Moving Your Show To Simplecast
It's easy to import your existing show into Simplecast, and you won't lose any of your subscribers. Follow the steps below, and feel free to reach out to our support team if you have any questions.
📺 Click here for the video tutorial.
1. Start a free trial, then select IMPORT EXISTING SHOW. If you have an existing Simplecast account, select CREATE NEW SHOW from your show drop-down list.
Click the IMPORT EXISTING SHOW button, then search for your show by title, or paste in your show's existing RSS feed URL.
💡 Need help finding your show's RSS feed URL? You can search for it here.
You'll need to click a box to confirm that you are the owner of the show and/or you have the right to import it to Simplecast.
Next, check the email account that's listed as the owner's email address in your show’s RSS feed. You should see a verification email in that email inbox.
Click the verification link in the email to confirm you are the owner of the show, and our system will make a copy of your show into your Simplecast account.
💡 Our show importer makes a copy of your show in Simplecast. It doesn't affect or change your current setup or hosting at all.
2. Add a 301 redirect to your old RSS feed
Once your show has been copied into your new Simplecast account, the next step is to create a 301 redirect on your old RSS feed URL.
What is a 301 redirect for a podcast?
The 301 redirect is like a change of address for your podcast: It will permanently forward your subscribers over to your new Simplecast RSS feed URL and will update some of the podcast directories to use the new feed as well.
Important: Adding a 301 redirect to your old feed should only be done when you're ready to move all of your subscribers over to use your show’s new RSS feed.
If you are just testing Simplecast to see how you like it, wait to set up that 301 redirect until you're sure you want to use Simplecast for hosting your show.
The process for adding a 301 redirect to a feed is a little different for each podcast host, but your previous host should be able to assist you either via support or a tutorial.
In most cases all you need to do is paste your show's new Simplecast RSS feed URL into the 301 redirect field in your previous hosting platform. However some hosts may require you send an email to their support team.
💡 You may see a recommendation that you add a tag to your show's RSS feed after you move hosts. Simplecast automatically takes care of that when you import the show.
3. Update the Podcast Directories & Apps
After your show has imported successfully, you should update the podcast directories to ensure they are using your show's new Simplecast RSS feed URL instead of the old feed URL.
The 301 redirect will help with this, but there are a few directories that you'll need to update your Simplecast RSS Feed manually, view the list below.
We have a complete list of links and instructions for how to update a show's feed URL in the podcast directories here.
That’s it! Once you’ve added a redirect to the old feed and made sure the podcast directories are checking your show’s new Simplecast RSS feed URL, the import process is complete. You can now continue publishing and promoting new episodes.
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Still have questions? We'd be happy to answer them. You can reach our Support Team at support@simplecast.com!