How to set up and launch a podcast on Substack

Substack makes it extremely easy to create and distribute podcast episodes

Always wanted to launch a podcast, but overwhelmed by the technical details? Substack makes it extremely easy to create and launch a podcast.

Don’t have a logo, or know how to edit audio? No problem! If you have a computer with a mic and can talk, you can podcast!

Step 1: Set up a Substack

Click this button to go directly to the signup form, which guides you setting it up. This takes about 5 minutes:

If you want a little more guidance on the initial setup of your Substack, check out this article: How to start a Substack in three easy steps

TIP: For the name, if you haven’t finalized what you want to call it, just use “[your name]’s Podcast” or “[your name]’s Substack”, and for the subdomain, use “[your name].substack.com”. You can change these details later if you want.

Step 2: Set up a podcast within your Substack

In your newly-set-up Substack, click the Dashboard button at top-right, then click in the top navigation bar menu where it says Podcast.

Click “Get Started”, then select “Start a new podcast” and click “Next”.

STEP 3: Give your podcast a title and description

Under “Podcast title”, give your podcast whatever name you want—if you haven’t picked a name yet, just but “[your name]’s Podcast” as a placeholder, and you can change it later.

Under “Podcast description”, write a short description of what it’s about. Select the categories your podcast will best fit into from the drop-down menus. These category selections will be used by the podcast directories to sort and recommend your show.

You can upload podcasts artwork if you have an image you’d like to use; if not, just leave the default artwork for now. Click “Done”.

Step 4: Create your first episode

Your podcast is set up! Now, click on “New episode” to create your first episode.

TIP: Not ready to create your new episode right away? No problem.
Whenever you are ready, just load up your Substack at [yourdomain].substack.com, select “Dashboard”, and then click “New episode”.

Click the grey box that says "Click to add audio". You now have two options: you can upload audio you’ve recorded from a file on your computer by selecting “Upload”, or record audio directly into your Substack by selecting “Record”

If you want to keep things extremely simple and record audio directly, just attach a mic to your computer if you have one, or use your computer’s built-in mic if you don’t, then click “Record”.

Introduce your podcast and yourself!

Step 5: Give your first episode a title and publish it

When you’re done recording, click “Done”. Give the episode a title.

Click the “Continue” button at the top right, then in the next screen click “Send to everyone now”.

If you don’t have any subscribers, it'll email it to you only, and post it publicly on your publication page at [yourdomain].substack.com.

You’ve launched your podcast!

Use the share buttons (arrow icon) at the bottom of your post to share your podcast to social media, and email it to friends, family, and professional contacts.

TIP: Your Substack combines the features of a blog and an email newsletter. Every time you publish a text post or podcast episode, it both posts on your publication page as a permanent online archive, and gets emailed out to anybody who’s signed up as a subscriber.

Now that you’re launched, the next step is to distribute your podcast to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other directories, so new listeners can find you. Easy instructions: How to distribute your podcast to podcast directories

More helpful resources on using Substack for podcasting:

• How to move an existing podcast to Substack

• Answers to frequently asked questions about podcasting on Substack

• Examples of how writers & creators are using audio on Substack

• A guide to going paid with your podcast on Substack

• A primer on podcast production

Haven’t started a Substack yet? Click the button below to take the first step on your independent publishing journey: