If you're new to podcasting, then you may be wondering what RSS is and why it's important. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and it's a way for podcasters to share their content with listeners. By subscribing to an RSS feed, listeners can have new episodes of their favorite podcasts automatically delivered to them. This makes it easy for listeners to stay up-to-date on all the latest episodes without having to visit different websites or search for new content. Podcasters benefit from RSS because it helps them reach a larger audience and build a more loyal following. If you're interested in learning more about how to set one up in your hosting platform and the information you need to include before it goes live be sure to keep reading.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
- What an RSS feed is
- How to set your RSS feed in your hosting platform
- The information you need to include in your RSS feed before your show goes live
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What does RSS feed even mean?
According to Live365.com, an RSS feed or Really Simple Syndication is a script that allows people to subscribe to your podcast in order to access updates to online content.
For example, when someone subscribes to your show on Apple Podcasts, every time a new episode is released, they will receive an in-app notification that the episode is live. If you make a change in your hosting platform after the episode is released, that change will be made across all the directories your podcast is on almost immediately (depending on the platform).
In simple terms, an RSS feed is a way to easily distribute your podcast to all directories so that your listeners can tune in.
Be sure to check out episode three, where I talk about the four steps of launching a podcast. Setting up your RSS feed usually happens between steps two and three. No matter which hosting platform you choose, this step should be pretty simple. Where it might get tricky, however, is when you add your RSS feed to Apple Podcasts. In some hosting platforms, you are able to connect your podcast to Amazon Music and Spotify within your host but Apple Podcasts is a separate step.
TOP TIP: Set up your RSS feed at lease two weeks before you launch to give Apple Podcasts enough time to approve your request. It normally takes 24 hours or less but to be on the safe side, I recommend allowing one week.
How to set up your RSS Feed
- Your title or podcast name.
This will be used as the show slug (the bit that comes after the forward-slash when you create your RSS feed).
2. Author
Enter your full name in this section.
3. Cover art
Should be a minimum of 1400 by 1400 pixels, maximum of 3000 by 3000 pixels. Under 500 KBs, RGB colour space (not grayscale, CMYK, 8-bit indexed, or transparent) and preferably JPEG format rather than PNG. These requirements are very specific so be sure to follow them closely to avoid any issues.
TOP TIP: It can be helpful to see what your cover art will look like on different platfroms in all the different sizes. You can preview and check your cover art before launching your show via the OnlyPod website.
4. Podcast description
The description shouldn't be too long (384 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation). This is a Spotify requirement. Anything after 384 characters will be cut off and won’t look very nice in the podcast player apps so it's best to keep within the specified characters. You will also want to think about what your keywords are and make sure that you sprinkle them throughout.
5. Language
This should be set to the language your podcast will be produced in.
6. Content rating
Will your podcast be clean or contain explicit language? Be honest here as you may land yourself in hot water if you mark it as clean but it contains explicit language as there are certain countries where this type of content is not allowed. If in doubt, mark it as explicit. Don’t take any chances!
7. Categories
You are allowed to select up to three categories and I recommend that you use them all so that your show is found in as many places as possible. The first category is the most important as it is the category your show will rank in. Please see the resources section for a link to all the categories as they stand in September 2021.
Conclusion
Thanks for following along as we walked through how to set up an RSS feed for your podcast. Are you ready to start publishing? If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. And be sure to share this blog post with your friends and followers on social media – the more people who know about podcasting, the better!
Resources mentioned in this episode
See what cover art looks like in Onlypod
Check out the full list of podcast categories
Where to find your RSS feed in Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Podbean, Blubrry
Related episodes
Connect with Rosemarie
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