Quick Start

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This guide takes you from a blank installation to a working podcast feed.

1. Create a podcast

  1. Go to WordPress admin > Selfhost Podcasting.
  2. Click Create New Podcast.
  3. Enter the podcast name.
  4. Enter a slug or leave it blank to generate one from the name.
  5. Create the podcast.

The slug becomes part of the feed URL. For example, a slug of weekly-update usually creates:

https://example.com/feed/weekly-update

Choose the slug carefully before submitting the feed to directories.

2. Complete required show information

Open the podcast and go to Podcast Information.

Fill in the required fields:

  • Podcast name.
  • Podcast description.
  • Podcast cover art.
  • Podcast website.
  • Language.
  • Apple Podcasts categories.
  • Podcast author.

Save the podcast information.

3. Add the first episode

Go to Manage Episodes and create a new episode.

At minimum, add:

  • Audio or media URL.
  • Episode title.
  • Episode description.
  • Episode publish date.

The audio URL must point directly to an audio file, not to a webpage containing an audio player.

4. Check the feed preview

Return to the podcast overview and open the preview URL. The preview page should show:

  • Podcast artwork.
  • Podcast title and description.
  • Episode list.
  • Audio player controls for each episode.
  • Feed URL, if enabled in feed settings.

The preview is for humans. Podcast apps read the XML feed.

5. Check the XML feed

Open the feed URL in a browser. You should see RSS XML or a browser-rendered feed stylesheet.

Look for:

  • A <channel> section with show details.
  • At least one <item> for the episode.
  • An <enclosure> tag with a valid audio URL.
  • A publish date.
  • Podcast artwork.

If the feed URL returns a 404, save WordPress permalinks again from Settings > Permalinks.

6. Submit the feed

After the feed is complete, submit it to your chosen podcast directories. Common destinations include:

  • Apple Podcasts.
  • Spotify for Podcasters.
  • YouTube Music.
  • Amazon Music.
  • Pocket Casts.
  • Podcast Index.

Each directory has its own review process. Keep the feed URL stable after submission.

Recommended next steps

  • Configure Feed Settings to decide how many episodes appear and what the preview shows.
  • Configure Podcast Player if you want automatic website playback.
  • Configure an analytics prefix if you use external podcast analytics.
  • Configure S3 storage before adding many episodes if WordPress storage or bandwidth is limited.