Tag: shoutcast

How To Get Your Station Listed In The Shoutcast Directory

How To Get Your Station Listed In The Shoutcast.com Directory

If you are like most Internet radio stations, you are constantly trying to add to your audience. Listeners search the Shoutcast.com directory to find new music every day. It is the biggest online radio index with approximately 100,000 active stations and a history that dates clear back to 1999.

After much ado from Shoutcast ownership and API issues in the present day, a new and improved Shoutcast authorization hash has been developed for compatibility with all Shoutcast server versions 2.6.1 and higher. Our techs have worked out the details. So, you don’t have to. Please read on.

How to: The Shoutcast Authhash

To get your SHOUTcast server listed in the Shoutcast.com directory, first register for the Shoutcast.com Freemium plan (also known as the “Basic” plan) if you have not already. Then follow the five setup steps when prompted.

Once you complete and save the steps go to the Shoutcast Radio Manager. This is where you will find your station’s unique authorization hash and dashboard.

Now navigate to the “Settings > Advanced” tab as shown below. Bingo. There it is. Please copy the Shoutcast authhash or keep your browser window open. In a moment, you will need to paste the authhash into your Shoutcast DNAS admin.

Shoutcast Authorization Hash

Next, open and login to your SHOUTcast DNAS admin. This can be done by clicking the “Server > Admin” link in the main Centova Cast navigation.

Centova Cast menu

Or, as described in the Gecko “Complete Login Guide To SHOUTcast and Icecast” help article. Remember, the username for the Shoutcast DNAS is always ‘admin.’ The DNAS admin password matches your Centova Cast and FTP passwords. It can also be found in Centova Cast “Configuration > Settings”.

Shoutcast DNAS authhash

From here, navigate to the active stream you wish to list in the directory. In most cases, this will be named “Stream #1.” Please note that an AutoDJ or remote encoder must be connected for this option to appear.

Create a Shoutcast Authhash

Continue by clicking the “Create Authhash” text link. On the next page, paste the Shoutcast authorization hash you previously copied to list your station in the Shoutcast.com directory. Press save.

How To Get Your Station Listed In The Shoutcast.com Directory

Before restarting your Shoutcast server to apply the configuration changes, double-check that your public server setting is set to “Always” in Centova Cast (“Settings > Shoutcast” tab).

Finally, while you are still logged in, restart your server via the control panel (left-hand nav). Try to be patient and let several minutes pass before searching directory.shoutcast.com to confirm your station listing. That’s it!

Gecko clients in need of assistance may open a support ticket in the client area. Our friendly support staff is more than happy to help guide you through the process.

Shoutcast: The List To Get Listed

To summarize, here is a quick recap of how to get your Shoutcast station listed in the Shoutcast.com directory. We recommend using the pictures and instructions above unless you are an advanced user.

  1. Register for a free Shoutcast.com Basic account
  2. Complete the five-step station setup
  3. Go to your Shoutcast Radio Manager
  4. Navigate to the “Settings > Advanced” tab
  5. Copy the Shoutcast authorization hash
  6. Login to your SHOUTcast DNAS admin page
  7. Navigate to the stream you wish to list in the directory
  8. Click the “Create Authhash” hyperlink
  9. Paste and save the authorization hash code
  10. Double-check your server’s public setting
  11. Restart your server via Centova Cast
  12. Search the directory for your station

Above all, as long as you can provide the Shoutcast authorization hash, GeckoHost technical support can and will get you listed in the Shoutcast.com directory. Please sign up for one of our cheap Shoutcast hosting plans to get started.

-Kia Ora!

By Gecko Web Bot
How To Prevent SHOUTcast Buffering

Diagnose and Prevent SHOUTcast Buffering

Today’s technology makes it relatively easy for you to create your own online radio station. And, if you attract enough listeners, you can even generate revenue from your SHOUTcast (or Icecast) station. Of course, you won’t have much luck growing an audience when buffering interferes with your stream. Read on to diagnose and prevent SHOUTcast buffering through the process of elimination.

As an added insurance policy in preventing buffering, try Gecko’s cheap SHOUTcast hosting and broadcast over a content delivery network (CDN).

Common Problems That Can Cause SHOUTcast Buffering

Several problems could contribute to your station buffering. Anything from a weak Internet connection, to a lack of computing resources, to the distance the audio signal travels between you and your SHOUTcast server.

Executing a traceroute during buffering is the best way to diagnose a bottleneck or intermittent broadcasting issue. While this may require some technical skills, the results can prove extremely helpful in troubleshooting connectivity.

The second-best option involves testing your Auto DJ to bypass the upstream “hops” between your physical location and the SHOUTcast server itself. The Auto DJ is local, or server-side, so your source doesn’t have any latency at all, zero. Compare that to a remote DJ whose live signal travels through ten or twenty different networks (hops) before it gets to the server and distributed across the CDN to your audience. That’s a lot of room for error. Cut out the distance, leave the upstreaming to AutoDJ, and you can often eliminate buffering.

Fortunately, SHOUTcast and Icecast servers don’t stream in real-time. The two open source softwares both use a short built-in prebuffer to avoid poor quality. Large streaming platforms like Netflix also use this method, “…ta-dummm.”

A Troubleshooting Checklist for SHOUTcast Buffering

More likely than not, your station buffering comes from a common problem that all users eventually experience. The next time you notice buffering, run through the items on this checklist. There’s a good chance one of these basic tips is the fix.

  1. ISP Upload Speed – Internet Service Providers (ISPs) don’t always give their customers completely accurate information about their download and upload speeds. Test your Internet speed to make sure you have the bandwidth needed to source your station. If you have a low upload / upstream speed, then you might want to upgrade your Internet plan or find a different provider.
  2. Streaming Bitrate – A high bitrate could cause your station to push more data through your ISP connection than it can handle. Try lowering the bitrate a little and see if your stream’s sound improves. Be careful though. You don’t want to lower the bitrate too much or the actual audio quality may suffer. If you cannot find a balance between the two, your SHOUTcast or Icecast station may benefit from +AAC format.
  3. On-Site Connection – Wired connections always work better than wifi connections. If you stream through wifi, try plugging your computer directly into your router. Switching to a wired ethernet connection could eliminate the problem almost immediately.
  4. Traceroute – Performing a traceroute may be a bit complicated for anyone without a background in tech. If these other solutions don’t work, please open a support ticket and explain your problem to the team. They will know how to investigate your issue and locate the lag.

Find Affordable SHOUTcast Hosting That Meets Your Needs

At Gecko, we have cheap SHOUTcast hosting packages which start at just $6.90 per month. As your audience expands and you add more content to your station, you can conveniently upgrade to an unlimited plan for more freedom.

Regardless, we can help you keep your station online without intrusive buffering that only annoys you and your listeners.

 

By Gecko Web Bot
Top Ten Tips For Internet Radio Stations

Top Ten Tips to Improve Your Internet Radio Station

Radio has been around for well over a hundred years. This is a medium that’s always adapting and changing to keep up with both culture and technology. Now that we’re in the age of Internet, radio has taken on a whole new dimension. Below are several small digital tips and tricks from our experts that can go a long way toward making big improvements to your Internet radio station.

10. Stream in AAC Format

People listen to online radio in a variety of ways. This might mean their laptop, tablet, phone, tv or car. The audio format and encoding of your radio stream needs to be universally compatible. In general the most widely accepted streaming formats are MP3 and AAC. “Advanced audio coding” is usually thought of as the successor to MP3 because AAC sounds better at lower bitrates. When using AAC, you can produce a quality stream at 64 Kbps. With MP3, 128 Kbps is usually the norm. This is as cost effective as it is mobile friendly. Just remember that you can squeeze about twice the quality into the same bitrate using AAC.

9. Encode for All Audiences

Encoding the audio bitrate, samplerate and channels for a stream is usually a compromise between available bandwidth and overall sound quality. On one hand, the higher the bitrate, the higher the quality of audio. On the other hand, the higher the bitrate, the higher the chances of buffering. Finding a balance for your dial up and fiber listeners may be easier said than done. Also, consistency is key. Digital audio players need a constant steady feed.

8. Use a DJ Management Tool

The Centova Cast streaming control panel’s DJ management tool is a perfect way to give disc jockeys restricted access to your Internet radio station. Creating a DJ account permits you to limit his or her live broadcasting schedule. You can also set permissions to stop and start the stream or Auto DJ, view statistics, program playlists, and more. One of the best aspects of the DJ account is that it is possible to modify and configure each DJs privileges individually based upon trust and know-how.

7. Embed a Web Player

Embedding a web player on your site makes an incredible addition to your radio station that can improve both convenience and accessibility. Most website widgets will dramatically expand the functionality of your website. Centova Cast generates easy to copy and paste code for website integration. A few examples of these widgets are as follows: web player, tune-in links, recent tracks and stream summary. Highlighting the song request form widget promotes positive audience interaction and engagement.

6. Create a Custom Jingle

Why not add a catchy jingle for listeners to hear as they tune-in to your station? It’s informative and familiar to repeat listeners. Start building your brand through the use of radio imaging or an “introfile” before the live broadcast even begins. Whether you come up with a jingle in-house or hire a professional to craft one for you, it’s imperative to maintain the same sound, tone, and overall consistency when recording. Technically speaking, you must encode the introfile bitrate, sample rate, and channels (stereo or mono) to match the live online radio stream.

5. Submit to Streaming Radio Directories

Searchability is a crucial aspect of success for nearly everything these days, especially Internet radio. So, you’ll want to make sure listeners can find your station easily. To do this, you need to submit to as many streaming radio directories as possible. Places like TuneIn and Tunerr, or Streema, for instance, which indexes over 70,000 radio stations. Unfortunately, old reliable, the SHOUTcast.com directory, is not what it once was and the Icecast directory is what it has always been, just ok. Still, both are free. And ultimately, it is going to be a combination of directory listings that helps builds your audience.

4. Include ID3 MetaTags

You definitely want to include ID3 metatags in all of your music files. This is the data passed to audio players that contains the track title, album, and artist. Let your listeners know what’s playing. The universal Mp3Tag editor recommended on Midnight.fm‘s “ID3 Audio Meta Tag Tutorial” doesn’t require any technical skills. You can even insert cover art into your mp3 / metatags for more advanced playback displays. Do not overlook this commonly made mistake.

3. Make the Most of Auto DJ

Cutting in live over an automated broadcast can often prove to be a tough transition for any radio station, online or terrestrial. So, you’ll definitely want to consider running AutoDJ continuously in the background. For one, this makes shifting the listeners between a scheduled playlist and live event or radio show seamless. Not to mention, automatic. Plus, it prevents downtime if or when the remote feed is lost. By implementing IceCast’s fallback mountpoint or enabling Liquidsoap for SHOUTcast v2, “kicking” DJs is a thing of the past thanks to the Centova Cast control panel.

2. Enable HTTPS / SSL Streaming

SSL streaming has quickly become a necessity due to the fact that Chrome and the other major browsers no longer permit or support mixed content. For example, HTTP streaming links will not play on HTTPS pages. Mixed content can also cause unwanted browser warnings and disable the green lock icon in the browser’s address bar. Meanwhile, enabling HTTPS / SSL streaming will satisfy a larger audience and meet modern standards.

1. Invest in the Best Gear

While all you really need is a PC and the Winamp DSP plugin to get started, investing in the best gear, such as mics, mixing boards, sound cards, and headphones can make a big difference from a production standpoint. Keep the following tips in mind when selecting equipment.

  • Choose headphones that are comfortable and have a long cable.
  • Purchase a quality microphone to improve sound and clarity.
  • Don’t skimp on the mixing board. It is the heartbeat of your station!
  • Finally, make sure you have Gecko’s cheap SHOUTcast hosting +SSL.

Fine tuning your Internet radio station is an ongoing project. Have fun with it. As technology evolves there will always be new ways to tweak and improve your station.

By Gecko Web Bot
How To Start An Internet Radio Station

How To Start An Internet Radio Station

When people ask us how to start an Internet radio station, we share this formula:

You + Streaming server & DJ tools + Listeners = Internet radio station

There’s a little more to it than that, but, at its core, starting an Internet station requires these three simple steps.

The first step is the easiest. All Internet stations need a creator. And that someone is YOU. (You don’t need a broadcasting license or even any experience to start an online station. All you need is a passion for radio.)

The second step of the formula is also easy. You’ll need a streaming media server and DJ management tools to turn your passion into a legitimate operation. This is where we come in.

Let us introduce ourselves properly. Here at GeckoHost, we provide cheap SHOUTcast and Icecast hosting (the top 2 server types for Internet radio streaming) and free DJ management tools. What does this mean? It means you can start an online radio station using one provider.

After the second step, there’s little else to do other than build your audience of listeners (the third and final step in our formula).

Some minor tasks fit into these three steps, and we’ve listed them below. Read on to learn how to start an internet radio station.

1. Collect and Organize a Music Library

The big internet radio stations get their music directly from record labels. But, as a newbie, you won’t have this luxury. The good news is that you can build a music library from various free and paid-for sources, and it’s a lot easier than you think.

 

  • Apple Music (formerly iTunes): Around 50 million songs to download, sync onto your Apple device, or integrate with broadcasters like Cross DJ, Virtual DJ, and, our favorite DJ management tool, Centova Cast. You can cancel your subscription anytime (it’s $9.99 per month at the time of writing this).
  • eMusic boasts 8 million DRM-free tracks (songs without digital rights management), meaning publishers can’t enforce music licenses on users. (More on these licenses later.) Like Apple, you can cancel your subscription (from $19.99 per month) whenever.
  • On Google Play Music, you pay to download individual tracks/albums, which works out more expensive than Apple Music. But there’s more choice than eMusic, with over 40 million music files. Price: $9.99 per month.
  • Amazon has two music services: Amazon Prime, where you purchase individual tracks/albums, and Amazon Music Unlimited. The latter gives you more bang for your buck with unlimited songs for $9.99 per month ($7.99 per month if you’re a Prime member.)
  • SoundCloud is a great place to source new music, with over 120 million tracks in total. You must subscribe to download songs.

 

So, do you need a license? It depends. What music are you playing? Where are you playing it? You don’t need a license to broadcast your online station (like you do with “regular” radio). But you might need one to play copyrighted songs (the songs listeners probably want to hear.)

You can get a license that lets you play copyrighted music, but this only covers listeners in your country. (Here in the US, you’ll need paperwork from the organization that licenses the recordings you want to play, typically ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC.) You might want to geo-block international listeners.

Otherwise, you must deal with royalty reports. (Don’t worry, traditional radio stations have done this for decades.) Centova Cast, which we mentioned earlier, lets you track royalty reports, and you can do this through its easy-to-use control panel. Centova Cast comes free with all our plans. However, it doesn’t provide music licensing features (yet!).

You can download royalty-free music on SoundCloud by searching for tracks with a Creative Commons license. Or head over to Amazon, where you can find royalty-free music easy. (Warning: Not all of it is good.)

Tip: With Centova Cast, you can automate song playlists 24 hours a day with no downtime, all made possible by the Auto DJ feature. (We’ll go into more about this later.)

2. Format Your Audio

Some of you already have a collection of digital music and correctly formatted files. But most of you are wondering what audio format to use. The majority of radio stations (Internet and terrestrial) use high-bit rate MP3 or AAC (Advanced Audio Encoding) for playout because it sounds much better than older formats like MP2. (Though some stations still use these formats.)

We recommend aacPlus, an enhanced AAC format from Dolby that replicates CD-quality sound in as little as 32 KBPS (KiloBytes Per Second). This means high-quality radio-ready sound in a smaller audio file that takes up less storage space.

3. Download a Free/Premium Encoder

A broadcast radio encoder is a program designed to live stream your station on the Internet. It takes an audio input and changes it to a stream of digital data for your streaming media server of choice (Again, we recommend SHOUTcast hosting or Icecast hosting). It ensures listeners can hear your new live broadcasts.

There are various encoders out there, both free and premium programs. The Winamp DSP plugin best suits SHOUTcast if you want to go down that road, plus it works with Winamp as a basic set-up. (And it’s free.) Icecast accepts all third party encoders (check them all out here).

If you’re considering SHOUTcast or Icecast hosting (or looking into another streaming media server entirely), SAM Broadcaster works with pretty much everything.

Let’s not forget about the server-side Centova Cast/Auto DJ (Liquidsoap), which is our favorite DJ tool. Using this tool, you can upload audio files and make a playlist in the Auto DJ control panel. This way, you won’t have to send a live signal from your home or studio, which is a good idea for overall quality. This all sounds rather complicated, but we promise it’s not, especially with additional support from Gecko. Centova Cast makes it easy for people to learn how to create an internet radio station.

4. Check Everything and Start Broadcasting!

OK, this is the exciting part. Open the encoder software of your choice and fine-tune the technical details. Happy? Click connect. (Find out how to get on air in as little as 3 minutes.)

Tip: If there are errors, double-check your settings. Still not working? If you have an Unlimited SHOUTcast hosting or the +SSL Gecko plan, we’re here to help. Just open a new support ticket and attach a screenshot of your encoder software settings, and we’ll get back to you. Learn more about our cheap SHOUTcast hosting and cheap Icecast hosting.

Recommended reading: How to Go Live for the First Time

5. Put Yourself in Your Listeners’ Shoes

Nobody learns how to start an Internet radio station overnight. There will be a few hiccups along the way, and this is normal. Put yourself in your listeners’ shoes and check for errors. Then make improvements. It can take a while to find your groove but don’t give up.

When you broadcast, ask yourself:

 

  • Can listeners hear your broadcast?
  • What is the audio quality of your broadcast?
  • What can you improve?

 

Tip: If you have the Centova Cast control panel, free for Gecko users, you can review your broadcasts via the error log. This ensures everything’s working. Alternatively, the SHOUTcast DNAS and Icecast Status pages provide further insights.

6. Grow Your Audience

You’ve mastered the technical aspects of how to start an Internet radio station. Now start thinking about growing your audience. You don’t need a marketing degree to do this.

 

  • Submit your station to Internet radio directories like TuneIn, Screamer Radio, Stream Finder, Streaming The Net, and more. This exposes your station to a whole new audience, and it’s a quick way to attract listeners.
  • Create a website. And make it a good one. Listeners might come across your site before they even listen to your station, so first impressions count. Don’t forget about a web host that keeps your site online. (We have cheap web hosting plans for Internet radio stations that work great with WordPress.)
  • The Centova Cast control panel lets you copy and paste widgets on your website for recent tracks played, which is great for engagement. You can also incorporate a web player and song request form into your site.
  • Think up a social media strategy. The best Internet stations post clips, engage with listeners, and announce events on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram profiles. Do the same.
  • Ask influencers in the Internet radio industry to promote your station/shows on their social profiles. Return the favor by promoting their shows.

 

Whether you use one or all of the above, spend time on branding your station. You don’t need a fancy logo (but any logo will help) or expensive TV commercials, but try to create a visual identity for your station. The world’s most famous stations are instantly recognizable because of the colors and fonts used in their logo, and this branding carries through to their websites, social profiles, and marketing materials.

7. Add Live DJs

Now it’s time to think about content. After broadcasting for a few weeks, you’ll have a better idea of the radio station you want to develop. Think about the songs you want to play, the listeners you want to attract, and the DJs you want to use.

Ask friends and family to DJ for your station or source local talent from your area. Search for graduates of college radio broadcasting programs or DJs with lots of experience. You’ll also definitely want to find a good community of peers to compare notes with online like Radio Tool Box or Broadcasting World.

Tip: With DJ management tools like Centova Cast, you can do this without breaking a sweat. You can also create custom playlists that only certain DJs can view or edit (and automate them via the Auto DJ feature).

Recommended reading: Giving Your DJs Restricted Access to Centova

8. Make a Playlist

We briefly mentioned this step earlier, but we want to go into a little more detail. When learning how to start an Internet radio station, you probably won’t be able to supervise your station 24 hours a day, so custom playlists prove useful. General rotation playlists continue to run for days at a time, entertaining listeners who come across your station.

You can also create AutoDJ playlists as backups to cover minor emergencies. Say, for example, a DJ cancels at the last minute or skips a time slot. The AutoDJ won’t miss a beat. Neither will your listeners. 🙂

Tip: Automate playlists via the Auto DJ feature in the Centova Cast control panel.

9. Add a Jingle

Every radio fan had a favorite jingle growing up. It’s the perfect branding — a jingle is instantly recognizable. You can play your jingle in-between songs, at the start/end of shows, or before commercial breaks. You might want your jingle to include the station’s call letters or a memorable slogan.

A good radio jingle doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and various third parties will create one for cheap. (Check out Fiverr.)

Tip: You can also automate your jingles to play via the Auto DJ feature in Centova Cast, which is included with all of our cheap SHOUTcast and Icecast hosting plans.

Final Word

Now you know how to start an internet radio station! You can start broadcasting to the world with a few tools, a DJ or two, some killer playlists, and a snappy jingle. Over time, you can build your audience by submitting your station to directories and promoting it on social media.

The entire process is so much easier when you have access to a reliable streaming media server and DJ management tools. Gecko provides both so you can start your new station right now. Have a question? Visit our Help Centre or send us a message.

By Gecko Web Bot

4 Free Radio Players For Your Station

Whether you’re new to broadcasting or are an experienced pro, there’s one thing we all have in common, RADIO PLAYERS. No matter what kind of website you have, we all need a way for people to listen, and sometimes finding those little nuggets known as embeddable radio players can be like trying to find gold… which is why we’ve compiled 4 of our favourites to get you broadcasting to the masses in no time.

For this article, we have setup a working player for each example using ZFM (zfmglobal.com) one of our earliest Gecko clients.

#1 Muses.org


We have been recommending Muses.org for years… the main reason… it comes with a fully customisable player, easy to use integration and best of all, has a bunch of styles (both official and community driven) to suit any website. Big or small, colourful or minimal, Muses.org offers a unique range of radio players for FREE.

The links you need:
  1. You can view the different skins by clicking here.
  2. Alternatively, you can setup your own player in a matter of seconds by clicking here. 
  3. How to find your ‘Stream URL’ to input into the radio player generator.

#2 KPlayer

KPlayer by RadioForge is a simple solution for those minimalistic radio player needs. Just like Muses.org, all you need to do is enter in a few details about your station and BOOM, you’re ready to go. They generate a HTML code which can be copied and pasted directly into your website. The only downside is there’s no customisation of the players theme, which Muses does offer. Also the code comes generated as an ‘iframe’ which isn’t the best for sites which are SSL secured. However the player is free and responsive, meaning it works across all devices.

The links you need:
  1. Setup your own KPlayer now.
  2. How to find your ‘Stream URL’ to input into the radio player generator.

#3 Button Only Player

  

SHOUTcast Widgets have come up with a really simple player for your website. Like the other recommended players in this article, all you need to do is visit the website below and enter your stream URL. You can then customise the look and feel of the player before generating some HTML code which can be copied and pasted directly into your website. It’s really as simple as that. The best bit as well.. this player is also responsive, meaning it will work across all of your listeners devices.

  1. Setup your Button Player now.
  2. How to find your ‘Stream URL’ to input into the radio player generator.

#4 Audio Tag

Simple but effective. This player is the standard HTML5 player across all browsers – because of this, you can guarantee it will work on everyone’s devices. The downside to this player is there is no website which generates the code for you so it does require a little bit of effort (however it’s really easy we promise).

Simply copy and paste the following code onto your website:

Now replace ‘YOUR STREAM URL HERE’ with your stations stream URL and you’ll be away laughing.

The links you need:
  1. How to find your ‘Stream URL’ to input into the radio player generator.

And that’s our top 4 recommendations. Have we missed one? Leave a comment below and let us know.

By Gecko Web Bot

How much bandwidth do I need for my internet radio station?

Streaming is very simple in today’s world. Basically you can use the same computer with the same software to stream to 1 listener or thousands of listeners. what is important is that you know how much bandwidth you need and the bit rare you want to use to stream your music.

Bandwidth – Is the amount of data your internet connection can carry from one point to another in a given time period. Than means, small bandwidth, you will get a few listeners. A big bandwidth will allow you to have more listeners.

Bitrate simply refers to the audio quality of the stream, this is measured in computer terms in ‘kbps – kilobits per second’ or ‘k’ for short. Listening to a station in 128k stereo would sound like CD quality, whereas 24k would sound more like listening over the phone.

OK, BUT HOW MUCH DO I NEED?

Well here a brief idea:

1MB = 1024 kb so that means if you stream at 128 kbps

1MB Upload connection = 8 Listeners

5MB Upload connection = 40 Listeners

10MB Upload connection = 80 Listeners

Remember, these are the typical upload connection speeds most people have at home. Also this will vary if you are surfing at the same time you are streaming and if you have a home phone using the internet line to make a call. These means if your use the same connection to do multiple things at the same time it could make your streaming skip and your listeners will hate that.

If your plan is to have as many listeners as you can, we recommend you get the services of an Internet Radio Server (Radio Hosting) This service will give you the capacity to have multiple listeners, keeping your home internet connection with low traffic so you can surf easily and stream at the same time. This will allow you to have more listeners.

Let say your connection is only 1MB upload and you are streaming at 128 kbps, REMEMBER 1MB is 1024kb,that means you will only use 128 kb of the 1024. You will use that 128 kb to stream to an Internet Radio server or hosting company and your listeners will connect to that server instead to your computer directly. Another big advantage is with this service you will have a static IP.

Static IP – This is the number of your computer when you surf online. It usually looks like this xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (x are numbers). The reason you want a static IP is that unless you have one your IP will change every time you access the internet. That means if you are streaming from your computer you will have to provide to your listeners the right IP of your computer every time so they can listen your streaming. With Static IP the IP number never changes so you can create a link to your Online Radio Station with that IP and you never have to change it.

That is why an Internet Radio Server Services is so convenient. Not only will it give you a Static IP it also give you a fast internet connection to handle more listeners.

In a simple summary, Bitrate + Listeners = The type of Internet Connection you will need.

Visit Gecko to see our Shoutcast Hosting / Icecast Hosting plans.

We offer Shoutcast & Icecast services at affordable prices. Broadcast Live Radio effortlessly using Shoutcast or Icecast. You can quickly and easily stream your station all over the world through Gecko.

 

 

By Gecko Web Bot

How To Get More Listeners To Your Radio Station

So you’ve just launched your brand new internet radio station… the excitement of setting everything up is starting to fade and now you face the challenge every station owner has faced at some point… how to get more listeners for your radio station.

The truth is, it’s not that easy, or quick… but with a strategy, you’ll be broadcasting to thousands in no time.

After 10-years running stations, here’s our top 5 tips.

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Define your audience

First things first, ask yourself who your ideal listener is.

No, not just age or gender… but really, who is this person? Get detailed.

To make it easy for you, we created a free downloadable listener profile template to get you started.

[mkdf_button size=”medium” type=”solid” text=”Download A Listener Profile Template” custom_class=”” icon_pack=”font_awesome” fa_icon=”” link=”http://geckohost.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Listener-Profile.pdf” target=”_blank” color=”” hover_color=”” background_color=”” hover_background_color=”” border_color=”” hover_border_color=”” font_size=”” font_weight=”” margin=”10″]

To prove the importance of this, most large commercial FM radio stations having life-size cut outs of their ‘listener’ around the office, reminding the entire team, who they’re targeting everything towards.

Ask yourself:
  • Find a picture online that resembles your ideal listener.
  • What’s their name?
  • How old are they?
  • What school did they go to?
  • What job are they in?
  • Are they single, in a relationship, married?
  • Where do they eat lunch?
  • What car do they drive?
  • Where do they live?
  • What type of phone/computer do they have?
  • Do they have kids? If so, how many?
  • Who are they living with?
  • Etc…

The idea here is detail… and to make them a real person.

The more you know, the better your station will be positioned.

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Provide options to listen

Now that you have your ideal listener in mind, ask yourself, how is ‘ideal listener name here’ going to tune into your station?

To start, imagine your radio station as a house, how many doors do you have to get inside the house? One? Two? Four? All stations should have at least 3, with popular stations having at least 10.

Some questions to ask:
  • Do you have a radio player on every page of your website?
  • Does it auto play?
  • Is your radio player responsive on both desktop and mobile?
  • Does your radio player work across all devices?
  • Is your radio player in an obvious spot, will listeners know how to tune in within 2 seconds of loading your website?
  • Do you have a mobile app for your station?
  • Is it obvious to download your mobile app?
  • Have you listed your station on TuneIn?
  • Have you listed your station in directories?

The equation is simple, the more doors you offer, the more people will enter. Guaranteed.

Don’t have a mobile app yet? Get in touch with our team by clicking here to get one developed for your station.

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Don’t rely on your website

Carrying on from the point above, 60% of your audience will stumble across your station on another medium than your website.

(Making your station sound that much more important). The reality is, these days, people find new stations/music through social media, heck even email signatures, but also (and in my opinion most importantly right now…) radio directories.

It’s crucial your SHOUTcast server is listed in as many radio directories as possible.

At Gecko, we offer a ‘Get More Listeners’ package, where we add your station in up to 50 different radio directories that we have partnerships with.

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Create incredible content

This one is a lot easier said than done, but think back to your personal radio listening. What was the last piece of content that kept you sitting in your car, even though you were running late…

This is the magic content you want to make at least once-per-week.

Doing so not only leaves listeners wanting more, but gets your content shared amongst friend groups.

Remember, not everyone can tune in 24/7, so when you do make amazing content, shout it from the rooftops. (Repackage it into podcasts, featured on-demand audio/video on your website, on social media, edited into ‘weekly highlights’ for airplay, as a highlighted piece of content in your weekly newsletters etc..)

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Be patient and consistent

This is probably the hardest but most important step.

There will be times where you feel like you’ve created amazing content, have an audience targeted down to the letter, and are listed in every possible directory, but are still not growing… just remember, every single station goes through this.

Be sure to keep doing what you’re doing. Keep reshaping and refining your content, and over time your station will grow.

Remember, every new listener, is an opportunity to reach 100 of his or her friends. Create content that can’t be ignored, alongside different opportunities for them to listen, and you’ll have a large audience in no time.

By Gecko Web Bot