Transferring a podcast

Last updated December 15, 2022

Transferring a podcast changes the podcast's RSS feed URL, which listeners and podcast services like Apple Podcasts check to find new episodes.

Apple Podcasts requires adding a <itunes:new-feed-url> tag in your new RSS feed and setting a 301 redirect that automatically forwards anyone using the older URL. These steps are required to move your listeners to the new feed address.

When transferring a podcast, follow this guide to apply the appropriate changes to your Squarespace site. You’ll then need to manually add a new feed tag or 301 redirect to your other podcast provider. If you don’t follow these steps, visitors might not receive new episodes of your podcast.

Tip

Before you begin

Apple recommends maintaining the <itunes:new-feed-url> tag and the 301 redirect for at least four weeks. After this period, you can cancel any hosting services you were using previously. For more information, visit Apple's documentation.

Move a podcast to Squarespace

To move a podcast from another host to Squarespace, use these steps:

  1. Start a Squarespace trial and publish your site.
  2. Create a podcasting blog on your Squarespace site. You may be able to import older episodes from Tumblr or Squarespace 5, but we can't guarantee that all content will import correctly. For WordPress, Blogger, and other podcast hosts, or for episodes that don't import correctly, manually upload them as blog posts with audio blocks.
  3. Enter your podcast details in the Podcasting tab.
  4. Under Change Feed, click Moving to Squarespace.
  5. Click Back, then click Connect. This automatically adds Apple Podcasts' new feed tag to your RSS feed.
  6. Create a 301 redirect pointing to your new Squarespace RSS feed. Review the scenarios below for details.

301 redirects with a built-in domain

If your previous RSS feed URL used a built-in domain, such as mysite.wordpress.com or soundcloud.com/mypodcast, create a 301 redirect with that service. For help, contact your previous provider.

301 redirects with a custom domain

If your previous RSS feed URL used a custom domain that you’re transferring or connecting to your Squarespace site, create a 301 redirect through Squarespace.

The 301 redirect tells Apple Podcasts to check Squarespace for new podcasts instead of the original location. This also lets you preserve your listener list and maintain the same feed.

Switching your primary domain

If you change your primary domain, and keep the old domain connected to your site, this automatically creates a 301 redirect to the new primary domain. However, you should still click Moving to Squarespace to add Apple Podcasts' new feed tag to your RSS feed. This ensures your listeners' podcast services update to the correct RSS feed URL.

Tip

For more help, visit Apple’s documentation or contact your previous podcast host.

Move a podcast away from Squarespace

After creating a podcast with another provider, identify the new RSS feed you'll be transitioning your listeners to. Copy your new RSS feed URL, and complete these steps in Squarespace:

  1. Open the Pages panel.
  2. Hover over your podcasting blog page title, and click gear-icon next to the title to open blog page settings.
  3. Click the Feeds tab.
  4. Click Podcasting.
  5. Scroll down and click Change Feed
  6. Click Moving from Squarespace.
  7. Enter your new RSS feed URL in the field.
  8. Click Back, then click Save.
  9. On your new podcasting site, add the <itunes:new-feed-url> tags to the RSS feed. It should look something like: <itunes:new-feed-url>http://new-feed-url.goes/here</itunes:new-feed-url>

Note

Following these steps automatically creates a 301 redirect. Deleting the blog page or canceling your site will disable the 301 redirect. Apple recommends maintaining the 301 redirect for at least four weeks.

Move a podcast between Squarespace sites

To move a podcast from one Squarespace site to another:

  1. Start the new Squarespace site where you want to move the podcast and publish it.
  2. Create a podcasting blog on the new site with a URL slug that matches the blog on the old site. Old episodes won't move to the new blog page. Manually recreate old episodes using new blog posts with audio blocks.
  3. On your old Squarespace site, open your blog page settings.
  4. Click Feeds, click Podcasting, then scroll down and click Change feed.
  5. Click Moving from Squarespace.
  6. Enter your new RSS feed URL in the field, click Back, then click Save.
  7. On your new podcasting site, open your blog page settings.
  8. Click Feeds, click Podcasting, then scroll down and click Change feed.
  9. Choose Moving to Squarespace, click Back, then click Connect. This automatically adds Apple Podcasts' new feed tag to your RSS feed.
  10. If necessary, move your custom domain from your old site to your new site.

Note

Following these steps automatically creates a 301 redirect. Deleting the original blog page or canceling your old site will disable the 301 redirect. Apple recommends maintaining the 301 redirect for at least four weeks.

External feed service (Optional)

Services like Podtrac, Blubrry, and Feedburner create a clone of your feed you can submit to Apple Podcasts instead of your built-in Squarespace RSS feed.

If you previously syndicated your podcast using your Squarespace RSS feed, but now use an external feed, follow these steps to move older listeners to your new cloned feed.

  1. Open the Pages panel.
  2. Hover over your podcasting blog page title, and click gear-icon next to the title to open blog page settings.
  3. Click the Feeds tab.
  4. Click Podcasting.
  5. Scroll down and click Change Feed
  6. Click External Feed Service.
  7. Enter your cloned RSS feed URL in the field.
  8. Click Back, then click Connect.

Note

This only applies to followers using podcast clients that follow the Apple Podcasts standard.

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