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Move Your Podcast from SoundCloud to Libsyn

Lope Lopez
  • Updated

If you host your podcast on SoundCloud, bringing it over to Libsyn is easy. Once you move to Libsyn, you can start enjoying our features, such as our advanced publishing and stats, our wide distribution to the most popular apps and platforms, and our excellent technical and industry support to ensure you succeed.

This article walks you through how to move your podcast to Libsyn.

Step 1: Sign up for Libsyn

To get started, sign up for a Libsyn account at the following page: https://signup.libsyn.com/

After you've signed up and chosen a plan, you're ready to move your existing content to Libsyn.

Step 2: Import Your Content to Your Libsyn Account

Now that you set up your account, sign in so you can import your podcast's content - including all of your episodes and more - from its old location to Libsyn. To import your content:

  1. Click the New-Settings-Icon-final.png icon on the bottom, left-hand side of your Libsyn account. The Settings menu opens.
  2. Click Feed Sync & Import.
  3. In the Action section, click One Time Import.
  4. In the Feed URL field, paste the URL for your old RSS feed.
  5. Click Submit. Libsyn automatically begins to import your content. When the process is done, we'll send you an email to let you know!feed-sync-import-final.png

Step 3: Create a Tag to Update Your Directories

Now that your new Libsyn RSS feed is ready, you need to generate a new feed URL tag. Creating this tag is part of the process of getting podcast directories to update automatically to your new feed. It works in conjunction with the redirect that you'll create in step 4. But first, to create your new feed URL tag:

  1. Click the New-Settings-Icon-final.png icon on the bottom, left-hand side of your Libsyn account. The Settings menu opens.
  2. Click Feed & Website Redirects.
  3. In the Use New Feed URL Tag menu, select Yes.
  4. Click Save.new-feed-URL-tag-final.png

Step 4: Send Directories to Your New Libsyn Feed

Podcast directories, like Apple Podcasts, update your content by pulling information from your RSS feed. After you make the switch to Libsyn, the directories where you publish your episodes will try to pull from your old feed, so you have to update them to make sure they start using your new Libsyn feed.

There are two ways to update directories with your new feed: create a redirect, or manually update them. The process you need to use depends on the directory. Take a look at the sections below to see which process works for which directories.

Create a Redirect

A redirect provides a way to send directories to your new URL from your original one. When directories try to pull content from your old feed, the redirect will make sure they go to your new Libsyn feed and get your content from there instead.

There are several types of redirects. In this case, you need to create a 301 redirect at your old host, which tells directories that your URL has permanently moved to a new place. When certain directories encounter the 301 redirect at your old host in conjunction with the new feed URL tag you created, they will automatically update and use your new Libsyn location going forward.

The following is a list of some of the directories that will automatically update and start pulling from your Libsyn feed after you create a 301 redirect:

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Overcast
  • PocketCasts
  • BeyondPod
  • And many more! (This list is not exhaustive.)
Note Stitcher is another directory that follows 301 redirects. However, Stitcher does not appear in the list above because it only follows redirects while they remain in place at your old host - Stitcher won't automatically update to your new feed. If your redirect goes offline after you close your old account, Stitcher will stop following it. For that reason, we recommend that you change your URL manually to your new feed by signing in to Stitcher's portal, or by contacting them directly for help.

Set up the Redirect in SoundCloud

To create a 301 redirect in SoundCloud, log in to your old account. After you log in, follow SoundCloud's instructions for creating a 301 redirect.

When you enter your new URL to create the redirect, use the URL for your Libsyn Classic Feed. To quickly find it, see the "What is the URL to My RSS Feed?" section at the bottom of the Understand Your RSS Feed article.

Important After you set up the redirect, we recommend that you maintain your SoundCloud account for up to four weeks so that the redirect remains in place long enough to ensure that all of your directories have enough time to update to your new URL.

Manually Update the Directories You Publish to

As mentioned above, some directories won't follow a 301 redirect to your new feed. In those cases, you'll need to contact the directory to ask them to update the URL manually.

Our Libsyn Support Team can help! Take a look at the list below, and, if you publish content to any of these directories, discuss it with our Libsyn Support Team at the following email: support@libsyn.com. Libsyn Support can help you configure those directories in Libsyn and get them updated where appropriate.

Here are some directories that need to be updated manually:

  • iHeartRadio
  • TuneIn
  • Spotify
  • Pandora
  • And more (This list is not exhaustive.)

Step 5: Close Your Account at SoundCloud

When you have made sure that all the directories you publish your episodes to are now using your Libsyn feed, you can close your account at SoundCloud.

Congratulations and welcome to Libsyn!

Get More Help

If you have any questions or need more help, contact our Support Team at support@libsyn.com.

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