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Hello, Podcaster Friends!

Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. … What to Expect

It’s true some things change quickly, yet some do relatively stay the same. Apple, Google and Spotify are the big contenders in podcasting and podcasters have a somewhat unique relationship with these companies - they’re not just customers or users, they’re content providers. The support, answers and relationships you can expect from those companies is rather different than what you’ll most likely receive from Blubrry and others like us.

When these organizations change how things function or their specs they often don’t tell podcasters outright. We do our best to keep all of you updated because we know there is a level of adaptation podcasters should have. Case in point, Apple has been delisting shows for keyword and title issues, while Spotify is now accepting shows that are self-hosted, which is a positive upgrade.

On that note, Blubrry PowerPress and stats users, submitting your show to Spotify is now available for our non-hosting customers. You can submit to Spotify directly and don’t have to go through us.
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Push vs. Pull

We’ve been at this a long time and we still see people confused daily about the push vs. pull in the RSS feed debate. It’s not a podcasters fault, there is no reason why most podcasters would fully understand how directories function. We thought we’d clear it up for you a bit here and, later this fall, share a blog post going further into detail and examples.

What lots of podcasters think: Podcasters push new episodes to Apple, etc. and it will automatically appear.
How it really works: Apple and others pull/update from your RSS feed and update their sites when they feel like it.

Subscribers will receive the new episode almost immediately, but that’s because they’re not relying on the directory - they are subscribed to your RSS feed and are not dependent on directory updates.

If you’re concerned your RSS feed or your show are having issues, please remember often times all is well: Apple and other directories are just taking their time. There is nothing we (or any other hosting platform) can do to speed up the process. Get more familiar with how RSS feeds work and you’ll feel much more informed and confident about the process.
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PowerPress Update

Earlier this month we released PowerPress 7.4, which included two new features: emojis and skip-to-position in the Blubrry and MediaElement player. To use emojis in your show notes, read up on emojis here. If you’re interested in leaving links to specific highlights of your episode to skip-to-position in the players, learn how to skip-to here. You can download the latest version of PowerPress here on WordPress and let us know if you have any issues or questions. Along with updating, we’d love it if you could leave a review of the plugin.

Sound Education Conference

You can catch MacKenzie at Sound Education, a conference for education audio producers and listeners, early this November. She’ll be on a panel for podcast monetization, which will focus on helping podcasters take their show to the next level. This inaugural conference has attracted some impressive names and will focus directly on how education is being integrated into podcasting and vice versa. The latest PowerPress Podcast episode also focuses on education, you can listen to the education in podcasting episode here.

Google and PRX Podcasts Creator Program

Early this month Google announced its partnership with PRX for the Google Podcasts creator program. Through training, they’re looking to enable diverse voices to break into the podcasting industry and thrive. The similar initiative that Spotify had earlier this year had a fantastic response, so it’s no surprise Google and PRX are looking to do the same. Large companies such as these have the opportunity to turn a page in the podcaster demographic. Applications are due Nov. 18 and the winners will be announced Dec. 11. Learn more about the opportunity here.

Affiliate Payment

This week our affiliates will be receiving their third quarter payment. Congratulations! Coming up, we’re making some changes to the affiliate program concerning payments. Be on the lookout from an update from MacKenzie.

Todd’s Corner

Third-party distribution platforms are keeping us busy with the positive changes. Spotify is changing, we met with Apple to discuss their continued crackdown on show titles, author listing and episode descriptions -- it’s safe to say we’ve been preoccupied.

Our update to PowerPress with Emoji and Skip-To-Position support is both fun and extremely powerful. I can now promote specific parts of my podcast, and listeners will have an easy way to skip to that content. Not to mention adding an emoji to my show notes to highlight mood etc.

As I type this I am sitting in our Columbus office working with our team. Many of you have seen the office pictures and it’s simply a wonderful environment to work in. We have a lot of updates to sites and services that are just on the cusp of being finished. Expect a bevy of announcements from us in the next few weeks.

Our team has taken a lot of the feedback that you have provided us and will be addressing issues like UI design across our entire product category. That process will be challenging as well as rewarding as we continue to improve and simply everything we offer. We have heard your feedback and appreciate your support. See you next month and happy podcasting!

Todd
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To those that celebrate, Happy Halloween!

Keep Up With Blubrry

As leaders in podcasting, we’re always sharing useful information with our community. Follow our Twitter and Facebook accounts, and keep up with us on Your Podcast and the PowerPress Podcast. We regularly have blog posts and articles on our site as well.
* Podcasting With Your Kids
* Advantages of Great Show Notes

Thanks,
The Blubrry Team
 

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