iTunes Custom RSS Tags - DTD Implementation

Once you understand how all the iTunes tags fit into the big picture of your RSS feed, it's time to implement them within your feed. Some of these tags are specific to the <channel> section of your RSS 2.0 feed and some are specific to individual <iten>. In order for any of these additions to work, you must designate a link to the Document Type Definition (DTD) for the iTunes namespace changes. In a standard RSS 2.0 feed, the namespace definition looks like this:

<rss version="2.0" xmlns:blogChannel="http://backend.userland.com/blogChannelModule">

This tells aggregators to interpret your feed as an RSS 2.0 document and display it accordingly. Adding the iTunes DTD for podcasting requires you to include a second xmlns: tag within the rss definition space like this:

<rss version="2.0" xmlns:blogChannel="http://backend.userland.com/blogChannelModule" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/DTDs/Podcast-1.0.dtd">

Make sure you do not define rss twice like the example below because this will break some aggregators:

<rss version="2.0" xmlns:blogChannel="http://backend.userland.com/blogChannelModule">
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/DTDs/Podcast-1.0.dtd">

Featured Resources

How to choose the right Identity Protection service.
Read our comparison of identity protection options to help you pick the best one for your family.

Master Home Movie Editing
Read a detailed guide on how to improve your home movies.

Instantly Fix Driver Problems
Find missing drivers on your XP or Vista PC.

Back up your iPod
iPod Access backs up your iPod music library and transfer songs to a new computer.

Convert Vinyl to MP3 or CD
Convert your Vinyl LPs and Cassettes to CD or MP3 using a simple software solution.

Subscribe for Free!

Your E-mail Address:

Ads