Launching a podcast involves dozens of moving parts most new hosts only discover when something breaks. This checklist walks you through pre-launch, feed and directory setup, and launch day so nothing gets missed.
Build the foundation first. Nail the show name, artwork, and one-line positioning before any recording. These are hard to change once directories index them.
Set up hosting and the feed. Choose a host, configure the RSS feed, and validate it before submitting anywhere. A broken feed on day one is the most common launch failure.
Submit to every directory early. Apple and Spotify can take days to approve. Submit before your launch date so the show is live everywhere when you promote it.
Launch with 3 episodes. Publish at least three episodes at once so first-time listeners can binge and the algorithm sees engagement, not a single sample.
Here's a preview. Unlock the free download to get all 4 sections (3 more below).
Decide these before recording. They're expensive to change later.
More free templates creators use alongside this one.
An episode is dozens of small tasks across recording, editing, and publishing. This checklist captures every one — from levels check to directory verification — so nothing slips between hitting record and going live.
Bad audio loses listeners faster than bad content. This recording checklist walks you through gear, environment, levels, and backups before you hit record, so you capture clean audio you won't have to fight in editing.
Planning by season instead of week is how serious shows stay ahead and tell a bigger story. This planner maps your whole season — themes, guests, episodes, and release cadence — so you record in batches and never run dry mid-season.
Launch with at least three episodes. It lets first-time listeners binge, signals an active show to directory algorithms, and gives you a buffer so you're not scrambling to record while also promoting the launch.
Submit at least a week early. Apple Podcasts review can take one to five days, and you want the show live and rendering correctly everywhere before you point any promotion at it. Submitting a trailer episode early is a clean way to do this.
