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Table of contents:
Blubrry podcast hosting is all about making podcast publishing easier and smoother. Though it doesn’t have a lot of features that podcasters may be used to seeing on other competitor sites, its service is unique for its PowerPress WordPress plugin that fuses the power of Blubrry’s hosting dashboard with a podcast website. In this Blubrry review and walkthrough, we explore whether the WordPress website really makes Blubrry worthwhile or if podcasters would get better bang for their buck elsewhere.
TL:DR
- Blubrry is a standard podcast hosting platform with no particular bells or whistles
- No contract, unlimited bandwidth but monthly upload limits.
- All subscriptions come with a WordPress website and PowerPress plugin.
- An all-rounder that’ll meet the basic needs of most podcasters
How we’re reviewing Blubrry
Before we take an in-depth look at Blubrry and its features we’ll explain certain elements that we’re looking for:
Pricing
Price informs most decisions, no matter how big or small your budget. Choosing a hosting platform is no different. We look for good value platforms that not only offer the bare minimum but a strong set of additional features too.
Analytics
Analytics are the key to understanding your podcast’s performance. We look for podcast hosts that offer creators in-depth and comprehensive stats and data insights that give them a detailed picture of their podcast and listeners.
Media Player
An embeddable media player is crucial for sharing your podcast on your own website and beyond. It’s also a great tool for social sharing and giving your listeners the freedom to engage with your content outside the major listening platforms. We like it when platforms not only give you a media player but let you customize it to match your branding.
File Hosting
We don’t think you should need to compromise on audio quality. That’s why we look for platforms that support lossless file formats like WAV. Additionally, we think video podcasts should be supported too - just in case a podcaster feels like venturing into visual creation too.
Distribution
Distributing your show shouldn’t be something you need to think about. Your podcast host should make it quick and easy to publish your show across all the major platforms. And ideally, it should also make the initial submission process as painless as possible.
Monetization
We look for platforms that help their creators to monetize their show and maximize their revenue. For us, that means diverse monetization options ranging from ads, podcast subscriptions and donations.
Usability and Additional Features
At a minimum, the platform should be easy to use, but ideally, we look for platforms that boast sleek and modern design, high-caliber functions, and additional features that actively enhance the user experience.
Blubrry: Quick Takeaways
Quick summary:
Designed to provide essential tools to podcast and a stress free site management experience
Price: Blurbrry starts from $10 / month
Blubrry USPs:
- Powerpress plugin and wordpress integration.
- Headliner integration for social sharing.
What is Blubrry?
Blubrry was founded in 2005 by a team of active and veteran podcasters. It calls itself ‘one of the original podcast companies’ and now works with over 100,000 podcasters to host, distribute and analyze their podcast. Their target market is broad, serving both the independent podcaster and commercial podcast networks. 85,000+ podcasters use PowerPress
How much does Blubrry cost?
Blubrry has three pricing tiers:
Standard Plan - $10 / month (billed annually) or $12 / month
- 125MB monthly storage
- Additional storage available
- Standard statics
- Phone and email tech support
- Unlimited downloads
- Custom embed player
- Free wordpress site
- Free episode migration
Advanced plan - $17 / month (billed annually) or $20 monthly
- 400MB monthly storage
- Additional storage available
- Standard statics
- Advanced statistics
- Domain mapping
- Phone and email tech support
- Unlimited downloads
- Custom embed player
- Free wordpress site
- Additional themes & plugins
- DNS management
- Free episode migration
Pro hosting - $100 / month
- Unlimited storage
- Standard and advanced stats
- Tech support
- 1TB monthly bandwidth
- Dynamic Ad insertion
- Network showcasing tool
- Unlimited account sharing for teams
- $10 / per additional show
Every hosting plan includes a free, option managed Wordpress website or a free and simple landing page, if you prefer.
What’s the catch with Blubrry?
Both the standard and advanced plan have monthly storage limits which may challenge podcasters who post frequently or who have bigger files. It is possible to purchase additional storage without upgrading all the way to a Pro Hosting plan, but this might not be in every podcaster’s budget.
Advantages of Blubrry
Easy to use
Blubrry’s interface is very sleek and clean, which will be a major plus for podcasters who value good UX/UI and interactivity.
No contract
There are no long-term commitments with Blubrry, you can end the rolling subscription whenever you want (if you choose the monthly subscription).
Easy distribution
Distribute your show to all the major listening platforms without a second thought.
Unlimited downloads
Each subscription plan comes with unlimited downloads, so you don’t need to worry about your show outgrowing your subscription. You’ll still need to be wary of your monthly upload limit though.
Podcast Website or Landing Page
With every hosting plan, subscribers get a free (but optional) managed WordPress site for their podcast. Alternatively, if you already have a website up and running or you’re not interested, you can opt for a simple and free landing page.
Embeddable media player
If you use the PowerPress plugin, you automatically get an embeddable media player.
Analytics
Get standard analytics with all Blubrry hosting plans. In-depth insights into your podcast’s performance and what your listeners are liking and not liking.
Social sharing
Blubrry is in partnership with Headliner to allow creators to post video snippets of their podcast to their socials. Headliner creates shareable and engaging video snippets that are perfect for creating engagement on social media.
Private podcasts
For an additional cost, you can choose to produce private podcasts that are available only to an audience that you choose - whether this is an internal company podcast or content you want to share with paying subscribers, this is a great option.
Supports video podcasts
Blubrry supports video podcasts, which is a great plus for podcasters who want to create both audio and visual content. If you’re using the PowerPress plugin and have a WordPress site then you can also include a video media player.
Disadvantages of Blubrry
No creation capabilities
Podcasters who are on the hunt for an all-in-one solution that will take them all the way from recording to distribution, should keep on looking.
No monetization
Blubrry doesn’t have any integrated monetization features. Although you can create private podcasts (for an additional cost), Blubrry doesn’t have the ability to manage the subscriptions or payments so you would have to handle these through a third-party.
Standard plans include monthly upload limit
Unless you want to pay $100/month, you won’t get unlimited storage with Blubrry. If you opt for the Advanced plan ($17/month), you’ll get 400MB of monthly storage and the option to purchase additional storage.
Key features of Blubrry
WordPress Website
Every hosting plan includes a free and managed WordPress podcast website.
You can personalize your site according to your brand colors to really make it your own - and with the Advanced plan you can choose between multiple website templates. Every episode that you publish automatically appears with a dedicated embeddable media player.
If you’ve got a background in websites or have a developer on your team, the Advanced subscription gives you the ability to map your own domain
Blubrry takes care of all the backend tasks such as daily back-ups, hosting the website, managing your site security and addressing any problems.
Powerpress plugin
According to Blubrry, it has been ‘the preferred WordPress podcasting plugin since 2008’. They claim the winning formula is to use Blubrry in combination with their PowerPress plugin.
The plugin allows you to manage and publish your podcast from your own WordPress website. It is integrated with Blubrry’s hosting and analytics, so you can keep track of all your podcast matters direct from your site:
- Publish your media straight from your website.
- Get real-time stats about your hosting usage and remaining monthly quota every time you upload to your site.
- Blubrry subscribers can migrate their media files at no additional cost to their Blubrry account.
In addition, it levels up your website to include all the features you need to promote and represent your podcast:
- An integrated player. Blubrry’s embeddable media player.
- Subscribe tools. Include a subscription page on your website using Blubrry’s subscribe shortcode embed.
- Migration and importing tools. Streamline and speed up the migration process from your existing podcast host.
- Have multiple podcasts on your website. No need to separate your podcasts across websites, have multiple that are categorized by theme or media format.
Embeddable media player
With the PowerPress plugin, you get a few options when it comes to your embeddable media player:
- Choose between an audio or video player.
- Freedom to use Blubrry’s player or another from a different theme or plugin.
- Move your player around according to your page design.
- Add a playlist using the powerpress shortcode.
- Skip to position in player. Shortcode allows you to jump to a given time stamp from the episode right in your player.
Note that you cannot embed your media player on social media.
Subscribe tools
Blubrry’s subscription tools are designed to help you convert casual listeners into loyal subscribers:
- Create a dedicated subscription page. Write descriptions about your subscriptions and include buttons to subscribe on major listening platforms.
- Responsive tools. No need to worry about how your website will look across different screen sizes.
Private Internal Podcasts
Private podcasts are the perfect way to monetize your content by offering exclusive content to paying subscribers or for business contexts where you want to create an internal podcast, make executive announcements, or streamline your employee onboarding process, for example.
You can create private podcasts with Blubrry starting at $150 per month with a maximum of 100 users. Blubrry also offers Standard and Enterprise plans that have added security, and are better suited for organizational or business contexts where keeping your podcast secure is essential. You can use either the Blubrry Web App and the Android or iOS apps for listening.
Additional features include the ability to segment your audience and distribute your content accordingly. You can personalize the web and mobile apps to match your branding, as well as toggle your security preferences depending on the podcast.
Social video snippets from Headliner
Blubrry is in partnership with Headliner to allow creators to create shareable video clips that will create buzz around your podcast and help push traffic to your site. You can customize which audio clip is featured, as well as the image that’s overlaid.
Blubrry Pro Podcast Production
Powered by Podcast Network Solutions, Blubrry Pro Podcast Production is Blubrry’s podcast production offering. You’ll work with a dedicated team of industry experts who will edit, upload and produce your podcast for you.
Blubrry is an all-rounder, but is best for podcasters with a WordPress website
Blubrry is a fairly well-rounded podcast host, offering most podcasters what they’re looking for. The lack of monetization capabilities may be a deal-breaker for some though. The platform really comes into its own when it comes to podcast websites and WordPress. The PowerPress plugin integration means that if you’re familiar with WordPress, you can seriously streamline your podcasting process.
First look at Blubrry Dashboard
When you first login, you’ll come to your dashboard where you’ll be able to see your Directories, Monetization, Subscriptions, your Shows and account settings.
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If you select Add a Show you’ll be able to view Podcast Hosting, Statistics, and Directory Options.
From here, you can upload new media, track your analytics, and manage your podcast.
How to Get Started with Blubrry
To add a new show to Blubrry (without using PowerPress):
Step 1: Create your account.
Step 2: When you’re logged in and you’ve verified your email, click ‘Add a show’
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Step 3: You can choose whether you want hosting, statistics or just a directory service. Select Podcast Hosting if you’re looking to host your podcast on the platform.
Step 4: Select ‘Create a Podcast’ if you’d like to upload a new podcast, or enter your RSS URL Feed if you’re looking to add an existing show.
Step 5: Add your podcast title, select its category and add in the owner’s email. Make sure you’re happy with the Blubrry URL too. You can also add your podcast cover art here.
Step 6: When you’ve done that, click ‘Continue’. You’ll end up at your dashboard where you can see your show. If you click on the settings gear icon, you’ll be able to see options for managing your show. Here you can toggle all your show’s settings, add more in-depth descriptions, upload your podcast cover art and more.
Step 7: To publish your first episode, head back to your dashboard home and click ‘Create new episode’ .
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You’ll be asked to say what type of publishing method you’ll want to use. Follow the prompts and decide if you’ll need a Blubrry website or not.
Note: If you choose to create a Wordpress website you may have to publish episodes from your Blubrry website and not from the dashboard.
Step 8: Add your title, fill out episode details and upload your Episode media.
Step 9: When you’re happy, schedule your episode to publish (or publish it straight away).
Step 10: Click ‘Publish’ and you’ll find yourself on your Embed Player page. From here, you can also promote your podcast using Headliner.
How to Migrate your Podcast to Blubrry
Migration doesn’t count against your monthly upload quota. You can either migrate your podcast to your own WordPress website using their PowerPress plugin or over to your Bluburry landing page.
Blubrry has specific instructions for migrating your podcast from major podcast hosts.
If you’re using the PowerPress plugin, migration is totally automated. All you need to do is request migration and then sit back and relax whilst your media files are transferred over:
Step 1: Request Migration in your WordPress dashboard. Select Powerpress > Migrate Media and then select which Media you want to migrate.
Step 2: Wait for the migration process to finish and then update your episodes
If you’re not using Powerpress, head to your Blubrry dashboard and click Manage Account:
Step 1: Click ‘Content’ > Migrate Media
Step 2: Wait for the process to complete. Though it’s also automated, this can take up to 2 days. Blubrry will move up to 10gb of your media.
How to distribute your podcast using Blubrry
Blubrry doesn’t automate the submission process, but it does provide detailed instructions for each major listening platform.
To get onto Blubrry’s directory head to “Add Show” in your dashboard. Then select “Get on Directory” and then you can copy and paste your RSS feed to find your podcast. Once, you’ve found your podcast, follow the prompts to add your podcast to their directory.
Blubrry Podcast Analytics
Blubrry offers standard analytics with all its hosting plans. Blubrry podcast statistics are designed to measure podcast plays accurately. They differentiate themselves from other competitors with stats that take unique internet addresses, resuming downloads, duplicate requests and network errors into account - preserving the integrity of your data.
Depending on your subscription plan, you may have access to advanced statistics. This essentially means you’re provided with Blubrry’s ‘Impactful Plays metric’ too. This tells you how long your listeners actually listen to your episodes for, helping you to refine your content for better engagement.
The data you’ll get will include:
- Retention data
- Listener trends
- Geolocation
- Apps and Devices
- Platforms
- Media downloads
Blubrry Alternatives
Buzzsprout vs Blubrry
Buzzsprout and Blubrry are very similar services, and from our perspective, most podcasters would probably be satisfied with either service. The biggest two differences are pricing structure and the ability to monetize.
Buzzsprout, though more affordable at first glance, has severely limiting upload limits that will force more active podcasters up the subscription tiers quickly.
Podbean vs Blubrry
Podbean is a hosting and monetization platform, whereas Blubrry is all about hosting and publication. Podbean’s powerful monetization features such as their Ads Marketplace and DAI make it a powerful contender. Plus, the fact that it offers users sleek and responsive podcast websites might be a major plus for creators who want a website but aren’t necessarily that interested in using WordPress. Additionally, Podbean’s Unlimited Audio plan at $9/month is cheaper than Blubrry and offers unlimited storage and bandwidth.
Anchor vs Blubrry
In many ways, Blubrry and Anchor are offering different services. Whilst Blubrry is primarily a podcast host and management platform, Anchor is a one-stop-shop for podcasting, incorporating creation and editing capabilities, as well as the ability to monetize, manage, and track your podcast. The other key difference is that Anchor is totally free.
Libsyn vs Blubrry
Just like Blubrry, Libsyn targets a wide cross section of the podcasting community: beginners and experts. Libsyn is marginally cheaper than Blubrry (the most basic plan is $5/month), but you’re also left with upload limits. If you’re looking to monetize directly from your podcast host, then Libsyn wins over Blubrry. However, as we’ve noted, Blubrry’s focus on podcast websites means that creators who value their podcast site are better off going with Blubrry’s high-caliber WordPress site over Libsyn’s basic podcast page.
Soundcloud vs Blubrry
Though Soundcloud may work for some creators, the fact that it’s not a dedicated podcast hosting platform is a dealbreaker for us. Beginners may find that Soundcloud satisfies their needs, but shows on a growth trajectory are sure to need a more comprehensive suite of features.
Final thoughts on Blubrry
Blubrry is a well-rounded platform that most probably satisfies what most podcasters are looking for. That being said, many creators may find they’re swayed by other platforms’ more exciting, innovative and cutting edge tools where Blubrry feels a little outdated. However, where Blubrry truly comes into its own is with its Wordpress plugin and integration. Even the standard plan comes with a free website and the PowerPress plugin converts your website into a true podcasting asset. For creators that are in need of a website that does them justice, Blubrry might do the trick.
FAQs about Blubrry
What is Blubrry Podcast?
Blubrry is a podcast hosting service. It aims to make publishing your podcast a breeze and gives you the tools to build out a podcast website that does justice to you and your brand.
Is Blubrry podcast free?
Unfortunately, no. Blubrry starts from $10/month.
How do I start a podcast on Blubrry?
It’s easy. Just follow our instructions above.
Want to read more on podcast hosting platforms? Check out our other reviews:
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