Author Topic: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?  (Read 1558 times)

MSW

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How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« on: May 22, 2017, 03:53:28 pm »
Hi,

I have a podcast hosted on my domain and feed created by Powerpress (using the Podcast Channels function). I've added the new feed rss to the iTunes New Feed URL setting in my Powerpress settings as well as set up a 301 redirect on my server, just to be safe.

My question is how long does it take for subscribers to get the new feed url?

It looks like it's changed in the iTunes store, but not anywhere else. When I look at my podcast via the iTunes site manager the feed still displays the old Powerpress feed as well as the old feed is showing up for my subscribers.

Thanks!

Shawn Thorpe

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2017, 04:49:16 pm »
It may take up to 24 hours for the iTunes Store listing to update. If the 301 was implemented correctly, current subscribers should get the changes the next time they update their subscriptions.

Please post a link to your iTunes Store URL along with the old podcast feed URL and the new podcast feed URL.


Shawn Thorpe

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2017, 03:31:59 pm »
The iTunes Store listing is still working off of the old feed. Please ensure you've implemented the 301 redirect correctly:
https://create.blubrry.com/manual/syndicating-your-podcast-rss-feeds/changing-your-podcast-rss-feed-address-url/

MSW

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2017, 10:07:53 pm »
Hi Shawn,

Can you tell me how you came across that info? When I search for the podcast in the iTunes store it appears to be using the new feed.

I have the redirect in my .htaccess file now as well.

Shawn Thorpe

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2017, 01:03:46 pm »
Go to https://podba.se/validate/ and copy/paste the iTunes Store URL into the field at the top of the page. Podbase will look at the iTunes Store API and see what feed that iTunes Store listing is working off of.

MSW

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2017, 08:39:15 pm »
Thanks so much for your help Shawn. One final time do you mind looking at my settings to see if you see anything wrong?

Here's what I have in the .htaccess on my server
Code: [Select]
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^/feed/rebelgrrrl http://www.omnycontent.com/d/playlist/0bfebefd-977c-4948-aa7e-a7750021c107/989b8219-da6c-4d49-bb36-a775002c12ca/e14d27d0-a832-4ab0-ba7b-a775002c12d8/podcast.rss [L,R=301]

I confirmed that this tag exists in the old feed at http://makingstarwars.net/feed/rebelgrrrl
Code: [Select]
<itunes:new-feed-url>http://www.omnycontent.com/d/playlist/0bfebefd-977c-4948-aa7e-a7750021c107/989b8219-da6c-4d49-bb36-a775002c12ca/e14d27d0-a832-4ab0-ba7b-a775002c12d8/podcast.rss</itunes:new-feed-url>
And the 301 redirect I set up in c-panel



Thank you!
« Last Edit: May 25, 2017, 09:47:26 pm by MSW »

Shawn Thorpe

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2017, 11:35:30 am »
Everything looks right to me. Since it's a WordPress site, you should only need the 301 in the .htaccess file. I wonder if maybe also having it set in cPanel is causing an issue? Also, and I know this sounds weird, but it is actually recommended to have the iTunes new feed URL tag set in the new feed as well as the old feed. At least until the changes take place. I'm not sure if Omny will allow for that, but if they will, put it in that feed as well. Also, if you have any caching plugins running on the WordPress site, turn them off, as they may be "holding on" to an older version of the .htaccess file.

MSW

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2017, 03:13:23 pm »
Thanks Shawn. I've taken your advice.

Some listeners have been able to get the newest episode from the feed so hopefully these changes will bring that to 100%.

Thanks again!

Shawn Thorpe

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2017, 04:10:11 pm »
You're welcome for the assistance!

If you continue to have issues with the 301 redirect, please report back here and I'll see if I can get some more eyeballs on it in case there's something I might've overlooked.

MSW

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2017, 09:39:05 pm »
Hi Shawn, quick question for you.

The new feed url for my podcast Rebel Grrrl is still not getting to my subscribers. iTunes claims that I need to have the iTunes new feed tag in my new feed instead of the old one. That just doesn't seem to make sense to me. It should be in my current feed to direct subscribers to the new one, right?

The only way I could add it in to the new feed is via an input like Powerpress. It seems strange and redundant to redirect traffic from the new feed to the new feed. Am I understanding the process correctly?

Here's what the iTunes rep said:
Quote
With Rebel Grrrl: A Star Wars Podcast, the <itunes:new-feed-url> needs to be on the new RSS feed URL and not the old one. We made a mistake on the procedure and initially told providers to put it in the old RSS feed URL.


Shawn Thorpe

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Re: How long does iTunes New Feed URL change take?
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2017, 05:14:31 pm »
What iTunes told you is, bizarrely, correct.

If you think about it, it does kinda make sense.

When you implement a 301 redirect, you're essentially telling services like iTunes that the old feed URL isn't valid anymore, go look in the new location. So, iTunes does that and finds the new feed, bypassing the old feed where the iTunes New Feed tag exists. If the iTunes New Feed tag isn't also present in the new feed, iTunes may not realize what to do. Since the URL in the iTunes New Feed tag would match the actual URL of the new feed (when the tag is present in the new feed [I feel like I've opened some kinda interdimensional wormhole here]), there's really no harm in having it in the new feed.

I know you're hosting the new feed with Omny, so you'd need to check with them to see if they can add the New Feed tag to your new feed.