Migrate your podcast from another host to Castos
Before Starting:
- Don't know your podcast's RSS feed? Use our RSS Lookup Tool to find it.
- You may have to unlock your RSS feed on your previous host before importing. Search your previous host's documentation for unlocking your RSS feed if supported.
Move your podcast and episodes from another podcast host over to Castos.
Thinking of using WordPress along with the Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin to manage your podcast hosted on Castos? Jump to the second section to import your podcast into WordPress, then sync over to Castos.
Import your existing podcast into Castos
- From your dashboard, click Imports → Import A New Podcast.
- Enter your current podcast RSS feed URL. Castos will check if the RSS feed is valid or not. If the RSS feed is valid, you'll see Valid RSS feed URL. Click Next.
- The importer will show more details about your podcast and how many episodes it found ready to import from the RSS feed. Check the checkbox authorizing your permission to import it to Castos and click Next.
If you are expecting a different number of episodes, review our related guide here.
- After the import is complete, you can copy your Castos RSS feed to use on your previous RSS feed settings as a redirect, or go to your dashboard to begin managing your podcast on Castos.
Note on Imports: The amount of time it takes to import your podcast will vary from a few minutes to several hours depending on the number and length of episodes.
Import your existing podcast into WordPress with Seriously Simple Podcasting to sync with Castos
- From your WordPress dashboard, go to Podcasting → Settings → Import and enter your RSS feed. If you have Podcast Post types enabled or secondary podcasts created, you can select what podcast to import them and which post type.
- Check the checkbox Import podcast data (Title, Description, Cover Art, etc.). and click Begin Import Now.
- The plugin will confirm you want to import this RSS feed with a dialog box. Click OK to confirm and begin the import.
- Go to Podcasting → Settings → Feed Details to confirm and update all imported podcast metadata.
The number of episodes in your RSS feed on WordPress might only show 10 episodes even if your podcast contains more. You can increase it from Settings → Reading.
Not connected to Castos using your API key? Use our guide to add your Castos API key before proceeding
- Return to Podcasting → Settings → Hosting
- In the Sync to Castos section, check the checkbox of your podcast and click Trigger Sync.
Redirect the RSS Feed from your previous host
This is the final step for changing your podcast's distribution and cannot be undone. Make sure episode files of your imported podcast are playing and all feed details are configured correctly before adding a redirect on your previous host's settings.
If your podcast is distributed from podcast directories, they still have your previous host RSS feed has your “podcast address”. A redirect lets all podcast directories know to start pointing to your Castos RSS feed for future updates. Redirecting the RSS feed to your podcast’s new feed in Castos is similar to having your mail forwarded to a new home address.
Users of Seriously Simple Podcasting will see they have two RSS feeds; one powered by Seriously Simple Podcasting and another from Castos. These are not connected but will be identical if feed details for both are configured.
Which one should you use?
- Using your Castos RSS feed (like our integrations with Spotify and Amazon Music) will reduce bandwidth to your WordPress page when listeners and podcast directories crawl your RSS feed.
- Using your Seriously Simple Podcasting feed will show episode URLs from your podcast on WordPress to podcast directories that support episode links. These can be added on Castos using custom links in episode pages on Castos.
- Return to the original host account and follow their steps for redirecting your podcast's feed to the new Castos RSS feed URL. This might be called redirect, new feed URL, 301 redirect URL, etc. by your previous host.
- Confirm the redirect has been added by entering your previous host's RSS feed into a browser like Chrome or Firefox. The URL will automatically redirect to your new Castos RSS feed.
Redirecting from previous hosts
| Libsyn | Sign into your Libsyn dashboard and select Settings, then click Advanced Tools. Click Edit on Feed & Website Redirects. Paste your new Castos RSS feed URL in Feed Redirect URL and click Save. |
| SoundCloud | Sign into your SoundCloud dashboard and go to Settings → Subscriber Redirect → Content and enter your podcast's new Castos RSS feed URL. Click Save Changes. |
| Buzzsprout | Sign into your Buzzsprout dashboard and click Podcast Settings. Select Cancel/Redirect Podcast. Select Redirect Your Podcast Feed to follow the redirect prompts. |
| Anchor | Sign into your Anchor dashboard and click Settings. Select Distribution from the menu. Enter your Castos RSS feed URL and click Redirect my podcast. |
| Podbean | Sign into your Podbean dashboard and select Settings, then click Feed → Advanced Feed Settings. Paste your podcast's new Castos RSS feed URL into Redirect to a New Feed and click Update Options. |
| Simplecast | Sign into your Simplecast dashboard and select the podcast's settings icon. From Show Settings, select Distribution → Advanced Settings. Paste your podcast's new Castos RSS feed URL in the RSS Feed Redirect text box and click Save. |
| Podigee | Sign into your Podigee account. From your podcast, click More Options and enter your podcast's new Castos RSS feed URL in <itunes:new-feed-url>. Then click Save or click outside the text field to auto-save. |
We recommend giving all podcast directories up to four weeks to recognize the redirect. To ensure continued distribution of your podcast, keep your previous hosting account active during this time.
More Resources
- Videos: Getting started with Castos podcast hosting
- Related webinar: Getting started with Castos podcast hosting
- Video: How to import or migrate your podcast into Castos
- Video: Validate your RSS feed