Author Topic: Demise of Google Reader  (Read 4322 times)

stingpin

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Demise of Google Reader
« on: July 22, 2013, 02:49:06 am »
As you probably know, Google Reader was shut down at the end of June. Since then, I've suddenly seen my show's download numbers fall off a cliff. It might just be a coincidence, but I'm wondering how many people were accessing my show through Google Reader, and haven't bothered subscribing to it a different way. Has anyone else noticed a dropoff this month?

angelo

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2013, 03:00:32 pm »
How are you measuring your podcast? If you are using Blubrry Statistics, the information would be right there for you to see what clients/platforms had the drop off. Your "Distribution" chart would look much different between June and July.

You have a lot of possible growth if your podcast was mostly consumed through Google Reader. Most podcasts, 65-85% of the downloads come from Apple iTunes (both desktop and through the podcasts app on iOS).

stingpin

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2013, 06:22:44 pm »
I took a closer look at my Libsyn stats. Not much mention of Google Reader in the June episode stats. The dropoff occurred primarily in access via Apple Core Media. I see that's something used to render content on Apple devices. I'm not sure what would have caused that number to drop so suddenly.

angelo

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2013, 08:19:46 pm »
I would not rely on their statistics.

stingpin

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2013, 08:24:05 pm »
Hmm. So do you think the drop could be a Libsyn error and not an actual drop?

Will have to look into how to use Blubrry Statistics.

angelo

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2013, 09:14:21 pm »
No idea, they do not list specific clients like we do so its hard to analyze. They used to provide apache logs and we would audit them but they stopped that a year before their reverse merger with a Chinese company that now owns then.

stingpin

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2013, 09:24:18 pm »
I see. Libsyn can be a little weird. It's frustrating because their site is kind of buggy. And yet if I look around for alternatives, I find site after site that says they're the best site for hosting podcasts. I guess mainly because there's no overall upper limit on how much space you have, just a monthly limit.

angelo

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2013, 09:30:59 pm »
We offer similar hosting plans for podcasting, info at http://create.Blubrry.com

stingpin

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2013, 09:34:20 pm »
Looking at your site now. Do you offer smartphone apps for podcasts like Libsyn does?

angelo

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2013, 09:46:37 pm »
No, we don't offer apps or other gimmicks. Our approach is you do everything from your WordPress blog including uploading and publishing.

stingpin

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2013, 10:10:05 pm »
I'm interested in why you think of an app as a gimmick. Aside from the fact that you're talking about a competitor's product ;)

I got the app for one of my shows. It's not bad, but it hasn't been very popular.

angelo

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2013, 12:04:08 am »
We see no statistical evidence that an individual app adds to audience size.  Usually apps are targeted to your hard-core audience, at that point they are already going to consume your content app or not.

stingpin

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2013, 12:18:42 am »
That makes sense. That's why I've been having second thoughts about starting an app for my other show -- the one whose numbers seem to have taken a nosedive. I can set it up to have people buy old episodes through it, but I don't think the return is going to justify the amount of work it's going to take... Audience-building is my biggest problem.

I see you have distribution via some other services -- Roku etc. Does that help very much with getting numbers up?


angelo

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2013, 12:28:07 am »
The distribution helps a little, it is hard to compete with iTunes though. Biggest growth recently is with the Android and iPhone apps. The trend appears to be movement from podcatchers on the desktop like Juice or iTunes desktop switching to "podcasts" for iOS or BeyondPod on Android. Its a trend, albeit slow.

stingpin

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Re: Demise of Google Reader
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2013, 12:36:56 am »
Yeah. I guess I just need to find a better way to reach my potential audience. The show is about comics, but it's kind of niche-ier than that, even, because we don't talk about superheroes that much. We're kind of more about the *medium*, the content we like best (regardless of genre -- manga, whatever), and issues regarding telling a story that way, and making your own.

Anyway, will continue switching over. Thanks.