With more than 50 different podcast hosts available, it’s safe to assume many podcasters are switching hosts every day. If you choose to host your podcast with a certain host, it doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with them for the lifetime of your podcast. You can always migrate your podcast and your RSS feed if you want to.
Many other podcasters are choosing to self-host their podcast feeds and audio files. Even in that case, it’s easy to migrate the podcast elsewhere.
When you just started your podcast, you might have chosen a free podcast host or one that had good reviews. But as time goes by, your needs may change. For example, free podcast hosts usually won’t provide key features and customization that other hosts usually do provide. It’s common for podcasters to move between hosts, and there are a few key questions to consider when doing so. In this article we’ll dive into the implications of moving your podcast.
How to migrate your podcast host and feed?
When migrating your podcast to another host, there are several important aspects you should remember.
Your podcast consists of the RSS feed URL, audio files URLs (+any other custom URL included within the feed) and the podcast website URL.
Most hosts can move the audio files for you, so you won’t need to download or upload any file.
Some people use their podcast host’s domain for their podcast RSS feed, for example – feed.podcast-host.com/podcast-name. This is usually not recommended, and we always recommend to use a custom domain with your podcast. (you can read more about it here)
If you have to change your RSS feed URL, you must remember to ask your previous host to set a redirect to your new host. This is an extremely important step of the process! Once you set up a redirect, every app, podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, Spotify etc.), RSS subscriber and so on, would be redirected automatically to the new podcast host address.
In most cases, that’s all you have to do, the migration process is pretty much done for you. But it often happens that subscribers don’t get the updated feed or that some of the content within your RSS feed is no longer accessible.
Before migrating your podcast
Before changing your podcast host or RSS feed URL, confirm with the old host that they would be able to set up a redirect for you. You can notify your audience that you are about to migrate your host (if your RSS feed URL changes).
Then, you can create a quick to-do list of things you would have to change once the migration process is completed.
Make sure your new host is up to modern standards in the podcast hosting scene. The new host’s pricing, features (statistics, hosting speed, publishing options, integrations etc.) are important reasons for migration, but ensure they’re right for you before committing.
Back it up! While you don’t have to expect any loss of data, it’s always important to have backups of your finalized audio files and RSS feed (you can simply download the entire feed with your browser). In case the worst (and unexpected) happens, and you lose your data, you’ll be ready to restore it right away.
Things to do after migrating your podcast feed
Migrating your podcast feed can be a little stressful, but if done right, you have nothing to worry about. After you finally migrate your feed, there are a few things you can check to feel more comfortable –
- Check your old feed URL – it should redirect to your new one. If it doesn’t, you may encounter issues.
- Check the content of your new podcast feed – if the feed itself contains links to different parts of your old host, your old website, or audio files – you may want to fix those.
- Update your new feed on Apple Podcasts. You can also do it manually for Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and other platforms. If you ever manually submitted your old feed elsewhere, make sure to update it too.
Bonus: Migrating your podcast website
If you used your old host’s website solution, you will have to start from scratch and re-create your podcast website. That’s why we always recommend to separate the podcast host from the website (or website host).
Keeping your website separate from the host gives you more flexibility to move between hosts – beyond the obvious opportunity to create a real podcast website.
With Podcastpage.io, the migration process is a breeze. If you’re creating a new site, simply add your podcast and all your episodes would immediately appear. In case you’re moving the podcast feed, simply change the RSS feed URL and you’ll be good to go!
Conclusion – Moving your podcast
If you’ve decided to move your podcast, you don’t have to worry about it at all. Most podcast hosting companies would be able to guide you through the process, and if you keep it organized and know exactly what needs to be done – your podcast won’t miss a beat (or a subscribe for that matter).
You can move your podcast in just a few simple processes, so make sure to be prepared and ideally do it between episodes, not directly before/after your release one.
Lastly, you can migrate your podcast website too. It’s always a good idea to keep it separate from your podcast host for various reasons. A podcast website is a key in growing your podcast audience. So don’t compromise on a basic solution that doesn’t allow you to create the site you really need.
