I just got access and tried to submit a new podcast RSS feed.
Here's how it went...
It took about 10+ hours before I was able to get access to my existing Apple Podcasts Connect account and see the podcasts I already had active on Apple Podcasts.
Overall, the new interface feels cleaner. 👍
For existing podcasters, the biggest improvement is Apple Podcasts' new analytics.
You can drill into each episode, and see where listener drop-off occurred.
Really helpful feedback if you're trying to optimize your show. 💯
I've heard multiple reports of people having a hard time submitting a new podcast RSS feed to Apple, so I've created a brand new feed (using @TransistorFM) to submit.
Submitting to Apple Podcasts has always had a lot of friction:
- No API for 1-click submission
- You need a valid Apple ID (verified)
- You need to manually copy & paste the RSS feed into a form
It looks like this hasn't gotten any easier in the new Podcasts Connect.
TBH, I'm really disappointed with Apple Podcast's new submission process.
Nearly every other platform makes it easy for podcasters to submit their show (with one click) via an API: Spotify, Google, @PodcastAddict, @Breaker, @ListenNotes, @PlayerFM.
Lots of friction on Apple.
Ok, this is weird: you can now add a show to Apple Podcasts without an RSS feed?
Here's what happens when I try to submit a valid podcast RSS feed to Podcasts Connect currently.
It gives these errors:
- No show art
- No language set
- No website set (even though it's optional)
Check my feed; it has all the valid tags:
<itunes:image>
<language>
<link>
I've been brainstorming how I would build a new indie startup if I had to do it again in 2023.
Here are 5 principles I’d use.
1. Build a product that people are already searching for.
It's 1000x easier to target folks already in motion.
The best opportunities are where customers realize they have a need and are doing something about it: searching Google, asking for recommendations, etc.
2. Get in motion by building side projects in public.
Good ideas almost always emerge while you're doing something else.
For example, @adamwathan was livestreaming while building a SaaS product. People started asking him about his CSS. @tailwindcss was born out of that.
More thoughts on why ChatGPT is not a traditional startup platform.
🧵
Historically, bootstrapped startups have been built on top of open protocols (such as email, the web, and RSS), open platforms (like WordPress), and open-source tools (including Ruby on Rails, Laravel, Vue, and Tailwind CSS).
Indie founders used open protocols and open-source tools to level the playing field and give their ideas a chance to succeed.
MailChimp and ConvertKit, for example, harnessed the email protocol without paying a single cent to Gmail or Microsoft for API access or postage fees.
In my early 20s, I was running a skate shop where I was constantly stressed, working late nights, putting out fires, and leveraging multiple credit cards to keep everything afloat.
Over time, I began evaluating biz opportunities on their likelihood of “giving me a good life.”
So many of us business owners end up being a slave to our companies, and we forget why we started our businesses in the first place: to give us, our families, and our employees a better life!
If you want a business that gives you a better life, think about the market first!
Go after opportunities where:
- buyers are actively looking for solutions
- you have experience + insights
- you’re confident you can capture a significant % of buyer interest
- margins are good