Artric
Jan 12th, 2007, 01:05 PM
Hello! I am starting an internship and have been given a project that I hope you guys might be able to help me with.
Currently, the company has the podcast available in a few different ways. There is an RSS feed, and it is uploaded to Hipcast. Hipcasts player is then posted on a website setup for the podcast. It is also available through iTunes.
They are able to track how many downloads there are through various sources (Feedburner is what is used mainly to my understanding), but there is no real tracking as far as specific usage of the content is concerned.
They are interested in being able to find out (at least from a portion of users - maybe from one delivery method, if not more) what portions of the file are being listened to and how many of those downloads are actually being used, etc.
My initial thoughts are some type of DRM (because DRM has to connect to the server when it is played, right?). If that would be possible to setup, then there may be all kinds of complications as far as software is concerned. Also, it could only likely find out if it is played (not what portion was played, where they stopped it, etc).
Another way would be to create (or find an existing) flash player that could be used on the podcast's website. This player would hopefully be able to log users (maybe differentiate them by IP address) and log when they press what buttons into a file/database. This, of course, would only work for that one delivery method.
However, with that type of setup, we would be left with raw data. They would like to be able to have that data available (optimallly) through something that they already use for tracking - such as Feedburner or Google Analytics.
Do any of you guys have any idea on how this would best be handled? They have a large amount of resources, so hosting it is not a problem (I believe their RSS is already hosted onsite), and if there is already a software solution that handles this, that would likely be a good solution.
Another thought/question - would it be possible to work with iTunes to setup DRM on the files much like files that would be paid for through iTunes? There isn't already any DRM implemented on files downloaded through iTunes in that fashion, is there? Does iTunes just point them toward my company's already-established download location?
This info will be used for production purposes of the podcast (if people stop listening at 7 minutes then cut it shorter or change content, for instance).
Any thoughts?
Cliff Notes:
Looking for solution that can track specific listening (not downloading) habits of a podcast audience.
Currently, the company has the podcast available in a few different ways. There is an RSS feed, and it is uploaded to Hipcast. Hipcasts player is then posted on a website setup for the podcast. It is also available through iTunes.
They are able to track how many downloads there are through various sources (Feedburner is what is used mainly to my understanding), but there is no real tracking as far as specific usage of the content is concerned.
They are interested in being able to find out (at least from a portion of users - maybe from one delivery method, if not more) what portions of the file are being listened to and how many of those downloads are actually being used, etc.
My initial thoughts are some type of DRM (because DRM has to connect to the server when it is played, right?). If that would be possible to setup, then there may be all kinds of complications as far as software is concerned. Also, it could only likely find out if it is played (not what portion was played, where they stopped it, etc).
Another way would be to create (or find an existing) flash player that could be used on the podcast's website. This player would hopefully be able to log users (maybe differentiate them by IP address) and log when they press what buttons into a file/database. This, of course, would only work for that one delivery method.
However, with that type of setup, we would be left with raw data. They would like to be able to have that data available (optimallly) through something that they already use for tracking - such as Feedburner or Google Analytics.
Do any of you guys have any idea on how this would best be handled? They have a large amount of resources, so hosting it is not a problem (I believe their RSS is already hosted onsite), and if there is already a software solution that handles this, that would likely be a good solution.
Another thought/question - would it be possible to work with iTunes to setup DRM on the files much like files that would be paid for through iTunes? There isn't already any DRM implemented on files downloaded through iTunes in that fashion, is there? Does iTunes just point them toward my company's already-established download location?
This info will be used for production purposes of the podcast (if people stop listening at 7 minutes then cut it shorter or change content, for instance).
Any thoughts?
Cliff Notes:
Looking for solution that can track specific listening (not downloading) habits of a podcast audience.