How to get your podcast featured on Apple Podcasts
Apple's editors pick every featured show by hand, and you can pitch them directly. Here's how the pitch form works, what editors look for, and how to be ready when the spike hits.
To get featured on Apple Podcasts, submit a feature request through Apple’s promotional request form. Your feed has to be live on Apple Podcasts first, and the request needs to land at least two weeks before the date you’re pitching for.
There’s no fee and no shortcut. Apple’s global editorial team reviews the catalog regularly and hand-curates what gets promoted, weighing your request alongside your audio, your feed and your artwork. Everything below is about making that review easy.
How Apple Podcasts featuring actually works
Human editors curate the placements you see across the app. They refresh Apple Podcasts at least once a week in most countries, and most updates publish on Mondays.
What they’re looking for is specific: fresh perspectives, unforgettable stories, stimulating conversations, insight on niche or topical issues, and compelling benefits for subscribers. If your pitch can’t claim one of those five, it’s not ready.
Step 1: get your feed in shape first
Editors judge the whole package, so fix the basics before you pitch:
- Show artwork at 3000x3000 pixels that’s legible at thumbnail size
- The right category, and complete show and episode descriptions
- A consistent release schedule your feed history actually proves
- A strong trailer or recent episode that represents the show at its best
If you host with Acast, you can update artwork, descriptions and categories from your dashboard and the changes flow to Apple through your RSS feed.
Step 2: write a request editors can act on
Apple tracks every request through the form, so what you put in it is the whole pitch. Enter the exact title, URL and category, then cover:
- A compelling subject line and a brief, engaging synopsis
- Your format, whether that’s interview, narrative series or conversation
- Short background on hosts and guests
- Your marketing, social and PR plans, with dates, and how you’ll credit Apple Podcasts in them
- Who the show appeals to, and why this is the right moment from a listener’s point of view
- Any subscriber benefits: exclusive, bonus, early access or ad-free content
Find the balance. Enough detail to make the case, short enough to review quickly.
Step 3: submit art built for featuring, not your show art
The carousel at the top of the New page is the first thing listeners see, and it’s the art that stops them. Any request for that placement needs a Showcase Hero asset. If you don’t include one, or it’s formatted wrong, you’re not eligible for the spot.
Three rules people get wrong. The asset has to follow Apple’s featuring art template, it has to look visually distinct from your show artwork so the page doesn’t read as repetitive, and network or sponsor logos aren’t allowed. If you’re pitching an episode with a well-known guest, include a licensed or authorized image of them.
Treat the asset as an extension of the audio. Tone, color and image should tell a listener what they’re about to hear.
Step 4: tighten your titles
Your metadata can show up as part of the feature, so it needs to earn the click on its own.
Keep episode titles brief and descriptive. Leave episode numbers and other metadata out of the title field, because they push the useful words out of view. A hypothetical question, a headline, a guest’s name or a hint at the next turn in the story all work harder than “Ep. 47.”
Step 5: time it properly
Request a Monday. It lines up with Apple’s publishing cycle, which improves your odds of being picked up. Give at least two weeks of lead time so editors can come back to you if they need something.
Then think about the shape of your feed. A narrative series often does better with a feature placed a few episodes in, so new listeners arrive with something to binge.
The news cycle cuts both ways. Being slightly ahead of a conversation helps, and so does offering an escape from the one everybody’s already having. Ask what makes your show a standout this week, not in general.
What happens after you submit
Apple may contact you if they need more information. If you’re not selected, submit a fresh request after six to eight weeks with a new angle.
Video is another way in
Apple Podcasts supports native video podcasts. If you’re already recording video, publishing it gives editors another surface to consider you for.
Be ready for the spike
A feature drives a burst of new listeners who’ll work through your back catalog, and that surge is only worth what you can turn into revenue. With dynamic ad insertion, every old episode carries current ads, so the spike earns from day one instead of just looking good in your analytics.
Your host can’t influence Apple’s editorial decisions. Nobody’s can. What it can do is keep your metadata clean, your distribution open and your back catalog monetized when the traffic lands. Acast distributes your show to Apple Podcasts and every other major app, and connects you to 4,000+ advertisers globally.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my podcast featured on Apple Podcasts?
Submit a feature request through the form on Apple Podcasts for Creators at least two weeks before your desired feature date. Your feed must already be live on Apple Podcasts. Editors review your request alongside your audio, feed and artwork, and select shows for placements across the app.
What artwork do I need to get featured on Apple Podcasts?
For a spot in the carousel at the top of the New page, you need a Showcase Hero asset built to Apple’s featuring art template. It should look distinct from your show artwork, and it can’t include network or sponsor logos. Requests without correctly formatted art aren’t eligible for that placement.
Does it cost anything to be featured on Apple Podcasts?
No. Featuring is free editorial curation. Nobody can buy a feature, and any service claiming to sell one should be avoided.
How often can I pitch Apple Podcasts?
If your request isn’t selected, Apple recommends submitting a new one after six to eight weeks. Use the gap to sharpen the angle rather than resending the same pitch.
Do I need a specific hosting platform to be featured?
No. Apple features shows from any host with a valid open RSS feed. What matters is your show, your metadata and your request, though your host controls how easily you can keep that metadata sharp.
