Please help to have my Podcast listed on all sites not simply Feedburner [Archive]

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craigtheairplaneman

Mar 16th, 2007, 12:58 AM

Hi there:

I hope the week was great. I am real sorry to have such poor knowledge.

Can somebody please please please get me through the final step of Podcasting. I've written a new book on the Jefferson Airplane and wanted to use Podcasting as one of the promotional tools but............... :( :( :( :(

I am fine with the creation ofthe content (Audio/video). As an ex-disc jockey the production went fine.

After trial and error I finally got the correct info that if I use Word Press and Feedburner I can post my blog with a link to the Podcast audio.

My blog is http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com/ In the post I put the link to the website where the audio file is
http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/index.php?pr=JA_Aircast_Podcast (http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/index.php?pr=JA_Aircast_Podcast)

I then went to Feedburner and they told me to put the information in the box and click I Am A Podcaster. I did. Their link http://feeds.feedburner.com/wordpress/YRQd showed and worked perfectly
for their site and mine but when I go to any other Podcasting site to validate the Podcast all I get are various error messages. What link do I put into sites such as Podcast Alley to not get errors and have the ability to have my Podcast listed on any site? I tried the above link and http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/myfeeds as well as https://feeds.feedburner.com/JeffersonAirplaneTakeMeToACircusTent

None of these work.

Thank you for your time!

Thank you for your help and sorry for the stupidity.

All the best
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

WyethDigital

Mar 16th, 2007, 07:14 AM

First of all, what kinds of errors are you getting? I'll say this once more: We can't help you if we don't know what's wrong. Just saying you have a bunch of errors and you can't figure it out is not going to help us help you figure it out. Check out this post (http://www.podcastalley.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136303) to see why the best way to help yourself is to keep it in mind.

Secondly, I did not see any clear links to any media files associated with your blog posts. I did see that you linked to your site frequently (which is fine), but you need to link to the file, not the page that the file is embedded in! I would suspect that one of the errors you got was that there weren't any enclosures or media.

Also, I saw in one post in which you were telling people to scroll down to the bottom of the audio section to get at the audio files. No. Won't work. You need your media files attached to the blog post that references them. Media in an RSS feed is called an "enclosure." By not including the files with the posts they reference, you aren't generating the enclosure.

If you need specific help with WordPress, you should not be asking here, but should be seeking it in the WordPress Support Forums. (http://wordpress.org/support/)I would look there for the specific steps you need to take to generate media enclosures in your WordPress blog.

craigtheairplaneman

Mar 16th, 2007, 07:43 AM

Hi there:

I am sorry if I did not explain things properly. When I post a blog at Word Press with a link in it to the location of the Podcast Audio File it is perfect for Feedburner. You put in the Word Press address and click "I'm A Podcaster"
What I need the answer for is why doesn't Podcast Alley accept the Feedburner conversion link?

There has to be a way to be able to take the link from Feedburner and have it be okay for any Podcasting sites. Here is everything step by step so nothing is lost in the translation:

1) http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com I am here creating the blog. I want to attach the link to the Podcast so I put in the link in the body of the Blog Post
2) Attach link which is http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/index.php?pr=JA_Aircast_Podcast (http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/index.php?pr=JA_Aircast_Podcast)

3) Click Publish Blog
4) Go to Feedburner
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/home

In the blank box I am told to type the URL of the Blog and click "I'm A Podcaster." I type http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com (http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com/) and click "I'm A Podcaster"

5) A new screen opens and says
"The original blog or feed address you entered has been verified."

Feed Address:http://feeds.feedburner.com/The address above is where people can find your new feed.

6) I go to Podcast Alleyhttp://www.podcastalley.com/add_a_podcast.php and if I type in the above feed Address, address I get:
Validating feed at "http://feeds.feedburner.com/TakeMeToACircusTentjeffersonairplane"...

Critical Errors :
CRITICAL File does not exist (data: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TakeMeToACircusTentjeffersonairplane) (code: 1000)

Summary: Your podcast contains fatal errors. Unfortunately, we cannot accept your submission until they are corrected.

Please somebody help, it can't be this hard. There has to be one universal code that if Feedburner works and points the person to the Podcast, the same url could be used for any Podcasting Listing Site.

Please if you don't know, I understand. I have no knowledge at all. I only ask that there be somebody that has expertise.

Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to a response.

All the best,
Craig Frustrated

theFerf

Mar 16th, 2007, 12:01 PM

the only issue you seem to be having has to do with you publishing your podcast. you may be typing in your link to your podcast at wordpress.com, but it is not attached in the proper way.

here is what i recommend trying:
1. the very last line in your blog post at wordpress.com should be something like this....

<a href="http://myserver.com/podcastname.mp3" rel="enclosure">Download My Podcast</a>2. login to feedburner.com, click on your feed name, and then click on the "optimize" tab.

3. Scroll down the page to the "SmartCast" button and click it

4. update this " Create podcast enclosures from links to" to use audio, video, or whatever you like.

5. add in any other details you want for your podcast

6. scroll to the very bottom of the page and click "activate"

that should be all there is to it. it may take a minute to refresh, but i think this will make your episodes show up at feedburner. if you like, you can always click on "troubleshooterize" at feedburner and scroll down the page and click on "resync" to update your feed manually. after that, you should submit this url to Podcast Alley and the other directories...

http://feeds.feedburner.com/wordpress/YRQd

craigtheairplaneman

Mar 16th, 2007, 12:37 PM

Hi thanks for reply. The issue isn't with Word Press and Feedburner it is after Feedburner validates the Podcast and tells me everything is fine I want to go to all the other sites and have the Podcast listed.

When you go to Podcast Alley for instance or any other site no matter what you put in the blank URL, it comes up error. There has to be a universal code. I am making this up but say Feedburner validates the Podcast as
http://craigblah.mp3 That has to be good anyplace.

Here is what I have tried and it still doesn't work. Everyone is missing the final step but giving advice on the prior portions that worked. Any tips or people that really know this stuff would be appreciated. I can't believe in 48 hours not one person can help.

Here we go and be well,

1) http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com (http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com/) I am here creating the blog. I want to attach the link to the Podcast so I put in the link in the body of the Blog Post
2) Attach link in the body of the Blog as if I am typing you a letter which is http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/media/JAcast1.mp3 (http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/media/JAcast1.mp3)
3) Click Publish Blog
4) Go to Feedburner
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/home (http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/home)

In the blank box I am told to type the URL of the Blog and click "I'm A Podcaster." I type http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com (http://craigtheairplaneman.wordpress.com/) and click "I'm A Podcaster"

5) A new screen opens and says
"The original blog or feed address you entered has been verified."

Feed Address:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/

Address:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/
Congrats! Your FeedBurner feed is now live. Want to dress it up a little?

Subscribe to your feed (and share with others!) at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/wordpress/FNez (http://feeds.feedburner.com/wordpress/FNez)

The address above is where people can find your new feed.

6) I go to Podcast Alleyhttp://www.podcastalley.com/add_a_podcast.php and if I type in the above feed Address, http://feeds.feedburner.com/wordpress/FNez (http://feeds.feedburner.com/wordpress/FNez)
I get:
Validating feed at

If I type in
"http://feeds.feedburner.com/TakeMeToACircusTentjeffersonairplane"...
Critical Errors : The same, and still the same for typing i bnthe Word Press URL

CRITICAL File does not exist (data: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TakeMeToACircusTentjeffersonairplane) (code: 1000) Summary: Your podcast contains fatal errors. Unfortunately, we cannot accept your submission until they are corrected.

WyethDigital

Mar 16th, 2007, 12:54 PM

craigtheairplaneman

Mar 16th, 2007, 01:24 PM

Hi Eric:

While I am the first one to admit I wouldn't know one code from another, I also know what I have been told by others of equal ability to you.

The entire point of Feedburner and some of their competition is that you would not have to put in the code that was referenced. The exact idea was the ability to have everything done, since the bulk of the people are not tech oriented.

What you are missing is I am not saying that the code your friend suggested wouldn't work, I am saying if a person had to know that on their own, it defeats the entire idea of using an outside source to help with the Podcast.

If I could or 85 percent of the people could figure out all the codes, we could actually set up the (Hope I say this correctly) the RSS Feed and not have to worry about what site works with what.

While you told me to take a step back, I too would ask that you reread what I was getting at and ask people of = ability to you, is there not a default set up to have a blog with audio be validated that in turn would be universal in the Podcast world. See what they say please.

Thank you for your time and I hope the weekend is great for you. We are having an ice storm, it was 76 degrees 2 days ago!

CF

craigtheairplaneman

Mar 16th, 2007, 01:50 PM

Did what you suggested and now after the validation at Feedburner the link doesn't even work back to my blog, which it did before. I can even show you the saved changes from Feedburner.

What Eric has missed 100000 percent is it doesn't matter if something is working for him, if it isn't working for somebosy else you can't take the attiude "It works for me." That doesn't solve the problem." It is okay for people to say they don't know something. In customer service that attiude would be a big D-.

What good is it after all this time if nothing has changed for the better.

Thanks for your time and I'll have to keep researching.

WyethDigital

Mar 16th, 2007, 02:25 PM

What you are missing is I am not saying that the code your friend suggested wouldn't work, I am saying if a person had to know that on their own, it defeats the entire idea of using an outside source to help with the Podcast.
I understand perfectly, CF. But again, I say that you do not. This isn't meant as a negative judgement against you, because we all had to learn this stuff in the beginning. And that's the point. Rather than argue about how easy you think it should be, or whether or not you should be bothered with having to know this or that piece of code, you need to accept the fact that you're going to have to learn some of this stuff. Plain and simple. Whether you like it or not, CF, there IS a certain level of technical understanding required to put together a podcast.

As for standards, we're using them. The XML document with the enclosure links is auto-generated in a standard format (called RSS 2.0) by WordPress and other blogging software, provided that the user understands how the blogging software works. When you burn your feed with Feedburner, it can correct some of the inconsistencies or mistakes that are made by the users of that software, but you have to set it up to do so. The Ferf was telling you how to fix it using the tools within FeedBurner.

While you told me to take a step back, I too would ask that you reread what I was getting at and ask people of = ability to you, is there not a default set up to have a blog with audio be validated that in turn would be universal in the Podcast world.

I have read what you posted and what you sent to me in PM. It boils down to one thing: User Error. You need to format your blog post correctly in order for WordPress to generate the correct enclosure tags, or you need to use FeedBurner to do it. Either way, it's a problem on your end, and not Podcast Alley's. Look on the bright side, you have a working feed -- but it's a feed without any media entries. That's why PodcastAlley is rejecting it. You should be glad that it's telling you there's a problem. That's something Feedburner needs to be smarter about.

Please understand, none of this is personal. The problem I'm having is that rather than taking advice, or just saying you don't understand something, you're arguing about it and saying "it ought to be this way." Maybe so, but we're not in a position to change the rules. In some cases you may be right about it being too difficult. I think the biggest barrier to podcasting is the knowledge you need to get started. But that's changing. When I first started watching these forums people were trading XML templates to hand-code their RSS feeds. Now programs do it for you, provided you use them correctly. So believe it or not, things are getting easier. Look how much you've already learned. When you first joined, you didn't know anything about RSS. You were just submitting links. That's a positive step you should build on.

Stay safe in the ice storm, and have a great weekend.

Eric

WyethDigital

Mar 16th, 2007, 02:42 PM

If you broke your Feedburner Feed, then you didn't do something correctly. This has nothing to do with what's worked for me. This directory is full of podcasts that utilize the same info you've been given. You wanted standard tools, well these are standard tools. You just need to realize that you can't hammer a nail with a screw driver.

What you are not getting is that thousands of podcasters have used the combination of WordPress and FeedBurner and not had the issues you are having. What you also don't get is that we are not WordPress or Feedburner tech support. We're voluntarily helping you out. And you haven't exactly made that easy. Or been very gracious about it. I already gave you the links to Wordpress' support site.

I applaud the fact that you're going to research this more. Frankly, that's the first step you should have taken, rather than the last step. To help you get started, try Podcast 411 (http://www.podcast411.com/). They have tutorials that might make things easier.

Eric

Did what you suggested and now after the validation at Feedburner the link doesn't even work back to my blog, which it did before. I can even show you the saved changes from Feedburner.

What Eric has missed 100000 percent is it doesn't matter if something is working for him, if it isn't working for somebosy else you can't take the attiude "It works for me." That doesn't solve the problem." It is okay for people to say they don't know something. In customer service that attiude would be a big D-.

What good is it after all this time if nothing has changed for the better.

Thanks for your time and I'll have to keep researching.

dpeach

Mar 16th, 2007, 11:54 PM

I am reading back through these posts and see several different Feed Burner feeds. Which one is supposed to be the current one?

The problem is not Feed Burner. Nor is it submitting the Feed Burner feed to different sites as you suspect. The problem lies within your original post in your WordPress blog (as has been pointed out). You have to include the link as Ferf said above (the thing about the <a href...> stuff).

I have compiled a few sites that may help you in your reading to get you going the right direction.

http://www.tomrafteryit.net/podcast-using-wordpress/
http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/how-to-podcast-using-wordpress-blogging-software/
http://www.selfseo.com/story-18434.php
http://www.chrisjdavis.org/2005/06/15/podcasting-with-wp/

The reason the problem seems to be with the different directories is because WordPress is outputting a real feed. Feed Burner is reading a real feed and outputting one as well. But, the feed that Feed Burner is putting out is not a proper "podcast" feed. That is because without linking the .mp3 file into the original post, it is not a podcast. So, everything seems right until the very end. But the problem is really at the beginning (as has been stated).

We all had to start at the beginning. Spending a day reading about how to go about this will save lots of frustration.

dpeach

Mar 19th, 2007, 01:22 PM

You have a new post at your site which means you are still trying. That is good. The reason it does not work is the space in your file name is making everything wonky. You always want to avoid spaces in filenames for web content. Some webservers can handle it, others cannot. I am not sure if all browsers treat them properly. Best choice of action is to leave them out.

I use an underline in my media files. For example: mtalks_ep_20.mp3

Hope that gets you a step closer.