Podcasting for the Microsoft Zune is Now Here | What Podcasters Need to Know
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Microsoft has released the next generation of Zune portable media players as well as a new version of the Zune Marketplace.
Both adopt podcasting and bring significant features for podcast publishers and listeners. This will bring a wave of new listeners into the space. If you want to take advantage of this, you need to be do a few things.
Below I list concise info you need to know and what you need to do about it when it comes to the podcasting features for Zune players.
What You Need to Know About Zune 2 and Podcasting
- The Zune Marketplace now includes a podcast directory
- Zune players that update to 2.0+ firmware will be able to sync podcasts subscribed to through the Zune Marketplace
- Zune has created a protocol for one-click subscription buttons/links
Submit Your Podcast to the Zune Marketplace
Lots of new Zune users (new ones including the 1.2 million current owners) will be looking for podcasts in the Zune Marketplace. You need to be there.
- Download the Download Zune Marketplace
- Go to Marketplace > Podcasts
- Search for your show
- If it’s not there, scroll down to the front page of the podcast directory homepage and click on Suggest a Podcast. Enter your podcast feed address. This submits your podcast for consideration to be listed.
Internet Business Mastery was already listed, but Podcasting Underground was not. So they have already seeded the marketplace with some shows.
Add a One-Click Zune Subscription Button to Your Site
Make it easy for Zune users to subscribe to your podcast. I talked about the format of the one-click Zune link in this post. Paul Colligan put together a handy page for easily creating your Zune link here. He also has a collection of attractive buttons listed on that page. So far this one is my favorite: 
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Preview Your Podcast on a Zune
It’s a good idea to see what your podcast will look like on popular players. If you can find a friend with a Zune, take a look at how your podcast appears on the player to make sure all is in order. You can also consider buying one. The Zune 30s have been going on blowout sale from time to time over at Woot. That is where I bought mine. Then I upgraded it to the Zune 2.0 firmware.
Support the Zune Marketplace and Players
Even if you’re an Apple "fan boy", it’s in your (and all of our) best interests to support alternatives to the iPod/iTunes podcast experience. I love my iPod and iTunes, but more than one complete "directory to media player to portable player" option is just better for the industry. With these latest updates, the Zune has added another great podcast consumption option.
We need better tools to help the global audience find, subscribe to and listen to podcasts. A little competition will only make that happen faster.
Microsoft has a number of things that they can bring to the table that could seriously improve the podcasting and downloadable media industry. I’ll talk about this more in another post.
We need to do what we can to encourage such things. Also, stay tuned for a post on what the Zune does better than the iPod.
November 13th, 2007 18:24
Whilst being a Mac user, I am completely open to anything that will benefit the podcasting community - however from what I can see Zunes only works on windows and although a pc user can post their podcast to iTunes, I can’t post mine to Zunes without getting onto a pc…also I really can’t see why the millions (billions) of people who use iTunes (on pc and mac) are going to want to change to this.
I would like to do what I can to encourage such things, but as usual, microsoft won’t let me
November 13th, 2007 18:59
Yes I know, I know it’s naive to imagine that Apple would permit it to work on the Mac
November 14th, 2007 00:23
Chris,
I have a few things I’d like to point out.
1. Apple had the iPod closed off to Apple only at first. MS is not alone in doing such things.
2. You can always run Zune Marketplace in Boot Camp or Parallels long enough to submit your podcast (or use a friends computer)
3. There are a lot of Windows users who don’t use (and don’t want to use) iTunes. We don’t need to convert all the iTunes users to gain a larger global audience.
November 14th, 2007 02:19
Hi Jason,
1. The second post wasn’t being ironic - I’m not a closed Apple fanboy
2. I know I could use these methods - it’s just the frustration that in 2007 when it is possible to run windows on a mac that something as simple as submitting a podcast needs a specific OS.
None of the various podcast directories oblige you to do this. Even creative zencast whose system requires IE or firefox to use it. When I read your post yesterday I immediately tried in install the software - but I’m not alone, Grammar Girl is twittering about the fact she can’t use it even when she tried using IE.
3. Again my frustration here is that when everything in the internet world is moving to browser based and cross platform that Zunes is tied to a particular OS. I think it’s great that windows users can have it, but I don’t understand that even if some years ago Apple did this - now MS are doing the same thing while ostensibly releasing a product to challenge the dominance of iTunes. In fact just when you yourself are moving to the Mac you have bought a Zunes player. I can’t see why anybody would only submit their podcast to Zunes, therefore the issue for podcast producers isn’t the player, but ability to submit to the directory.
Believe me I’m not interested in the world dominance of iTunes, just frustrated
November 14th, 2007 03:34
Jason,
I wanted to ask someone who knows about these things a question - are you surprised that Zunes is sticking with the podcast name? From reading your posts I understand that they were at the Podcast (now New Media) Expo where this was such a hot topic. Are they just getting to the party late or is there some strategic reason?
Also just to clarify something from above - yesterday I watched an interview with Paul Colligan by Cali Lewis about the Zunes player and it seems like it has some great features which would make it really worth having. So this added to my disappointment when I was at the point of buying my first MS product in years. I don’t use Boot Camp or Paralells because I don’t really need them - I have office for mac and I use Apple apps to convert my docs and things into windows friendly formats.
BTW any particular reason you are going over to mac?
November 14th, 2007 13:15
@Chris,
Microsoft usually seems to have strategy in how they do things. There is still plenty of value in the word “podcast”–especially when it comes to portable media players. They are using the best word for that “venue.”
There are some great features on the Zune. As it turns out, I’ve decided not to switch to 100% mac. I’ve decided to pass on buying the Mac Book Pro. I’m going for a heavy duty Dell instead. I have an iMac already. I want the benefit of both.
November 14th, 2007 13:58
Thanks for the great post Jason.
I really WANT to try out the Zune software, but I still can’t get it to download. The download link you provided takes me through the same page circle I was getting yesterday. After clicking through a few pages and hitting the download button, I end up back at the Zune Software page where I started. Did it work for you? I’m wondering if Norton is interfering with the download on my system somehow.
November 14th, 2007 19:38
GrammarGirl,
Try this link instead. Click on Download under Get the software only.
November 14th, 2007 20:33
Thanks, Jason, but I get a “server not found” error when I click the download button. I was getting the same error last week when I tried it.
November 14th, 2007 22:45
Jason, thanx for all the posts on this. I hadn’t really considered it until I read your “one click” post. Took 15 minutes to put the one click link on the blog on the weekend and then 30 minutes this morning to install Marketplace and test everything using boot camp. (Now that should have take 5 minutes but 30 minutes in Windows is not too bad). Either way, today I had 41 new Zune subscribers this morning.
November 16th, 2007 06:00
Hey Jason,
What is the heavy duty Dell? It looks like I might have to buy a windows machine for work purposes…
at least I’ll be able to Zune
Have a good time in Alaska
November 16th, 2007 06:42
Chris,
I ordered a Vostro 1700 with pretty much all the top-of-the-line options. I wanted a desktop replacement. I also wanted something in a business line of products to get the more durable construction and better support.
This is my first Dell, but my family has had good experience with them.
November 16th, 2007 06:51
Thanks for that Jason
November 16th, 2007 07:56
Hi Jason,
I have to agree with Chris on his frustation.
I heard lately that the biggest mistake Apple has made over the years was the fact that they weren’t inclusive like PC’s…
Well… Right now Microsoft is prooving us wrong. If it was a mistake then, it sure is still now.
I know : there are not enough Mac users to make big fuss about it… So I’ll stop complaining. I just hope Zune will pick up my podcasts somehow.
I just hope that this will give the iTunes guys a kick in the butt so that they provide the same great features on both plateforms.
JF
November 16th, 2007 23:05
The easiest way for a mac user to get their podcast listed in the Zune Market place is to find a friend with a PC. (You must have one, apparently MS has a big piece of the market) I am even willing to do some submitting for people if needed.
November 17th, 2007 03:05
As I said above - I may have to get a PC for work purposes (specifically to host webinars at Go To My Webinar as featured in Jason’s courses) and it’s primarily as I don’t want to expose my mac to the wonderful world of windows virus.
Do any of you using Boot Camp or Paralells have advice?(I know it’s slightly off topic Jason and excuse me for that - but while there are people looking at this…)
November 19th, 2007 21:12
@GrammarGirl,
I’m not sure why you’re getting that error. Sorry. No more suggestions other than to contact Microsoft support.
November 21st, 2007 18:59
I’m very happy about the prospects Zune might offer to podcasters especially since my second podcast submitted to iTunes was rejected and they haven’t stated why. I’m a little concerned as I make sure that I don’t use copyrighted material.
In any case more competition in the podcasting directory arena can only be a good thing!
November 26th, 2007 23:37
[...] This comes right on the heels of a blog post I read yesterday, podcasting consultant Jason Van Orden provided some instructions for getting your podcast listed in the new Zune Marketplace. [...]
December 30th, 2007 15:01
Hi Jason! I’m a grad of you podcasting course, and I just want to thank you for all that you do for us podcasters. Thanks also for this information about the Zune Marketplace, I’ll get my IT staff on it next week. Cal
February 27th, 2008 01:02
havnt seen anyone carrying around a zune …
its always white ipod earbuds i see everywhere i go …
:P
April 4th, 2008 17:01
Jason, I followed your instructions exactly and Zune Marketplace only allows you to give them the RSS feed which I posted up for three of my podcasts that I work. I have yet to have heard or have seen any of these posted on Zune Marketplace in the podcast section.
One of these are a local Charity group that I do a podcast for and my regular business but neither has shown up based on your instructions.
I think it will be interesting to see how many of your followers actually had a podcast that made it up onto Zune. I am speculating that Zune is only interested in the high volume podcasts and taking some of that volume away from Itunes., my guess.
April 5th, 2008 05:04
Bob,
It can take a couple weeks or more right now to get listed. They are clearing all of them manually.