6 Podcast Things You Must Change NOW
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Learn why these changes are so urgent and how to make them in only a few minutes.
I'll save #1 for last.
2. Ensure your podcast is in Google Podcasts
Use What Is My Podcast Feed? to ensure your podcast is listed, which is most likely already is. Also ensure it's using the proper RSS feed and website.
3. Submit your podcast to Spotify (if you haven't already)
Unless you already submitted your podcast through your media host, click here to log in or register with Spotify and submit your podcast(s).
4. Replace “iTunes” with “Apple Podcasts”
Apple has already asked podcasters to switch to “Apple Podcasts” branding, and I think this is preparing for some major shifts.
Your first priority should be your subscription buttons and suggestions. Especially get in the habit of saying, “Apple Podcasts.”
5. Switch your site to HTTPS
HTTPS is important for many reasons. Talk to your web-hosting company and get this process started and ensure your website is only HTTPS. It shouldn't cost anything to do.
6. Focus your subscription buttons
It's too easy to overload on subscription buttons (my own Social Subscribe & Follow Icons plugin supports over 50!). But I suggest you have only the following
- Apple Podcasts
- Google Podcasts or SubscribeonAndroid.com
- Spotify
- RSS
- Email RSS newsletter or SubscribeByEmail.com
Click here to download Social Subscribe & Follow Icons, free for members! (The plugin will work fine without a license but won't update.)
1. Clean up your podcast title and author tags
This is the most important change you must make before Apple kicks out your podcast! Apple's support team has been using the following language:
Your show was rejected because the author field or title field contains extraneous information that should be included as part of its description (<description>, <itunes:subtitle>, or <itunes:summary>) tags.
How I read this is that only the title should go in the title, only the author name(s) should go in the author tag, and all the descriptive stuff should go in the descriptive fields. Profound, right? In other words, put stuff where it's supposed to go, not where it's not supposed to go.
This affected my own show, too!
Old title tag: The Audacity to Podcast – how to launch and improve your podcast
Old artist tag: Daniel J. Lewis, podcasting industry expert and how to podcast teacher
New title tag: The Audacity to Podcast
New artist tag: Daniel J. Lewis | Noodle Mix Network
Yes, you might miss out on some podcast SEO, but I think Apple will adapt their search engine soon. In the meantime, consider making episodes that can be titled with the keywords you have to remove.