How to Create a Podcast RSS Feed

If you want your podcast to appear in apps like Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you need a podcast RSS feed. That feed is the file directories use to read your show title, artwork, episode metadata, and audio file links.

The good news is that most podcasters do not need to build one manually. In most cases, your hosting platform creates the feed for you.

What is a podcast RSS feed?

A podcast RSS feed is a public XML file that contains the core information about your show, including:

• podcast title
• description
• artwork
• episode titles and descriptions
• audio file URLs
• publishing dates

When you publish a new episode, podcast apps check that feed and pull in the update.

What a podcast RSS feed needs

At a practical level, your feed should include:

• a public RSS URL
• podcast title and description
• cover art
• at least one published episode
• valid episode audio URLs
• contact email in the feed when required by your host or submission flow

Apple’s current podcast RSS requirements explicitly call for required tags, at least one episode, and artwork. Spotify’s current creator documentation also makes clear that if you host with Spotify for Creators, your RSS feed appears only after you publish your first episode.

The easiest way to create a podcast RSS feed

For most creators, the workflow is simple:

1. Choose a podcast host.
2. Create your show.
3. Upload at least one episode.
4. Fill in your show metadata.
5. Copy your RSS feed URL.

That is it.

You do not usually need to hand-write XML unless you are self-hosting.

Step-by-step: how to create a podcast RSS feed

Step 1: Choose a podcast hosting platform

Your host stores your audio files and usually generates the RSS feed automatically.

Common options include:

• Spotify for Creators
• Buzzsprout
• RSS.com
• Podbean
• Transistor

The right choice depends on pricing, analytics, website support, monetization features, and whether you want more control over distribution.

If your workflow starts with text rather than recorded audio, this is also where Jalp AI can fit. Jalp is relevant on the creation and hosting side because it is positioned around turning written content into podcast episodes, then managing the podcast workflow from there.

Step 2: Create your podcast

Enter the basic information for your show:

• podcast name
• author name
• description
• category
• cover art
• language

This information becomes part of your RSS feed, so it affects how your show appears in podcast apps.

Step 3: Publish your first episode

This is the part many beginners miss.

You usually need at least one episode published before your feed is useful for submission. Apple requires at least one episode in the feed, and Spotify for Creators says you will not see your RSS distribution section until your first episode is published.

Step 4: Find your feed URL

In most hosts, the RSS feed URL is shown in a settings, availability, or distribution section.

If you host with Spotify for Creators, the current documented path is:

• Settings
• Availability
• RSS Distribution

If you use another host, the exact path varies, but the feed URL is usually easy to find in the dashboard.

Step 5: Save the feed URL somewhere safe

You will need it for:

• Apple Podcasts submission
• Spotify show claiming or submission workflows
• third-party directory distribution
• feed migration later if you switch hosts

Validate the feed before submitting it

Even if your host generates the feed automatically, validation is still worth doing.

Validation helps catch problems like:

• missing required tags
• broken audio URLs
• invalid artwork
• formatting errors

Apple Podcasts Connect validates RSS feeds during submission, so many issues will surface there anyway. You can also use third-party podcast feed validators before submission if you want an earlier check.

Where to submit your podcast RSS feed

The two most important destinations for most shows are:

Apple Podcasts

Apple’s current process allows you to submit a show in Apple Podcasts Connect by choosing:

• New Show
• Add a show with an RSS feed

Apple then validates the feed and reviews the show before it becomes available.

Spotify

If your show is hosted somewhere other than Spotify, Spotify’s current claiming flow lets you add an existing show by entering the RSS feed in Spotify for Creators and verifying ownership through the email address in the RSS feed.

If your show is hosted with Spotify for Creators, Spotify publishes it to Spotify automatically, but you still need to enable the RSS feed if you want to distribute it to other listening platforms.

Common mistakes

Submitting before the first episode is live

This is one of the easiest ways to slow yourself down.

Using outdated directory advice

Many older guides still mention Google Podcasts and Stitcher. Those are no longer current submission priorities. In 2026, focus on active ecosystems like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and other current directories your host supports.

Forgetting that your RSS email may be public

Spotify’s creator documentation specifically warns that enabling your RSS feed can make your email address publicly visible in the feed.

Changing hosts without a redirect plan

If you move to a new host, use a proper redirect workflow so existing subscribers keep following your show. Apple’s current guidance points third-party hosted shows toward feed redirects when changing the RSS feed URL.

Where Recast fits

Recast does not create your podcast RSS feed. Your host does that.

Recast becomes useful after the podcast exists and the feed is live. That is when you want to turn episodes into:

• clips
• captions
• show notes
• summaries
• social assets

So the order is:

1. create the show and RSS feed with your host
2. submit the feed to podcast platforms
3. use Recast to promote each episode after publishing

Where Jalp fits

Jalp fits earlier in the workflow than Recast.

If you are starting with:

• blog posts
• research notes
• newsletters
• web pages

then Jalp can help you create the podcast itself and handle the podcast-side workflow before you move on to promotion.

So the practical split in this post is:

1. use Jalp AI if you need to create the podcast and get a text-first show off the ground
2. use your host or Jalp-managed workflow to generate and manage the RSS feed
3. use Recast Studio after publishing to create clips, captions, show notes, and distribution assets

FAQ

Can I create a podcast RSS feed myself?

Yes, but most podcasters should use a hosting platform unless they have a strong reason to self-host and maintain XML manually.

Do I need an RSS feed for Spotify?

Yes, unless your host handles Spotify distribution internally. RSS is still the standard way podcast metadata and episodes are distributed across platforms.

How do I find my podcast RSS feed?

Look in your host dashboard under settings, distribution, availability, or feed details. If you host with Spotify for Creators, Spotify’s current documentation points you to Settings > Availability > RSS Distribution.

Does Recast create podcast RSS feeds?

No. Recast helps after the podcast is published by turning episodes into promotional and repurposing assets.

Can Jalp help if I do not have a podcast yet?

Yes. If your workflow starts with written content and you want to turn it into a podcast before dealing with promotion, Jalp is the more relevant fit on the creation side.