Articles on: Alerts

Setting Up Webhook Integrations with Automation Services

Learn how to integrate Podscan's webhook system with popular automation platforms to create powerful workflows for podcast mention monitoring.

Understanding Podscan's Webhook System

Webhook Basics

Delivers real-time POST requests
JSON-encoded payloads
GZIP compression available
Includes full episode metadata and transcripts
Rate limited to protect your endpoints

Payload Structure

{  
  "alert_type": "filter",  
  "alert_id": "al_432x7gldmoyjvbmp",  
  "alert_name": "Demo Alert",  
  "alert_matched_filter": "\"demo\"",  
  "mention_id": "mn_a2z4x3ly5vkxoerk",  
  "podcast_name": "Talking Technology with V I Labs",  
  "podcast_url": "http:\/\/www.vi.ie\/",  
  "podcast_id": "pd_qazg9ymgg639r6w4",  
  "episode_id": "ep_dmnpjz9n885nr8oe",  
  "episode_title": "Talking Technology With V I Labs Episode 70 - Live from Sight Village London",  
  "episode_description": "This week we\u2019re spead dating at Sight Village in London. How many stands can David talk to,...",  
  "episode_url": "https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/981793\/episodes\/16054066-talking-technology-with-v-i-labs-episode-70-live-from-sight-village-london.mp3",  
  "episode_transcript": "[00:00:00] Welcome to Talking Technology with V I Labs. At V I Labs, we believe technology is the single greatest enabler for people with sight loss and ...",  
  "episode_published_ago_in_s": 2781,  
  "episode_excerpt": "*00:22:14* So what do you think is, like, what technology do you find young people are using most now?\n*00:22:21* What's making the ..."  
}

Integration Setup Guide

Webhook Configuration

1. Zapier Integration

Webhook Setup in Podscan:

Enable webhook notifications
Copy your endpoint URL from Zapier
Enable GZIP if needed
Test the connection

Zapier Configuration:

Create new Zap with Webhook trigger
Select "Catch Raw Hook"
Parse JSON payload
Test with sample data

Common Zapier Actions:

Send to Slack
Create Trello cards
Add to Google Sheets
Create CRM entries

2. IFTTT Integration

Webhook Configuration:

Create new IFTTT applet
Use Webhook service as trigger
Copy webhook URL to Podscan
Configure payload mapping

IFTTT Tips:

Use JSON parsing
Create custom variables
Set up conditional logic
Handle rate limits

3. Make (Integromat) Setup

Initial Configuration:

Create new scenario
Add webhook trigger
Define data structure
Set up error handling

Advanced Features:

Route by mention type
Filter by timestamp
Aggregate mentions
Transform data

Best Practices

Webhooks are reliable, automated messages between servers. Sometimes, the servers themselves can be overwhelmed — or straight up unresponsive. When you create a webhook endpoint of your own, we recommend setting up monitors to keep an eye on the health of your endpoint. If Podscan receives 4xx or 5xx responses for 24 hours, it will deactivate any webhook on that URL.

Performance Optimization

Enable GZIP compression. It will significantly reduce file size in transit. The contents of the webhook will be compressed using GZIP and base64-encoded.
Process asynchronously. Especially around the full hour, everyone releases new episodes all at once. This might cause a spike in load for a few seconds

Security

Use HTTPS endpoints. We can't guarantee authentic information otherwise.
Implement IP whitelisting from the Podscan servers: 3.20.205.172
Monitor access logs

Common Automation Recipes

Webhook → Filter → Post to Slack → Update Analytics

2. Content Aggregation

Webhook → Transform → Append to Spreadsheet → Send Report

3. CRM Integration

Webhook → Enrich Data → Create Contact → Schedule Follow-up

Troubleshooting

Common Issues:

Failed Deliveries

Ensure the webhook is turned on on Podscan
Check endpoint availability
Verify payload format
Monitor rate limits
Review error logs

Data Processing

Validate JSON structure
Check field mapping
Test transformations
Monitor performance

Advanced Configuration

Custom Headers

Content-Type: application/json
X-Podscan-Source: podscan.fm

Need enterprise-level integration support? Contact the Podscan team for custom solutions and increased limits.

Updated on: 05/11/2024

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