Introduction
You’ve uploaded your podcast, hit publish, and then you wait… but your show isn’t showing up on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or other platforms 😩 This is one of the most common situations every podcaster encounters. The good news is that most podcast distribution problems can be fixed easily, as long as you know where the issue comes from. This guide will help you quickly identify the most frequent distribution problems and provide clear solutions so you can get your podcast live fast 🚀
The podcast is not showing up immediately
Many podcasters expect their show to appear instantly after clicking publish. In reality, most listening platforms need some time to process new submissions or updates. For newly submitted shows, the review and publication can take several hours and sometimes even a few days, depending on each platform’s internal process ⏳
Even when publishing a new episode of an existing show, some platforms take additional time to refresh the RSS feed and display the new content. This short delay is perfectly normal and doesn’t necessarily mean something is broken or misconfigured.
👉 Read our help center article on average delays you can expect on your first publication
The podcast submission gets rejected
Rejections during the submission process are another frequent source of frustration for podcasters. In most cases, platforms like Apple Podcasts or Spotify refuse a podcast because mandatory information is missing or incorrect. This could be a missing episode title or a cover art that does not meet the required technical specifications. For example, Apple Podcasts requires artwork sized between 1400×1400 and 3000×3000 pixels, in JPEG or PNG format 🎨
When you use Ausha, these risks are automatically eliminated. The platform simply won’t allow you to publish your podcast until all required information is correctly filled. This way, your podcast can be safely submitted without fear of rejection and saves you unnecessary back-and-forth 🎯
The RSS feed has errors
The RSS feed is the core of your podcast distribution system. If something goes wrong in the feed structure, your podcast may not be accessible to any platform at all. Typical RSS feed errors include incorrect formatting, missing mandatory fields such as language or copyright, broken URLs, or special characters that certain platforms can’t read. These technical issues can fully block your show from being processed or updated by listening platforms. If you’re unsure whether your RSS feed is valid, you can easily check it using free tools such as Podbase or Cast Feed Validator 🔍.
When you use a podcast hosting platform, these risks are automatically minimized because the RSS feed is generated and maintained according to industry standards. Hosting providers like Ausha handle all the technical requirements and automatically update your RSS feed to keep it fully compliant and compatible with all platforms 🚀
👉 Learn how to distribute your podcast on the podcast directories
The podcast violates platform guidelines
Beyond technical mistakes, some podcasts may also get blocked or removed because they violate platform guidelines 🚫
Most listening platforms have strict content policies that prohibit shows promoting violence, hate speech, illegal activity, or violating copyright laws. If your podcast contains unlicensed music, third-party content without proper authorization, or content that incites violence, platforms may refuse distribution entirely or remove your show after submission. It’s important to carefully review each platform’s content guidelines before publishing to avoid unpleasant surprises ⚠️
Problems when switching hosting platforms
Switching from one hosting platform to another can also lead to distribution problems if not handled properly. The biggest risk during a migration is the incorrect setup of RSS feed redirection. Without a proper redirect, platforms might continue polling your old RSS feed, causing your latest episodes to disappear or preventing subscribers from receiving new content. A faulty migration can significantly affect your audience reach 🚧
Ausha makes this process super easy, making sure the RSS redirection is properly configured and that your audience remains fully connected to your show throughout the transition 🔄
👉 Read our migration guides here.
Bonus: Your Podcast Might Be Invisible, Not Missing
Sometimes, your podcast is technically distributed correctly. It’s live on all major platforms, but still… nobody seems to find it 👻. In these cases, the issue isn’t a distribution problem but rather a visibility problem. Your podcast is online but not easily discoverable by listeners because it hasn’t been properly optimized for search inside podcast platforms.
This is where Podcast Search Optimization (PSO) becomes essential. When you fill in your episode titles, show descriptions, and categories, you should add the keywords that your potential listeners would type into the platform’s search bar. These might include topics, guest names, problems your episode solves, or any phrase that matches how your audience naturally searches. The better your metadata reflects real search behavior, the higher your chances of being found 🔎. Even though PSO doesn’t directly affect your distribution, it plays a huge role in your long-term discoverability and audience growth.
Conclusion
Most podcast distribution problems can be solved quickly once you identify where the issue comes from 🔧
With a solid understanding of how platforms process submissions and with the right hosting platform to guide you through the technical steps, you can avoid most common mistakes. Ausha helps you simplify every stage of the distribution process. And if you ever encounter a specific issue, our Help Center and support team are always here to help you fix it quickly 💪
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