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18 December 2023

Authorized Callers: Control Access to Your Podcast

We are excited to introduce a powerful new (client-suggested!) feature to enhance your podcasting experience: Authorized Callers! This new optional feature provides you with the ability to create a curated list of individuals authorized to access and listen to your podcast channel. Whether you're looking to limit access to specific groups or create exclusive content for certain subscribers, Authorized Callers makes it easy to implement.

Getting Started

  1. Begin by logging in and navigating to the "Authorized Callers List" section on your dashboard. Select "Add List" to start creating your Authorized Callers List.
    Screenshot of the Authorized Callers List section of the dashboard. The text says: Use an Authorized Callers List to only allow approved callers listen to your podcasts. There is a green button with a cursor hovering over it that says: Add List.
  2. On the Authorized Callers List:
    1. Give your list a Name. For instance, you could name it "Monthly Subscribers."
    2. You have the flexibility to assign it to your Podcast Channel immediately or at a later time. Keep in mind that until you add authorized users, no listeners will be able to access your content.

      Pro-Tip:

      Use Multiple Lists for a single Podcast Channel! You have the flexibility to assign more than one list to a podcast channel. This feature is particularly useful if you have multiple subscriber tiers and want an efficient way to manage them.

    3. While it's recommended to leave Allow anonymous Caller ID disabled to fully leverage Authorized Callers, we understand that there are exceptions. If needed, you have the option to allow anonymous Caller ID.
    4. Click on "Create" to finalize the creation of your list.
      Screenshot of the Authorized Callers List to add a new list. The first field, Name, is a required text field. The second field, Channel, is an option drop-down selection. The third field is a check-mark box that says: Allow anonymous Caller ID. Below that in smaller text is additional detail text that says: If a caller has Caller ID Blocker enabled, it's not possible to confirm their number. Enabling this option will allow any caller with Caller ID Blocker to listen to your podcast. The fourth elements is a green button with a cursor hovering over it that says: Create. To the right of that button is an orange button that says: Cancel and go back. Next to each element is an overlay of A, B, C, and D in red font to associate each field with the steps on the page.
  3. With your new list created you can start populating it with your authorized phone numbers:
    1. Enter each number in the proper format by adhering to the E.164 standard: [+][country code][area code][phone number]. This means including the leading "+" sign followed by the country code (which is 1 for North America) and phone number.
      For example, for North America you would use a format like +1-212-555-2368 (dashes are allowed, but not required).
    2. Click on Add New Number

      Pro-Tip:

      If you have an extensive list of numbers to add, don't worry—we've got you covered. Simply send us an email with a CSV file containing the phone numbers in the E.164 format that you want to add, along with the corresponding list(s) you want them added to. We'll take care of the import process for you!

    3. All the numbers on your list appear in the Current List selection box.
      Screenshot of the Authorized Callers List from the prior image. To the right of that is the Allowed Numbers section. This section is divided into two columns. The first column says: Add New Number. The first field, Phone Number, is a required text field. Below that is additional information which says: Please use the full international phone number format, with a leading + followed by the country code and then area code and number. For example: +12125552368. Below that is a green button that says: Add New Number. The second column says: Current list. There is a selection box showing a phone number. Below that is a yellow button that says: Delete Selected Number.
  4. Once you've added all the desired numbers and ensured that your podcast channel is assigned to the Authorized Callers List, you're ready to go!
    Screenshot of the Authorized Callers List section of the dashboard. Similar to the first, but now there's a table displayed with two columns: List and Podcast. The first row says: Monthly Subscribers and My Awesome Podcast, respectively. There's a yellow edit button to the right. At the bottom there is a green button that says: Add List.

Removing Numbers:

Removing a number is as simple as selecting the number you want to remove and clicking on Delete Selected Number:

Screenshot of the Authorized Callers List, similar to the ones shown before. To the right of that is the Allowed Numbers section. This section is divided into two columns. The first column is the same as before. The second column, Current List, has a selection box showing three phone numbers with the middle one selected. Below that is a yellow button with a cursor over it that says: Delete Selected Number.

That's it!

For more information and guidance on optimizing your Authorized Callers experience, visit our FAQ section.

Empower your podcasting journey with Authorized Callers and take control of who has access to your valuable content. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to us—we're here to help!

Do you have a feature idea that would help your podcast? Let us know!

Filed under:

New Feature, Authorized Callers