Confused about how an RSS feed works? Wondering why you need a hosting company for your podcast? Confused about submitting to Apple Podcasts?
I have a water experiment that will hopefully clear things up. (Plus, I've always wanted to be a Zoom kid, but this is probably the closest I'll get.)
Looking for a podcast hosting company? Check out Libsyn and use the coupon code EMILY to get a free month!
(By the way, yes, I know my sweater is inside out, LOL! I didn't realize it until I was editing and the science experiment was all cleaned up.)
Your hosting company (in my example, I use Libsyn — use the promo code EMILY to get one month free) is where the information about your podcast is stored: Podcast Title, Cover Art, Author Name, Description, Tags, etc. It's also where you upload your first episode before even submitting your RSS feed to Apple Podcasts or any other podcast app for distribution.
Essentially, your hosting company is where your podcast LIVES. When you hear podcasters talk about uploading their episodes to be published, they are actually taking their finished, edited podcast MP3 file, and uploading it to their hosting company’s website where they add things like the show notes you see in podcast apps, and sometimes any accompanying information and artwork.
When a podcast is being started, podcasters submit what’s known as an RSS feed to various podcast apps. This RSS feed contains the finished podcast MP3 + all the extra information needed so that the podcast episode can be played from those podcast apps. Podcast hosting companies are responsible for creating that RSS feed coding.
When podcasting was just getting started back in 2004, many podcasters would actually type out their own coding. We don’t have to do that anymore because we now have hosting companies where all you have to do now is upload your episode, write your show notes, schedule when you want your show to go live, and press publish.
Every time you add a new episode and publish them to your feed through your hosting company, those episodes will automatically go out to podcast apps that you've submitted your RSS Feed URL to.
Video Recap
Bottle = Hosting Company
Liquid = Information about your show + your episode(s)
Straw = RSS Feed
Purple Wine Glass = Apple Podcasts
Other Cups = Other Podcast Apps
Products and Services Mentioned
My video of Submitting your RSS Feed to Apple Podcasts from Anchor
Validate your RSS Feed: Podba.se
Submit your show to Apple Podcasts: PodcastsConnect.com
Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting
Code for a free month of hosting at Libsyn: EMILY
Equipment used
Shot with Google Pixel 2
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