Podcast host migration guide
Compare old and new podcast RSS feeds before the redirect.
A host import can look finished while episode identity, audio URLs, artwork, or the redirect path still differ. Compare the two public feeds before the old host becomes difficult to recover.
1. Match episodes by GUID, not title
An episode title can be edited and an audio URL can move. The GUID is the durable identity most podcast apps use to decide whether an item is the same episode. Compare every old GUID with the new feed and stop if an old identity is missing or duplicated.
- Count preserved old GUIDs
- List old GUIDs absent from the new feed
- Flag empty or duplicated GUIDs in either feed
2. Separate expected host changes from identity loss
A new enclosure host can be normal during migration. A changed episode GUID is different: it can make an existing episode look new. Review enclosure changes as information, but treat missing or duplicated identities as blockers.
3. Probe recent audio and review show metadata
Confirm recent enclosure URLs respond, then compare title, description, and artwork. A technical preflight should make intentional cosmetic changes visible without ranking them above identity and reachability failures.
4. Save evidence before redirecting
Keep a timestamped receipt of both source URLs, the final URLs reached, episode counts, identity findings, and bounded audio probes. It gives you a neutral record to attach to a host-support ticket if the feeds diverge later.
ONE-TIME WORKSPACE
$39No subscription · Public feeds only