What is a Podcast RSS Feed?

RSS Feeds are important in podcasting. You must have encountered the word RSS feed when you were setting up and distributing your podcast or reading about podcasting. But what is an RSS feed exactly?

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It refers to files easily read by a computer called XML files that automatically update information. The RSS Feed was first introduced in 1999 by Netscape as a way for internet users to be updated on their favourite websites.

Podcast RSS Feeds are used to distribute podcasts to different podcasting platforms or aggregators. Examples of aggregators include Afripods, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify to just mention a few. This will allow podcast listeners to subscribe to a podcast on their favourite listening platforms. Subscribing to a podcast means that their feed will be automatically updated with all the new episodes of the shows that they are interested in and they will be able to listen to those episodes at their own convenience.

Why are RSS Feeds important?

Without the podcast RSS feed, you will not be able to get any listeners. The feed is what links your audience to your podcast audio and allows you to submit your podcast to other directories other than your hosting platform for example Spotify, Apple, Google podcasts, and more.

Your Podcast RSS feed is generated by your hosting platform automatically when you sign up and create a podcast.  Your RSS feed URL is what “identifies” your podcast and what you use when submitting to other platforms.

Use your podcast  RSS feed link from your hosting platform to submit and distribute your podcast to as many directories as possible so that you can maximise the listenership of your show.