PodLoom – Embed Transistor.fm Podcast Episodes in WordPress

Download PodLoom from GitHub

Features

  • Easy API Integration: Connect your Transistor.fm account with a simple API key
  • Gutenberg Block: Intuitive block editor interface for selecting and embedding episodes
  • Multiple Shows Support: Work with multiple podcasts from your Transistor account
  • Episode Search: Searchable dropdown to quickly filter and find episodes (including draft and scheduled episodes)
  • Pagination: Load more episodes with built-in pagination
  • Theme Options: Choose between light and dark player themes
  • Three Display Modes:
    • Latest Episode Mode: Always display the most recent episode from a show (auto-updates)
    • Specific Episode Mode: Select and lock a specific episode to display
    • Playlist Mode: Display a browsable playlist of episodes from a show
  • Default Show Setting: Set a default show for quick episode embedding
  • Smart Caching: Automatic caching of API responses to improve performance and reduce API calls
  • Cache Control: Configurable cache duration and manual cache clearing from admin panel

Installation

  1. Upload the Plugin
    • Copy the PodLoom folder to /wp-content/plugins/
    • Or zip the folder and upload via WordPress admin (Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin)
  2. Activate the Plugin
    • Go to WordPress admin → Plugins
    • Find “PodLoom – Podcast Player for Transistor.fm” and click “Activate”
  3. Configure API Settings
    • Go to WordPress admin → Settings → PodLoom Settings
    • Enter your Transistor API key (get it from Transistor Dashboard)
    • Select a default show (optional but recommended)
    • Click “Save Settings”

Getting Your API Key

  1. Log in to your Transistor Dashboard
  2. Go to your Account settings
  3. Find the API section
  4. Copy your API key
  5. Paste it into the WordPress plugin settings

Display Mode: When to Use What

Use “Latest Episode” Mode When:

  • Embedding on your homepage or sidebar
  • You want to always showcase your newest content
  • Creating a “Listen Now” section that auto-updates
  • Building a podcast landing page
  • You publish regularly and want visitors to hear the current episode

Use “Specific Episode” Mode When:

  • Writing a blog post about a particular episode
  • Creating evergreen content that references specific topics
  • Building a podcast archive or episode directory
  • You want to ensure a specific episode is always displayed
  • Creating episode show notes or transcripts

Use “Playlist” Mode When:

  • You want visitors to browse multiple episodes without leaving the page
  • Creating a comprehensive podcast showcase or archive
  • Building a dedicated podcast page with easy episode navigation
  • You want to display your back catalog for new listeners
  • Creating a binge-listening experience for your audience

Working with Draft and Scheduled Episodes

The plugin allows you to select draft and scheduled episodes in addition to published episodes:

Use Cases:

  • Prepare blog posts for episodes that are scheduled to publish later
  • Preview how a draft episode will look before publishing
  • Create accompanying content ahead of your episode release

Important Notes:

  • Draft and scheduled episodes appear in the episode dropdown with “(Draft)” or “(Scheduled)” labels
  • If Transistor supports embedding unpublished episodes, they will display in your post
  • Latest Episode mode only shows published episodes
  • Playlist mode only shows published episodes
  • Episode status changes are reflected after the cache expires (default: 6 hours) or when you manually clear the cache

Admin Settings Page

The PodLoom Settings page (Settings → PodLoom Settings) shows:

  • API Key Field: Enter and save your Transistor API key
  • Default Show Selector: Choose which podcast should be pre-selected in blocks
  • Enable Caching: Toggle caching on/off to control API call frequency
  • Cache Duration: Set how long cached data remains valid (30 minutes to 24 hours)
  • Clear Cache Button: Manually clear all cached API responses
  • Connection Status: Visual confirmation that your API key is working
  • Shows List: Table displaying all your available podcasts with their details

Caching

The plugin automatically caches API responses to improve performance and reduce API calls to Transistor:

  • Default: Enabled with 6-hour cache duration
  • Configurable: Choose from 30 minutes to 24 hours
  • Smart Updates: Cache is automatically cleared when you save settings
  • Manual Control: Use the “Clear Cache” button to force fresh data from Transistor
  • Disable Option: Turn off caching completely if you need real-time data

Benefits of caching:

  • Faster page load times in the block editor
  • Reduced API usage (avoids rate limiting)
  • Better performance when multiple users edit posts simultaneously
  • Appropriate for podcast content which updates infrequently

Troubleshooting

“Please configure your Transistor API key in the settings”

  • Go to Transistor API settings and enter your API key
  • Make sure you’re using the correct key from your Transistor account

“Error connecting to Transistor API”

  • Verify your API key is correct
  • Check that your WordPress site can make external API calls
  • Contact Transistor support if the key isn’t working

“No episodes found”

  • Make sure your selected show has published episodes
  • Check that episodes are set to “published” status in Transistor
  • Try searching for a specific episode title

Episodes not loading in block

  • Check your browser console for JavaScript errors
  • Ensure your WordPress installation has the Block Editor enabled
  • Verify the plugin is properly activated

Not seeing newly published episodes

  • The plugin caches episodes to improve performance
  • Go to Settings → PodLoom Settings and click “Clear Cache”
  • Or wait for the cache duration to expire (default: 6 hours)
  • You can disable caching if you need real-time data

Want to see changes immediately

  • Uncheck “Enable Caching” in Settings → PodLoom Settings
  • Note: This will increase API calls and may be slower

Technical Details

Requirements

  • WordPress: 5.8 or higher
  • PHP: 7.4 or higher
  • Block Editor: Gutenberg (default in WordPress 5.0+)
  • Transistor Account: Active account with API access

API Endpoints Used

  • GET /v1/shows – Retrieve podcast shows
  • GET /v1/episodes – Retrieve episodes (with search and pagination)

PodLoom is developed by WP Minute

Built for WordPress using the Transistor.fm API.

Transistor.fm is a trademark of Transistor, Inc. This plugin is not officially affiliated with or endorsed by Transistor, Inc.