What's the Buzz?

YouTube is introducing a revolutionary RSS upload tool for podcasters, expected to launch by the end of this year. This follows a successful pilot in May 2023, and already popular podcasts like CNN One Thing and City Cast Pittsburg are available on the platform using this tool​​.

How Does It Work?

Podcasters can now directly distribute their podcasts and episodes to YouTube and YouTube Music through their RSS feed. The process involves submitting the RSS feed via YouTube Studio, where YouTube converts audio files to static image videos. These are then accessible on YouTube and YouTube Music. Crucially, new episodes will automatically upload upon publication, with relevant metadata like titles, descriptions, and release dates being updated accordingly​​.

Key Requirements for Your RSS Feed

To ensure your podcast RSS feed is viable for YouTube, it must meet certain criteria:

• The iTunes owner email must be included in the RSS feed.

• Feeds should be accessible to google-bot and google-xrawler.

• Each episode must have a unique GUID with no duplicates.

• Episodes in the feed should have an audio file format like MP3, as YouTube doesn’t support video formats for podcasts via RSS​​.

Customization Options

Podcast cover art or episode-specific art will be used as thumbnails and static images. If changes are needed, they can be made through YouTube Studio rather than the RSS feed. This allows for different presentations on YouTube compared to other directories like Spotify or Apple​​.

You can manually refresh your RSS feed on YouTube to track edits. For specific episode modifications (title, description, thumbnail), these changes should also be done in YouTube Studio​​. YouTube offers three privacy settings for episodes - Public, Private, and Unlisted, adjustable through YouTube Studio​​.

Managing and Uploading Content

Be mindful that deleting an episode in YouTube Studio but not from your RSS feed will see it reappear on YouTube. If you're looking to remove an episode from YouTube, it needs to be deleted from the RSS feed as well​​. When submitting your RSS feed, you can select a start date for episode uploads. Episodes will upload in the order they appear in the feed, but the YouTube upload date will reflect when they were uploaded to the platform, not the original RSS publication date​​.

Handling Copyright and Monetization

If faced with a copyright claim but you've licensed the content, you can dispute the claim or request exemption from future claims for your channel​​. YouTube distinguishes between regular ads (created by advertisers) and host-read ads/promotions. Regular ads are not permitted in your RSS feed, but host-read promotions are, provided they are flagged appropriately in YouTube Studio​​.

Boosting Podcast Discoverability

Uploading your podcast to YouTube can significantly enhance discoverability, tapping into YouTube's status as a search engine and its integration with Google search results. This not only improves SEO but also strengthens brand positioning​​. With Google Podcasts being phased out in 2024, YouTube is set to become a major podcasting hub. For podcasters whose audience frequents Google Podcasts, transitioning to YouTube sooner is advisable​​.

The YouTube Music App Advantage

Podcasts can be accessed on the YouTube Music app even if they're not on YouTube, thanks to YouTube's support for adding podcasts via an RSS feed URL. This feature is particularly useful as the YouTube app is pre-installed on most new Android devices​​.

Tracking, Notifications, and Older Episodes

YouTube converts episodes to videos for tracking views within your YouTube account. Unlike other podcast apps, these analytics won't be shared with hosts. Notifications to subscribers can be controlled via YouTube Studio settings, although YouTube automatically turns off notifications for old episodes uploaded via RSS. It's recommended to upload older episodes first to maintain chronological order on your YouTube feed​​.

Conclusion: A Strategic Move for Podcasters

With over 2 billion active monthly users on YouTube, leveraging this tool opens up a vast potential listener base. Being an early adopter of this technology could be a smart move for podcasters aiming to expand their reach and capitalize on YouTube's growing focus on podcasting​​.

~ Harrison Painter, Your Chief Ai Officer