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

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

1. Social Media Monitoring

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