Introducing SATurn: Value for Value podcast analytics

Introducing SATurn: Value for Value podcast analytics

At Alby, we have created SATurn, a web app that lets users easily analyze their value for value podcasts. Users of the Alby podcaster wallet can connect their account to SATurn to receive valuable insights into the performance of their podcasts and read all messages from their audience sent by Value for Value enabled podcast players.

A way to more meaningful podcast statistics

Today as a podcaster you can only analyze WHAT episodes your listeners are consuming. The reason is that you can only measure downloads and listeners for each episode of an RSS-based podcast. But you do not know how your listeners are consuming one specific episode of your podcast. That's why we are introducing SATurn:

A data analytics tool to receive actionable insights into your podcast’s performance. With SATurn, you can better understand HOW users are listening to your shows and episodes of any Value for Value podcast player and which episodes resonate best with your audience:

The dashboard gives you an overview about all of your income streams.

You learn if listeners are skipping over your episode intro or your second mid-roll or what sections they like in particular.
Apples podcast analytics service provides you with similar insights. But these insights are only available on Apple's platform. They are locked.
With Podcasting 2.0 we are able to link value streams (i.e. bitcoin-based micropayments) to information streams (i.e. your podcast download) and are bringing these insights directly to the podcaster. We are decoupling podcast statistics from any specific podcast player and making it interoperable with any podcast app using Bitcoin as an open and global network of payments.
If all of this sounds new to you, you are not alone. Keep on reading. It is fascinating.

The episode view allows you to see listening stats along the timeline of your podcast.

Value for Value podcasts with Podcasting 2.0

Today, if your listeners enjoy your podcast they can send a voluntary Value for Value payment to show their appreciation. Unlike Super Chats the payment is peer-to-peer, enabled by Bitcoin’s Lightning Network and settled instantly in your podcaster wallet.

To get to know these novel concepts we are writing about them on the Alby blog, where you can read more about how to prepare your RSS feed to receive Value for Value payments or how to Use Your Alby Wallet to Receive Boostagrams

For listeners, the easiest way to support podcasters is to use a Podcasting 2.0 app, such as Curiocaster, Podverse or Breez. These apps, essentially, are podcast players that can be loaded up with bitcoin.

When listening to a podcast listeners can choose between streaming a pre-configured amount of bitcoin per minute while listening to a show or sending one-time payments at any point during an episode. For listeners, it is the most direct way to show their enthusiasm for special moments even during a show. For podcasters, it is the most honest feedback because listeners send actual value in the form of bitcoin.

What are Boosts and Boostagrams

When listeners press the boost button at a certain point of the episode they send a payment directly to the podcaster. But they have also the option of including a short message as well. Such a message is called a boostagram. More than 8000 podcasts receive boosts and boostagrams from their audience already. Listeners use boostagrams to highlight a certain part of an episode that they particularly enjoyed— an interesting insight or a funny joke. . Time will tell how people will use it.

The 🔴 Live view: See boosts as they come in during the show. To include a GIF into payments just paste the URL of it along in your comment! 

You can already see more interactive forms emerging that motivate listeners to send boostagrams. Podland News, Podcasting 2.0 or The Kevin Rooke Show are great examples. They are giving senders of boostagrams a personal shout-out during the show by reading out loud the messages and the names that are sent with the actual payment. Suddenly listeners have the chance to talk to the audience of that specific podcast. This enables a completely new way of direct interaction between the show hosts and their listeners.

SATurn: Value for Value podcast analytics  

Excited about the potential of Podcasting 2.0, Alby builds tools to help podcasters into the world of Value for Value. The Alby podcaster wallet allows any podcaster to value-enable their own podcast and receive boostagrams and payment streams in bitcoin. Every podcaster can now create an income stream directly from the audience independent of advertising.

SATurn is another tool to support podcasters and their Value 4 Value podcasts. Current features include:

  • Statistics about your overall income
  • Detailed episode statistics
  • Top supporters
  • Top income streams (Where are your supporters listening?)
  • 🔴 Live view displaying Boostagrams as they come in

As a podcaster, you have the chance to create new insights from the feedback incorporated in these payments. But above all, it helps you to quickly react to messages and build up an even closer relationship with your audience. That's another important building block in establishing Value for Value payments as a meaningful income source for podcasters.

ℹ️
SATurn was built during a hackathon and has to be considered a prototype in its very early stages. There is a lot of room for improvement and you might come across some errors. If you are reckless enough though, we would love to get you as an early adopter and hear your feedback! 🧡

How to use SATurn

To try out the app:

  1. Download and install the Alby browser extension
  2. Find the app on the ‘Website’ screen
  3. After clicking on it you are redirected to the getalby.com website
  4. Log in or create an Alby wallet
  5. Open SATurn
  6. Click on "Connect with Alby" and authorize SATurn to read your transaction data
  7. You are automatically sent back to the app
  8. Done! You are ready to learn HOW your audience listens to your podcast

Tell your listeners to use a podcast player that supports Value 4 Value payments, receive bitcoin directly in your Alby wallet and analyze your boostagrams in SATurn.

If you have trouble setting up your podcast for Value 4 Value payments or if you just finished the setup, let us know via Email or Telegram. We are happy to help or send a boostagram anytime.

We would love to read your feedback on our feedback board about the app and whether there are any specific features you think are missing.