Blubrry Podcasting

Focus on Blubrry Podcasting: Programmatic Advertising

~ jen

This is the fourth part of an ongoing series that focuses on features provided by Blubrry Podcasting.

Advertising has been a hot topic in podcasting for years. Podcast producers are always trying to figure out, “Where do I get ads for my show? How do I insert ads into my episodes?” Questions like these are exactly why Blubrry built its Programmatic Advertising service.

No More Gatekeepers
The typical story when it comes to podcast advertising goes like this: once your show reaches a certain number of downloads per episode (usually a VERY high number), you can reach out directly to potential sponsors or you can work with advertising brokers to get ads for your show. The challenge with that is, the required minimum per-episode download number will be unattainable to most shows, especially for niche topic shows that, by default, may not appeal to large audiences. Blubrry Programmatic Advertising removes this gatekeeping, as podcasters only need to meet some basic requirements, with no download minimums, to use the service.

Simple Setup
To start using Blubrry Programmatic Advertising, podcasters have to fulfill these simple requirements:

  • Have an active Standard or Advanced Blubrry media hosting subscription
  • Provide a complete W-2 form (U.S. residents only)
  • Provide PayPal information so Blubrry can process payouts

Once the above requirements are fulfilled, just enable Programmatic Advertising within your Blubrry Podcaster Dashboard.

Podcasters In Control
If you’re producing a show focused on healthy living, you probably don’t want ads for fast food or alcohol to precede your episodes. Or maybe you just never want a political ad to run on your show. Blubrry Programmatic Advertising has multiple categories that can be toggled on/off for different ad types to ensure your audience only hears ads that are relevant to your show. Here are some of the ad categories available:

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Business
  • Careers
  • Education
  • Health & Fitness
  • Food & Drink
  • Hobbies & Interests
  • Law, Gov’t & Politics
  • Personal Finance
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Technology & Computing
  • Travel

And more! If you ever decide you’d like to change what types of ads appear within your episodes, you can edit the available ad categories at any time.

Set It and Forget It
You decide if you’d like preroll, mid-roll, or post-roll ads to appear in episodes. Once that’s done, the Programmatic Advertising system automatically finds relevant ads and inserts them accordingly; no need for you to choose specific advertisers. Ads won’t appear in every episode but the system typically fills about 80% of available ad slots. Estimated CPMs are between $5 and $15 with Blubrry taking 30%. Payouts occur after a minimum of $50 is earned in ad revenue.

Get With the Programmatic
Blubrry Programmatic Advertising is truly podcast advertising for the masses. Forget the gatekeepers and all the hassle involved in finding ads for your show. Sign up with Blubrry and get Programmatic Advertising today!

Focus on Blubrry Podcasting: Podcast Directory

~ jen

screenshot of the main page of the Blubrry podcast directoryThis is the third part of an ongoing series that focuses on features provided by Blubrry Podcasting.

Podcasting is all about syndication; you want your show in as many places as possible in order to reach the largest potential audience. Big podcast directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify get a lot of attention. Did you know Blubrry Podcasting has its own podcast directory of over 1.3 million shows? While many podcast directories are simple lists of shows, Blubrry’s directory is much, much more.

Getting Established
Its podcast directory is one of the first services Blubrry provided to podcasters. The directory is one of the longest-running and widest-ranging collections of podcasts in existence. From the start, Blubrry allowed podcasters to submit their shows to the directory for free; the only requirement: create a free Blubrry account.

Blubrry is constantly monitoring APIs for other public podcast directories and automatically adding new shows from those sources. Your show could already be present in the directory and waiting to be claimed, even if you’ve never visited the Blubrry website.

Podcast Discovery Built-In
Blubrry’s podcast directory isn’t just a place for podcast producers. It’s also a powerful tool podcast consumers can use to find their next favorite shows. The directory features a curated list of podcasts, hand picked by Blubrry staff. There’s also dedicated subdirectories for popular categories like Comedy, Business, Religion, True Crime, and more. If that’s not enough, podcast fans can drill down into specific topics using the directory-wide search engine. Once a new discovery is made, podcast episodes can be played immediately within the directory or shows can be followed within various podcast apps using the links in the directory sidebar.

Video Podcasts, Too
Many podcast directories limit themselves to audio only . But the Blubrry directory includes all types of podcasts, regardless of format. That means it’s possible to find and watch video podcasts from many different content categories right there in the directory.

Beyond The Directory
Software developers have access to everything in the Blubrry directory via the Blubrry API. Imagine the cool apps/services that could be built with all of that podcast data. Just another reason to make sure your show is included in Blubrry’s podcast directory!

Focus on Blubrry Podcasting: Private Podcasting

~ jen

illustration of an opened blue padlock with the logo of Blubrry Podcasting in the middle of the padlock; the logo looks like a round blueberry with three shine marks on the upper rightThis article is part of an ongoing series that focuses on features provided by Blubrry Podcasting.

Podcasts are typically published on the open web and distributed through many apps and directories. This works well for most podcasts. But, sometimes, it’s necessary to keep a podcast private so it’s only available to a select audience. Private podcasts usually require a combination of services working in concert: media hosting, user authentication, playback tools, and more. It can be challenging to get these different pieces to run smoothly together. That’s where Blubrry Private Podcasting comes in.

Who Can Use Private Podcasting?
Private podcasts are great for many different use cases. Here are some examples:

  • Podcasters who’d like to provide courses to paying listeners. Blubrry also has a Premium Podcasting offering with its unique features.
  • Educational institutions can provide courses for students.
  • Businesses can distribute training materials, internal announcements, meeting recordings, and more to employees.
  • Families can share oral histories and other personal messages to specific groups of family members.

Safe. Secure. Private.
Blubrry Private Podcasting provides total control. Private podcasts are invitation-only. Invitees can be assigned to specific groups based on what content they should have access to. This is useful for podcasters who want to provide tiers of content for different users. For example, a business may want to create dedicated groups for trainees, sales staff, or management. Schools could create groups for different grade levels or course tracks. Indie podcasters could create tiered episode levels based on supporter contributions.

Shows created with Blubrry Private Podcasting are not publicly accessible. Listeners invited to access a private podcast are authenticated with encryption through Blubrry servers. Blubrry Private Podcasts can be integrated with existing OAuth2 or SAML providers so participants can use existing credentials.

Episodes published through Blubrry Private Podcasting are available for playback only within the Private Podcasting system. No direct download options could be used to share episodes outside of the private podcasting system.

Simple, Familiar Playback
Private podcasts alone don’t mean much if they’re difficult to access. That’s why Blubrry Private Podcasting provides different options for consuming private podcasts:

  • Web Interface: audience members log in to a customized, dedicated URL and see their available content. Playback controls are immediately familiar and easy to use.
  • Progressive Web App: audience members can install private podcasts directly onto their devices as standalone apps.
  • Mobile Apps: Blubrry Private Podcasting provides dedicated iOS and Android apps, making it easy to listen/watch on mobile devices.

Podcast Stats Included
Blubrry Private Podcasting customers receive the same Advanced Stats that Blubrry media hosting customers have enjoyed for years. Blubrry stats are IAB-certified to be highly accurate and reliable. Advanced Stats provides audience retention and partial-play data to help producers understand how their audiences interact with their content.

Go Private!
Whether it’s a large organization that needs to enhance internal communications or an independent producer looking to provide extra content, Blubrry Private Podcasting has a plan that’s right for the job. Blubrry Private Podcasting truly makes it easy to go private!

Focus on Blubrry Podcasting: Podcast Statistics

~ jen

Blubrry Stats screenshot showing a set of headphones with the number 196726 below, with the text "total show listens" below that, and the text "443 episodes" at the very bottomThis is the first in an ongoing series that focuses on features provided by Blubrry Podcasting.

Whether you’re just starting out in podcasting or a longtime producer, it can be common to feel like you’re just speaking into the void. Is anyone out there? Are they really listening? The answers to these questions may seem difficult to find, but they’re not as complicated as you might think. Many of these questions can be solved with Blubrry Podcast Statistics.

Is There Anybody Listening?
In the early days of podcasting, show producers had few ways to determine if their shows were being consumed. Occasional audience communication, like e-mail or social media connections, was always gratifying. However, direct feedback usually only represents a small percentage of any show’s audience. To better understand audience size, it was necessary to sift through server logs, trying to parse raw data into something meaningful.

A Beacon of Hope
Blubrry was founded by podcasters with roots in the very beginning of podcasting. Growing with the medium, Blubrry understood podcasters’ challenges, including the need for audience measurement. That led Blubrry to launch its own podcast statistics platform in 2007. Blubrry Stats was immediately open to all podcasters, regardless of what platform they used to publish their shows.

Constantly Growing
The podcasting industry has changed significantly over time, and Blubrry’s been growing with it. Blubrry Stats started as a standalone offering and was later paired with Blubrry Podcast Media Hosting to provide the most profound insights possible from any podcasting platform. Blubrry Stats was the first podcasting stats system to receive entire Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) certification.

Options for All Podcasters
Blubrry offers three different tiers of podcast statistics:

  • Blubrry Free Statistics: A quick and easy solution for getting a snapshot of how many downloads your podcast receives and how/where people consume your show. Free Stats can be used with any podcast publishing platform that supports third-party stats providers.
  • Blubrry Standard Statistics: This version of Blubrry Stats is available for $5/month and is a big step up from Free Stats. Standard Stats allows you to compare episodes and see download trends across your stats history. Standard Stats unlocks Blubrry Media Kit, an excellent tool for promoting your show. This level of Blubrry Stats is also available as part of Blubrry’s $12/month Standard Media Hosting package, providing an affordable full-service podcast publishing solution.
  • Blubrry Advanced Statistics: With all Blubrry Advanced Media Hosting plans (starting at $20/month), Blubrry Advanced Stats provides the most comprehensive look at your show’s audience. Along with all of the features in Standard Stats, Advanced Stats estimates total listeners/subscribers and provides listener retention/partial plays and impactful play data.

Go Even Further
Knowing your show’s audience goes beyond just the numbers. Each tier of Blubrry Stats allows you to create Listener Surveys that can be used to gain more specific insights into your audience, like age/gender/economic demographics. Listener surveys are anonymized on the listener side, but their aggregate data can help you get the most indepth picture of your show’s audience.

Leaving the Void
Sign up for Blubrry Stats today and start getting the full picture of your show’s audience. You’ll never again feel like you’re podcasting into the void!

Empowering Creators – Blubrry Podcasting Offers 50% Off For Higher Education Students

~ jen

Students save money with Blubrry’s new verified discount.

Blubrry Podcasting, a trailblazer in the podcasting industry, is significantly lowering the barrier to entry in podcasting by announcing a generous 50% discount on its podcasting services for higher education students. Recognizing the importance of empowering the next generation of learners, Blubrry Podcasting is taking the initiative to support new creators who otherwise wouldn’t be able to host a professional podcast due to cost.

Podcasting has become a powerful medium for storytelling, sharing knowledge and building communities. It’s accessibility and versatility have made it an ideal tool for students to meaningfully connect with their communities. Recognizing the importance of nurturing the next generation of learners, Blubrry Podcasting is committed to removing students’ barriers to entry when starting or continuing their podcasting efforts.

For students, podcasting offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore topics of interest, develop valuable digital communication skills, and create a portfolio of work that can impress future employees or educational endeavors. Blubrry’s discount directly addresses challenges, making podcasting accessible to a broader range of college students

Why does podcasting matter for younger generations? It offers a multitude of benefits, including:

  • Real-World Skills: Podcast production develops skills in scripting, recording, editing and marketing, preparing students for future careers.
  • Continued Growth in the Podcast Industry: Podcasting will only maintain sustainability of younger generations continue to share their voices and can get their ideas off the ground quickly.
  • Student Engagement: Podcasting empowers students to become content creators, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills.
  • Flexible Learning: On-demand access to content accommodates different lifestyles, busy schedules, and learning styles.
  • Community Building: Podcasts connect students with their peers and in some cases, are used in more academic environments with their teachers and classmates.

Blubrry Podcasting’s commitment to providing this discount to higher education students underscores its dedication to nurturing the podcasters of tomorrow. In an era where technology is reshaping education, podcasting stands out as a tool that empowers educators and students. This is only the first opportunity to lessen the barrier to entry for students and educators.

This initiative is a significant step toward fostering a generation of podcasters who will continue to explore and evolve this exciting medium and the industry. To access this offer, students simply verify their student status and use the discount code available during the podcast hosting checkout. Those interested in learning more about the podcasting student discount can visit Blubrry’s website and blog post.

About us: Blubrry Podcasting is a leading provider of podcasting services, including hosting, distribution, analytics, and monetization. With a focus on innovation and community, Blubrry supports podcaster at every stage of their journey, offering tools and resources to help creators reach their fullest potential. To learn more about how to Publish, Analyze, and Grow, please visit our website.

Blubrry Releases New Podcasting 2.0 Integration: Value4Value

~ jen

If you’re not familiar with Podcast 2.0 features, we’re here to help. Not only will we help you understand the advancements underway in the podcast space, but we’re at the forefront of implementing these changes. We have added a whole host of new features, and today we are introducing the Value4Value feature to provide you with a new revenue stream.

Our Goal

Blubrry and other podcast companies are working relentlessly to expand podcasting by expanding the functionality of RSS. We aren’t here to overwhelm you with technical jargon, but we’re here to inform you of the benefits to you and your audience.

Many of these new features are easy to understand and implement. True, the V4V model is likely the most complicated and could cause you to scratch your head. That’s why we have made it as easily as humanly possible to implement with our partner, Alby.

Implementation is only the first step; we will continue to educate you on the best practices to make your audience understand the Value4Value model and how it can change the entire dynamic of your show.

What is Value4Value?

This is one of the most exciting new features yet and, as far as we are concerned, the most significant opportunity for podcasters to earn revenue for their show. We have placed this feature in as an Experimental tab in both the Blubrry Publisher and PowerPress. Our partner, Alby, makes it easier for you to get started.

The Value model means that you are able to accept online payments via your show. Value4Value uses the smallest unit of Bitcoin the (Satoshi), 100 millionth of Bitcoin, as a method to donate to a show. It can be in the form of supporting the show by the minute and episode or a show-level donation known as a boost with an accompanying listener comment – all with an extremely low transaction fee.

The Value4Value model can also accept donations in traditional currency; a great overview of the Value4Value model can be reviewed at Value4Value.info.  We will cover the funding feature in future blog post(s), right now we want you to start with the Value4Value feature.

Value4Value takes a little bit of time to wrap your head around. Our team, and over 11,000 other shows, are seeing success in shows earning a Boost, which is a donation with an accompanying comment that can be sent from within the supported apps at NewPodcastApps.com Another cool feature is that listeners can donate Satoshis by the minute as they listen to your show.

We highly recommend that you take a look at our documentation concerning Podcasting 2.0. and various new tags. We’ve already added some valuable features (tags) for our users and are excited to see where this leads.

Your next step is to try one of the new podcast apps to get familiar with what your users are going to see when you start recommending the utilization of these features.

Blubrry Podcasting Releases Media Material Mastering By Auphonic

~ jen

Blubrry Podcasting has integrated with Auphonic for media mastering for Blubrry customers during the publishing process. Creators can automatically master their episodes, easier than ever before within Blubrry’s publishing systems (Podcaster Dashboard and their WordPress plugin, PowerPress).

Podcasters can easily master their episode files with automated audio processing by Auphonic available through the Blubrry publishing system.

Processing time is dependent on file size, however, users can expect a waiting period of about 10% of their file length (minutes) before it is fully processed and ready to be published.

Todd Cochrane, CEO of Blubrry Podcasting is especially excited to see this partnership come together. As a podcaster himself, he knows the importance of professional and efficient systems for a long-standing podcast. “Auphonic has been a staple in my publishing process since their inception and we’re excited to see that become a reality for our podcasters as well.”

Blubrry is offering a 30 day free trial for any hosting customer to try Media Mastering, starting January 19, 2023. After this trial it will be an additional monthly fee.

Not everyone can afford to have an editor to master their media. Auphonic a trusted name in audio processing allows Blubrry podcasters to get professional mastering as part of the publishing process.

About Us

A trusted distributor for podcasters around the world, Blubrry offers tools and services, including hosting, IAB podcast statistics, private podcasting, WordPress hosting, monetization, and the number one podcasting plugin for WordPress. This podcast pioneer provides the optimal podcasting experience so creators can Publish. Analyze. Grow. Contact Blubrry.

Blubrry Partners With Rev For Podcast Transcription and Captioning

~ jen

Blubrry is introducing  a new web-based podcast player that uses transcription products integrated with Rev. This player will provide Blubrry podcasters with closed captioning and transcriptions, making every word actionable and accessible.

There’s more to a podcast than only audio. It’s content should be available for everyone in whatever formate they desire or require. We are excited to offer an accessible podcast audio player, a first in podcasting. Rev, our new transcription partner, is the #1 speech-to-text service in the world. All Blubrry Hosting customers will receive a free trial of this new integration until Sept. 15, 2022.

What Are the Advantages of a Podcast Transcript?

  • Accessibility for the hard of hearing, neurodivergent, and others
  • Repurposing such content such as books, speeches, and presentations
  • Editing, fact-checking, and quality control
  • SEO optimization to expand your reach and grow your audience

Almost all social media platforms offer closed captioning, including broadcast television and movies. Podcasting is long overdue for closed captioning, and Blubrry is proud to be a pioneer.

Getting Started

  1. Go to the Transcripts box in the “Create Episode” or “Create Post” on the dashboard or in WordPress.
  2. Use the pull-down to select “Generate Transcript”.
  3. Publish your episode.
  4. Your transcript will be automatically available within 3-5 minutes after publishing.
  5. Select the new modern audio player from the audio player selection menu.

Until Sept. 15, 2022, all Blubrry Hosting customers may try this for free. Podcasters can add the service for $10 a month with a translation limit equal to their media storage level.

Podcasters using third-party translation services can also upload SRT and VTT compatible transcripts. Those using Descript will have the transcript file automatically added to the transcript menu selection when they push their audio/transcript to Blubrry from Descript.

To learn more about Rev integration, visit our partner page. We’ll also demonstrate how to use it on our company show, Podcast Insider, so take a look and see it in action.

Get Advertising For Your Podcast Today

~ jen

Podcasters looking for monetization opportunities look no further than Blubrry’s new programmatic advertising. Available to all Blubrry hosting customers today, regardless of your show’s size or how long you’ve been podcasting, you can monetize your show immediately.

You can easily set it, forget it, and earn revenue on every episode. Podcasters aren’t responsible for choosing the companies to advertise in their shows – it’s all programatic (automatic) and done with Blubrry’s ad partner SoundStack.

All you have to do is sign up. Most shows will begin receiving ad placements immediately, but volume will grow in the first 60 – 90 days as the advertising platform learns your posting patterns and matches your show’s episodes with the best advertisers.

Our partner, SoundStack, has been perfecting audio ad delivery since 2010, and is an expert in this unique technology. Blubrry started as an advertising agency for podcasters in 2005, before most people had even heard the term “podcast.” As we’ve evolved, so has the industry. Now, we’re excited to provide a simple but powerful advertising opportunity to help every podcaster put money in their pockets.

What to Expect

For Blubrry Publishers, users head to “Make Money” in the sidebar of the Podcaster Dashboard and accept the terms of service agreement. For PowerPress users, select “Make Money” from the PowerPress Settings tab. Don’t worry – we’ll only put ads in your show if you opt-in. You can always opt-out at any time.

    • Fill out the required information about your podcast(s).
    • Choose to enable your desired podcasts hosted by Blubrry.
    • WordPress/Powerpress users will want to Sync.
    • Companies can then bid on your episodes in real-time and deliver ads.
    • We expect earnings potential for CPMs to range from $5-$15. Those rates can vary from minute to minute

Programmatic Advertising Details

  • Learn more about how it all works before you dive in.
  • There are no download requirements.
  • There are no audience expectations.
  • It will typically take 60-90 days for your show to receive maximum fill rates.
  • Not every podcast listen will be monetized, as region, time, and inventory all play a part.
  • Payments are made monthly via PayPal, starting approximately 90 days from the time you begin after reaching a minimum commission.
  • The entire process is automated.

Excluded Categories

  • Politics
  • Gambling
  • Religion
  • Adult
  • Alcohol/Vaping/Cannabis

Note: Pro-hosting customers using our dynamic advertising insertion cannot simultaneously use programmatic advertising. Currently, only one tool works at a time, so please contact us for details.

All Blubrry hosting customers can start immediately. For those who are using PowerPress, we will update your media URLs through the sync function when you opt into programmatic advertising.

Are you interested in an example? Our company show, Podcast Insider, uses programmatic advertising. Tune in and hear a variety of ads, some of which might be geo-specific to the listener. Please contact our team on your website if you have further questions.

The Programmatic Ad Service page is available for review as well.

Blubrry Partners With Descript To Provide Easy Editing And Transcripts

~ jen

Blubrry Podcasting has partnered with Descript, an all-in-one audio/video editing service, to allow customers to publish their edited podcasts directly to Blubrry’s publishing platform. Automated transcriptions provided by Descript are also delivered as part of the media payload.

The Descript app is an audio and video editing tool that makes your podcast as easy as editing a document. Audio and video files are automatically transcribed, and any edits made to the transcript are automatically carried over to the underlying audio and video. Remove filler words and awkward silences with a click; cut, copy, and paste your content as you would a document; and apply Studio Sound to improve the quality of your audio, no matter the recording conditions. Once you’re finished, publish your completed episode and transcript to Blubrry in one click.

To get the full experience, Descript is offering 30 days of its “Pro” plan to Blubrry customers. The offer is available to new Descript subscribers and can be redeemed until September 15.

What to Expect From Descript

Here is how to edit your podcast and transcript using Descript; then export your finished project to Blubrry.

1 Record and edit in Descript
2 Export your project to Blubrry
3 Your transcript file will be exported with your audio
4 Publish your podcast episode

Where to Find Descript

Blubrry users who already have a Descript subscription can access the Blubrry integration by clicking Share — > Export — > More — > Blubrry/

For new subscribers click here to get 30 days of Descript Pro. This offer is only available to new subscribers. Your free trial can start within “Growth and Resources” linked from the podcaster dashboard.

To learn more about Descript, please visit our partner page or contact support.