Podcast RSS Validation: Every Error and How to Fix It

Feed rejected? These are the actual errors directories report — and the fixes for each one.

The landscape

When it comes to the reference guide for every common feed error, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• 'Invalid image URL / image too small': artwork must be 1400–3000px square JPG/PNG, served over HTTPS — check the itunes:image tag.
• 'Missing enclosure' or 'enclosure URL unreachable': episode audio must be a publicly accessible HTTPS URL with correct MIME type (audio/mpeg for MP3).

What actually works

When it comes to the reference guide for every common feed error, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• 'Invalid XML / parse error': unescaped characters (& < >) in titles or descriptions — all text fields must be XML-escaped.
• 'No episodes': the feed must contain at least one with a valid enclosure — publish one episode before submitting.

Putting it into practice

When it comes to the reference guide for every common feed error, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• 'Duplicate GUID': every episode needs a unique permanent GUID — reusing slugs or IDs causes rejection.
• Validate before submitting with Cast Feed Validator or Podba.se — PodKrafter feeds are generated to spec, but verify after custom edits.

Key takeaways

• 'Invalid image URL / image too small': artwork must be 1400–3000px square JPG/PNG, served over HTTPS — check the itunes:image tag.
• 'No episodes': the feed must contain at least one with a valid enclosure — publish one episode before submitting.
• Validate before submitting with Cast Feed Validator or Podba.se — PodKrafter feeds are generated to spec, but verify after custom edits.

Ready to put this into practice? PodKrafter turns research into broadcast-ready podcast episodes — start free.