Over at TechPodcasts.com we have been using FeedBurner for our RSS service via a re-direct from the techpodcasts.com website. Recently I subscribed to their pro stats reporting package to get a better indication of the stats on the RSS feed for the TPN site. I have to say that it is a total waste of money.
Let me clarify why, I have used a lot of statistics programs over the years to track site statistics, I use Sitemeter.com and Google Analytics with this site. Between those two services I have a very good handle on the type of traffic were that traffic is coming from etc. I have used other high end commercial solutions as well but those services are typically out of the reach of people with a website. Sitemeter has a free option and a inexpensive yearly fee and Google Analytics is free.
For the Podcast we use the excellent weblog analyzing tool by Kevin Devin and Chuck Tomasi, along with the reports that the good folks at Libsyn.com provide.
The stats package that I pay for over at FeedBurner is a joke, I plan on canceling their so called pro-service at the end of the month. Give me the same type of clarity you get with SiteMeter and then you will get my business.
I tell you what I would do! I will pay good money for someone to come up with a solution that I can run here on my website that I pay for once that the thousands of blog creators and podcasters can use. This allows me to maintain complete control of my rss feeds, and yes I know the FeedBurner folks have made it easy for you to move your rss feed if you leave their service, but no mater what when you do you will loose subscribers.
I have asked for this before and considering the millions of RSS feeds out their someone should be able to make a boat load of money if they come up with a better mousetrap. But I want to run it on my box I don’t want to pass that info to a third party.