The Ultimate Podbean Hack: How to Create a Podcast RSS Feed in 5 Easy Steps!

Want your podcast to reach the masses without lifting a finger? The secret sauce is a powerful RSS feed – and with Podbean, setting it up is as easy as hitting ‘Publish.’ Podbean, a popular podcast hosting platform, makes it simple to generate and manage RSS feeds without technical expertise. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step tutorial for creating and optimizing your podcast RSS feed using Podbean.

What’s an RSS Feed and Why Should You Care?
Think of an RSS feed as your podcast’s VIP pass to every listener’s playlist. If you’re not using one, you’re basically throwing your episodes into a black hole. It’s the magic link between your content and platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Without one, your podcast is basically invisible.

Why Podbean? Why Not Something Else?

• Automated episode delivery to podcast directories
• Boost your discoverability and SEO
• Reach a bigger audience without lifting a finger
• Manage everything from one simple dashboard

Getting Your Podbean Account Up and Running
Jump on over to Podbean.com and create your account. The free plan is great for beginners, but if you want the good stuff – like advanced analytics and unlimited hosting – it’s worth upgrading.

Setting Up Your Podcast

• Head to ‘Create a Podcast’ and fill in the basics: title, description, cover art.
• Choose a category that fits your content.
• Click ‘Save’ to lock it in.

Uploading Your First Episode (Yes, It’s Time)

• Go to ‘Episodes’ and click ‘Publish.’
• Upload your audio file, enter episode details, and hit ‘Publish.’

Unlocking the Magic Link – Your RSS Feed URL

• Navigate to ‘Settings’ > ‘Feed.’
• This link is the golden ticket that gets your episodes delivered to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and beyond. Don’t just copy it – own it.

Getting Your Podcast Seen Everywhere
Time to share that RSS feed with every directory you can think of:

• Apple Podcasts: Submit via Apple Podcasts Connect.
• Spotify: Drop it into Spotify for Podcasters.
• Google Podcasts: Submit through Google Podcasts Manager.
• Stitcher, Pandora, iHeartRadio – don’t forget these!

Troubleshooting Podbean RSS Feed Issues – Don’t Panic, Fix It

• Missing episodes? Check your upload settings. Confirm that each episode has a unique title, description, and upload date. Also, verify that the episode isn’t marked as ‘Draft’ or ‘Private,’ as these won’t appear in the RSS feed.
• Wrong artwork? Re-upload and resync. Ensure the artwork meets Podbean’s size and format requirements (usually 1400×1400 pixels in JPEG or PNG). Double-check that the artwork is correctly assigned to each episode.
• Feed not updating? Validate it through Podbean’s tools. Check for common issues like incorrect episode order, missing episode titles, or mismatched episode artwork. If all else fails, try re-uploading the episode or manually updating the feed.

Level Up Your RSS Feed Settings

• Custom Episode Links: Direct listeners to landing pages or specific URLs.
• Email Verification: Add a contact email to prove you own the feed.
• SEO Settings: Make sure episode titles and descriptions are optimized.

Burning Questions About Podbean RSS Feeds

• Can I set up an RSS feed without episodes?
• How do I move my existing feed to Podbean?
• Can I run multiple podcasts under one account?

The Big Takeaway: Why Podbean is Your Podcast’s Best Friend
Your podcast deserves to be heard, and a well-optimized RSS feed is how you make that happen. Follow the steps, submit your feed, and watch your listener count grow. Ready to go live? Sign up for Podbean here.