Articles on: Redirecting

How to forward your Substack podcast RSS feed - 301 redirect

301 redirect from Substack


After importing your Substack RSS feed into Transistor, you’ll then need to redirect your old Substack feed so that it points to your new Transistor feed.

Important: If you haven't imported your show yet, you should follow our Import Guide first.

Export your Analytics


It’s a good idea to export your analytics from Substack at this point. Analytics do not transfer between hosts so it’s good to take a copy now for your own records.

How to move your podcast away from Substack


To migrate your podcast away from Substack, follow these steps:

Import your podcast to Transistor - Transistor Import Guide
Find your new Transistor RSS feed URL and copy it
Log into https://substack.com/
Click on the Podcast menu
Click on the Settings button
Scroll to the bottom and look for the Migrate Podcast section
Click Redirect RSS feed
Paste in your new Transistor RSS feed and save the changes.





What if I no longer have a Substack account?


If you no longer have an account with Substack you can still contact their support directly and ask for them to enable a 301 redirect for you.

Substack Support Email: support@substack.com

You can use the following email template:

“I have moved my podcast to Transistor.fm. Please redirect my podcast called (insert podcast name) using (insert old Substack rss feed) to my new host Transistor (insert new Transistor RSS feed). Please let me know once the redirect is active.”

Substack Support Details


Substack Support email: support@substack.com
Substack Contact page: https://substack.com/contact
Substack Support docs: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us

What does a 301 redirect do?


A 301 redirect for your podcast RSS feed is very useful when you move to a new podcast host. It ensures that any subscriber or podcast platform still using your Substack feed won’t be faced with a broken link. Enabling a redirect means that your existing subscribers will stay subscribed and podcast directories can continue to pick up your new episodes.

A redirect is like leaving a forwarding address. It lets anyone using your old feed know where you have moved to.

How long does a 301 redirect last?


Most podcast platforms provide a permanent redirect for free, even after you have closed your account with them.

How long does it take to enable a 301 redirect?


A redirect should be active within a couple of minutes of it being applied to your Substack feed. Podcast directories will then be able to pick up your new episodes from Transistor the next time they check your feed. That’s usually within 24 hours of your redirect being active.

How to test if a 301 redirect is working?


If you visit your Substack feed link in a browser, it should automatically redirect to your Transistor RSS feed.

What happens if I don’t forward my old feed from Substack?


If you choose not to redirect your podcast, you may need to complete a few extra steps.

Without a redirect existing subscribers won’t know where you have moved to. They will need to manually re-subscribe to your new Transistor podcast feed. So be prepared to share your new feed out manually to regain your subscribers back.

Without a redirect podcast directories like Apple and Spotify will still be using your old Substack feed. To fix that without a redirect you’ll need to manually go to those platforms and update the feed they are using for your podcast.

Here’s how update your RSS feed on Spotify:
https://support.transistor.fm/en/article/how-can-i-change-my-rss-feed-on-spotify-1ttzvm4/

Here’s how to update your RSS feed on Apple Podcasts:
https://support.transistor.fm/en/article/how-can-i-update-my-rss-feed-on-apple-podcasts-1sql0ga/

Updated on: 21/11/2022

Was this article helpful?

Share your feedback

Cancel

Thank you!