It’s no mystery that customers’ content consumption habits have increased exponentially due to the coronavirus pandemic. As video streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are getting an influx of new subscribers, the podcasting industry is also getting a fair share of the pie. Responding to this growth, Google’s podcast app “Google Podcasts” has expanded its feature set and availability over the past few months.
Google Podcast’ latest addition in this effort is the ability to allow users to subscribe to podcasts via RSS feeds. Interestingly, the feature works on Google Podcasts on Android, iOS, and web. Today we are going to see how to subscribe to RSS feeds on Google Podcasts.
Subscribe to private RSS feeds on Google Podcasts
In this article, we’ve shown the steps to subscribe to private RSS feeds on Google Podcasts for both web and mobile apps. Feel free to use the table of contents below to jump to the section of your choice.
Subscribe to private RSS feeds on Google Podcasts Web
1. Visit Google Podcasts official site and sign in with your Google account. If you are already signed in to your Google account in the browser, you will automatically be signed in to Google Podcasts with your Google account.
2. Click on the burger map (three-line horizontal button) present at the top left corner of the page to expand the Google Podcasts menu options.
3. In the menu, you will notice a total of three options – Explore Shows, Subscriptions and Add by RSS Feed. Click on ‘Add by RSS feed’ and wait for Google Podcasts to take you to the RSS feed subscription page.
4. Once the RSS feed subscription page is displayed, paste the full podcast url, and click the Subscribe button. These can be public podcasts or premium shows from platforms like Slate, Patreon, Glow, Red Circle, Stratechery, Memberful, and Supercast. In that case, I’m subscribing to CNN’s Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction podcast RSS feed hosted by the organization’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
5. And that’s it. Shortly after clicking the subscribe button, you will notice that you are subscribed to the podcast. The service will automatically redirect you to the show page. You can repeat these steps to subscribe to more awesome podcast shows.
Subscribe to private RSS feeds on Google Podcasts on Android and iPhone
If you prefer to use Google Podcasts on Android and iPhone, you can follow the steps below to subscribe to RSS feeds. The steps are the same for both versions of the app, so we mainly show screenshots of the Android app. I also added a screenshot for the iOS app to clarify things.
1. Open the Google Podcasts app and switch to the Activity tab in the bottom navigation bar. On the Activity page, you will notice a “Subscriptions” tab. Tap the Subscription tab header or swipe left to enter the section.
2. While in the Subscriptions tab, tap the ellipsis icon (three vertical dots) and choose “Add by RSS Feed”. If you don’t see this option in the Subscriptions tab, make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of the app from Google Play Store.
On iPhone, the steps are the same, only the placement of the “Add RSS Feed” option is different, as shown in the image below.
3. In the pop-up window that appears now, paste the podcast URL and click the Subscribe button. You will now be automatically subscribed and directed to the podcast show’s dedicated page or list.
Use the Google Podcasts app to listen to podcasts with private RSS feeds
This is how you subscribe to RSS feeds on Google Podcasts. If you are an iPhone user, you can follow the detailed procedure for the Android version, as both apps share the same set of features. This neat addition should help both creators share their podcasts and listeners easily access them. While you’re at it, don’t forget to drop your podcast recommendations in the comments.
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