following assets exist before you begin. Creating them during the submission process doubles the time and interrupts the flow.

The RSS Feed

Every platform submission is ultimately a submission of an RSS feed, not an audio file. The RSS feed is a standardised XML file that tells podcast platforms who you are, what your show is about and where to find your episodes. Your podcast hosting platform generates this feed automatically when you set up your show.

Choose your podcast hosting platform before the submission afternoon begins. The major options used by Indian podcasters include Buzzsprout, Podbean, Anchor (now Spotify for Podcasters), Captivate, RSS.com and Transistor. Each generates a standard RSS feed that all major platforms can read. The free tiers of these platforms are sufficient for most new shows, but check the episode count and storage limits before committing.

Set up your show completely on the hosting platform before beginning submissions. A complete setup includes the show title, show description, category, language, explicit content setting, host name and the show's artwork. Platforms that receive an incomplete RSS feed during the submission review may delay listing until the missing information is added, which creates a gap between submission and listing that is entirely avoidable.

The Cover Art

Podcast cover art must be a square image of at least 1400 x 1400 pixels and a maximum of 3000 x 3000 pixels, in JPEG or PNG format, under 500KB in file size. These are not recommendations. They are requirements that will prevent listing on platforms that enforce them strictly. Apple Podcasts in particular rejects artwork that does not meet its specifications, and since most platforms use Apple's content submission standards as their baseline, non-compliant artwork creates problems across multiple submission attempts simultaneously.

The artwork should be legible at small sizes, because it is displayed as a thumbnail in search results and in podcast app feeds where it appears at approximately 60 x 60 pixels. Text that is readable at full size but illegible at thumbnail size is non-functional artwork in the primary context where listeners will encounter it.

The Trailer or First Episode

Most platforms require at least one published episode in the RSS feed before they will process a submission. A 60 to 90 second show trailer that introduces the show, its topic and its audience is sufficient for this purpose and is a better first submission than a full episode because it gives potential listeners a fast introduction to the show before committing to a full listen.

Publish the trailer or first episode to your hosting platform and confirm it is live in the RSS feed before beginning any platform submissions. Check the RSS feed URL directly by pasting it into a browser to confirm the episode appears correctly.

The Submission Order That Makes the Afternoon Efficient

Submit to platforms in order of processing time, starting with the platforms that take longest to approve and finishing with those that process immediately. Apple Podcasts typically takes the longest, so it goes first.

Spotify for Podcasters

Processing time: Immediate to 24 hours

Spotify is now the starting point for most Indian podcast distribution because Spotify for Podcasters (previously Anchor) offers a hosting and distribution service that submits to Spotify automatically and also allows submission to other platforms. If you are using Spotify for Podcasters as your hosting platform, your show is already visible on Spotify.

If you are using a different hosting platform, go to podcasters.spotify.com, create an account and select the option to add an existing podcast using your RSS feed URL. Paste the RSS feed from your hosting platform, verify ownership through the email address associated with the RSS feed and submit. Spotify typically processes the submission and makes the show available within a few hours to one day.

Apple Podcasts

Processing time: 24 hours to 5 business days

Apple Podcasts Connect is at podcastsconnect.apple.com. You need an Apple ID to submit. Log in, select the plus icon to add a new show, paste your RSS feed URL and follow the prompts to validate and submit. Apple reviews submissions manually and typically responds within 24 to 72 hours, though it can take up to 5 business days during high-volume periods.

Apple Podcasts is the platform with the strictest technical requirements. Before submitting, confirm that your artwork meets the specification, your show description does not contain HTML tags other than those that Apple explicitly supports, and your RSS feed validates cleanly. Apple's Podcast Validator tool, available at podcastsconnect.apple.com, checks your feed for technical issues before submission and prevents the delay of a rejected submission.

Apple Podcasts matters disproportionately to Indian podcasters not because it is the primary listening platform in India, it is not, but because many other platforms use Apple Podcasts as a signal of legitimacy and some Indian platforms prioritise shows that are already listed on Apple when curating their own content.

JioSaavn

Processing time: 3 to 7 business days

JioSaavn is among the most important platforms for Indian podcasters because of its scale in the Indian market and its significant Hindi and regional language listener base. Submission is through the JioSaavn for Creators portal at saavn.com/s/podcast/submit. Create an account, fill in the show details and paste your RSS feed URL. JioSaavn reviews submissions manually and typically takes three to seven business days to approve a new show.

JioSaavn has a content review process that checks for quality standards and community guidelines compliance before listing. Shows with very few episodes or incomplete metadata may take longer to approve or may receive a request for additional information before listing proceeds.

Amazon Music and Audible

Processing time: 24 to 48 hours

Amazon Music hosts podcasts on its platform, which is accessible to the significant Amazon Prime subscriber base in India. Submission is through music.amazon.com/podcasts/submit. Log in with an Amazon account, paste your RSS feed URL and submit. Amazon Music typically processes submissions within 24 to 48 hours.

Audible in India is a separate platform from Amazon Music but is becoming an increasingly relevant podcast destination as Audible expands its free audio content offering. Check whether Audible India's podcast submission portal is available at the time of your submission, as the availability and process for this platform has been expanding through 2025 and 2026.

Google Podcasts Successor and YouTube Music

Processing time: Automatic through RSS

Google Podcasts was discontinued in 2024, with its functionality migrated to YouTube Music. If your podcast is listed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music typically indexes it automatically through Google's podcast index. Verify that your show appears on YouTube Music by searching for it directly in the app approximately one week after your Apple Podcasts listing goes live.

For shows that want to ensure YouTube Music indexing, submitting through Google's podcast indexing tool at podcastindex.org provides a direct path to the Google podcast index that YouTube Music draws from.

Gaana

Processing time: 3 to 7 business days

Gaana is one of India's largest music streaming platforms with a growing podcast catalogue. Podcast submission is through gaana.com/podcast-submission or through the Gaana for Creators portal. The submission process requires show details, RSS feed URL and ownership verification. Gaana's review process is similar to JioSaavn's in timeline and content quality requirements.

Wynk Music

Processing time: 5 to 10 business days

Wynk Music, Airtel's music and audio platform, has a substantial Indian subscriber base through its bundling with Airtel services. Podcast submissions are processed through Wynk's content partner portal. Wynk takes longer than most platforms to process podcast submissions and has more specific content quality requirements. Submit to Wynk early in the afternoon sequence to account for the longer processing timeline.

Pocket Casts, Overcast and Other Podcast Apps

Processing time: Automatic through Apple Podcasts listing

Most third-party podcast applications that Indian listeners use, including Pocket Casts, Overcast, Castbox, Podchaser and Podcast Addict, index shows automatically once they are listed on Apple Podcasts or through the Podcast Index. No separate submission is required for these platforms once Apple Podcasts listing is confirmed.

Confirm your show's presence on Podcast Index directly at podcastindex.org by searching for your show name after your Apple Podcasts listing goes live.

iHeartRadio India

Processing time: 24 to 48 hours

iHeartRadio has expanded its India presence and is available to Indian listeners. Submission is through iheartmedia.com/podcasters. Paste your RSS feed URL and follow the verification process. iHeartRadio typically processes submissions within 24 to 48 hours.

The Post-Submission Checklist

After submitting to all platforms, a simple checklist prevents the common post-submission oversights that delay listings or create problems with the show's metadata.

Confirm your RSS feed URL is stable and permanent. If you change hosting platforms in the future without redirecting the RSS feed, all your platform listings will break simultaneously. Use a hosting platform that supports RSS feed redirect, and never change your RSS feed URL without setting up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.

Set up a Google Alert for your podcast's name to monitor when new platforms index it or when it appears in search results. This passive monitoring catches indexing events that you might not check for proactively.

Check each platform listing once it goes live to confirm the artwork displays correctly, the show description renders as intended without formatting errors, and the first episode plays properly from within the platform's app.

The distribution setup that this afternoon's work produces is the foundation on which your podcast's audience builds. Each platform is a separate discovery surface where listeners who are not on any of the other platforms may find your show for the first time. The Indian podcast market's audience is fragmented across platforms in ways that reflect the broader fragmentation of India's streaming market, and a show that is only on Spotify is invisible to the significant portion of Indian podcast listeners who primarily use JioSaavn, Gaana or Wynk.

Fox Talkx Studio works with podcasters at every stage of building their show, from the initial recording sessions that produce the content to the professional post-production that prepares episodes for distribution. The distribution afternoon described here is most productive when the content going into it meets the quality standard that the major platforms' editorial teams look for when they consider a new show for featuring or curation. A show with strong content, professional audio quality and complete metadata is a show that the platforms' recommendation algorithms and editorial teams will treat as worth surfacing to their users. That surfacing is the difference between a show that grows organically through platform discovery and one that remains invisible to everyone except listeners who arrived with a direct link.