Apple has emailed podcast producers with advice on how to describe or list their shows —and says that failure to follow these instructions “could result in your show being rejected ro removed.” The instructions are mostly sensible advice on topics such as not forgetting to write an episode description, but some of Apple’s guidelines are causing confusion and may prove problematic.

Headlined “Optomize Your Show’s Metadata,” the email describes metadata as “your product packaging.” It points out that writing this well helps listeners find your show but also says that poor-quality metadata affects the company’s aim to “ensure our platform meets Apple’s quality standards.”

As well as advising producers to write non-generic descriptions and avoid placeholder text, the email says that they shouldn’t make the description be a verbatim repeat of the title or author name.

The new rules are ostensibly about presenting useful, clear information that can be displayed against a podcast series or episode title. However, Apple then specifies that podcasters should avoid putting episode numbers in titles.

via Apple Insider