In case your podcast is listed twice in Apple Podcasts or one other podcast listing, STOP! Do not do something about it till you learn or take heed to this!
And if you wish to keep away from this downside, don’t resubmit your podcast if it is already listed!
How duplicate podcast listings occur
There are two frequent causes you would possibly find yourself with a reproduction itemizing of your podcast, both by your individual actions or by automation.
Motive 1: a secondary feed was robotically found and listed
You may need used a number of totally different podcast-publishing instruments, like your individual web site, PowerPress, a number of podcast-hosting suppliers, and such. Otherwise you may need used some automation instruments for crossposting, like Spreaker, AudioBoom, Podpage, and such. Otherwise you used a feed proxy to reflect and rehost your RSS feed, like Feedburner or Podcast Mirror.
Any of those instruments may need created one other RSS feed on your podcast and will even be actively updating it. They might even be serving the very same feed from a number of URLs, like HTTP and HTTPS (though not so frequent anymore), or from totally different subdomains.
Podcast Index, Google Podcasts (relaxation in peace), and perhaps a few different programs search the net on the lookout for podcast feeds to incorporate and so they’ll typically discover these duplicates. Podcast Index has a reasonably sensible deduplication course of, however Google Podcasts was somewhat annoying, typically switching to the newly found feed (even when was solely a redirect!) and requiring you to confirm possession of that new feed earlier than you’ll be able to change again to your required feed.
A few my very own podcasts have had as many as 8 totally different RSS feeds found by Google Podcasts! And regardless that a few of them had been correct 301 redirects, the automated system nonetheless needed to vary to them as an alternative of the feeds I had deliberately submitted for Google Podcasts to make use of. However at the very least that did not create duplicates and it did not intervene with my viewers.
However different discovery programs would possibly add the additional feeds as new podcasts, leading to duplicates. (At the moment, none of the preferred podcast apps use automated discovery to construct their catalogs.)
Motive 2: the podcast was resubmitted
Don’t resubmit your podcast if it is already listed!
I see this downside occur way more often recently. When podcasters change podcast-hosting suppliers, like from Spotify for Podcasters (previously often known as Anchor) to a supplier akin to Captivate or Blubrry, the podcasters generally submit their new RSS feeds as new podcasts as an alternative of merely redirecting the outdated feeds.
This generally comes from unhealthy recommendation, or from an try (albeit the incorrect technique) to reclaim possession of a podcast in Apple Podcasts or one other listing, or it would even be from pondering that you just needed to resubmit after altering the title or cowl artwork. Regardless of the cause, this often ends in itemizing the identical podcast twice, even should you later correctly redirect the outdated RSS feed. Apple Podcasts used to forestall the identical feed from being submitted twice, however I am seeing indications that system both is not working, or is not used anymore.
Once more,don’t resubmit your podcast if it is already listed! (And do not inform your long-time viewers to comply with your new itemizing, both!)
The duplicate podcast itemizing downside will get worse, particularly in Apple Podcasts
When your podcast is listed a number of instances in the identical podcast listing, you threat splitting your scores, evaluations, chart and search rankings, and even your followers.
In most podcast apps, merely redirecting the inaccurate RSS feed to the proper one will at the very least merge your cut up audiences. But it surely will not merge the opposite catalog options in the event that they exist.
But it’s even worse in Apple Podcasts since iOS 14.5!
Earlier than iOS 14.5, your viewers was related on to your podcast RSS feed. So no matter what occurred within the Apple Podcasts catalog, your viewers would get no matter you set in your feed and would comply with wherever that feed URL would redirect. Again then, you would merely redirect the duplicate itemizing after which delete it, and also you would not lose any of your viewers.
However not anymore! This modified with iOS 14.5.
Now, even when your duplicate itemizing will get switched to your appropriate RSS feed, everybody who adopted your podcast by means of that duplicate is related to Apple’s proxy of your podcast feed, and never related on to your feed. In different phrases, individuals in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and perhaps solely a pair different proxy-based podcast apps subscribe to the catalog itemizing of your podcast in that app, not on to your RSS feed. So should you delete that duplicate itemizing, you will lose its followers!
Even should you’re okay with dropping any scores, evaluations, and rankings that duplicate itemizing may need accrued, I recommend that you just mustn’t settle for dropping your viewers!
The best way to repair your duplicate podcast itemizing in proxy-based providers like Apple Podcasts and Spotify
If the podcast app in query behaves like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, the place your viewers is related to the platform’s proxy of your podcast or the catalog entry of your podcast as an alternative of on to your individual RSS feed, then the answer is somewhat sophisticated and incomplete. However these steps ought to assist!
In all the following steps, the “appropriate itemizing” would be the oldest one which has nearly all of your followers, scores, evaluations, and rankings. That is the one you need to hold, even when it nonetheless has the incorrect RSS feed.
Step 1: Ask the platform to merge your listings
Whereas that is almost certainly not doable presently, these platforms must know the way frequent these issues are. So this is what I recommend you ship them (be happy to repeat and replace this on your personal use):
Expensive [Apple Podcasts/Spotify/platform],
My podcast, [Podcast Title], is listed a number of instances in your catalog and that is negatively affecting me and my viewers. If doable, would you please merge these listings so I do not lose any of my viewers or earned engagement or rankings?
Appropriate itemizing: [URL or ID]
Appropriate feed: [feed URL, which may actually be different from the current listing]Incorrect itemizing[s]: [URLs or IDs]
It is essential for my viewers’s expertise to make sure none of them are disconnected from my podcast by means of this merge course of. Even when I’ve to lose different earned engagement or rating, I would like a promise that I will not lose any of my viewers.
Thanks upfront!
If they really can merge your listings and promise you will not lose your viewers, nice! However almost certainly, they will come again saying both they can not merge the listings, or they may even give unhealthy recommendation suggesting to delete the duplicate(s). Don’t delete the duplicates, but!
Please be sort in no matter interactions you could have with the platform’s assist group! It is best to most likely assume they will not be capable to give the proper assist, however I do nonetheless advocate asking anyway.
Since these proxy-based platforms (like Apple Podcasts and Spotify) almost certainly cannot present the proper answer, and deleting the duplicate itemizing will hurt your viewers, your solely different possibility is to ask your viewers to refollow the appropriate itemizing. However there is a intelligent method so that you needn’t ask your entire viewers!
Step 2: Redirect correctly
Sadly, it appears most of those duplicates occur the place the old-but-correct itemizing is utilizing the “incorrect” RSS feed, and your duplicate incorrect itemizing(s) is perhaps utilizing the brand new, appropriate feeds. So I do know it will appear somewhat complicated.
The outdated itemizing almost certainly has extra followers and fame, so it is the itemizing you need to hold. Get that outdated feed URL to redirect to the brand new feed URL utilizing a 301 everlasting redirect. Ideally, that redirect ought to stay ceaselessly.
A redirect occurs earlier than the contents of the feed are loaded. So it actually does not matter what’s within the feed you are redirecting, or if it is even a feed anymore! It is the URL that is essential.
It is identical to forwarding mail out of your outdated deal with to your new residence. It actually does not matter who lives within the outdated residence as a result of your mail will probably be forwarded earlier than it even will get delivered.
Any half-decent podcast-hosting supplier ought to be capable to completely redirect your outdated feed URL to the brand new one. Even bottom-of-the-barrel SoundCloud can do it!
When you management the URL of your outdated feed, you would possibly be capable to use instruments out of your web site, web-hosting supplier, or area registrar to redirect the URL to your new feed. You may even use a third-party device like Cloudflare to place a redirect on the area’s actual path and also you would not want web-hosting in any respect as a result of the contents at that URL do not matter; it is solely the URL that wants a 301 redirect to your new feed URL.
Step 3: Make a brand new RSS feed with a single announcement episode
Begin by creating a brand new RSS feed with a lot of the identical podcast info. The simplest method to get this is able to be a separate class feed out of your publishing device, if out there.
If that will not work, you would open your RSS feed in your browser and put it aside as a file in your pc.
Change the title barely by including “DUPLICATE” or one thing comparable, and also you would possibly need to add a “duplicate” banner within the cowl artwork, too. The purpose is to make it straightforward for anybody to see that this is the duplicate, not the precise podcast you need them to comply with.
Give this new RSS feed solely a single episode explaining what you want your viewers to do and hyperlink to your appropriate listings in all of the affected apps. This announcement will probably be seen and heard solely by those that truly must do one thing. Be at liberty to repeat the next script on your notes and spoken announcement.
Hello! We’re altering some backend stuff with our podcast and that, sadly, breaks a part of my/our podcast. I/we’d like to hold you in our group, so I/we’d like you to do a few issues to proceed receiving my/our podcast.
First, refollow my/our podcast in your podcast app, but it surely must be the one with out “DUPLICATE” within the title and canopy artwork. You may most likely get there from the hyperlink on this episode’s notes, or by looking for a similar title.
[Include your correct Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or other proxy-based platform links here in the notes.]
Then, when you’ll be able to see that you just’re following the proper podcast with all of the episodes, please unfollow this duplicate podcast and take away it out of your library.
Make this new RSS feed out there on-line (even should you merely add the brand new XML file to your hosting), however you’ll not be utilizing any common redirects to it or from it.
Step 4: Change the feed URL within the platform’s portal
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and different proxy-based platforms supply portals so that you can handle your podcast listings. These portals generally help you change the supply RSS feed on your podcast itemizing with out having to redirect your feed URL. That is the factor that previously, I’ve urged podcasters not to vary in Apple Podcasts Join, however now you do want it for this one goal.
Log into every portal that has your duplicate itemizing and alter that supply RSS feed to the announcement feed you created in step 3. It will change the feed for less than your followers on that platform. When you change this within the Apple Podcasts catalog, it will change the supply RSS feed for any apps that use Apple’s catalog of their app, but it surely will not change the feed for anybody’s library utilizing these different apps. And that is okay, as a result of practically all different podcast apps join your viewers immediately along with your RSS feed. So your viewers would go wherever it factors in these different apps. And if that duplicate itemizing is utilizing your appropriate RSS feed, then your viewers will get your podcast from that feed as an alternative of from the app proxy.
Updating your supply feed in these few proxy-based apps ought to then add the “duplicate” info and push that announcement out to solely those that are affected.
Step 5: Redirect and delete after a number of months
Go away this announcement feed on-line for at the very least 3 months. You can begin shutting it down after that.
It is advisable to do solely two issues with the announcement feed:
- 301 redirect the announcement feed URL to your appropriate podcast feed.
- Delete the duplicate listings by means of the podcast portals.
As soon as it is redirecting, you needn’t hold the announcement feed or episode on-line anymore.
Unlucky conclusion: it is messy and also you would possibly nonetheless lose some numbers
I consider these steps are the present greatest method to do issues if the platforms use their very own proxies and might’t merge your listings.
It is nonetheless doable and even doubtless you may lose some numbers by means of the “cracks” inherent with this course of. You would possibly see your obtain stats drop, however it would almost certainly be disengaged viewers members. And that is why I say you would possibly lose some numbers, however perhaps not individuals who had been truly listening. In spite of everything, if these individuals do not comply with you to the proper podcast itemizing, had been they actually that engaged along with your podcast anyway?
I actually want this wasn’t a difficulty in any respect! However unhealthy directions and platform limitations make this complication crucial should you hope to maintain most of your viewers.
Necessary reminder: don’t resubmit your feed!
As a lot as I would like to herald Smokey the Podcast Bear to inform you that solely you can stop duplicate podcast listings, the unlucky actuality is that it is nonetheless doable for some internet hosting suppliers—almost certainly the unknowledgeable ones—to make this error and inform you to resubmit your podcast with the brand new feed, and even worse, they submit it for you.
DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!
The solely exception is should you’ve utterly misplaced management of your outdated RSS feed and it is completely unattainable to get it again (but it surely often is). Even on this case, it is nonetheless higher to vary the supply feed of your podcast in all of the podcast apps your can as an alternative of resubmitting your podcast with the brand new feed.
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Disclosure
This put up might comprise hyperlinks to services or products with which I’ve an affiliate relationship. I’ll obtain compensation out of your actions by means of such hyperlinks. Nonetheless, I do not let that corrupt my perspective and I do not advocate solely associates.
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