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Overview
Website Pixel Installation
Main Pixel Script
Conversion Event Pixel Scripts
Alias
Lead
Product
Add to cart
Check out
Purchase
Content Security Policy
Pixel FAQs
Testing Your Pixel Events
Is your pixel installed?
Troubleshooting Your Pixel Implementation
Seeing a red banner?
Not seeing any pixel data?
Third-Party Tag Managers & Integrations
Segment
Floodlight and Image Pixels
Shopify
Tealium
Google Tag Manager (GTM)
Rockerbox
Mobile Integration
RSS Prefix Installation

Getting Started

Podsights is a reporting and attribution platform for podcast advertising. To effectively measure the performance of a campaign, Podsights integrates with the podcast via an Analytics Prefix or your hosting provider's Tracking URL and the brand's site via our JavaScript SDK.

Overview

Place your unique Podsights main pixel script to collect views and visits. You will need to install the Main Pixel Script snippet in at least 3 pages. However, we recommend that you place the main pixel on every page of your website. The more website data, the more attribution data!

We also offer the option to include more advanced conversion events.

  • Alias
  • Lead
  • Product
  • Add to cart
  • Check out
  • Purchase

Website Pixel Installation

To measure the connection between podcast ad download and on-site web conversion, Podsights provides an event logging JavaScript SDK. You only need to correctly set it up once to monitor conversions across any podcast using Podsights.

In your Podsights Dashboard navigate to Manage > Your Pixels to obtain your Pixel ID and install the following before the end body tag. Remember to replace 'Pixel ID' with your respective Pixel ID.

Main Pixel Script

The Main Pixel Script is required to start tracking activity on your website. You will need to install the Main Pixel Script snippet in at least 3 pages, however, we recommend that you place the main pixel on every page of your website. The more website data, the more attribution data!

  • Remember to replace 'Pixel ID' with your respective Pixel ID!
<script>
  (function (w, d) {
    var id = 'pdst-capture',
      n = 'script';
    if (!d.getElementById(id)) {
      w.pdst =
        w.pdst ||
        function () {
          (w.pdst.q = w.pdst.q || []).push(arguments);
        };
      var e = d.createElement(n);
      e.id = id;
      e.async = 1;
      e.src = 'https://cdn.pdst.fm/ping.min.js';
      var s = d.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];
      s.parentNode.insertBefore(e, s);
    }
    w.pdst('conf', { key: 'Pixel ID' });
    w.pdst('view');
  })(window, document);
</script>

Conversion Event Pixel Scripts

Podsights supports 6 different conversion events (click to jump to each):

  • Alias
  • Lead
  • Product
  • Add to cart
  • Check out
  • Purchase

You can install these conversion event pixel scripts after the main pixel script and on the page where you want to track these specific events.

Alias

Podsights only provides data in an aggregated, anonymized format. An Alias event can be used to match Podsights' internal cookie ID with your hashed internal user IDs.

Include your hashed internal ID within the "id" field within the alias event script and Podsights will send encrypted data.

pdst('alias', {
  id: 'hashed internal ID',});

Lead

A Lead event can be used to help you track when a user has completed an action, such as submitted a form, signed up for a free trial, clicked a button, etc.

The Lead event also has a value field that can be used to track revenue, if a specific value is entered. If a 0 or no value is entered, revenue will not be tracked.

Lead fieldsĀ typeĀ andĀ categoryĀ can be used to track different types of lead events (e.g. newsletter signup vs request for a quote). The values forĀ typeĀ andĀ categoryĀ can be any string and are optional.

pdst("lead", {
  value: 50.00, // How much you value the lead.
  currency: "USD"

  // optional fields
  type: "car",
  category: "ford",});

The Product, Add to cart, Checkout and Purchase conversion events allow you to enter more detailed information for advanced analytics.

Product

A user viewed a product:

pdst("product", {
  value: {{product.price}}, // could be variant price or product price.
  currency: "USD",

  // optional product information for advanced analytics.
  product_id: "{{product.id}}",
  product_name: "{{product.title}}",
  product_type: "{{product.type}}",
  product_vendor: "{{product.vendor}}",});

Add to cart

A user added a product to the cart:

pdst('addtocart', {
  value: 21.2, // price
  currency: 'USD',

  // optional product information for advanced analytics.
  quantity: 2,
  product_id: '{{product.id}}',
  product_name: '{{product.title}}',
  product_type: '{{product.type}}',
  product_vendor: '{{product.vendor}}',
  variant_id: '{{variant.id}}',
  variant_name: '{{variant.title}}',});

Check out

A user initiated a checkout:

pdst('checkout', {
  value: 10.0, // price
  currency: 'USD',
  discount_code: 'PODCAST_CODE',

  // optional line_items, if you would like advanced analytics.
  quantity: 3,
  line_items: [
    {
      value: 21.2,
      quantity: 1,
      product_id: '{{product.id}}',
      product_name: '{{product.title}}',
      product_type: '{{product.type}}',
      product_vendor: '{{product.vendor}}',
      variant_id: '{{variant.id}}',
      variant_name: '{{variant.title}}',
    },
    {
      value: 42.4,
      quantity: 2,
      product_id: '{{product.id}}',
      product_name: '{{product.title}}',
      product_type: '{{product.type}}',
      product_vendor: '{{product.vendor}}',
      variant_id: '{{variant.id}}',
      variant_name: '{{variant.title}}',
    },
  ],});

Purchase

A user purchased products:

pdst('purchase', {
  value: 10.0, // price
  currency: 'USD',
  discount_code: 'PODCAST_CODE',

  // We will use this to match up everything in the backend.
  order_id: '12322323232',

  // is this a new purchase or a purchase from a returning customer?
  is_new_customer: true,

  //
  // OPTIONAL quantity, line_items, if you would like advanced analytics.
  //
  quantity: 3,

  line_items: [
    {
      value: 21.2,
      quantity: 1,
      product_id: '{{product.id}}',
      product_name: '{{product.title}}',
      product_type: '{{product.type}}',
      product_vendor: '{{product.vendor}}',
      variant_id: '{{variant.id}}',
      variant_name: '{{variant.title}}',
    },
    {
      value: 42.4,
      quantity: 2,
      product_id: '{{product.id}}',
      product_name: '{{product.title}}',
      product_type: '{{product.type}}',
      product_vendor: '{{product.vendor}}',
      variant_id: '{{variant.id}}',
      variant_name: '{{variant.title}}',
    },
  ],});

Content Security Policy

If you are using a Content Security Policy, you will need to add the following two lines:

script-src 'unsafe-inline' https://cdn.pdst.fm;
connect-src https://us-central1-adaptive-growth.cloudfunctions.net https://sink.pdst.fm;

We currently do not useĀ sink.pdst.fm, but adding it as we will be transitioning to that domain in the future.

Pixel FAQs

Q&A specific to the above code blocks. Think along the lines of "what if i..."

What if I do not have my GTM variables set up?

Send over GTM online resources (will add the ones that clients find the most helpful) — Note: Podsights can't and shouldn't set up GTM variables for clients, we don't have direct access to their website and issues and certain liabilities could arise if we were to make changes to their website ourselves. We can only guide them.

What if I don't want/need to track the required parameters (value, etc.)?

You can leave them blank by adding two quotation markets like '' or "".

Do I need a different Pixel ID for each conversion pixel event?

No, each brand just has ONE Pixel ID to use for the website pixels.

Testing Your Pixel Events

Podsights does not run tests for your main pixel or conversion pixels once installed. If you would like to test your main pixel and/or conversion pixels, we have a few recommendations:

Is your pixel installed?

You'll know that you've successfully installed your pixel once you see the green confirmation banner under Manage > Your Pixels > Select Pixel ID:

For example: If you've set up a Lead event to track when a user has completed a quiz, you would test out that event by completing the quiz as the user.

You can then use the Events graph to monitor which events have been captured. To find the Events graph, click on Manage > Click on your Pixel ID.

Please Note: Results will not show up immediately on the Events graph. It can take up to 20 minutes for results to be reflected.

Troubleshooting Your Pixel Implementation

Still seeing the red banner after install your website pixel?

  • Double-check and make sure that you've entered your full Pixel ID into the Main Pixel Script.
  • Double-check that you've entered the Main Pixel script into your website correctly and check your code/console for errors
  • If you use a tag manager, ensure that you have your pixel either installed within the tag manager or directly onto the site, not on both.

Not seeing any pixel data?

Not sure where your website pixel are installed?

Is Podsights still not receiving web pixel data?

  • Check-in with your Engineering or Web Development team on where website pixels are installed
  • Inspect the webpage where your pixel should be installed (note that this will not work if installed via a tag manager)
    • Go to the webpage
    • Right-click anywhere on your webpage and select "Inspect" in the drop-down menu

  • On a Mac) Command + F to search
  • Type in "pdst" and click enter or return depending on the device you're using to search for the Podsights web pixel
    • If the Podsights website pixel appears in the search and there are no syntax errors, then the Podsights website pixel is installed correctly.
    • If nothing shows up, then the pixel is not installed.

Third-party tag managers and integrations

Click what's relevant to learn more:

  • Segment
  • Floodlight and Image Pixels
  • Shopify
  • Tealium
  • Google Tag Manager (GTM)
  • Rockerbox
  • Mobile Integrations

We understand that Podsights may not be the only tracking partner you work with. If you have an existing tag management system or integration, don't worry! We've consolidated the must-have information for you in this guide.

While Podsights is compatible with third party systems, Podsights cannot provide technical support or troubleshooting for third-party software.

We built the Debugger for you so you can make sure your pixel is working as expected.

RSS Prefix Installation

Analytics Prefix

The Analytics Prefix sits directly in front of the episode’s MP3 URL. Every time a Podcast player streams or downloads an episode, Podsights logs the request for processing. Every major hosting provider has support for analytics prefixes.

The fastest way to get Podsights added to your feed is to email your hosting provider the following:

To: support@your-hosting-provider.com 
Subject: Analytics Prefix

Hi Support, 
I need to add an Analytics Prefix to my podcast. The URL Prefix is
"https://pdst.fm/e/". 

Thanks, ____

The hosting provider will then take care of adding it for you.

Performance

Podsights is able to collect download statistics by inserting a transparent redirect to each podcast episode in your rss feed.

Podcast listeners will never see a difference, and your podcast will continue to be served from your podcast host. Episodes will stream and download without any noticeable delay.

Our redirect is backed by a globally distributed cloud infrastructure offering better than 99.9% uptime and response times below 5ms.

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