How to Manage and Upload Podcasts into YouTube Playlist

Did you know that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, with over 2.5 billion monthly active users? That's a massive audience waiting to discover your podcast! Yet, many podcasters still overlook the platform as a podcast distribution channel. 

By not utilizing YouTube, you're missing out on a key opportunity to expand your reach and engage with potential listeners who are already actively searching for content.

You may lose a great chance to reach a wider audience if you only post your podcast on conventional channels like Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The good news? To make your podcast even more accessible to new listeners, you can quickly repurpose its content on YouTube and create a playlist specifically for it. 

According to Colorlib, the typical YouTube user spends 23.7 hours monthly on the platform. Imagine your podcast playing an essential part in that interaction, increasing your visibility and bringing in new listeners.

How do you turn your podcast episodes into a YouTube playlist? It's not as difficult as it seems. With a few steps and the right tools, you may begin reaching YouTube's massive audience and reap the extra rewards of social media sharing and SEO optimization.

Let’s break it down and make sure your podcast gets the attention it deserves!

Setting Up Your Podcast on YouTube

Before uploading episodes, let’s talk about setting up your YouTube account and organizing your content for maximum impact. Getting the structure right from the start ensures that your podcast is easy to find and more likely to attract loyal listeners.

This is where your YouTube journey begins, and how you set things up will play a massive role in how your audience engages with your podcast.

1. Create a YouTube Account (If You Don’t Have One Yet)

• You first need to create a YouTube account if you don't already have one. 

• You only need to log in with your Google account to get started. 

• Additionally, you may personalize your channel by adding branding that captures the essence of your podcast.

2. Set Up Your Podcast Playlist in YouTube Studio

• Now that your account is ready head over to YouTube Studio. 

• Under the "Playlists" tab, click "Create New Playlist," and name it after your podcast. 

• Try something straightforward and easy to search for, like "[Podcast Name] Full Episodes."

Pro Tip:  In the playlist name and description, include keywords associated with your podcast. If your podcast is about marketing, use keywords like "digital marketing" or "SEO tips" to improve your playlist's search engine ranking.

3. Ensure All Episodes Are in Video Format

• YouTube is primarily a video medium; you must include images if you have been podcasting with just voice. 

• If your podcast lacks video, you can easily create audiograms or upload a static image, such as your podcast cover, to pair with your episodes.

• Recast Studio makes this process simple by helping you generate audiograms or video clips quickly, turning your audio content into shareable visuals without the need for advanced editing skills.

For Example: Gary Vaynerchuk’s podcast, “The GaryVee Audio Experience,” is uploaded to YouTube with simple, branded visuals. These static images paired with his audio have led to millions of views, proving that high-quality content doesn’t always need high-production video.

4. Organize Episodes in the Desired Order of Consumption

• Once the episodes have been uploaded, please take a moment to arrange them in the order you choose.  

• This makes it simple for listeners to go through the episodes in order or binge-watch. 

• You can set them to "Newest First" or arrange them by season.

Pro Tip: Seasonal organization works best for podcasts with multiple series or topic arcs. For example, "Season 1: Marketing Basics" followed by "Season 2: Advanced Marketing Strategies."

Now that you've created your YouTube account and arranged your playlist, it's time to post your episodes. Let's explore the useful aspects of putting your content online and making it discoverable.

Uploading Your Podcast Episodes

Uploading your podcasts efficiently is critical to ensuring they’re available and discoverable by suitable viewers. Here are some tips for successfully launching your content.

1. Upload Your Full-Length Episodes into the Playlist

• Click the Upload button in YouTube Studio and select your video file. 

• Upload the full-length episode, not just a teaser or highlight.

Pro Tip: For new episodes, use YouTube Premieres. When your episode is ready to air, this feature alerts your subscribers, creating excitement and increasing the number of initial views.

2. Tag Your Videos as Podcast Episodes

• Using tags makes it easier for YouTube's algorithm to comprehend the purpose of your content. 

• Make use of tags like "podcast," "[Podcast Name]," and particular keywords related to the subject matter of the episode. 

• This makes your video more visible in relevant searches.

For Example: The Tim Ferriss Show tags each episode with relevant keywords, ensuring its content is easily discoverable by people interested in business, personal development, and entrepreneurship.

3. Include Links in Your Descriptions

• Remember to include links to your website, social media profiles, and other podcast listening platforms. This creates a seamless experience for your viewers.

• Recast Studio's podcast description generator can save you time by automatically creating optimized descriptions with relevant links, keywords, and episode summaries. 

• This ensures that your descriptions are both SEO-friendly and designed to encourage engagement.

Pro Tip: Make sure your descriptions include timestamps. This increases the chance that viewers will stay and interact with your material by enabling them to skip to particular show segments.

Optimizing your content for discoverability is essential as you upload your episodes and get everything set up. To ensure your podcast shows up in search results and draws in new listeners, the next step involves adjusting your settings.

 Let's look at managing and optimizing your YouTube podcast settings for optimal outcomes.

Managing Your Podcast on YouTube: Fine-Tuning Your Channel

With your playlist complete and your episodes submitted, you can begin customizing your podcast for optimal visibility. This section will guide you through essential steps to ensure your episodes get seen, and your channel thrives.

1. Optimize Titles and Descriptions

• The title is the first thing potential listeners will see, so it needs to be SEO-friendly and engaging. 

• Include keywords related to the episode and keep it descriptive. 

• For example, “SEO Tips for Beginners – [Podcast Name] Episode 12.”

Pro Tip: Write engaging descriptions with relevant keywords and provide an overview of the episode's content. You can also include links to additional resources or affiliate products to monetize your content.

2. Add Cover Art for Your Playlist

• Your playlist requires a cover image, just like your episodes must.

•  Make use of an outstanding photo that captures the essence of your podcast.

• This might be your logo or a picture that reflects your podcast's aesthetic.

Source: lewishowes.com

For Example: Lewis Howes’ podcast uses bold, recognizable cover art across all episodes and playlists. This consistency builds brand recognition and helps his content stand out in the crowded YouTube space.

3. Adjust Visibility and Organize Seasons

• Set the visibility of your videos to the public so they’re easily discoverable. 

• You can make distinct playlists for every season or topic for more clarity and ease of browsing.

Your podcast should be getting noticed at this stage—but you're not done yet. The last stage is to use YouTube's robust discoverability features to make sure as many people see your work as possible. Let's move on to that next.

Optimizing to Get Your Podcast Noticed

After your episodes have been posted, it's time to ensure that YouTube's algorithm puts your content in front of the right audience. You must optimize for discoverability to increase your audience and maintain listeners' interest.

1. Maximize Your Podcast’s Reach with YouTube’s Discoverability Tools

You can encourage viewers to keep watching by including links to other episodes or playlists on YouTube's cards and end screens. Calls to action (CTAs), such as "Subscribe" or "Watch Next," may be added to these sections as well.

Pro Tip: Try using "clickable" end screens that promote your other episodes or encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel.

2. Eligibility for YouTube Music

If your podcast focuses on music, you might qualify for YouTube Music, whether it be through musician interviews, music reviews, or your original songs. This is a unique opportunity to connect with music enthusiasts and business professionals, who use YouTube Music as their go-to platform for high-quality audio content.

This feature provides your podcast with increased visibility, reaching not only music enthusiasts but also those casually browsing for engaging audio content.

3. Optimize Your Channel for Growth

Ensure that your YouTube channel is optimized. Add a clear channel description, links to social media accounts, and a well-written "about" section. To create a community around your podcast, reply to comments.

For Example: The Minimalists podcast does a great job engaging with its viewers through comments, building a loyal community around its content. This engagement often leads to higher viewer retention and more shares.

Using YouTube's discoverability features and optimizing your content, you may position your podcast to get more views and expand your listener base. Let's discuss the best practices for maintaining the interest and development of your podcast.

Best Practices for Managing Your Podcast

Keeping your YouTube channel fresh and well-organized will help you maintain momentum. Here are some best practices to ensure your content remains engaging.

1. Regularly Update Episodes and Reorder When Needed

Regular playlist updates are crucial to maintaining an organized and engaging channel. Consider rearranging your episodes according to their relevance to the season or their performance.

For Example: If you're running a podcast focused on industry trends, prioritize episodes that address the most current or timely topics. Similarly, if your podcast follows a series or narrative structure, arrange your playlist to reflect the correct chronological order of episodes.

Pro Tip: You can also make playlists with a theme based on topics, interviews, or seasons. If your podcast covers a wide range of subjects, for instance, you may organize episodes into playlists with themes like "Marketing Mastery," "Guest Interviews," or "How-to Guides." This will make it easier for listeners to find what they want.

2. Monitor Your Analytics

Monitoring and examining the data in YouTube Analytics is critical to ensure your podcast is doing well on the platform. Metrics like interaction, views, and watch time give you essential information about your audience's favorite episodes. 

By knowing what works, you may modify your content strategy and improve your approach for upcoming episodes.

Look at the Audience Retention graph to see if people drop off early in the episode. This suggests immediately making the content more exciting or working on your introduction. 

On the other hand, if specific episodes are getting more views or longer watch times, that’s a signal that you’re hitting the mark with those topics or guests.

Pro Tip: Monitor the traffic sources, including external links, suggested videos, and search results. Try using specific keywords or phrases in your video titles, descriptions, and tags if they generate more traffic.

As you apply these best practices to maintain the interest and freshness of your podcast, it's crucial to be mindful of the typical errors that might affect your efforts. 

Many podcasters overlook simple optimization tactics, miss key technical steps, or fail to engage with their audience effectively, which can significantly limit their growth on the platform.

In the next section, we'll examine podcasters' most common mistakes when posting to YouTube, along with tips for avoiding them.

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

Even seasoned podcasters can fall into common traps when uploading to YouTube. Avoiding these mistakes will help you maintain the visibility and growth of your channel.

1. Avoid Copyrighted Content

Using unauthorized content is one of the simplest ways to have your podcast taken down or demonetized. This includes images, videos, and music you are not authorized to use. YouTube’s Content ID system can quickly flag anything that violates copyright, resulting in removal or strikes against your channel.

Pro Tip: To prevent copyright problems, only use licensed or royalty-free music. As an alternative, consider making your unique opening music for branding and consistency.

For podcasters who want to avoid editing headaches and focus on creating content, Recast Studio can save time by automating the creation of branded visuals and captions. Without having to bother locating third-party media, you can upload your audio podcast and transform it into a visually appealing video for YouTube.

2. Double-Check Playlist Settings

Not correctly classifying your content is a common mistake. Podcasts can sometimes not be immediately recognized by YouTube's algorithm, so your playlist might not receive the recognition it deserves. 

This can lead to your videos not being surfaced to the right audience or being categorized under the wrong content type.

Ensure every video in your playlist has a clear label with keywords associated with your episodes and is marked as a "Podcast."

Pro Tip: Make sure your playlists are classified as podcasts by double-checking their settings. To assist YouTube's algorithm in recommending your content to the right audience, use clear, searchable terms in the video tags and playlist descriptions.

The importance of visual optimization is another common mistake made by podcasters. Ensure every episode of your audio-only podcast features an eye-catching image, such as your podcast's cover art or a unique audiogram. 

Recast Studio can assist you in producing social media-optimized video clips and audiograms for YouTube, automatically integrating branding, transitions, and subtitles for a smooth, polished appearance that increases discoverability and engagement. 

This not only enhances the look of your content but also boosts discoverability and engagement, giving your episodes a polished, professional finish that attracts more viewers.

Let's explore how Recast Studio can streamline your YouTube podcasting.

How Recast Studio Can Streamline Your YouTube Podcasting Efforts

With its AI-powered features, Recast Studio streamlines your workflow and makes content creation more effective if you want to improve your YouTube podcast and save time.

Source: recast.studio

• AI-Powered Video Editing: Transforms your audio podcast into high-quality videos automatically and with no effort, taking care of transitions and trimming so you can concentrate on creating original content.

• Content Repurposing Automation: Save time and increase your reach across platforms by repurposing your episodes into blog content, social media posts, and video clips.

• Automatic Subtitles and Transcriptions: This feature enhances accessibility and search engine optimization by automatically creating subtitles and transcriptions.

• Social Media-Optimized Templates: Provides pre-designed templates for platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, ensuring your content is perfectly formatted and ready to share.

• Audiogram Maker: Recast Studio's audiogram maker allows you to quickly convert audio clips into visually engaging snippets, perfect for promoting your podcast on social media.

Recast Studio lets you focus on what truly matters—growing your audience and producing great content by streamlining the technical aspects of content creation.

Conclusion: YouTube as a Podcast Growth Tool

Turning your podcast into a YouTube playlist can significantly boost your reach and engagement. You can ensure your content is constantly engaging to your audience and easy to find by following the best practices for setup, uploading, and optimization. 

Regular updates and using the right tools to manage and repurpose your podcast can help you maintain momentum and grow your listener base.

Recast Studio’s suite of AI-powered tools further simplifies the process, offering features like automatic audiogram creation, social media-optimized templates, and subtitle generation, all of which are perfect for YouTube podcasting. 

With these tools, you can easily repurpose your episodes, create engaging content for social media, and add accessibility-boosting captions and transcriptions—all without needing extensive editing experience. Recast Studio saves time and streamlines your content creation, so you can focus on what really matters: producing high-quality, engaging podcasts.

Recast Studio today