Seriously Simple Podcasting
by Craig Hewitt · Uncategorized
Also makes 4 other plugins · 27.1K+ installs across the portfolio →
Podcasting the way it's meant to be. No mess, no fuss - just you and your content taking over the world.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
B 83/100
no flags
Active installs
20K+
≈30K estimated
Momentum
+10%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “audio” and “playlist” for “spotify” and “religion”. “audio” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #24. “spotify” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “playlist” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #16. “religion” sits at #9 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
83 health vs 58 average across 25,755 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.8%
of downloads still active
At least 20K of 2.5M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,772 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 12 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 13 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 330 reviews, smoothed to 4.62★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
2 of 6 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
29
Momentum
Losing ground
-1.4
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
8%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-1.6
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| seriously simple podcasting | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| podcasting your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| itunes your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| podcast your tag | #3 | #2 | down 1 |
| listening | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| episode | #2 | #1 | down 1 |
| transcription | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| republishing | #3 | #2 | 0 |
| podcasts | #6 | #5 | down 2 |
| spotify | #6 | #8 | down 4 |
| playlist your tag | #16 | #11 | down 5 |
| religion | #9 | #3 | 0 |
| onboarding | #12 | #11 | down 2 |
| world | #18 | #17 | down 3 |
| bandwidth | #13 | #13 | down 2 |
| over | #20 | #21 | down 1 |
| audio your tag | #24 | #15 | down 7 |
| podcast player | #14 | #9 | down 4 |
| covers | #18 | #15 | down 2 |
| music player | #16 | #11 | 0 |
233 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 197 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).
What to do about it
- Swap “audio” and “playlist” for “spotify” and “religion”. “audio” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #24. “spotify” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “playlist” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #16. “religion” sits at #9 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- Slipping on “audio”. Down 7 places since 2026-09-18, now #24. Check what shipped around then, and what moved above you.
- Slipping on “playlist”. Down 5 places since 2026-09-20, now #16. Check what shipped around then, and what moved above you.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 68.5K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
12
releases in the last 12 months
13d ago
latest release · v3.17.1 · 19 Oct 2026
236
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “20K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 9 days ago and the previous band took 13 months to cross, so the real count is still just under 30K.
Install history since 1 Oct 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ predismo4mo ago
Using it since three months, it’s nice and working well. Keep the good work up!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ wolkoff685mo ago
I have a rather large (700+) podcast episode archive on my website, dispersed among thousands of other post types. This plugin helped me to organize the archive and set up a nice category page with a simple URL.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ JChristyR6mo ago
Fill out the form, upload the audio and watch your podcast appear throughout the various players and services. Helpful guide to get you from recording to casting.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Helienio9mo ago
He probado varias soluciones para integrar podcasts en WordPress y, sin duda, esta es la mejor. El nombre no miente: es realmente simple de configurar, pero a la vez ofrece todas las herramientas necesarias para un flujo de trabajo profesional. La integración con el panel de WordPress es perfecta y la gestión de episodios es muy intuitiva. ¡Totalmente recomendado para cualquiera que no quiera complicarse la vida!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ albigin9mo ago
Useful and easy to manage.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Anthony1.0y ago
It’s amazing what this team has made available on WordPress completely free. This plug-in really does give you all the tools you need to start a podcast. Setup wasn’t too bad. They have a lot of documentation to guide you through, with tips for common feed errors. I’m no webmaster or developer, but I know enough to be dangerous. If you’ve never set up a podcast before and you’re willing to take some time to learn, everything you need is there. If you’re utilizing the plug-in and not the Castos paid service, I would at the very least recommend serving your audio files from a CDN. Since this is our first podcast, that’s how we set ours up and we’re currently feeding to Apple and Spotify without any issues. Also, the ability to use Custom Post types that were already part of my setup is invaluable and works great! While this is all free, it’s also easy to scale up with their paid offering if your show grows to that level, or if you need an automated solution to submit to all the various podcast platforms out there. Although, I haven’t tried actually doing that yet, it sounds promising. Perhaps unrelated, but I also wanted to quickly comment on their paid offering. When I compared Castos pricing to other providers, Castos came out on top IF you have 2 or more podcasts, because Castos charges one fee for as many shows as you want. Many other providers charge PER show, PER month. So if you only have one show, you will pay a lot less.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ bigportal1.1y ago
It’s not free and so the information is wrong
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ingenieriasci1.1y ago
Soporta muy bien, la web,
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 3.16.3 2026-07-13 [NEW] Added an episode-title heading-level setting to the podcast and episode list blocks and shortcodes [UPDATE] Hardened authentication and requests between the plugin and Castos [FIX] Allow editor access to 3.16.3
- — Version 3.16.2 2026-06-23 [FIX] Player Share link now uses the pretty permalink for episodes published as standard posts [FIX] Removed a duplicate-GUID check that ran on every admin request and could exhaust server resources [FIX] Epis 3.16.2
- — Version 3.16.1 2026-05-21 [FIX] Fixed admin checkbox and radio button styles for WordPress 7.0 compatibility [FIX] Fixed Dynamo block styling on the settings page 3.16.1
- — Version 3.16.0 2026-05-20 [NEW] Added ability to change the default podcast from the series edit page [NEW] Added campaign support for Castos users [NEW] Added filters to control featured image fallback in Castos sync, player, and feed 3.16.0
- — Version 3.15.0 2026-04-20 [NEW] Added customizable podcast archive pages — /podcast/ archives are now powered by editable WordPress pages instead of theme templates [NEW] Added ssp_episode_list shortcode for displaying episode lists wi 3.15.0
- — Version 3.14.4 2026-03-18 [FIX] Fixed duplicate episodes on Castos when editing an episode after a failed initial sync (#832) 3.14.4
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 17 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (3.17.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Seriously Simple Podcasting <= 3.17.0 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2026-10-20 CVE-2026-112833 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.17.0 Patched in 3.17.1
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Seriously Simple Podcasting <= 3.14.1 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-12-21 CVE-2026-24952 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.14.1 Patched in 3.14.2
- 2025-11-09 CVE-2025-66059 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 3.13.0 Patched in 3.14.0
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Seriously Simple Podcasting <= 3.11.1 - Authenticated (Editor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-08-05 CVE-2025-49923 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.11.1 Patched in 3.12.0
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Seriously Simple Podcasting <= 3.9.0 - Authenticated (Editor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-04-22 CVE-2025-46261 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.9.0 Patched in 3.10.0
- Patched Medium · 6.1 Seriously Simple Podcasting <= 3.5.0 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via add_query_arg Parameter ↗2024-11-04 CVE-2024-9667 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.5.0 Patched in 3.6.0
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Seriously Simple Podcasting <= 3.2.0 - Authenticated (Admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2024-06-22 CVE-2024-3751 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.2.0 Patched in 3.3.0
- 2024-03-26 CVE-2024-25599 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.0.2 Patched in 3.1.0
- 2024-02-17 CVE-2023-6444 Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data Affects <= 2.25.3 Patched in 3.0.0
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Seriously Simple Podcasting <= 2.19.0 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via shortcode ↗2022-12-21 CVE-2022-4571 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.19.0 Patched in 2.19.1
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 52 languages, 0 at 90% or more
Plus 28 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names Seriously Simple Podcasting when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 1 Nov 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- RSS feeds
Readme readiness
3 of 8 pass · checked 30 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("if you want"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Stripe, LifterLMS, YouTube, Vimeo.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 10 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 9,302 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "itunes" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-10-23 30K+ → 20K+ down after 385 days in tier
- 2025-10-03 20K+ → 30K+ up after 308 days in tier
- 2024-11-29 30K+ → 20K+ down after 1328 days in tier
- 2021-04-11 20K+ → 30K+ up after 678 days in tier
- 2019-06-03 10K+ → 20K+ up after 1181 days in tier
- 2016-03-09 9K+ → 10K+ up after 60 days in tier
- 2016-01-09 8K+ → 9K+ up after 86 days in tier
- 2015-10-15 7K+ → 8K+ up after 54 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
- P Podcast Searcher by Clarify 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 4 shared tags
-
Buzzsprout Podcasting 5K+ installs · 4.2★ · 3 shared tags A -
Captivate Sync 1K+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags B -
Podigee for WordPress: Podcast Episodes to Blog Posts 600+ installs · 3.8★ · 3 shared tags A -
iTunes Podcast Review Manager 200+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags D -
La Tecnologeria Podcasting players 30+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Seriously Simple Podcasting into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/seriously-simple-podcasting" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Seriously Simple Podcasting — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Seriously Simple Podcasting: 20K+ active installs, 4.7★ (330 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/seriously-simple-podcasting
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