Author Topic: Updating iTunes with New Feed Addresses  (Read 4954 times)

awarner20

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Updating iTunes with New Feed Addresses
« on: January 29, 2010, 06:21:43 pm »
I hope someone here can advise. I moved a site from Joomla to WordPress and need to update iTunes with the new feed addresses. Is there any option in PowerPress for adding the tag described here?:

# You should use the <itunes:new-feed-url> tag described in the iTunes RSS Tags section below. The tag will cause the iTunes Store to be updated with the new feed URL, as well as all iTunes client versions that support podcasting.
# You should set your web server to return an HTTP 301 response and redirect when receiving a request for the old feed. Doing so will cause both the iTunes Store and the most (but not all) iTunes clients that have subscribed to your podcast to pick up the new feed URL.
# The <itunes:new-feed-url> tag will work for iTS and all versions of the iTunes client that support podcasting. The 301 redirect will work for most of your subscribers who do not use the iTunes client. We recommend that you use both methods to update the greatest possible number of subscribers with your new feed URL.
# Be sure to maintain the <itunes:new-feed-url< tag and the 301 redirect for at least two weeks to ensure that most subscribers have attempted to download your most recent episode and have thereby received the new URL.

awarner20

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Re: Updating iTunes with New Feed Addresses
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2010, 10:59:17 am »
I think I'm a bit closer but not sure what to do exactly. I hope someone can help.

The new feeds are in categories, so for each category I've selected "Add Podcasting". I've done a test and subscribed to this new feed in iTunes and it's good. Now the next step is where I'm confused...how to change the existing feed address to the new one?

In the category podcasting settings I see some things that look related but that I don't quite understand. Also, I did not add these podcasts originally and don't know the original submitter's iTunes account info (but may be able to get it).

What I do have is the original (and now broken) feed address. We are getting emails from Apple notifying us of broken feeds. The broken feed address is:
http://webtalkradio.net/?view=category&id=96:the-economy-and-you&option=com_content&Itemid=57&format=feed&type=rss

The new feed address is this:
http://webtalkradio.net/category/podcasts/the-economy-and-you-with-will-kaydos/feed/

I have created a 301 redirect from the old feed to the new feed as suggested above, and when entering the old feed address into my browser, I am redirected successfully. According to what's suggested above, iTunes will pick up this redirection, but it also states to use the iTunes <itunes:new-feed-url> tag. So, I went back to the iTunes settings in the category podcasting area.

I entered the iTunes Subscription URL as:
https://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/pingPodcast?id=307582386
(I got the ID at the end from right clicking the podcast listing in iTunes)

I also chose the iTunes New Feed URL and entered:
http://webtalkradio.net/category/podcasts/the-economy-and-you-with-will-kaydos/feed/

I then saved the settings. I guess my big questions are these:
Is this the correct way to update a feed url for an existing iTunes podcast using PowerPress?
How can I test that this worked?

I pinged the podcast using:
https://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/pingPodcast?id=307582386
...but that displays the old feed address. How can I be sure that the new feed is being used on this podcast?

Any help or guidance is GREATLY appreciated. I need to change the feed addresses on about 70 podcasts and I want to make sure I'm doing it right!

awarner20

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Re: Updating iTunes with New Feed Addresses
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2010, 12:43:58 pm »

angelo

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Re: Updating iTunes with New Feed Addresses
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2010, 03:28:22 pm »
There are three things happening here.

1. The 301 request is telling all of the iTunes (and non-iTunes clients) of your new podcast feed address. This is one way of telling iTunes clients of the new feed URL. (covers iTunes client and most other PodCatchers like Zune)

2. The new feed contains the itunes:new-feed-url, which only tells iTunes clients that you hae a new feed address. This is another way of telling iTunes clients of the new feed URL. (only covers iTunes client)

3. Your iTunes listing on the iTunes Store will eventually change to the iTunes:new-feed-url setting found in your feed. (covers iTunes Podcast Directory displayed when browsing iTunes Store)

iTunes Store can take up to 2 weeks to get the new-feed-url setting, though I've observed this to take between 48-72 hours. You can go back every few hours and Update your iTunes listing (ping) to see if iTunes has stored your new-feed-url. The Update Listing/ping does not automatically update your subscribers though.

iTunes clients (This is folks who are subscribed to your podcast) is subject to the usage of the end user. If you have an audience member who only runs iTunes once a month, then you need to maintain the 301 Redirect and/or the itunes:new-feed-url setting for at least one month. If you can handle it, I would host the 301 redirect indefinitely and maintain the itunes:new-feed-url for 2-3 months.

awarner20

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Re: Updating iTunes with New Feed Addresses
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2010, 05:30:00 pm »
Hi Angelo,

Thanks so much for the reply. Just to clarify. I am creating the 301 Redirects with the "Redirection" found here: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/redirection/

Are you saying that this just creating these redirects should be enough to tell iTunes and other feedcatchers of the new url? And that they will pick them up eventually?

Also, because I'm creating these, I should NOT need to use the PowerPress setting in category podcasting that allows me to update the feed url? (iTunes New Feed URL)...or should I be setting this in addition to creating the redirects?

I just want to be doubly sure before I continue with the dozens of others I need to create.

angelo

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Re: Updating iTunes with New Feed Addresses
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2010, 06:15:13 pm »
You should do both for as long as possible. If you can only do one or the other, the 301 Redirect is preferred since it works for the iTunes Store, most iTunes clients and all other non-iTunes clients/podcatchers.

Here's a direct copy/paste from the iTunes specifications:

Quote
Podcasters occasionally need to move their feed from one location to another. To do so without losing subscribers, you must convey the change directly to all users who are subscribed to your feed. If possible, you should do two things:

You should use the <itunes:new-feed-url> tag described in the iTunes RSS Tags section below. The tag will cause the iTunes Store to be updated with the new feed URL, as well as all iTunes client versions that support podcasting.

You should set your web server to return an HTTP 301 response and redirect when receiving a request for the old feed. Doing so will cause both the iTunes Store and the most (but not all) iTunes clients that have subscribed to your podcast to pick up the new feed URL.

The <itunes:new-feed-url> tag will work for iTS and all versions of the iTunes client that support podcasting. The 301 redirect will work for most of your subscribers who do not use the iTunes client. We recommend that you use both methods to update the greatest possible number of subscribers with your new feed URL.

Be sure to maintain the <itunes:new-feed-url< tag and the 301 redirect for at least two weeks to ensure that most subscribers have attempted to download your most recent episode and have thereby received the new URL.

If you are not able to use both methods, you may want to include an audio note in your podcast, informing your subscribers that your podcast has changed locations.

To summarize:
  • 301 Redirect required for all non-iTunes podcastchers/subscribers
  • 301 Redirect or <itunes:new-feed-url> required to update iTunes Store and most (but not all iTunes clients)
  • <itunes:new-feed-url> required for older iTunes clients that cannot handle the 301 Redirect
« Last Edit: February 01, 2010, 06:19:11 pm by angelo »