Podcasts owe their existence to a silent yet omnipotent force: the Podcast RSS feed. You might not notice it, but behind every episode release on your favorite platforms like Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it is shaping the very essence of the podcasting world.

Whenever you hit play on Spotify, the RSS feed communicates with the host provider, effortlessly delivering the requested episode. As your favorite podcaster uploads new content, this link ensures automatic updates across all directories. This post outlines how you can set up your RSS feed for a podcast. 

What is a Podcast RSS Feed?

RSS, also known as Really Simple Syndication, is the linchpin in the distribution of constantly updated information across podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube Podcasts and Pandora, among others. A Podcast RSS feed contains metadata like your podcast title, description, cover art, and episode audio to maximize your visibility online. 

Show tags offer details about your podcast collection. These specifically relate to the individual <channel> component in your podcast feed.

The requirements to create an RSS feed are:

• Title: Your podcast's name, e.g., 'Tech Life' or 'The Mortified Podcast.'
• Description: A concise overview of your podcast's content.
• Image: Your podcast's branded image, typically in square format, aiding in discovery on directories.
• Category: Tags like 'education,' 'health,' or 'comedy,' used by platforms to categorize content.
• Author: Usually, your name or brand name.
• Language: The primary language spoken in your podcast.
• Explicit Rating: Indicates adult language or themes.

How to Create an RSS Feed for a Podcast?

Podcast hosting providers serve as the hub for your podcast content, housing your audio files and essential information securely. From this repository, an RSS feed link is generated, acting as a conduit between your content and podcast directories.

Here’s how to create an RSS feed: 

Step 1: Choose a podcast hosting platform

Below is a comparison table of podcast RSS feed examples, highlighting aspects like ease of use, analytics, monetization options, and unique offerings for each platform:

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Step 2: Upload podcast files to the RSS feed

• Create content: Record episodes and prepare detailed show notes.
• Upload files: Submit MP3 or WAV audio files along with episode details.

Step 3: Submit your podcast RSS feed to distributors

• Share your RSS feed URL with podcast hosting platforms.
• Ensure adherence to platform-specific guidelines to create an RSS feed without errors.

Validating Your RSS Feed

While creating RSS feeds is straightforward, errors can occur unnoticed, leading to feed visibility issues. There are free validators available to assess the health of your RSS feed. W3C online validator, among the popular ones, aids in identifying errors. By pasting your feed URL and initiating a check, any potential issues hindering its visibility get highlighted for timely rectification.

Enabling RSS Feed with Spotify for Podcasters

For podcasters starting a podcast on Spotify, enabling the RSS feed is a prerequisite to submitting the podcast to other platforms. However, certain considerations must be taken into account before enabling the feed. One significant aspect is the public visibility of the podcaster's email address within the RSS feed. This information is often necessary for account verification on podcasting platforms.

Locating and enabling the RSS feed within Spotify is a straightforward process. On the web, accessing the RSS feed involves navigating to the Settings in the dashboard, selecting Podcast Availability, and scrolling down to the RSS Distribution section. Mobile users can follow a similar process by tapping Your Podcast, accessing the three dots in the corner, selecting Podcast Availability, and tapping on RSS Distribution.

Spotify highlights that they do not undertake the distribution of podcasts to other platforms on behalf of the podcaster. Instead, enabling the RSS feed allows podcasters to independently submit their podcasts to various platforms. 

Takeaway

Just as a podcast RSS feed seamlessly shares episodes, leveraging AI for video repurposing on social media platforms streamlines production, saving time and effort. Expand podcast engagement by repurposing video content on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Tiktok using quso.ai (previously vidyo.ai), and achieve an uptick in streams. 

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Sign up on the quso.ai (previously vidyo.ai) app for free today to get your podcast content seen more often.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is an RSS feed necessary for launching a podcast?

Absolutely! An RSS feed is the conduit connecting your podcast to various platforms. Without it, your content remains invisible.

2. What happens if my podcast lacks an RSS feed?

Without an RSS feed, your podcast won't be accessible on directories or platforms. It's similar to video content repurposing – without proper repurposing or distribution across various platforms, your video content might not reach its intended audience. Just as repurposing videos with quso.ai (previously vidyo.ai) increases your visibility, having an RSS feed ensures your podcast reaches listeners on multiple platforms.

3. Is an RSS feed solely for Apple Podcasts?

While Apple set the standard, an RSS feed connects your podcast to multiple directories beyond Apple Podcasts, amplifying its accessibility.

4. How do I submit my RSS feed to podcast directories?

Once your RSS feed is generated, submission to popular podcast directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify is relatively simple through their respective submission portals.

5. Are RSS feeds only for podcasts?

No, RSS feeds aren't exclusive to podcasts; they also aggregate content from blogs and news articles, among others.