Are you wondering what is an RSS feed podcast? RSS feed is one part of the technical aspects of podcasting that doesn’t get its time in the spotlight. It is the backbone of your podcast that ensures that your podcast actually reaches listeners. Without an RSS feed, chances are your podcast will never have the kind of audience you are looking for.
From the basics to the slightly more advanced technique of creating an RSS feed, we have covered it all. So, whether you are a podcast creator or just an enthusiast, let’s take a look at how they work and how to create one that will help you showcase your podcast and reach actual listeners.1.
1. What is an RSS feed podcast?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, it is a type of web feed format. It is used by both websites and podcasts.
If you want to know exactly, what is an RSS Feed Podcast – it can be described as the unique address where your podcast’s information is stored and can be accessed by different platforms. You can either create a standalone RSS feed or sign up on a podcast hosting platform that will provide you with an RSS feed where you upload every episode. This is the preferred method, primarily for its convenience. However, do remember to read the terms and conditions very carefully before you sign up for any podcast hosting platform. You need to have ownership of the RSS feed as that is the only way to have rights over the podcast content. This is important, especially if you decide to migrate from one provider to another in the future.
2. How Do RSS Feeds Work for Podcasts?
Hope you understood, by now, what is an RSS feed podcast. Now, the question is how they work? Well, RSS feeds are where you upload your podcast. They are essentially the hub for your podcast. Podcast listening applications like Apple and Spotify monitor this feed and every time you upload a new podcast they automatically show it on their platform. This simplifies the process of updating your podcast. In the absence of RSS feeds you would have to manually go to every platform and update every new episode.
3. Components of An RSS Feed Of A Podcast
3.1. Channel Information
This is the information that gives an idea about your podcast as a whole. This information includes the name of the show, the subtitle, the description of the said show, and the all-important cover art.
The podcast cover image needs to be in a very specific format i.e. either JPG or TIFF. It also has to be between 1400x1400px to 3000x3000px and in a square ratio. Other information that falls under the purview of channel information is the copyright disclaimer, the language of the show, and an explicit rating if needed. Also, do not forget to add tags and the show type. Tags are keywords that help users find your podcast. Be careful about the tags you use as they impact the SEO of your podcast.
3.2. Episode Information
The second type of information in the RSS feed is the episode. Most of this information is consumer-facing refers to what a listener will see when they look at the episode description. The standard fields that you will have to typically fill out are – episode title, publish date, summary, description, duration, series number, explicit rating, and episode number. Other information that is also a part of this category is file size and feature image for the episode.
4. Benefits of Using RSS feed
4.1. Increased accessibility and discoverability of your podcast
RSS feeds provide users with the ability to be easily listed on websites like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This makes them easily accessible to new listeners as well as regular ones. Podcast listening apps also have their own charts that you can feature for increased visibility and all of this is possible all thanks to RSS feeds.
4.2. Automated Distribution
If your RSS feed is on a podcast hosting platform, you will see that your podcast is automatically distributed on listening platforms like Podcastle, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This cuts down on the time and effort one might have to undertake in order to upload the podcast manually.
4.3. Easy to Manage and Update
Once you have an RSS Feed, you do not have to manually update your show’s listing on various platforms. Once you add the podcast episode to your RSS feed it will automatically be reflected across platforms. Through an RSS feed, you also get access to statistics like the number of downloads and listeners at one place in spite of multiple listening platforms since at the end of the day everyone is listening to the podcast at the source – the feed.
5. How Do I Get an RSS Feed for My Podcast?
5.1. Podcast Hosting Platform
The easiest way to get an RSS feed for your podcast is through a podcast hosting platform. Platforms like BuzzSprout, Spreakar, Podbean, and Captivate have a fairly straightforward process in place to help you get your RSS feed.
All you need to do is sign up on their platform, and choose your plan. If you are just starting out and do not want to pay at the moment platforms like Anchor and Acast are free podcast hosting platforms.
Once you make an account and upload your first file whether, in the form of an episode or a trailer, you will gain access to an RSS Feed. Your RSS feed link is what you will be copying and using to distribute your podcast across platforms. This is what is RSS feed URL for a podcast looks like;
http:.//Name of your podcast hosting platform.com/ Feed/ Name of your podcast
5.2. Create Your Own RSS Feed
If you have a self-hosted website and that is where you are looking to host your podcast, then you need to create your RSS feed. There are two ways to do so;
One, if you have a WordPress website, you can use a plugin. The two most popular plugins are PowerPress and Seriously Simple Podcasting.
The second is by creating and implementing a code on your website. The technical requirements of your code are
- The feed URLs cannot be password protected and must fit RSS 2.0 specifications.
- Following XML declaration needs to be included
- <?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<rss xmlns:itunes=”http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd” version=”2.0″>
- The artwork for your show needs to clearly displayed
- Host server for your site needs to be enabled for HTTP HEAD requests as well as byte-range requests
- Every episode of your podcast needs to feature a unique <enclosure> tag and the URL, length, and type.
- Every episode needs to have a permanent, globally unique identifier (GUID)
- Case sensitivity needs to be respected across all XML tags.
- Use filenames and URLs that only include ASCII characters such as a-z, A-Z, and 0-9.
Once you have implemented the code and created your RSS feed, submit it to Apple Podcasts. If there are any issues with it, Apple Podcasts will notify you. Once you are accepted by them, your RSS feed should have no issues in any other directory.
This is a technical undertaking so unless you have some idea or know someone who understands coding, the general advice is to use a podcast hosting platform.
6. Podcast RSS Feed Example
Given below is a podcast RSS feed example for a show called “Your Book Guide” This is the Apple Podcast RSS feed that is accepted by other podcast listening applications.
<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<rss xmlns:itunes=”http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd” version=”2.0″>
<channel>
<title>Your Book Guide</title>
<link>https://yourbookguide.com</link>
<language>en-us</language>
<copyright>Copyright © Your Book Guide</copyright>
<itunes:subtitle>Your guide to the best books out there</itunes:subtitle>
<itunes:author>Your Book Guide</itunes:author>
<itunes:summary>Your Book Guide is a podcast that helps you discover the best books to read. Each week, we bring you recommendations, reviews, and author interviews to help you find your next great read. From fiction to nonfiction, we’ve got you covered.</itunes:summary>
<itunes:owner>
<itunes:name>Your Book Guide</itunes:name>
<itunes:email>books@yourbookguide.com</itunes:email>
</itunes:owner>
<itunes:image href=”https://yourbookguide.com/img/logo.jpg”/>
<itunes:category text=”Arts”/>
<itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
<item>
<title>Monday, January 25th, 2023: The New York Times Bestseller List</title>
<itunes:author>Your Book Guide</itunes:author>
<itunes:subtitle>Today’s episode covers the latest New York Times Bestseller List</itunes:subtitle>
<itunes:summary>This week’s episode, we take a look at the latest New York Times Bestseller List, and recommend some must-reads from the top of the charts. We also have an interview with the author of the number one bestseller, “The Secret Lives of Trees”
<enclosure url=”https://yourbookguide.com/episodes/20230125.mp3″ length=”1024″ type=”audio/mpeg”/>
</itunes:summary>
</item>
<item>
<title>Wednesday, January 27th, 2023: The Best Books of 2022</title>
<itunes:author>Your Book Guide</itunes:author>
<itunes:subtitle>Today’s episode covers the best books of 2022</itunes:subtitle>
<itunes:summary>With the year coming to a close, we take a look back at the best books of 2022. From fiction to nonfiction, we’ll have some great recommendations for you, plus an interview with the author of the best book of the year, “The Lost City”
<enclosure url=”https://yourbookguide.com/episodes/20230127.mp3″ length=”2048″ type=”audio/mpeg”/>
</itunes:summary>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
7. FAQs
Is RSS free to use?
Yes, RSS is free to use. However, if you are planning to create an RSS feed through a podcast hosting platform you might need to pay some amount to gain access to benefits like higher bandwidth and more storage space.
How to submit your RSS feed to podcast directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify?
To submit your RSS feed to directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify you need to make your way to Apple Podcasts for Creators and Spotify for Podcasters.
How To Check If Your RSS Feed Is Working?
To check if your RSS feed is working, you need to validate your feed. You can do so with the help of sites like Podbase PB and Cast Feed Validator.
Can I upload podcast to Spotify for free?
Yes, you can upload your podcast to Spotify for free. But in order to do so you require an RSS feed which you will then submit to Spotify in order for them to be able to show your podcast on the platform.
What is the best RSS feed for podcast?
Some of the best RSS feed for podcast are Anchor, Castos, BuzzSprout and Simplecast.
Do you need an RSS feed for my podcast?
Yes, you do need an RSS Feed for a podcast as that is the only way you can submit your podcast to platforms like Spotify.
