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How to Import Sermons with an RSS Feed

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Haley S.
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Summary: This guide explains how to use the one-time RSS Sermon Importer to transfer your existing audio sermons from a previous provider to your website. This tool is designed to help you migrate your back-catalog of sermons when you first set up your site. 

Before You Begin

  • This is a one-time tool intended for initial site setup. It should not be used for regular, ongoing updates.
  • You must have the RSS feed URL for your sermon podcast from your previous provider.
  • The importer only supports audio files (e.g., MP3). It will not import video files.
  • Your RSS feed must be validated before you begin. An invalid feed will cause the import to fail.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Collect your podcast's RSS feed URL from your previous sermon or podcast host.
  2. Validate your RSS feed using a required tool like the W3C Feed Validator or RSS Board Validator.
    • Note: If your feed does not validate successfully with one of these specific tools, the import will fail. Please contact your original host for support if you see errors.
  3. Navigate to your admin panel and click on Sites in the main navigation.

  4. Select Content from the left-hand menu, and then click Podcasts.

    Screen_Shot_2022-07-05_at_10.56.26_AM.png

  5. Locate the Podcast series you want to import into. Hover over it, click the More (...) icon, and select Edit.
    • (Alternatively, click the Add Podcast button to create a new series first.)

  6. Click the Import RSS Feed button within the podcast editor.

    Screen_Shot_2022-07-05_at_10.57.02_AM.png

  7. Paste your validated RSS feed URL into the field provided.

    Screen_Shot_2022-07-05_at_10.57.39_AM.png

  8. Click Start Import. The process may take a few minutes to an hour, depending on the number of sermons in your feed.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

  • Why did my import fail? The most common reason for failure is an invalid RSS feed. Please ensure your feed validates without errors using the links in Step 2. If it doesn't, you must contact your original podcast host to resolve the issue with their feed.
  • Some of my sermons or sermon details are missing after the import. Due to variations in RSS feed formats, some data may not transfer perfectly. Manual clean-up of titles or descriptions may be necessary after the import. Remember, the tool only imports audio files; any video files in your feed will be skipped.
  • Can I use this to sync my sermons every week? No. The importer is a one-time migration tool. After the initial import, you must upload new sermons directly to the website each week.

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