What is RSS Feed?

An RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed is the backbone of podcast distribution. It's an XML file hosted on your website or podcast hosting platform that contains all the information about your podcast—your show description, episode titles, descriptions, publication dates, audio file URLs, and cover art. When you publish a new episode, your RSS feed is updated with the new episode information. Podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts regularly check your RSS feed for updates, and when they find new episodes, they automatically add them to their platforms. Podcast apps also use RSS feeds to check for new episodes and download them to users' devices. Your RSS feed URL is what you submit to podcast directories when you first list your show, and it's what keeps everything in sync—update your feed, and all directories and apps get the update automatically. Most podcast hosting platforms generate and maintain your RSS feed automatically, but you can also create one manually if you're self-hosting. The feed must follow specific formatting standards to work properly with podcast platforms. Your RSS feed is essentially your podcast's API—it's how the entire podcasting ecosystem knows about your content. Without a properly formatted RSS feed, your podcast won't appear in directories or apps.