Podcast

The Podcast page turns your published Library messages into a podcast feed you can submit to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Once it is set up, every new published message becomes an episode by itself.

Where to find it

Open Publish > Library > Podcast, or click Podcast at the top of Publish > Library. It works the same on the web app and in Tech Manager. The count at the top says how many episodes the feed has.

Set up the show

1. Go to Publish > Library > Podcast.
2. Under Show details, click Choose artwork and pick the cover. Apple requires a square image, 1400 to 3000 pixels on a side; the page says the size of the cover you chose.
3. Fill in Title and Description (what a listener sees on the show page, up to 4,000 characters). Both are required.
4. Fill in Author (usually the church's name), Owner name and Owner email. The owner email is not shown to listeners; Spotify and YouTube send a code there to prove the show is yours, so use an inbox someone reads.
5. Pick a Category, Subcategory, Language and Content rating.
6. Click Save at the top. You see "Podcast saved". The first save also creates the feed address.

Every field waits for Save. Click Discard changes to go back to what is saved.

Choose what the feed carries

1. Go to Publish > Library > Podcast and find Episodes.
2. Pick the Format: Audio suits every app; Video plays on Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and Spotify shows it as audio.
3. Under Series, choose Every published message or Only the series I choose, then tick the series to include.
4. Click Save.

Each episode is cut to the message's trim. Only Public, published messages become episodes: Unlisted, private and password-protected messages are never in the feed.

Turn the podcast on or off

1. Go to Publish > Library > Podcast.
2. Flip Podcast is on. It saves at once.

On, the feed is public and published messages in the included series become episodes. Off, the feed answers "not found" and no episode can be downloaded; your messages themselves are not affected.

Check the feed and submit it

1. Go to Publish > Library > Podcast and find Feed.
2. Read the feed check under the address. It says Ready to submit. when nothing is blocking, or lists what to fix. It checks what is saved, so save first.
3. Click the copy button beside the feed address.
4. Under Submit your podcast, follow the steps for each directory. Each has a button that opens the directory's own site. In short:
   • Apple Podcasts: sign in to Podcasts Connect, add a show with an RSS feed, paste the feed address. Apple emails the owner email and reviews the show, usually in a few days.
   • Spotify: in Spotify for Creators, add an existing podcast from an RSS feed, paste the address, and enter the code sent to the owner email.
   • YouTube: in YouTube Studio choose Create, New podcast, Submit an RSS feed, paste the address and verify with the code sent to the owner email.

You submit once to each directory. New episodes then arrive on their own.

See which messages are episodes

At the bottom of Publish > Library > Podcast, Messages lists every message the feed includes, with its date, series and state: In the feed, Preparing, Failed or No video. If any failed, click Retry failed.

Troubleshooting

The feed check says "Not ready to submit yet"

Fix each item marked with a warning sign, then Save and read the check again. Common ones:

• "Save the podcast to get its feed address." Click Save once.
• "The podcast is off." Turn on Podcast is on, or directories will find nothing.
• "Add an owner email." Fill in Owner email.
• "Add square artwork, 1400 to 3000 pixels on a side." Click Choose artwork.
• "The artwork is 1200 x 1200. Apple needs 1400 to 3000 pixels on a side." Choose a larger image.
• "No series is chosen, so the feed has no messages." Tick at least one series, or choose Every published message.
• "No episode is ready." Publish a message (Public) in an included series on Publish > Library. Directories need at least one episode.

An episode says Preparing

Its audio or video file is still being made. It appears in the feed when ready.

An episode says Failed

Click Retry failed. If it still fails, the reason is shown beside its date.

A message I published is not in the podcast

Check that it is Public (not Unlisted, Private or password-protected), that it is in an included series, and that Podcast is on is switched on.

Good to know

• Importing an existing podcast feed from another host is not available.
• The podcast's on/off switch is separate from each message's Published state. Turning the podcast off never unpublishes a message.
• Series themselves (names, artwork, order) are managed on Publish > Library > Series.