As part of an upcoming series of UI/UX updates, Blubrry has released new onboarding to simplify the process for starting a new show, and/or for an existing podcaster to initiate or migrate a show.

The significantly improved process for getting a show started on the Blubrry platform enables even the most inexperienced podcasters to have their new account set up and ready to start their podcast within minutes.

The new onboarding process serves Blubrry’s entire user base, whether the podcaster needs a simple podcast page or is looking for a more robust platform in using WordPress with PowerPress, Blubrry’s podcasting plugin for WordPress.

While podcasters can still choose to use a free Blubrry WordPress website, they can also opt to have a landing page for their show within the Blubrry podcasting platform. Podcasters that already have their own WordPress website are guided in setting up their hosting account.

“We were focused on helping podcasters get to their first episode, so we needed to make it easier for them to get started in the first place,” said Todd Cochrane, CEO of Blubrry. “Our tools have always made it simple to publish episodes, and now we’ve streamlined the process for any user to get started.”

Over the past two years, the Blubrry team has worked to redesign the forward-facing website, design a new onboarding system, and will be rolling out a brand new dashboard and a host of other features that will transform the Blubrry experience for new and existing customers.

Blubrry Podcasting – already renowned for its reliable, IAB certified compliant statistics – has recently released play tracking as part of its Advanced Statistics. Available exclusively to Blubrry hosting podcasters, creators can subscribe to gain additional details on listener retention.

Podcasters who suspect their audience is skipping over certain parts of their episodes will benefit from this new feature, especially shows featuring advertisements. Those already using Advanced Stats will find a new category in the Stats section. Those not using Blubrry’s Advanced Stats feature can learn more here.

“By providing tools for podcasters to use, we’re able to collect anonymized, GDPR compliant detailed play tracking data from our web based podcast player,” said Todd Cochrane, CEO of Blubrry. “We can easily present this data to podcasters while maintaining absolute listener privacy. Giving creators details – such as if listeners are consistently skipping over a certain segment – can lead them to make significant improvements to their show.”

Play tracking data comes from listening via the Blubrry-provided podcast audio player. Additionally, Blubrry has developed an API tha allows third parties to integrate and provide anonymized play data via mobile apps, and other web-based playback applications.

About Us: Blubrry Podcasting provides professional tools and services for the podcast industry, including the largest podcast directory with more than 1 million podcasts. Founded in 2005, it gives creators the ability to distribute via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn and more. Blubrry provides hosting, IAB certified compliant podcast statistics, private internal podcasting, monetization opportunities, plus managed web hosting using its WordPress plugin. Contact us.

Blubrry announced a complete private internal podcast solution that suits all needs. As of yesterday, podcasters can choose from three levels of private internal podcasting – PIP – with Blubrry. The levels are: Simple, Standard, and Enterprise. Each comes with different features and security.

Last year, we knew PIP was something we wanted to add to our service offerings, and the past few months have shown that there is indeed an immediate need. Authenticated listeners are able to listen on a private podcast app as well as a private web app, depending on the show provider’s needed security.

Here are a few examples of uses for a private and/or internal podcast:

• Premium content for your podcast audience
• New employee onboarding
• Bonus podcast content for your super loyal fans
• Monthly sales reporting
• Weekly church meetings

Here are some of the security measures Blubrry uses:

• Signed media URL
• SSO supported
• oAuth2, SAML
• Private RSS feed with authentication

All private internal podcasting levels include Blubrry’s professional hosting, statistics and their best-in-class tech support. Blubrry has put together a detailed look at their Private Internal Podcasting that gives people more information about their three PIP plans.

Blubrry highlighted multiple womxn podcasters in March, which is when Women’s History Month takes place. They asked people to nominate their favorite women podcasters and received over 4,800 nominations in 18 days. From this unexpectedly large batch of nominations, Blubrry selected an overall winner and a list of the top ten.

Podcasting has significantly grown in recent years and so has the number of women content creators. To ensure this number continues to grow and that women feel empowered and appreciated, we held this contest, which offered free hosting, Blubrry swag, an interview and being featured on our blog.

The overall winner is Alie Ward, for her show Ologies with Alie Ward. She interviews experts in a variety of fields that all specialize in some type of ology. Her “stupid questions” (as she calls them) with these professionals prompt loads of entertaining answers on a range of topics – skeletons, ice-quakes, bleach, ants, noses and much more.

Here are the Top 10 (in no particular order):

• Alie Ward – Ologies with Alie Ward
• Liz Fulcher – Aromatic Wisdom Podcast
• Gillian Pensavalle – True Crime Obsessed
• Christine Schiefer – And That’s Why We Drink
• Tracy DiMarco and Jessica Romano – Bad Examples w/ Tracy DiMarco & Jessica Romano
• Sydnee McElroy – Sawbones and Still Buffering
• Clare Lydon and T.B. Markinson – Lesbians Who Write
• Katie Parsons – The Morning Four
• Sarah Rachel Brown – Perceived Value
• Lanie and Laura Beth Peters – Steel Magnolias

Blubrry has public service announcements (PSAs) about coronavirus that are being made available to Blubrry podcasters. To obtain them, you must claim your podcast on Blubrry.

In the wake of COVID-19 / coronavirus, we want to help podcasters share accurate information. So, we’ve recorded four public service announcements for podcasters to add to their shows. If you’d like to use any of these PSAs, join our COVID-19 / Coronavirus campaign.

The benefits of running this through our ad system is that you can keep track of which episodes you include in the PSA, statistical info on those episodes – and we can send this info to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC).

Blubrry podcasters who have already claimed their show on Blubrry can follow a short list of instructions that will make it possible to access the coronavirus PSAs.

If you have not claimed your podcast on Blubrry already, claim your podcast in Blubrry’s directory. Search for your show. On the right-hand side, you’ll see Claim Your Podcast. Then, proceed to the Make Money section in the dashboard or click the link above.

While it is not required, Blubrry would love it if everyone reported their statistical data for the coronavirus PSA campaign. This way, Blubrry can keep track of how many people utilized these PSA in some way.

Most importantly, Blubrry hopes that everyone is staying safe, keeping their distance, and being kind to one another in these stressful times.

Blubrry Podcasting has been leading the way providing podcasters with hosting and tools since 2005 and is now offering high-touch professional post-production.

Post-production for many podcasters is, at best, time-consuming, and at worst, technically challenging and detrimental to publishing.

Right now, professional hosting customers can choose between a “launch/relaunch” rolling into weekly production, or simply transfer their show over to an “auto-pilot” package. All packages include support from a dedicated team of podcast pros!

Once again, Blubrry is leading the way in podcast innovation, continuing to put the podcaster first.

CEO Todd Cochrane said, “We often hear how overburdened our clients feel when they are producing all the elements of their podcast, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m confident, these pro-packages are the ultimate solution to help our podcasters get their valuable time back so they can focus on creating their best content and prevent pod-fade.”

Spots are available by application only to current/new Blubrry Pro Hosting customers and are limited to just 15 slots for Launch and Relaunch podcasts and 50 slots for ‘Auto-Pilot’ show transfers. Customers that are not currently subscribed to ‘professional level’ should upgrade to become eligible for pro-production services.