Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:29 — 25.2MB)

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I love it when people correct me! Andy Lehman tells me all about what I didn’t get quite right about the Podcast Namespace.

Andy is the guy that does the Podcast Namespace WordPress Plugin, an Add-on to PowerPress to add more namespace tags to your RSS feed.   –  https://github.com/Lehmancreations/Podcast-Namespace-Wordpress-Plugin 

Andy also does a podcast called Dudes and Dads Podcast – https://dudesanddadspodcast.com/ 

We had  a great chat.

** The Podcast Namespace is a project of podcastindex.org

Andy’s plugin adds (or improves) the following tags:

Channel Tags

• Locked
• Funding
• Contact (Currently only Feedback and Abuse)
• Location

Item Tags

• Transcript (only json format, to use set a custom field on your post of “transcript” and a value of the url)
• Chapters (only json format, to use set a custom field on your post of “chapters” and a value of the url)
• Person (use the custom form in the post to set the people)
• Soundbite (use the custom form in the post to set the soundbites)
• Location
• Season
• Episode

If you get value from this plugin and want to toss a few dollars my way you can support the podcast I produce and Host, via paypal Support me

To install this Plugin, you have to download the zip file here: https://github.com/Lehmancreations/Podcast-Namespace-Wordpress-Plugin/releases/tag/v1.3 and side-load it by following these steps.

1. Go to Plugins > Add New
2. click ‘Upload Plugin’
3. Click “select file” and select the zip file you downloaded.
4. Click install now.
5. Click Activate

You will find the channel level tags in the WordPress settings > Podcast namespace menu.

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:14 — 26.8MB)

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In the history of podcasting, there have been a few Namespaces added to RSS to make podcasting work.  Apple added the <itunes: > namespace, Google added the <googleplay:> namespace and even Blubrry added the <rawvoice:> namespace.  Now there is a new one done by independent podcasters, app developers, companies and other interested people called the <podcast:> namespace.   It’s done by the Podcast Index people at  https://podcastindex.org.

I explain what a namespace is and go over the new tags being added by the “podcast” namespace.

Below are some of the new podcast namespace tags that have been adopted or suggested.  See an updated list and other info here: https://github.com/Podcastindex-org/podcast-namespace

Phase 1 and 2 Adopted:

• <podcast:locked>
• <podcast:transcript>
• <podcast:funding>
• <podcast:chapters>
• <podcast:soundbite>
• <podcast:person>
• <podcast:location>
• <podcast:season>
• <podcast:episode>

Phase 3 Proposed: (still open)

license
ID
platform
social
category
content
previous URL
alternate enclosure
indexers
images srcset
contact type
value
valueRecipient

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:15 — 24.9MB)

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Today I want to go back to the REAL basics of how podcasting works.  

So, without going into a history lesson,  podcasting has worked the same way since it started  16 years ago.  (some say longer). 

So.  Back to the basics: 

Podcasting is just Blogging with Audio.   To create a podcast post, you create a blog post (no matter where you are publishing, the basics are you are making a post) and you attach a link to an audio (or video or whatever) file to that post and publish the “item” to the RSS feed. 

RSS feeds are Fancy text documents that contain information on each “item” (which is the post + the link to the media file).  A feed can have many “items” or posts or episodes.  But each ITEM can only have one media file link (enclosure).  

Think of a feed like a radio frequency.  People tune in to your “feed” to hear your show (or station).  If they just listen for a while and then go to the next station.   If they subscribe, that is very much like setting the preset for your Frequency.  You want them to subscribe. 

Back in the day, people didn’t have computers in their pocket that were connected 24/7 to the internet.  Podcasting was invented because of this.  People would download mp3s (music or voice recordings) and then sync it to their MP3 player. (that was a separate, non-connected to the internet) That way they could take their music or talk content with them.  But getting that content was a manual process.  You downloaded (and waited for a LONG time for it to download) and then you could put it on your player and take it with you.  When people got always-on the internet (That wasn’t a thing in 2005 for many people) they needed a way to download stuff in the background when they were not paying attention.   That is where the RSS feed and “Podcatchers” came into being.  You would “subscribe” to the feeds of your favorite podcasts and your computer program, the podcatcher, would check those feeds from time to time to see if there was a new “item” or episode in the feed.  If there was, your computer would download the file and it was waiting for you the next time you plugged your mp3 player in and it synced to your player.  Of course the iPod was the most famous mp3 player.  Hence, Pod (for iPod) and  Casting (for Broadcasting). People could “broadcast” to the iPod.   Cool huh? 

Fast forward to today.  It still works sort-of, the same way.  Only now, everyone’s mp3 player is part of the computer they have with them at all times, the smartphone and the internet is on all the time.  There are podcast “Apps” which are the podcatchers.  You can still subscribe to a podcast via the RSS feed and your phone’s app checks that feed and when something new is added to it, it PULLS the file to your phone for offline listening. This is exactly how the old system worked other than the fact you don’t have to sync it to your player because your player is also the computer.  BUT, you can still listen to a downloaded file when you are not connected to the internet.  Like while traveling in a bad cell area, away from wifi or on an Airplane. 

 BUT now, there is another way to listen.  You can do what is commonly called “Streaming” but is really, downloading while playing or a progressive download.  Some apps (what I call the not quite real podcast listening apps) that the service that owns the app downloads the file and then does a true stream to your phone. This is fine as long as you have a good signal to a cell tower AND you have unlimited internet. AND that service doesn’t go down (it’s been known to happen).  

The basics are still there.  

Here are the things you need to make a podcast work.  

A place on the internet to store your mp3 files. (Podcast Host) and a place to generate the RSS feed and to make a post for the episodes.  (Just a fancy text file on a server somewhere)

With that valid RSS feed, you can submit that to the directories and apps.  Currently, the important ones are Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon and Podcast Index.  As long as you are in all or most of those, you will also be in a lot of smaller apps.  A lot of apps use the Podcast Index or Apple to supply their directories for people to find your podcast. 

Everything about your show is based completely on the RSS feed.  The Title of the show, the descriptions of the show, the title of the episodes, the “shownotes” (blog post) content, The artwork for your overall show, the artwork for the individual episodes (which is more work than it’s worth, See: post i did on artwork) and your connection to subscribers.  All these things are Pulled (not Pushed) to these places by those places.  You can not “push” your show out to these places or your subscribers.  Your subscribers and the apps/directories PULL your shows LISTING from your feed.  

The best way I found is to host your files on a reputable Podcast media host (Of course I recommend Blubrry Podcasting).  Build a WordPress blog (that is what WordPress is, a blogging software) and use the PowerPress plugin (by blubrry) to generate the RSS feed for you.  That is exactly what I do on my 3 podcasts.  You can use any podcast host with PowerPress.  WordPress based websites are cheap.  As long as $10 a month at Godaddy, Bluehost, HostGater and A2 hosting (my favorite, click the link in the sidebar for A2 hosting).  AND the bonus is you are building your podcast on your domain and platform and not on someone else’s platform. 

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:07 — 30.3MB)

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Why would build your podcast on someone else’s platform when you can build your own?

Building a podcast platform is a little harder than doing it on a Podcast Hosting company site, but it’s so worth it.

At Blubrry, we call it the Blubrry Way.  Have your own domain. Put a WordPress on it and use the PowerPress plugin to generate your feed and let you publish from your own website. It will future-proof your show, your brand and give your show a home that can not be taken away.

For a free month of hosting at Blubrry.com, use the promo code HELPDESK at checkout.

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

© Mike Dell

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:57 — 25.6MB)

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RSS is what powers podcasting.  In fact, this is why podcasting even exists. The enclosure tag in RSS2 allows you to “attach” a media file. Mainly an MP3 but you can also attach just about any media like a video file, a PDF or ebook file.  “Podcasting” is mostly audio but there are some that do video via RSS.

RSS (RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates to websites in a standardized, computer-readable format.  It is in XML format and for Podcasting, it follows the RSS 2.0 specs.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.

RSS Specifications v2 – RSS originated in 1999, and has strived to be a simple, easy to understand format, with relatively modest goals. After it became a popular format, developers wanted to extend it using modules defined in namespaces, as specified by the W3C. RSS 2.0 adds that capability, following a simple rule. An RSS feed may contain elements not described, only if those elements are defined in the namespace.

Why you should care?   RSS still powers your podcast. No matter how people listen, it is tied to your RSS feed.  Things in your RSS feed DO affect if your show gets distributed to directories and apps.

Another reason to care about RSS feeds is that is how Podcasting stays open.  RSS is an open standard.  It’s not controlled by any one company or group. This keeps it free an open.  Anyone that says we need to get rid of RSS in podcasting has an agenda to either make money off of you (the Indie podcaster) or trying to control which shows and hosts get heard.  Neither of which is a good thing.  RSS forever!!  🙂

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:10 — 6.6MB)

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I failed miserably at completing the NaPodPoMo 30 episodes in 30 days this year.  OH well,  Such is life getting in the way.

The Good News and part of the “big” announcement I teased is this show is going 2 times weekly starting on Dec. 16, 2020.

As the unofficial companion show to Podcast Insider – Blubry’s Official Podcast and Blog, I will be putting out short 10-15 minute (most of the time) episodes of Podcast Help Desk on Wednesday and Friday, Every single week!  It’s my “Get Mike to take podcasting more seriously” project.  I’ve always preached that being constant is one key way to grow a show.  The only show I’ve ever been able to do that on was Podcast Insider.  Now I want to add Podcast Help Desk to that success schedule-keeping.  Call it my “Podcast Improvement Plan”.

Another thing I’ve been told (and believed) that 1 time a week is good, 2 times a week is better. I want to put that to the test.

Also, recently, I’ve been hearing that people prefer shorter episodes.  We will be testing that theory as well.

If you would like to have me cover a topic, have a general podcasting question or just want to make a comment, hit the “leave a voicemail” tab on PodcastHelpDesk.com or send me an email, podcasthelpdesk@gmail.com and I will put it in Queue.

Be sure to subscribe to Podcast Insider as well at PodcastInsider.com

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

***Note:  I had a slight noise issue on this recording.  Rather than re-record it, here it is in all it’s glory!  🙂