Understanding the technology that makes podcasting open—and why that matters to independent creators.
When you hit the follow button on your favorite podcast app, you're not thinking about technology. You're just following a show.
But behind that simple action, something important is happening:
Your podcast app is connecting to an RSS feed.
That feed contains information about every episode: the title, description, audio file location, publication date, duration, and more.
When you publish a new episode, the feed updates automatically. Your app checks it regularly and lets you know there's something new to listen to.
Podcasting didn't start as a giant centralized platform controlled by one company (though a few have tried to create that dynamic).
Instead, it evolved as an open ecosystem built on RSS.
Here's how it works:
This meant creators could reach listeners across multiple platforms without being locked into one app or service.
That's powerful.
Now imagine if podcasting worked like social media:
You'd create your show exclusively on Platform A. You'd build an audience of thousands on Platform A. Platform A's algorithm would decide which listeners see your new episode. Then Platform A changes its algorithm. Your reach drops 70%.
Or Platform A decides podcasting isn't profitable anymore. They shut down the podcast feature entirely. Your entire audience is gone.
That's not how podcasting works—because of RSS.
Your show doesn't live inside one platform. Your RSS feed is your property. Any compatible app can read it. You're not trapped.
If you're starting a podcast, understanding RSS isn't a technical requirement—most hosting platforms handle it automatically.
But it's important to understand philosophically why your show works the way it does.
Your podcast hosting provider publishes your feed. Podcast directories submit themselves to that feed. Listeners' apps pull from it. When you publish a new episode, that event propagates across the entire ecosystem without anyone's permission or approval.
That's RSS at work.
And it's why independent creators can build real audiences without needing to negotiate with gatekeepers.
The structure of podcasting—open RSS feeds, multiple apps, distributed hosting—isn't just convenient. It's deliberate.
This design protects creators.
If Apple Podcasts disappeared tomorrow, your show would still exist. Your RSS feed would still work. Listeners could migrate to other apps. Your audience isn't held hostage by one company's business decisions.
Compare that to:
Podcasting has its challenges, but platform dependency isn't one of them. RSS solved that problem decades ago.
Think of your RSS feed as your broadcast license.
In traditional radio, you needed an FCC license to broadcast. The government controlled access.
In podcasting, your RSS feed is what gives you broadcast rights across the entire ecosystem.
Nobody can take that away.
You own your domain (or can move it to a domain you own). Your RSS feed lives at that domain. Any podcast app in the world can read it.
That's extraordinary power for independent creators.
Most podcasters don't need to think about RSS directly. Your hosting platform (Buzzsprout, Anchor, Transistor, Podbean, etc.) generates it automatically.
But the philosophical principle is crucial:
Your show isn't held hostage by any single hosting service.
You can move your podcast feed from one host to another. A new app can read it. A listener can subscribe in any compatible application.
That's why podcasting remained a viable medium for independent creators even as social media became increasingly concentrated.
RSS is decades old. But it's not outdated—it's becoming more relevant.
As creators look for ways to reduce platform dependency, RSS enables new possibilities:
Podcasting's open infrastructure—built on RSS—makes these innovations possible.
If you're running a podcast, here's what matters:
People sometimes ask: "Is RSS dead?" "Will podcasting always use RSS?"
The answer is likely yes, because RSS solves a fundamental problem elegantly:
How do independent publishers distribute content to open ecosystems without being locked into one platform?
That problem isn't going away. The solution won't either.
We help creators set up professional podcasts, manage RSS feeds, and build sustainable distribution strategies.