This past summer our team reviewed more than 100 podcast directories and hosting services to see where we could improve our newly redesigned and relaunched Blubrry Podcast Directory. The results were shocking.
No other podcast directory provides even half of the critical podcast information that we do.
In addition, most podcast directories and podcast hosting services provide no other way to distribute your podcast beyond their website.
- Most directories do not provide an iTunes subscribe to podcast links.
- Only a couple directories provide podcast RSS feeds.
- Only a handful of directories provide a link back to the podcast’s website.
- Many directories modify the podcast artwork to promote some shows over others.
- There are some podcast directories that manipulate media URLs, some to the extent of downloading the episodes and re-serving them for other mischievous purposes unbeknown to the podcaster.
Further disappointing, it has become evident that many of the well-known players in the space are doing everything in their power to keep listeners on their website rather than promote podcast subscriptions.
For the past 10 years Blubrry has followed a set of five golden rules for all of our applications and websites to follow when displaying a podcast listing. These rules are critical to promoting and growing podcasting:
- Provide a link back to the podcasters website
- Provide a link to the podcast’s RSS feed
- Provide a link to the podcast’s iTunes subscribe-to podcast listing (if available)
- Provide podcast artwork without modification
- Never modify the media URLs or cache copies of content
In addition to the above, we now provide one-click subscribe links for subscribing on Android, which supports 9 of the most popular Android podcasting apps, as well as a simple one-click subscribe by email option. We are intent on helping listeners subscribe to podcasts.
The ultimate goal of the Blubrry Podcast Directory is to promote podcasting and podcasters. We want to help the entire podcast audience subscribe to shows utilizing their favorite device or platform. That has been our philosophy since day one.
If your podcast directory falls short in the areas listed above, it’s time to look at what Blubrry can offer you.