What is the Google Podcasts app I've been hearing buzz about?

Google Podcasts is a new podcast app specifically for Android device users. The app can be downloaded via the Google Play store on Android phones and devices. 

Is my podcast in Google Podcasts' library?

Your podcast is likely already included in the Google Podcasts library. You can confirm by going to this link, adding your RSS feed into the "Generate a direct link to your podcast" box, and pushing "Generate". If your podcast is in the library, you will receive a green "Podcast retrieved" message and a shareable URL:

If you enter your RSS feed, hit "Generate" and receive a red "This RSS feed is not currently indexed by Google Podcasts" message, visit Google PubSubHubBub to submit your RSS feed URL (this will tell Google to index your feed moving forward). To do so, put your RSS feed URL into the "Topic URL" box, and hit "Publish." You won't see any change on the page, but you're all set.

In addition to submitting your RSS feed to Google, there are a few requirements in order to appear in the Google Podcasts search. These include a title for your podcast, at least 1 published episode in the RSS feed, and a valid website URL (enter the website link by going to "Edit Podcast" in Megaphone and entering the "Website Link" under "Author Details". See screenshot of field below). Without meeting these requirements, Google will not index your podcast.

In addition to the title, published episode, and website, Google does not index feeds that contain a <noindex> tag. In Megaphone, navigate to the Podcasts tab and select "Settings" in the upper right corner. Select the "Megaphone Settings" tab and scroll down to "Advanced Settings". If the block toggles ARE toggled on, Google will not index your podcast. Therefore, to make your show visible in Google Podcasts, DO NOT toggle on the options that you see below:

I published a new episode/made changes to my show, but Google Podcasts hasn't updated. What should I do?

Google uses bots to crawl for updates to your show. As a result, updates may be delayed by a few hours to a couple of days. To manually trigger a refresh, go to the Google PubSubHubbub hub, enter your RSS feed into the "Topic URL" box, and hit "Publish."
​​
What are my next steps?

Other than ensuring your podcast meets the requirements laid out above and confirming that your feed has been indexed by Google, the final action item is to add subscription options to your Megaphone Embeddable Player. We've put together a helpful tutorial with information on setting up subscription options for Google Podcasts, as well as other apps including iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.

In addition to setting up subscription options, you may consider setting up Megalink to simplify the subscription experience for listeners. With Megalink, Megaphone checks the user’s operating system before routing them to your podcast in the relevant software.

Should I prioritize Google Podcasts over Google Play?

Absolutely. Google Play caches RSS audio files, meaning it does not support dynamic ad insertion, making it difficult to monetize. Google Podcasts does not cache audio files, making those impressions sellable as part of your overall catalogue. 

Does Megaphone reporting show Google Podcasts?

Yes! Megaphone reporting will show both "Google Podcasts on Android" as well as "Google Podcasts on smart speakers." You can find this information by running an Applications report. See this article for information on how to create a report. 

I still have more questions. Help!

As always, we are here to answer any questions you may have via Live Chat. Happy podcasting!