Title: Episode Description is using Post Content
Last modified: December 19, 2017

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# Episode Description is using Post Content

 *  [hgetrost](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hgetrost/)
 * (@hgetrost)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/)
 * PowerPress version: 7.1.1
    Wordpress version: 4.8.2 iTunes feed: [http://upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/](http://upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/)
 * Two of our recent episodes are showing the article content in the description
   feed instead of the iTunes Summary defined under Podcast Episode.
 * The two podcasts are:
    Mark Greene: Solving the Masculinity Crisis Rachel Botsman:
   Why Trust Matters
 * Other episodes are displaying the description correctly.
 * I can send a screen shot to help describe the problem, let me know if you need
   that.
 * Thanks,
 * Heide

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

 *  Plugin Support [Shawn](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shawnogordo/)
 * (@shawnogordo)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9796708)
 * PowerPress 7.2 was released a few days ago. Please update to the latest version
   and see if that takes care of the problem.
 *  Thread Starter [hgetrost](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hgetrost/)
 * (@hgetrost)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9798027)
 * I upgraded and the problem is still there.
 *  Plugin Support [Shawn](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shawnogordo/)
 * (@shawnogordo)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9801565)
 * When I tried to load your podcast RSS feed here:
    [http://upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/](http://upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/)
 * It looks like an oddly formatted page instead of XML code. Is it possible that
   you have some plugins or a WordPress theme that is affecting how the feed displays?
   This page has suggestions on how to diagnose this kind of problem:
    [https://create.blubrry.com/resources/powerpress/using-powerpress/diagnosing-feed-andor-player-issues-with-powerpress/](https://create.blubrry.com/resources/powerpress/using-powerpress/diagnosing-feed-andor-player-issues-with-powerpress/)
 *  Thread Starter [hgetrost](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hgetrost/)
 * (@hgetrost)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9853716)
 * Hi Shawn
 * We have more examples of this problem occurring.
 * When I put [http://upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/](http://upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/)
   into three different feed validators they validate successfully. And our podcasts
   are turning up in iTunes.
 * On your troubleshooting page you recommend using firefox. When viewing the feed
   in firefox I believe there are no xml errors.
 * A duplicate copy of the website on our dev servers shows no errors so rules out
   plugins etc.
 * The malformed xml in chrome is possibly our firewall or cloudflare and not likely
   the cause (or related to) of episodes showing the article content in the description
   feed instead of the iTunes Summary defined under Podcast Episode. The content
   that Powerpress is generating before rendering in the browser seems to be incorrect.
 * Thank you.
 * Heide
 *  Plugin Support [Shawn](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shawnogordo/)
 * (@shawnogordo)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9857106)
 * I subscribed to your show using desktop iTunes on my iMac. The summary that appears
   for the Mark Greene episode matches what’s in the podcast RSS feed for that episode,
   and it is different (and shorter) than the main episode description in the feed.
 * The same is true for the Rachel Botsman episode. I’m also seeing the same thing
   for both episodes on the iTunes Store web preview here:
    [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-uplift-podcast/id1205825756?mt=2](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-uplift-podcast/id1205825756?mt=2)
 * If you’re still seeing an incorrect summary for these summaries, where is it?
   If it’s on an existing subscription within a podcasting app, delete that subscription
   and resubscribe and see if the issue remains.
 *  Thread Starter [hgetrost](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hgetrost/)
 * (@hgetrost)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9864599)
 * Hi Shawn,
 * The problem is showing (for example) on the phone app called Casts. Ref the following
   two screen shots:
 * [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/MarkGreene_IsIncorrect.png](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/MarkGreene_IsIncorrect.png)
   
   [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/MarkGreene_on_Casts.jpeg](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/MarkGreene_on_Casts.jpeg)
 * Compared with a podcast that is displaying correctly:
 * [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/DavidVago_IsCorrect.png](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/DavidVago_IsCorrect.png)
 * Seems when the <description> is populated with the article content an app like
   Casts then shows the article content and not the iTunes Summary.
 * When the <description> is populated with the social media description (is this
   what is should be doing?) the app then shows the iTunes Summary.
 * Somehow powerpress is populating the <description> from the article content for
   some podcasts but not the majority.
 * If you could please review.
 * Thanks,
 * Heide
 *  Plugin Contributor [Angelo Mandato](https://wordpress.org/support/users/amandato/)
 * (@amandato)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9867088)
 * Hello Heide,
 * I checked your podcast on the official Apple Podcasts iOS app and the itunes:
   summary values are what are displayed in iTunes. If this is not the case, please
   tell me exactly which episode does not appear correctly in the iOS podcast app.
 * Is the problem with the “Casts” app? It is not up to us bu the app developer 
   which data they use and how it looks in their application.
 * Your web server (or CloudFlare) is returning the content type text/html (rather
   than text/rss or application/rss). This is a problem that you will want to get
   resolved. While looking at the headers I see you are using CloudFlare as well
   as a plugin called securi. Sucuri also caches content, so you have 2 layers of
   caching (CloudFlare and Sucuri). I would pick one, or make a cautious effort 
   to remember you need to clear both anytime you update your site.
 * Something to remember is CloudFlare caches based on the client, so even though
   your feed may look one way in Firefox, it may look different (cached) in Chrome.
   Because of this, anytime you have CloudFlare involved and you cannot just switch
   it off, plan on clearing its cache on a regular basis so you do not misdiagnose
   a problem.
 * I would highly suggest not using CloudFlare where your podcast feed is hosted.
   We have seen a lot of bizarre things happen including podcasts getting de-listed
   from iTunes because CloudFlare will randomly block servers based on traffic patterns
   that they deem as possible security issues. CloudFlare specifically has blocked
   Apple’s servers because Apple does not use reverse pointer records. If you ever
   increase the security settings through CloudFlare you will inadvertently block
   Apple from accessing your podcast feed. We have a service you can use to get 
   around CloudFlare’s problems that is free, [http://www.podcastmirror.com](http://www.podcastmirror.com)
   You can also use FeedBurner for the same purpose but I do not recommend it as
   FeedBurner has not been updated in years.
 * Thanks,
    Angelo
 *  Thread Starter [hgetrost](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hgetrost/)
 * (@hgetrost)
 * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9868052)
 * Hi Angelo,
 * Thanks for your response. In iTunes desktop the description is presenting correctly.
 * I’ve checked and the problem is also showing in other apps such as Overcast and
   more importantly the Apple Podcast app.
 * This is the app I have installed on my iPhone 6S:
 * [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_Apple1.jpeg](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_Apple1.jpeg)
   
   [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_Apple2.jpeg](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_Apple2.jpeg)
 * Here’s the David Vago podcast:
    [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_DavidVago.jpeg](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_DavidVago.jpeg)
   The episode notes are populated by the <description> tag in the xml – ref my 
   links from yesterday. Note this text is the Yoast SEO Facebook Description for
   this article: [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/DavidVago_YoastSEOSettings.png](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/DavidVago_YoastSEOSettings.png)
 * And not any of the Powerpress iTunes fields:
    [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/DavidVago_PowerpressSettings.png](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/DavidVago_PowerpressSettings.png)
 * Here’s the Mark Greene podcast:
    [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_MarkGreene.jpeg](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/support/PodcastApp_MarkGreene.jpeg)
   The episode notes are populated by the <description> tag in the xml – ref my 
   links from yesterday. But for this one its taking the article content.
 * Where should the <description> tag be populating from? Its coming from the Facebook
   description, and its coming from the article content. I don’t think this has 
   anything to do with caching. Before I report any support issues with you I clear
   both our Sucuri and Cloudflare caches and view in a private Safari browser. Also
   please check out the feed url on dev: [http://dev.upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/](http://dev.upliftconnect.com/channel/podcasts/feed/podcast/)
   and search for Mark Greene … the same problem is there ie: the article content
   is turning up in the <description> tag. Our dev is not behind sucuri or cloudflare.
 * Here’s the podcast article for your reference: [http://upliftconnect.com/mark-greene-solve-masculinity-crisis/](http://upliftconnect.com/mark-greene-solve-masculinity-crisis/)
 * If you could please look at the detail in the XML and the screenshots I’ve sent
   you, you’ll see what I am talking about.
 * FYI I have raised a support query with cloudflare wrt to the content type for
   our feed. Its most likely a Sucuri thing. Thanks for that. We may look to switch
   to your suggested podcast mirror. Is there a cost for using this? And do we need
   to re-submit our feed to iTunes and others if we start using it?
 * Heide
 *  Plugin Contributor [Angelo Mandato](https://wordpress.org/support/users/amandato/)
 * (@amandato)
 * [8 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9882770)
 * Hello Heide,
 * Sorry for the delay., I have been doing testing when I have time and waiting 
   for the results to show up, took a few days to get what I think is happening.
 * I was under the assumption last summer that with the iOS podcast app if the content:
   encoded value is not in the feed, that iTunes fallback to the <itunes:summary
   >. It appears that is not the case. I believe what is happening in your blog 
   post <description> is being used rather than your <itunes:summary>.
 * The Desktop iTunes app uses your <itunes:summary> by default, then falls back
   to your <description> if no iTunes summary is present.
 * Under normal circumstances, the <description> tag is an excerpt of your blog 
   post. If you enable blog post excerpts, you can create a custom excerpt that 
   then is used in this description tag. If you don’t customize an excerpt, a description
   is generated based on the first portion of your blog post content, trimmed of
   HTML (normally).
 * PowerPress does not modify any of these native WordPress tags in the feeds. It
   may be that other plugins are modifying their content though causing the issue.
 * There is an option in PowerPress settings > Feeds tab that you can enable to 
   not allow other plugins to modify podcast feeds. Please try enabling that option,
   save the settings then clear your caching where appropriate and lets see if that
   solves the problem.
 * Thanks,
    Angelo
 *  Thread Starter [hgetrost](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hgetrost/)
 * (@hgetrost)
 * [8 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9896293)
 * Hi Angelo,
 * Our <itunes:summary> is always populated and is what is shown in Desktop iTunes.
   There is no issue there.
 * As described in my previous post the problem lies with the iTunes and other Apps
   which use the <description> tag for the Episode Notes, which in some cases is
   populated by either the blog content or the Facebook description.
 * If PowerPress doesn’t modify the <description> (a native WordPress) tag then 
   perhaps we’ll have to look into creating a custom blog post excerpt to push populate
   this tag in the feed.
 * We already have the setting on the PowerPress > Feeds tab to not allow other 
   plugins to modify podcast feeds set to true. It’s been set true since we started
   using Power Press.
 * If you have any other ideas please let me know.
 * Many thanks,
 * Heide
 *  Plugin Contributor [Angelo Mandato](https://wordpress.org/support/users/amandato/)
 * (@amandato)
 * [8 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/episode-description-is-using-post-content/#post-9909702)
 * Hello [@hgetrost](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hgetrost/),
 * My last suggestion is to enable the excerpt option and write a custom excerpt.
   That should directly populate the description tag.
 * Let me know if that works.
 * Thanks,
    Angelo

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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 * Last reply from: [Angelo Mandato](https://wordpress.org/support/users/amandato/)
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