Podcasting is a difficult endeavor that requires time, dedication, talent, and technical skills to produce a high-quality podcast. Growing a solid podcast following is difficult enough, but what happens when you need the technical capabilities to switch podcast hosts?
Fortunately, podcast creators now have a little bit of weight removed from their expected duties, as losing subscribers will no longer be a problem. When switching from one podcast host to another, they won’t need to worry about the implications of using a 301 redirect to move from the old RSS feed to the new RSS feed.
After having a redirect set up on the old RSS feed, it will immediately begin sending all of the existing subscribers to the location of the new host. They will not even be aware that a change in service providers occurred.
What is Podcast Hosting?
A location where the audio files for a podcast can be stored and distributed is known as a podcast host. They supply users with an RSS feed for their podcast, essentially listing all the episodes. In addition, many offer analytics, web participants, scheduling methods, and various other functionalities that make it simple to publish and expand a podcast. A few incorporate advertising networks, social media share functions, and extensive distribution choices.
The podcast host, also referred to as a podcast hosting provider or media web server, serves as the virtual equivalent of a home for one’s show on the internet. It is where users enter all of their podcast’s essential information, such as the podcast’s title and definition, and it is also where one can upload all of its episodes. The podcast host is the location serving as the hub from which the show gets distributed to all other listening channels.
It is not uncommon for podcast creators to switch hosts of their shows. Some people have the impression that switching podcast hosts is one of the first things many podcasters do when they are dissatisfied with how their show is performing.
If you are using a hosting service, you are putting a certain amount of trust in them to perform certain tasks. First and foremost, they will always make the episodes downloadable in every database where the show is listed. As a useful indicator of progress and performance, statistics for analyzing your podcast is an indispensable tool. Each of the top podcast hosts must provide in-depth and presented statistics.
5 Steps to Switch Your Podcast
Is your mind completely made up to switch podcast hosts? Or are you simply curious about the amount of work it would require? Well, let us look at the steps involved in the procedure. Follow the steps below to switch hosts without losing any of the subscribers in the process.
Step 1: Migration
First on the list of things to do is to import your podcast into your new hosting provider. Most podcast hosting providers could have some import or migration tool available to their users.
- Make a copy of the URL for the RSS feed provided by the previous podcast hosting provider.
- Copy and paste the URL into the appropriate box on the new podcast host’s import tool.
- Confirm you are the owner of the podcast.
The migration tools will transfer all of the MP3 files, podcast artwork, and show documents to the new podcast hosting provider.
Step 2: Forwarded RSS Feed
Ensure that the podcast’s old RSS feed gets forwarded to the new RSS feed. Podcast players get the information they need to play the podcast from the RSS feed. A 301 redirect notifies these apps of the new feed’s hosting location.
It is simple to perform a 301 redirect from the old RSS feed to the new RSS feed on the majority of hosting platforms. One can either do any of the following.
- Go to “Podcast settings, ” scroll down until you reach the bottom of the page, and then click Advanced settings.
- Proceed to the Dashboard and select the Destinations option there. At the bottom of the page, you will see a link labeled Advanced Options. Click that. In the input box labeled Redirect Feed to this Web Address, copy and paste the URL for the news feed.
- Navigate to My Profile and click the tab labeled Cancel/Redirect Podcast. You should see a choice with the words Redirect Your Podcast Feed written on it.
- Click the settings menu, then scroll down until you see the Advanced Settings option. When you go there, you will see a message that says Permanent Redirect (301) of your RSS Feed to another URL.
After implementing a 301 Permanent Redirect to the new feed, the other domains will immediately pick up on the transition. The audience will not even be aware that anything has changed.
Step 3: Update URL
Ensure that your RSS feed URL is up to date. You must update the feed address, but the domain should automatically follow the 301 redirect to the new podcast stream. Log in, locate your podcast, and then paste in the URL for the news feed.
Step 4: Update the RSS Feed
Make any necessary changes to your RSS feed. Although the vast majority of apps and directories will automatically scratch Apple’s podcast repository, a few other fortified domains will require you to update their content manually.
Step 5: Wait before Deleting
Postpone deleting your account for a couple of weeks first! You should wait two weeks before deleting your previous hosting account after successfully redirecting your last RSS feed to the new feed. In addition, it may take Apple between 24 and 48 hours to propagate your updated feed across their platform.
Conclusion
Podcast listeners continue to grow as podcasts have been evolving. Even though switching podcast hosts is not a difficult process, most podcasters still put themselves through the fuss as it may be the best decision they could make for the long-term success of their show. Keep up to date with Independent Podcast Network now for the top tips on creating and growing a successful podcast!
