Episode numbers are used throughout your Podpage website — they appear on your episode pages, power Quick Links like yourpodcast.com/51, and help organize your content for listeners.
Here's how we get those numbers when we import your episodes.
From Your RSS Feed (Primary Method)
Most podcast hosting platforms include episode numbers directly in your RSS feed using a standard tag called itunes:episode. When this tag is present, Podpage reads it automatically — no action needed on your part.
If your host supports episode numbers, you'll typically set them when publishing an episode. Check your hosting platform's episode settings for a field labeled "Episode Number" or similar.
From Your Episode Titles (Automatic Detection)
Some podcast hosts don't include the episode number tag in the feed, even if you use episode numbers in your titles. When that happens, Podpage will try to detect the number from the episode title automatically.
We look for common patterns like:
- #247 — "#247 Guest Name — Topic"
- Ep 42 or Episode 42 — "Ep 42 - Interview with Jane"
- Ep. 10 — "Ep. 10 Something Great"
For less obvious patterns — like a number followed by a colon or dash (e.g. "100: My Episode Title") — we only use the number if we can confirm it makes sense, such as the previous or next episode already having a matching number.
This detection happens automatically when your episodes are imported. You don't need to change anything about how you title your episodes.
What If My Episodes Don't Have Numbers?
Not every podcast uses episode numbers, and that's perfectly fine. If your feed doesn't include them and they aren't in your titles, your episodes will simply appear without numbers. Your website will still work great — episode pages, links, and everything else will function normally.
The main thing you'll miss out on is Quick Links by episode number (like yourpodcast.com/51), but your episodes will still have their own unique, SEO-friendly URLs.
Tips for Best Results
- Set episode numbers in your hosting platform if it supports them. This is the most reliable method since the number goes directly into your RSS feed.
- Use a consistent title format if you include numbers in your titles. Patterns like "#42" or "Episode 42" at the beginning of the title work best.
- Check your episode pages on Podpage after importing. If you see the correct episode number, you're all set.
Tip: If your episodes are missing numbers and you'd like to add them, you can always edit individual episodes in your Podpage dashboard under Pages → Episodes.