Changing the Subdomain | Dummy Podcast

A subdomain change can change old feed addresses and embedded players. Without a working redirect, existing subscriptions might not get new episodes. This does not mean that you immediately lose all listeners.

Preparation

• Record all old feed addresses, custom domains, platform listings and embedded players.
• Make sure that your account permits another podcast and that you can edit both podcasts. Contact support if capacity or permissions are not sufficient.
• Contact support before the change if you use a custom domain, protected feeds or multiple custom feeds.
• Prepare the address changes, redirects and player updates together.

Previous dummy-podcast procedure

The steps below show the previous method. Before you start, contact support to make sure that the method is applicable to your account and feeds. The screenshots and the German video can show older interfaces.

Caution: A published placeholder episode can be available before the redirects work. Do not use confidential content. Do not send the dummy podcast to platforms as a new show.

1. Make another podcast that will use the old subdomain.
2. The previous method uses a short placeholder episode to permit publication of the dummy podcast. Contact support about this step before you start.
3. Publish the dummy podcast only after you have prepared the other steps.
4. Change the original podcast subdomain to the new value.
5. Enter the old subdomain for the dummy podcast.
6. In the dummy podcast, open "More options". Enter the new feed addresses in the applicable redirect fields.

Do not fill in only <itunes:new-feed-url>. Also set up redirects for the feed formats that you use. Copy the full destination addresses without extra spaces. Examine custom feeds separately.

Examine redirects and platforms

Open each old feed address. Make sure that it redirects to the correct new feed with the correct podcast and episodes. A feed redirect does not automatically redirect all blog pages or player addresses.

On each platform, make sure that the existing podcast is available and gets new episodes. If the platform does not use the new feed, read its current help pages or contact its support team. This also applies to Spotify. The procedure can be different for different connections.

Do not delete the dummy podcast only because four or five weeks have passed. Contact support about how long you must keep the redirects. Before removal, make sure that subscriptions continue correctly and that you know how long to keep the redirects.

There is no guaranteed minimum period for feed redirects after cancellation or deletion. Do not rely on a redirect remaining available afterward. Complete the transfer and examine the platform listings before the previous service ends.

Update embedded players

Examine the players on your websites. If their embed code uses the old subdomain, replace it with the current code from the original podcast. Then examine the episodes and playback. A player with the old subdomain can show content from the dummy podcast.