Author Topic: iTunes Summary not working  (Read 1795 times)

bcapphoto

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iTunes Summary not working
« on: June 04, 2014, 11:19:33 pm »
Is the "iTunes Summary" field for Powerpress supposed to be the episode description in the podcast app? If so, then why are my episodes in the podcast app showing the ENTIRE blog post instead of just the summary?

As you can see here, I am filling in the podcast episode iTunes summary details in the post (this is for ep#19):


And here is the Podcast app description showing up for that episode:


For reference:
Website is here: http://www.sproutingphotographer.com
Podcast feed is here: http://www.sproutingphotographer.com/feed/podcast
Podcast in iTunes is here: http://www.sproutingphotographer.com/iTunes

bcapphoto

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2014, 10:31:30 am »
I have Wordpress SEO by Yoast installed FYI. I am thinking that that may be what's causing the issue. Any ideas anyone?

angelo

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2014, 10:54:38 am »
If you view your feed's source you will find the answer.

Tour blog post itself is still populated into RSS elements called <description> and <content:encoded>. Though iTunes directory specifically does not do anything with this data, there is nothing stopping the podcatching apps from displaying that info since it is in the feed. Remember iTunes elements are prefixed with <itunes:...>, PowerPress adds these to your feed. Everything else is what WordPress does for blogging.

Podcasting is blogging with the addition of an enclosure field and extra iIunes meta data.

bcapphoto

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2014, 05:45:32 pm »
Thanks for the reply! How can I get rid of the <description> and <content:encoded> tags so that iTunes displays ONLY my <itunes: summary> tags?

angelo

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2014, 10:05:49 am »
you will most likely need to modify the rss2 template file in WordPress source, and you will need to re-update it every time you update WordPress unfortunately. Do a search on google "remove content encoded from wordpress feeds".

bcapphoto

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2014, 10:08:49 am »
Will that affect my RSS feed for regular blog posts though?

angelo

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2014, 10:09:37 am »
Depends what code you write in the feed, but it would impact blog readers.

angelo

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2014, 10:10:39 am »
We can develop you something custom to deal with this, a custom plugin. Learn more about our custom development here: http://create.blubrry.com/support/podcast-consulting-services/

bcapphoto

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2014, 10:14:00 am »
I just feel like this is a pretty simple problem that all Powerpress users would want:

- iTunes showing the iTunes Summary
- RSS feed and reader showing the full blog post

Isn't this how it's SUPPOSED to work? Why else would there be an <itunes: summary> field then if it doesn't work?

angelo

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2014, 10:35:44 am »
What you want (podcasting not to be like blogging) is NOT how it's supposed to work. Blogging and Podcasting are one-in-the-same, with the addition of media.

Blogging and podcasting are the same thing. Someone who subscribes to your podcast with a blog application will  want the same syndication to happen (blogging syndication). When you add media to a blog post you are essentially blogging and podcasting. This has been the way it has worked since Dave Winer introduced the RSS 2.0 specifications.

Now I will agree that blogging or podcasting, it may be nice to remove the <description> and <content:encoded> for specific reasons (like a membership site), but that would be for blogging as well.

My question for you is why do you want less information for podcast subscribers but want it to remain for blog readers?


bcapphoto

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2014, 10:53:10 am »
I agree with you, Angelo, and I understand the technology for blogging and podcasting is one in the same.

I guess my approach (and most podcaster's approach) is that the blog posts (show notes) have DETAILED descriptions, links, images, videos, transcripts, and so on. No one is going to read all of that (and it doesn't even show up properly) in the Podcasts app. I want the Podcasts app to give the summary that I write where I put a link to the FULL show notes.

What's the point in having the <itunes: summary> field if it doesn't show up?

angelo

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2014, 11:05:39 am »
It does show up, when you view the podcast on the iTunes directory, or even on the itunes podcast web site, click the "i" icon and that's your itunes summary.

For different reasons, PowerPress added an option called "feed maximizer", it takes posts 11 and older and cuts down the content and removes the <content:encoded>, not because of your reasoning, but to  make the feed size smaller (loads faster and gets updated more often). the consequence through is that you loose meta data for your long tail and thus makes it harder to find those episodes in searches. We've noticed where we use it that it indirectly helps with SEO, less content getting copied over the web.

I would check wordpress.org plugins directory there has to be a plugin that removes the content encoded. I do know in WordPress options you can turn on/off whether the entire blog post is put on content:encoded, but that's a blogging feature, not podcasting specific.

bcapphoto

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #12 on: June 11, 2014, 03:55:40 pm »
So there is no way for iTunes to show in the Podcasts App on the episode the "iTunes Summary" that you specify? It has to show the full blog post?

angelo

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #13 on: June 11, 2014, 04:09:23 pm »
I can't answer your question, ask the folks over at Apple why they did that in the Podcasts iOS app.

Jeremy Myers

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Re: iTunes Summary not working
« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2015, 12:14:49 pm »
Showing the iTunes summary in the Podcast itself on the app is something Apple can do. Or at least, it is something they USED to do. I have an older generation iPod which cannot use the new Podcast App. It simply shows Podcasts inside the Music app.

The Podcasts there correctly show the iTunes summary from Powerpress. However, if I load the same episodes in a newer iPad, iPod, or iPhone using the Podcasts App, these episodes show the entire blog post instead of just the iTunes summary.

So apparently, Apple thinks the full blog post is better than the iTunes summary.