How To Set Up An Rss Feed For Podcast

Podcasting has a lot of words, terms, and acronyms that tin seem pretty intimidating until you lot dial downwardly to what they truly are. 1 term you'll come across frequently as a podcaster is "RSS Feed."

What is a podcast RSS feed?

Do y'all need one?

What purpose does information technology serve?

In this guide, you'll learn what a podcast RSS feed is, what information technology's used for, and how to create your own podcast feed.

What is a podcast RSS feed?

RSS stands for "really simple syndication" and was initially developed to help internet users get upwardly-to-date blog posts from their favorite websites.

Instead of going to each website individually, you'd enter that weblog's RSS feed into a feed aggregator like Feedburner then you could read all of your favorite bloggers in ane identify.

And whereas a blog RSS feed could incorporate images, videos, text, and other media files, a podcast RSS feed only contains podcast audio files and metadata.

When someone subscribes to your podcast RSS feed, they'll be able to heed to new episodes on their favorite app or platform without having to download them from your website.

Why do you need a podcast RSS feed?

In add-on to making your podcast easier to listen to, there is one primary reason you lot need a podcast RSS feed if you're launching a podcast.

Podcast directories require them.

Well-nigh of your podcast's downloads volition come up from podcast apps and directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts - not from your website.

People prefer podcast apps considering these apps make browsing for new podcasts like shooting fish in a barrel by listing hundreds of thousands of shows in a single identify. So most of your audition volition use a podcast app to listen to your podcast.

Podcast apps utilise your podcast RSS feed to pull in new episodes and serve them up to your listeners. If yous don't take a podcast RSS feed, they can't list your show in their directory.

So without a podcast RSS feed, you're missing out on more than 95% of your podcast's potential listeners.

How do you lot create an RSS feed?

There are two ways to approach creating a podcast RSS feed. Let's cover the complicated, technical approach get-go.

1. Host audio files on your website and create an RSS feed from scratch

If you have an existing Squarespace, Wix, or Wordpress site, you can shop your podcast'due south audio files on your server and so download a plugin like the PowerPress plugin for Wordpress to create your podcast'southward RSS feed.

Then, whenever someone opens their podcast app, that app will download the audio file from your web server and onto your listener's phone or device.

Y'all'll also need to make sure all of your metadata and "tags" are appropriately labeled. If not, your listeners will encounter difficulties downloading your podcast episodes (if they can download them at all).

Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) RSS feed Requirements
To be accustomed into Apple Podcasts and other directories, your podcast RSS feed must take the required fields and tags:
- Title
- Description
- Artwork (1400x1400 px to 3000x3000 px at 72 dpi)
- Podcast Category
- Language
- Explicit Rating

One drawback to this approach is that if you run out of spider web storage, or if your website goes down, none of your listeners will be able to download new episodes. If it happens too frequently, they'll potentially abandon your show birthday.

But don't worry, there's an easier manner to create a podcast RSS feed without needing to manage your files from your own website.

ii. Utilize a podcast hosting platform

When y'all prepare up a new account with a podcast host similar Buzzsprout, they create an RSS feed for yous automatically - no technical knowledge required.

And while podcast hosts will assist yous manage your podcast episodes, provide stats, and offering monetization opportunities, there are two essential things that they do for you.

Podcast hosts store your sound files and ensure they're always ready to download.

When you use a podcast host, yous don't accept to worry that your listeners won't be able to access your latest episode. They make certain your podcast is e'er online and ready to download.

Depending on which podcast hosting company yous choose, they will also help you manage your podcast metadata and tags, and so you don't run across issues with podcast apps like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Where can I detect my podcast RSS feed?

While having a podcast RSS feed is essential for launching a podcast, once y'all successfully submit your podcast to all the major directories, you shouldn't always need to look for it.

If, past gamble, you need to notice your podcast RSS feed URL (and you utilize Buzzsprout), become to the "Directories > RSS Feed" tab in your Buzzsprout dashboard.

Hither are instructions for where to find your RSS feed if you lot use a different podcast host.

Libsyn
Blubrry
Simplecast
PodBean
Transistor
Megaphone