How To Move A Podcast from Simplecast to Buzzsprout Without Losing Subscribers

What You Will Learn:

This is a step-by-step tutorial and guide that will show you how to seamlessly move a podcast (aka, ‘show’) from one podcast hosting company (Simplecast) to another (Buzzsprout) without losing any subscribers or interrupting the show.

Moving a Show Simplified:

The simplest way to describe the process of moving a show from one host to another is that you first import the show to the hosting platform you are moving to (this makes a copy of everything in your active RSS Feed and does not affect your subscribers or show in any way).

Next, you confirm the import/copy process went smoothly and everything is set up and working at the new host.

When officially ready to switch to the new host, you will place a forward or redirect on your old host feed URL so it sends all requests to your new host feed URL (this is called a 301 Redirect and is done at the host you are moving away from). The 301 Redirect starts working immediately telling anyone looking for your old feed URL that you have moved to the new feed URL.

You then make sure the podcast directories (Apple, Google, Spotify, etc) are using your new RSS Feed and you are off to the races and will start publishing new episodes on the new podcast hosting platform only. Wait 2–4 weeks (better safe than sorry) and you can delete your show (and account if you want) on the old hosting platform so you no longer get billed. 👍

Note: If you are reading this but moving your show using different hosting platforms, many of the basic principles, steps, and tips should still be helpful and applicable to you, but be sure to read the support documentation provided by your podcast hosts to make sure you do not miss any steps. 🍀

⚠️ General FYI Tips:

1. Be sure to pause any active dynamic ad campaigns before copying(importing) a show from one podcast host to another so the ads do not get permanently ‘baked’ into the episode audio files.

2. Do not manually change or update the RSS Feed URL in any podcast directory or app until after the 301 Redirect is set/active so you do not lose any subscribers.

3. Setting the 301 Redirect should be one of the last steps when moving a show to a new podcast host and should only be done when you are 100% ready to start publishing new episodes on the new hosting platform.

4. 301 Redirects do not move content so if you publish any new episodes on your old host after importing the show to the new host, you will need to either re-import the feed so all episodes get copied or manually replicate the ‘missing’ episodes that did not get imported. Do this before you set the 301 Redirect.

5. Do not rush the process of moving a show. You should buffer in at least a few days if not longer so you can take your time and avoid making any errors. If you have a lot of episodes and need to manually update web player embed codes on your external website (WordPress, Squarespace, etc), be aware that this can be a tedious and slow process and should be completed before setting the 301 Redirect.

6. Always Subscribe to Your Show in Apple Podcasts and other mobile apps before setting the 301 Redirect so you can experience the show the same way as your subscribers and better monitor the switch and be aware if there are any issues (but it should be seamless and your subscribers will have no idea that you switched podcast hosts).

The Basic Steps To Move Show:

Buzzsprout: Create a new free account at Buzzsprout.com

1. Buzzsprout: Copy 2–3 episodes by entering the Simplecast RSS Feed URL or search by Show Title (I recommend entering RSS Feed URL).
2. Buzzsprout: Upgrade to paid plan and finish copying all episodes.
3. Buzzsprout: Test playback of audio and confirm all show info and metadata imported correctly.
4. Buzzsprout: Customize Web Embed Players and add Social Links
5. Buzzsprout: Customize the show website URL or configure DNS Settings at domain registrar if using a custom domain.
6. Personal Website Embed Players (WordPress, Squarespace, etc): Manually replace Simplecast Web Embed Codes with Buzzsprout Web Embed Codes (if applicable)
7. Simplecast: Export analytics reports and backup any data or information for your records or to manually add on Buzzsprout as non-IAB data (optional). This step just needs to be done before you delete the show from Simplecast, but might as well do it early in case you forget.
8. Simplecast: When ready to officially move the show away from Simplecast, go to the Distribution Settings in Simplecast and paste in your Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL in the ‘RSS Feed Redirect’ field to set a 301 Permanent Redirect.
9. Web Browser (Chrome, etc): Test the 301 Redirect RSS by copy/pasting the old Simplecast RSS Feed in the address bar and if working correctly, the URL should change automatically to your new Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL.
10. Podcast Directories: Check & Confirm that all of the podcast directories (Apple Podcasts, etc) have updated with the Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL (allow for 24 hours and then manually update any that have not updated automatically).
11. Simplecast: Wait 2–4 weeks (best practice) to confirm everything is working properly on Buzzsprout and then delete the show on Simplecast. Once the show is deleted, you will no longer have access to analytics, so be sure to export any reports prior to deleting. Deleting the Simplecast account is optional once all shows are deleted from the dashboard.
12. Buzzsprout: Publish awesome new episodes!

Affiliate Link Bonus (Buzzsprout)

If you sign up for Buzzsprout using my affiliate link and upgrade to a paid plan, then I get a small commission and you will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card. It’s a win-win, but if you’d rather not, then no big deal. Here is the non-affiliate link to sign up for Buzzsprout.

Tip: Create A Podcast Cheatsheet (+Notion Template)

• To make the process of managing and moving a show much easier, you may consider creating a ‘living’ master podcast cheatsheet, checklist or SOP (use Apple Notes, Google Docs, Word, Notion, etc) for each podcast you own so you have all show details in one document making it easy to move shows, copy and paste show info, and keep track of everything in one document.
• Include items such Show Settings & Description, RSS Feed URL, Podcast Directory URLs, Website URLs, Social Media Links, Author Bios, etc. and anything related to the show.
• Do not include passwords in your cheatsheet. I recommend using a password manager such as 1Password or LastPass to save and manage user names and passwords.

Use Notion? Click here for view-only Cheatsheet (duplication is turned off, but feel free to copy the text and create your own cheatsheet). The template is mainly intended to be a spark of inspiration for you to create a podcast cheatsheet to fit your own needs and workflow.

If you want to duplicate the Notion template and get an 8-page PDF Version, it’s available on Gumroad for $1.00 (holla).

Notion Template (Duplicate Off) : Free View Only Version (👍)
Notion Template (Duplicate On)+ PDF: ($1 on Gumroad 👍👍)

Tutorial: Step-By-Step How To Move A Podcast from Simplecast to Buzzsprout

I. Setup Account & Import (Buzzsprout)

The initial import on the free plan will copy 2 episodes and will not impact your show on Simplecast. You are in ‘test mode’ until you set the 301 Redirect on Simplecast which will be one of the last steps in the moving process.

1. Sign Up For Buzzsprout (or use my affiliate link)
2. Enter First Name & Email Address
3. Create A New Password
4. Select ‘I already have a podcast’
5. Enter Podcast Name in the search field or click ‘import podcast from an RSS feed URL (my preferred method)
6. Paste in your Simplecast RSS Feed URL
7. Review the success page titled ‘All Done’
8. Click ‘See My Podcast in Buzzsprout’
9. Check your Email Inbox & Confirm Email Address (Click ‘Verify Email’ button)
10. Log in to Buzzsprout
11. Move on to the next section where you upgrade to a paid plan and finish importing the remaining episodes.

II. Upgrade To Paid Plan & Complete Import (Buzzsprout)

In order to import or copy all episodes in your Simplecast RSS Feed, you must upgrade to a paid plan on Buzzsprout.

FYI: Importing all episodes does not count against the hours included in your Buzzsprout plan so no worries if you have a lot of episodes to copy from your Simplecast feed. Go for it!

1. Click ‘Upgrade To Save’ next to Episode Title to upgrade plan and finish copying all episodes to Buzzsprout
2. Select Plan and click ‘Upgrade’
3. Enter Credit Card Info
4. Click ‘Complete Upgrade’ (You will be billed immediately)
5. Click ‘Copy Remaining Episodes’ to complete the import process
6. Click ‘Check for Remaining Episodes’
7. Click ‘Copy these episodes into Buzzsprout’
8. The import process is complete and the next steps should be to do a full audit to make sure everything moved over correctly and is working as expected.

III. Audit & Prepare To Move Show (Buzzsprout)

After importing show, explore the entire dashboard to learn the new platform and make sure everything is configured and set up correctly.

1. Explore Buzzsprout dashboard and fill in all settings as needed
2. Go to ‘Episodes’ Tab and spot-check episodes and test audio playback
3. Go to ‘Players’ tab and customize web embed players to match branding
4. Go to ‘Website’ tab
5. Customize Website URL
6. Change Color & Background image to match branding
7. Add Social Media Links
8. Go to ‘Directories’ and add Show Listing URLs (search for show in each directory and copy/paste the links)
9. Go to ‘Podcast Info’ and confirm show information is updated
10. Do a full sweep of everything and confirm episodes are playing back audio, website is set up, web embed players on external websites have been updated and all systems are good to go 🚀.

IV. Web Player Embed Codes (Buzzsprout + Website)

If you use web embed players for each episode post on your personal or business website (WordPress, Squarespace, Wix…), then you will need to manually replace the Simplecast web player embed codes with Buzzsprout embed codes. This can be a long and tedious process (trust me) depending on how many episodes, but it is easy and required. I would recommend trying to complete the ‘embed code swap’ shortly before you plan to place the 301 Redirect in order to keep the analytics accurate.

Note: Buzzsprout does also offer ‘Multi-episode’ players that you may decide to use instead of individual episode web players, but if you prefer using the individual episode players for each episode blog post, these instructions apply to you.

1. Click on ‘Players’
2. Click ‘Customize Your Players’ and customize colors, artwork, etc
3. Go to ‘Episodes’ and click to open an episode
4. In the right sidebar, select ‘Embed this ONE Episode’
5. Click ‘Get iframe code (advanced)’ if using Divi Theme or use the recommend embed codes if compatible with your site or theme.
6. Copy code to clipboard
7. Replace Simplecast embed player codes with Buzzsprout embed codes.

V. Set 301 Redirect & Move Show (Simplecast)

What is a 301 Redirect?
A 301 Redirect is basically a permanent change of address for your podcast RSS Feed URL that will forward or redirect any device, directory, app, or subscriber looking for your old RSS Feed URL to your new RSS Feed URL and instructs them to only use the new RSS Feed URL moving forward.

• Setting the 301 Redirect should be one of the very last steps you take when moving your show and should only be done when you are 100% ready to start publishing new episodes on the new hosting platform.
• Only set the 301 Redirect after you have confirmed everything is in good working order and ready to make the switch.
• Once you set the 301 Redirect, analytics will start being collected on Buzzsprout when episodes are played and download as the audio files will start being served by Buzzsprout.

How To Set A 301 Redirect (Simplecast)

1. Copy your new Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL in ‘Directories’
2. Sign in to the Simplecast Dashboard
3. Click on the drop-down menu in the top-left corner and then click the gear icon
4. Click on ‘Distribution’ in the left sidebar
5. Click on ‘Advanced Settings’ in the RSS Feed box
6. Locate the ‘RSS Feed Direct’ field
7. Paste in your Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL
8. Click ‘Save’ to set the 301 Redirect
9. The 301 Redirect is immediately active and you should start publishing new episodes and receiving analytics on Buzzsprout.
10. It is best practice to keep your old podcast host active for 2–4 weeks before deleting the show to make sure the 301 Redirect and everything is working properly.

🎯 How To Test a 301 Redirect (to confirm it is active)

• Copy & Paste the old Simplecast RSS Feed URL in a web browser address bar and click ‘Enter or Return’
• If the 301 Redirect is active, the Simplecast Feed URL will automatically switch to the Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL and open the code in a web browser window.
• Once the 301 Redirect is Active, many of the podcast directories will update with the new Buzzsprout Feed URL automatically, but some may require manually updating (which is no problem as long as the 301 Redirect is working properly).

VI: Update Podcast Directories

Many directories will update with your new Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL automatically after setting the 301 Redirect, but some may need a nudge or a manual update if they are still showing the Simplecast RSS Feed URL and it has been over 24–72 hours. (There is a full list of directories along with URLs to save you some time searching for them below this section)

Tip: To test and confirm if a podcast directory has updated with your new Buzzsprout Feed URL after setting the 301 Redirect:

1. Publish a new episode on the new hosting platform and check to see which directories update (allow up to 24 hours, but it is often much faster).

2. If you do not have a new episode ready to publish, you can make small changes to the Show Description or Episode Notes in your new host dashboard (be sure to ‘Save’) and then check the apps and directories to see which ones update with the changes. If a directory updates with the new changes, then they are referencing your new RSS Feed and no further action is required. If a directory or app does not update and it has been 24–48 hours since the changes were published in the new RSS Feed, then you will want to manually update the directory with your new RSS Feed URL.

Directories that may require a manual update:

(Results may vary so always be sure to check first):

1. iHeart Radio
   Email to Request Manual Update: help@iheartradio.com
2. Pandora
   Submit Support Ticket To Update: https://help.pandora.com/s/contactsupport?language=en_US
3. Stitcher
   Log In to Partners’ Portal To Update: https://partners.stitcher.com/

Directories You May Want To Expedite & Manually Update

Both of these directories should update automatically in time, but you may want to expedite each of them after setting the 301 Redirect since they account for a lot of listener traffic and also feed many of the smaller directories and apps which will update after each of these two update.

1. Apple Podcasts
2. Google Podcasts

It is no problem manually updating any directory so long as you have confirmed they are still serving the old RSS Feed and the 301 Redirect is active and forwarding your old RSS Feed URL to your new RSS Feed URL.

How To Manually Update the RSS Feed URL on Apple Podcasts Connect:

1. Sign-in to Apple Podcasts Connect
2. Click on your Podcast Thumbnail
3. Click on ‘Edit’ next to old RSS Feed URL
4. Replace old RSS Feed with your new Buzzsprout Feed URL
5. Click ‘Save’ 👍

How To Manually Update the RSS Feed URL on Google Podcasts Manager:

1. Sign-in to Google Podcasts Manager
2. Click on the Gear Icon next to Show Title
3. Click on ‘Feeds’
4. Click on ‘Change Served Feed’
5. Enter new Buzzsprout Feed URL
6. Click on ‘Next Step’ to ‘Confirm Selection’
7. Click on “Next Step’ to send verification code (may not be required if signed into show owner email address)
8. Verify in email or Click on ‘Submit’ to update Google Podcasts Manager
9. Confirm the Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL is listed as the feed to be served 👍

VI: Final Steps

1. Confirm all directories have updated to Buzzsprout RSS Feed URL (this may take several days)
2. Confirm audio is playing correctly across all apps and directories
3. Confirm all web embed players on your website are working properly
4. Confirm you are seeing analytics in your Buzzsprout dashboard
5. Confirm on the apps and directories you subscribe to your show on that everything is updating as expected and no apparent issues
6. Check email and direct messages and confirm you are not receiving any reports of issues from subscribers/listeners of your show
7. Export analytics and back up any date you want to save from Simplecast for your records
8. Click on links in social media channels and confirm all are working properly.
9. Wait 2–4 weeks (best practice) and delete show(s) on Simplecast when you are confident everything is working properly. Note: The 301 Redirect will continue forwarding your old RSS Feed URL to your new RSS Feed URL even after the show is deleted, but your analytics will be permanently deleted and cannot be restored (so be sure to export before you delete if that is important to you).
10. Keep creating awesome new episodes and share your voice with the world!

Cheers,
Mike Murphy ☘️

VII: Bonus: Big List of Podcast Directories

This list is included in the Podcast Master Cheatsheet, but feel free to copy/paste in your own document as it should come in handy. Use the list below to search for your show and confirm each directory is updating when you publish new episodes or make changes on Buzzsprout.

📌 Bonus Tip: Search for your show on Podnews.net to make it easy to find your directory URLs (as well as other useful information). While Podnews is a useful and handy resource, it should not be considered your ‘source of truth’ for your show, so always check with your podcast host support team if you discover any discrepancies.

If you decide to copy/paste this list of directories to your own podcast cheatsheet, do a search for your show in each directory and then click on the ‘Share’ or ‘Copy Link’ option for each directory paste it next to ‘Show Listing URL’.

1. Amazon Music:
   Show Listing URL:
   Dashboard: https://podcasters.amazon.com/podcasts
   Note: RSS Feed automatically updated shortly after 301 Redirect
2. Apple Podcasts Connect:
   Show Listing URL:
   Dashboard: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/
3. Audacy:
   Show Listing URL:
   To submit new show: https://www.audacy.com/podcast-submission
4. Castbox:
   Show Listing URL:
   Automatically added through Apple Podcasts
5. Castro:
   Show Listing URL:
   Automatically added through Apple Podcasts
6. Deezer:
   Show Listing URL:
   To submit new show: https://podcasters.deezer.com/submission
   To update RSS Feed: support@deezer.com
7. Gaana:
   Show Listing URL:
   To submit new show: https://podcasts.gaana.com/register
   To update show: https://podcasts.gaana.com/
8. Google Podcasts Manager:
   Show Listing URL:
   Dashboard: https://podcastsmanager.google.com/
9. iHeart Radio:
   Show Listing URL:
   Dashboard: https://podcasters.iheart.com/
   To Submit a New Show: https://www.iheart.com/news/submit-your-podcast-15298037/
   To update RSS Feed: help@iheartradio.com
10. JioSaavn:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show: https://yourcast.jiosaavn.com/
    To update show: https://yourcast.jiosaavn.com/dashboard/podcast/8857 (click ‘Sync’ to refresh feed)
11. Listen Notes:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show: https://www.listennotes.com/submit/
12. Overcast:
    Show Listing URL:
    Automatically added through Apple Podcasts
13. Pandora (Amp Login):
    Show Listing URL:
    Dashboard: https://amp.pandora.com/login
    To submit new show: https://www.ampplaybook.com/podcasts
    To update RSS Feed: https://help.pandora.com/s/contactsupport?language=en_US
14. PlayerFM:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show: https://player.fm/importer/feed
15. Pocket Casts:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show: https://pocketcasts.com/submit
16. Podcast Addict:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show:https://podcastaddict.com/submit
17. Podcast Index:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show:https://podcastindex.org/add
18. Podchaser:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show:https://www.podchaser.com/add
19. Podfriend:
    Show Listing URL:
    https://www.podfriend.com/
    Automatically added through Apple Podcasts
20. RadioPublic:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show: https://podcasters.radiopublic.com/
    Note: Automatically updated shortly after 301 Redirect
21. Samsung Podcasts:
    Show Listing URL:
    Sign In: https://cmsweb.glb.samsungcast.com/login
    Support: spodsupport@samsung.com
22. Spotify for Podcasters:
    Show Listing URL:
    Dashboard: https://podcasters.spotify.com
    Note: RSS Feed automatically updated in less than 12 hours after 301 Redirect
23. Stitcher Partner Portal:
    Show Listing URL:
    Dashboard: https://partners.stitcher.com/
24. TuneIn:
    Show Listing URL:
    To submit new show: https://help.tunein.com/contact/add-podcast-S19TR3Sdf
    To update existing show: https://help.tunein.com/how-do-i-update-my-podcast-or-program–H1ax0B7_f