How to Subscribe to a Podcast

How to Subscribe to a Podcast

Podcasts get new episodes from time to time, many with new episodes every week. It can be difficult to keep up with all the new information, and you may end up missing something.

Thankfully, you can subscribe to a podcast with free software such as iTunes or Juice. Here's the basic idea of how it works.

Subscribing with the iTunes button

If the creator of this podcast has listed the podcast with iTunes, then you will see an iTunes button at the the top of the podcast page. In such a case, you can simply click on that iTunes button to launch iTunes and go directly to the iTunes listing for this podcast. From there you will be able to subscribe to the podcast as usual.

Subscribing with the RSS feed button

Instead of using the iTunes button to subscribe, you can always use the RSS feed option as explained below:

Each podcast has a special file called an RSS feed.
That file is linked to the RSS button at the top of the podcast.
If you copy that link, you can then paste it into iTunes or Juice (or whatever program you use for receiving podcasts).
That program will check each day to see if there is a new episode. The program does all the hard work for you, since most people don't have time to check all the podcast web sites they like every day.
If there are any new episodes for the podcast, the program will download them for you.
Instead of having to go to all the podcast web sites to get the episodes yourself, you simply need to open iTunes or Juice at your convenience to see all the items that are new.

Common programs for receiving podcasts

There are many free programs that will get your podcasts. Below are the two most common examples:

iTunes – http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
By far this is the most popular choice for receiving podcasts … and for good reasons. iTunes is free and very easy to use. iTunes excels at helping you find podcasts, with well organized directories, powerful search tools, good descriptions, and user reviews. Note: iTunes is not just a podcast receiver, but also a full-service program for purchasing music, TV shows, and movies, as well as serving as an organizer for all the media on your computer. Because the program is more powerful, it also uses up more memory on your computer. Still though, this is the program of choice by most people.
Juice – http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/index.php
Juice is also a free podcast receiver and is easy to use as well. It is not as powerful as iTunes and does not have as good of search tools. However, since all it does is receive podcasts, it is a smaller program with less demands on your computer system. This program is a decent alternative to iTunes if all you need is a podcast receiver.

How to copy the RSS feed link

Although each program will have its own instructions for use, most will offer you a place to paste in the the RSS feed for the podcast you want. So, it is necessary for you to be able to copy the RSS feed address for the podcast you wish to subscribe to. Here are two common options to do this:

Option #1

Right-click on the RSS button at the top of the podcast page
From the pop-up menu, choose "Copy Shortcut"
Now the RSS feed address is copied into memory and can be entered into iTunes or Juice

Option #2

Left-click on the RSS button at the top of the podcast page
This will open the RSS feed in a window (or tab)
At the top of your browser, you will find the RSS feed address in the browser's address bar (or URL bar)
Click in that address bar to highlight the RSS feed address
Now just copy the address using whatever method is correct for your particular computer
1. Right-click and choose "Copy"
2. Press the "Ctrl" key and the "C" key at the same time (on a Windows computer)
3. Press the "Apple" key and the "C" key at the same time (on a Mac computer)
Now the RSS feed address is copied into memory and can be entered into iTunes or Juice