If your podcast is hosted elsewhere, follow this guide to move your podcast to Zencastr while keeping your existing listeners.
Using one of these providers? Follow the provider-specific guide instead for more detailed steps:
Before you start
Before you start, make sure you:
Have access to the email address associated with your podcast.
Export your podcast analytics from your current hosting provider. The industry doesn't support transferring analytics between hosting providers to IAB standards yet. Zencastr only shows analytics from when you start hosting with us, so export your historical data first.
If your current provider has DAI (dynamic ad insertion) running, turn it off, or use the ad-free RSS feed if available, before connecting your podcast. If DAI is on when you connect, those ads get baked into your episodes.
Connecting Your Podcast To Zencastr
Connecting your show makes an exact copy of your podcast's current RSS feed, including your media files, artwork, titles, descriptions, season and episode numbers, and settings, so you don't have to re-enter any of it. Once connected, new episodes and changes you publish sync to Zencastr automatically.
Connecting doesn't change your existing RSS feed, so your listeners aren't affected. It also doesn't make Zencastr your hosting provider on its own, that happens when you redirect your RSS feed.
Follow the instructions below to connect your podcast to Zencastr.
Click your Profile icon in the lower-left corner.
Click the + icon next to Shows.
In the pop-up that appears: Click Import Existing Podcast.
Enter your podcast name and click Verify Podcast.
Zencastr sends a verification email to the email address associated with the podcast’s RSS feed.
In the ‘Confirm your podcast to continue importing’ email, click the Confirm Show button.
Your podcast is connected to your Zencastr account and its episodes start syncing to the Episodes tab.
Confirming your podcast has connected
Once syncing finishes, the Syncing indicator disappears from your show's cover art. Confirm all your episodes copied over:
Click Library from the left navigation menu.
Click the Episodes tab.
Scroll down to confirm all episodes appear.
Redirect your RSS feed
A 301 redirect tells podcast directories your podcast has moved from your old host to Zencastr, so they start pulling your information from your new Zencastr RSS feed URL. Your existing subscribers are automatically taken to the new feed, so you don't lose your audience.
Setting up a 301 redirect from your current hosting provider to Zencastr
Important: Make sure your podcast has finished syncing to Zencastr, with all episodes copied over, before setting up the redirect.
The redirect process varies by provider. Some let you set it up yourself; others require contacting their support team.
If your provider requires contacting support, use this template:
Hi Support,
I'm moving my podcast to a new host provider. Kindly apply a redirect for the following show [Insert Show Link] ASAP.
Please apply a 301 permanent redirect from [INSERT CURRENT HOSTING RSS FEEL URL] to [INSERT NEW ZENCASTR RSS URL]
Please keep this redirect in place for a minimum of 4 weeks.
Let me know if you need any more information. I’d appreciate an update as to when this can be done. Thanks!
Maintain your account for a few weeks
After setting up and confirming the redirect, keep your previous provider's account open for 2 to 4 weeks so apps and subscribers have time to update. After that, you can cancel your subscription or close the account.
Optional: update select podcast directories
Most directories, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, update the RSS feed URL automatically once the redirect is set up.
A few require you to manually update your RSS feed URL. If you're on iHeartRadio, Pandora, or TuneIn, contact their support teams to update it for you.