Once your station is live, it is time to polish your presentation. This guide covers expert-level tips for branding your players, securing your stream, and integrating your station with popular website builders like WordPress and Wix.
1. Branding Your Custom Web Player
Your player is often the first thing a listener sees. Make it unique to your station:
- Side Image: Upload a high-resolution logo (square works best) to the player widget settings.
- Color Matching: Use your station's "Hex Code" (e.g., #FF5733) to match the player buttons to your website's color scheme.
- Slogan: Add a punchy "Catchphrase" that appears next to your station name.
2. Ensuring Secure Streaming (HTTPS)
Modern browsers often block non-secure (HTTP) streams. To ensure your player works everywhere:
- Always use the HTTPS Stream Proxy URL found in your dashboard.
- This URL usually looks like:
https://s1.casthost.net/proxy/username/stream - Use this secure link for all web-based embeds and mobile app configurations.
3. Inserting Commercials & Station IDs
Automate your breaks without manually editing playlists:
- Use the Jingles feature to upload your ads or IDs.
- Set the playback to Interval (e.g., "Every 4 songs").
- This ensures your branding plays consistently regardless of which music playlist is active.
4. Embedding on CMS Platforms (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace)
If you aren't using our built-in Page Builder, you can still embed widgets easily:
- WordPress: Use a "Custom HTML" block to paste your widget code.
- Wix: Use the "Embed HTML" element. Ensure you expand the box size to fit the player.
- Squarespace: Use a "Code Block" and ensure "Display Source" is turned OFF.
5. Preparing for High-Traffic Events
Expecting a celebrity guest or a major event? Prepare your station for a surge in listeners:
- Check Your Limits: Ensure your plan has enough "Listener Slots" for the expected crowd.
- Lower Bitrate: Dropping your bitrate from 128kbps to 96kbps can reduce the load on your server and prevent buffering for listeners on slower connections.
- Relaying: Consider setting up a secondary Relay Point in Settings to distribute the load across multiple servers.
Want to track your website visitors alongside your listeners? Enter your Google Analytics ID in the Site Settings to see a unified view of your station's reach.
