Okay. There seems to be some confusion around the term RSS feed. Can someone please tell me what an RSS feed is, why I need one, and where I can find one? Is there an RSS feed dealer? Don’t worry, Podskis.
I’ve got you covered. Hi friends. Welcome back to the Pod Sound School YouTube channel. Or if you’re stopping by for the first time, we help podcasters, entrepreneurs, artists, and content creators to plan, produce and promote amazing podcasts.
Today we’re going to the demystify this thing called RSS feed.
RSS is a very simple but important concept to understand, but it is something that intimidates many of us getting started with podcasting. By the end of this short video, you’ll know what an RSS feed is, why you need one, and where to find yours. But, before we move on, don’t forget to hit the subscribe button and the bell button so you can be notified of our weekly video releases. Also, join our Facebook community, Podcasting For Bosses. I’ll drop the link in the comments below.
Okay, let’s get to it. First, what is an RSS feed? RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Syndication means sharing or transferring. It’s called this because it’s a feed from websites that makes indication or sharing really simple.
For example, let’s say that there is an informative website that you absolutely love. Let’s say, entrepreneur.com. Every article that they publish to their website is one you want to read and even share with your friends on social media. Instead of visiting their website everyday to check what new articles they have posted, you can subscribe to the RSS feed from their website and be notified whenever they post something new.
This is why RSS feeds are perfect for podcasting. Using your favorite podcast player, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts, you can subscribe to your favorite podcasts and be notified whenever a new episode is released. What you subscribe to is the RSS feed. This RSS feed contains a link to the podcast episode and all of its data, like episode title, episode length, and the episode notes. Second, why you need an RSS feed for your podcast.
Uploading your podcast episodes online is different than say, YouTube videos or social media posts.
You don’t upload your MP3 files directly to iTunes, Spotify, or Google Play. Those podcast directories don’t physically hold your files. Instead, they access your RSS feed so that users can subscribe to your podcast. Anytime you publish or upload a new episode, the podcast players update and your subscribers get notified.
This is cool because you only have to upload your episode once, and instead of uploading them to the podcast players, you will upload them to your hosting site. Wait. What? So, I need a hosting site too? Yes, a hosting site is a website that will hold your podcast episodes as MP3 files, and generate an RSS feed that you can share with all the podcast directories.
Third, where do I find my RSS feed? Well, first you will have to choose a host. This can be a very confusing process, but don’t worry. On our next video, I’ll explain what a podcast host is, how they work, and I will be comparing my favorite website hosts. So make sure you subscribe.
Once you have chosen a host, you can access your RSS feed from the podcast webpage you created with your hosting site.
This can be different from host to host, but nowadays most of them have made accessing your RSS feed very simple. Here’s a few examples. As I mentioned, most podcast hosting sites make finding your RSS feed very easy. If it’s not on your dashboard, it’s commonly found under settings.
There you go, Podskis. Hopefully, that clears things up for you. I’m excited that you’re getting ready to launch your podcast. Make sure that you come and let us know when your podcast launches. We will give it a listen and even a rating.
Let us know here in our comments below or come and find me on Instagram at PodSoundSchool.
You can find Studio Steve on Twitter. Also, at Pod Sound School. Until next time, two things. [foreign language 00:05:39] and don’t forget to subscribe.
Happy testing, amigos..
