YouTube lets creators upload podcast episodes via RSS feed

Google-owned YouTube now let audio-first podcast creators upload episodes via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed instead of making them manually create a video.

“If you’re an audio-first podcast creator that distributes your podcast using an RSS feed, you can upload your RSS feed to YouTube,” Google wrote on its support page.

RSS is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates to websites in a standardised, computer-readable format.

As explained by the company, when creators submit their RSS feed to YouTube, it will create videos for each podcast episode that they choose to upload.

“YouTube will use your podcast’s show art to create a static-image video and upload it to your channel on your behalf. When a new episode is added to your RSS feed, it will automatically upload to your channel and we’ll notify your eligible subscribers,” the company said.

YouTube will not distribute your podcast to other platforms, and “your podcast will only be available on YouTube and YouTube Music”.

Meanwhile, YouTube has rolled out “BrandConnect”, the company’s branded content platform, for eligible creators and select advertisers in India.

With this, the company said that it wants to make it easy for creators, top brands, and leading agencies to partner, create, promote, and measure sponsored creator content. “This will help brands execute their branded content campaigns more seamlessly by identifying the right mix and profile of creators to work with, while creators will have a new avenue to be discovered and earn more from their content,” Google said in a blogpost.