Blubrry

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: 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!

Introducing Blubrry Podcast AI Assistant – Blubrry PAI

~ jen

Blubrry Podcast AI makes your podcast process as easy as pie

Big news — we’ve just rolled out our much anticipated Podcast AI service to power up your podcast production and promotion. Meet the Blubrry Podcast AI Assistant  (Blubrry PAI), your new best friend on your podcasting path.

Blubrry has always had its finger on the pulse of the needs of podcast creators. Our podcast AI was born from many months of extensive research and development aimed at tackling the everyday hurdles podcasters face. We are introducing an integrated podcast AI tool that will help yo increate better content while providing your audience with a richer experience and providing search engines with unparalleled metadata.

Whether you’re brainstorming your next big topic or trying to get the word out on social media, Blubrry PAI promises to make the process smoother, brighter, and more fun.

What’s the Buzz About Blubrry PAI?

AI-Planning

We’ve all hit creative blocks or struggled to align content with the audience’s desires. Blubrry PAI uses AI-driven insights from your episode goals and description, guest bio, and source material to help you choose episode topics, guest questions, and scripts for your episodes. It’s like having a content strategist in your pocket, ensuring your podcast resonates with listeners every single time.

AI-Production

Say goodbye to the hassle of juggling multiple external tools. Blubrry PAI brings it all under one dashboard, offering transcript creation with speaker analysis, title suggestions, complete show summaries, bullet points, episode art generation, and chapter file creation. Integrated with episode publishing, Blubrry PAI provides an editable draft ready for publishing with all elements married to your chosen AI outputs. The best part is that no extra service or special skills are needed.

AI-Clip & Email Creator

We all know the drill: If you want your podcast to thrive, you’ve got to shout it from the digital rooftops. Blubrry PAI’s automated social clip creator for all major social platforms creates custom clips for each episode. The AI also creates a unique promotional email for each episode with all of the contact, social, and follow/subscribe links you designate. Designed to play nice with each social platform’s unique vibe, it ensures your episodes get the spotlight they deserve.

AI-Media Clipping, Coming Soon

Promotional video clips tailored to the unique characteristic of each social media platform for maximum reach and listener engagement.

A Word From the Top

Todd Cochrane, CEO of Blubrry: “I have been using a wide range of tools to accomplish what we have created for you now as an integrated solution within our ever-growing Thrive Bundle. 

All Blubrry hosting customers can test the platform sufficiently to see what elements work best. The production tools have been life-changing, saving me time and giving my listeners a better experience. Blubrry’s mission has always been democratizing podcasting, making it accessible and fruitful for everyone. Blubrry PAI embodies that mission, offering unmatched support for planning, promotion, and social engagement.”

Get Started with Blubrry PAI

Get ready to take your podcasting game to the next level. Blubrry PAI is now available for all Blubrry hosting podcasters via a trial on the Podcaster Dashboard. See AI in the dashboard. Dive into all the details here from some insider tips and tricks. And, of course, the Blubrry support team is just a click away from any questions you might have. 

In a world where everyone’s starting a podcast, Blubrry PAI gives you the edge to not only join the conversation but lead it. Whether you’re crafting your first episode or looking to scale your podcasting empire, Blubrry PAI is your go-to for making every step of the journey seamless and impactful. Let’s start podcasting the smart way!

 

Blubrry’s New Vid2Pod Makes Any YouTube Channel Into An Audio Podcast

~ jen

A YouTube channel on its own isn’t a podcast. While there have been a number of tools available to audio-first podcasters for getting their shows onto YouTube, there hasn’t been anything that could easily turn a YouTube channel into an audio podcast. That problem is solved with Blubrry’s new Vid2Pod service:

You can now effortlessly publish podcast episodes from your video playlists into high-quality audio podcasts, opening your content to a new audience.

Whether you’re a seasoned podcaster or a YouTube first creator looking to expand your reach Vid2Pod is a set it and forget it video-to-audio podcasting tool, available as part of our Advanced Hosting plans and above.

YouTubers can get Vid2Pod up and running in a few simple steps: sign up for a Blubrry media hosting subscription; link a YouTube channel to Blubrry; enter audio podcast settings (including show artwork). Blubrry will then provide a podcast RSS feed that can be submitted to podcast apps/directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartMedia, TuneIn, and more. From there, the process is completely automated. Blubrry will pick up new videos from YouTube, convert them to audio podcast episodes, and publish those episodes to RSS.

Vid2Pod users will also get access to features already baked in to Blubrry media hosting like a free WordPress site and access to Podcasting 2.0 capabilities, including Value4Value donations and Live Item notifications. Vid2Pod users will be able to measure the reach of their audio podcasts using Blubrry’s industry-leading IAB certified statistics.

Blubrry’s new Vid2Pod service is available starting today, so YouTubers who want to try the service can get started right now. Vid2Pod should be a real game changer for YouTube-first creators who want to expand their reach beyond the walls of YouTube.

Blubrry Podcasting Releases Thrive Bundle

~ jen

In the Thrive Bundle, Blubrry Podcasting has released new features for Advanced Hosting customers to access for a small additional monthly fee.

The ways in which podcasters can reach and engage their audience is always expanding. The Thrive Bundle brings these assets together in an easy-to-access location. This combination of features has been designed for podcasters who desire enhanced features!

Main components of the Thrive Bundle include pre-roll dynamic advertising insertion, enhancement to Quicklinks adding Value4Value, Google Analytics, hyperlink support. Plus two new podcast statistic metrics and Apple Podcast reviews located in the dashboard. These features allow podcasters to further understand and engage with their audiences.

The Thrive Bundle is available for any Advanced Hosting and above user to purchase for an additional $10 a month. Additional features will be added over time to the Thrive Bundle. For any issues or questions, please contact the Blubrry support team.

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 Podcasters Can Publish Premium Episodes To Apple Podcasts

~ jen

Blubrry announced that Blubrry publishers can publish premium podcasts episodes to Apple Podcasts.

What is Apple Podcast Subscriptions?

Apple Podcast Subscriptions offers creators a way to provide premium audio experiences to listeners on Apple Podcasts.

Creators Can Easily…

Set up a freemium or paid subscription for their show or channel

Define the premium benefits, such as exclusive content, early access, and ad-free listening

Configure monthly and annual pricing and free trials

Offer the subscription to listeners across devices in over 170 countries and regions.

Why You Should Use Apple Premium Podcasting For Subscribers

There are a few reasons offering subscriptions of your podcast can work in your favor. Starting out, offering paid subscriptions is a great way to earn revenue for your podcast, made even easier by simple publishing within Blubrry. And of course, people love to be part of a club. Subscriptions allow for a more intimate or close relationship with your audience, something all podcasters are striving to achieve.

How To Get Started

First things first, you must have an Apple Podcast Connect account and join the Apple Podcasters Program. Once you’ve done that, get started on the steps below.

1. Choosing your subscription benefits is one of the most important parts! Here you’ll decide if you want to offer exclusive content earlier, only to subscribers, for a fee, etc. You’ll do this in the Apple Podcasts Connect account. For additional details follow these links for one show or multiple shows.

2. Publish a public episode of your show, usually an introduction or a trailer. From there you can promote your subscription benefits.

3. Create your subscription content, aka your premium episode.

4. Publish your premium episodes, all within Blubrry’s publishing platform in the dashboard!

Check out Blubrry’s support documentation.

Available exclusively to Blubrry’s hosting customers. Resources such as documentation can be found here and customers can reach out to our support team seven days a week for assistance.

Blubrry Announces Quicklinks

~ jen

Podcasters, simplify your online discoverability with Quicklinks.

You can now share all of your podcast-related links from one location. We just released Quicklinks, a one-stop URL at podcast.show that comprises the links of your choosing, available to all Blubrry hosting customers.

But it’s not just links, it’s critical information such as a show bio, host name(s), podcast directory listings and a player of your latest episode. You’re probably familiar with a central link to find all things related to your favorite content creator. Now, as podcasters, you can create one for yourself with Blubrry.

“As a podcast listener, I don’t want to have to look in multiple places to access information about my favorite creators,” said MacKenzie Bennett, Marketing Specialist and co-host of Blubrry’s Podcast Insider. “As a podcast creator, I put too much time into the content of my shows to then waste it on the difficulty of sharing. This is a win-win for everyone.”

Prioritize the means to reach your audience by creating a simple, sharable URL – you can even choose your own keyword for the URL. Discovery in a pool of creators is made easier by sharing a central URL that displays all of the ways in which your listeners can connect with you.

As you grow as a podcaster, and overall content creator, simplify the act of discovery by putting it all out there via one location with an easy-to-remember URL at podcast.show/yourkeyword.

Take a look at our own Quicklink URL, displayed and linked above.

Now it’s time for you to create and share your own memorable URL with your podcast audience. In almost no time at all you’re able to assemble the most valuable ways in which people can reach you or your content.

Where to Find Quicklinks

Look for it in the sidebar of the podcaster dashboard, under Show and then Manage. From there you can get started by adding your bio, social media handles, destinations, etc.

Learn more about Quicklinks on site, here. Premium Quicklinks featuring additional capabilities will be available later in 2023. Any questions, please reach out to our support team here. And, as always, let us know what you think!

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.