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Privacy Policy

Updated Date: September 24, 2026
Website: https://iowapodcast.com (“Site,” “we,” “us,” or “our”)
Operator: Cultivate Strategies, LLC
Contact: howdy@iowapodcast.com

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit IowaPodcast.com (home of The Iowa Podcast, Iowa Business Podcast, Iowa Tech Podcast, Iowa Ag Podcast, and related pages), how we use it, and your choices.

1. Who this applies to

This policy covers visitors to IowaPodcast.com. It does not cover third-party podcast apps, social networks, or other sites you reach through our links or embeds.

2. Information we collect

A. Information you give us

Email newsletter (Jetpack Subscriptions)
If you enter your email in our subscribe form, that address is submitted to WordPress.com’s email subscription service so we can send you updates about Iowa news and our shows. The form posts to WordPress.com email subscriptions for this Site. You can unsubscribe using the link in those emails.

Contact form (One Line Contact)
On pages where our One Line Contact form appears (including /shows/), you may provide:

  • a short message about why you’re reaching out,
  • your name, and
  • your email address.

The form saves progress as you move through steps and submits to our Site via WordPress. We receive finished submissions and abandoned / incomplete drafts by email—even if you leave before pressing Send—so we can follow up when useful. Notifications go to howdy@iowapodcast.com and related Site records as configured.

Jetpack contact forms
Some pages use Jetpack contact forms, including:

  • /community/ — Name, Email, Phone, and Message (required fields as shown on the form);
  • our studio page (/des-moines-iowa-podcast-studio/) — an “Advertise or Collab” form that may collect Name, Company, Email, and related fields shown there.

Those forms may include Akismet spam-protection fields. Content you submit can be checked by Automattic’s Akismet service to filter spam. Submissions are processed through WordPress.com / Jetpack and delivered to our team inboxes.

Site search
If you use Site search, your search terms are processed so we can return results. Jetpack Search may be used on the Site.

We do not currently sell tickets or take card payments on IowaPodcast.com. Event support is handled separately when applicable (for example, cash donations at the door).

B. Information collected automatically

When you visit the Site, our hosting and tools may collect standard technical data such as:

  • IP address,
  • browser type and device information,
  • pages viewed and approximate time on site,
  • referring URL, and
  • general location inferred from IP.

Jetpack Stats (Automattic / WordPress.com) helps us understand aggregate traffic (which pages are popular, roughly how many people visit). Stats scripts load from WordPress.com (including stats.wp.com). Related WordPress.com measurement scripts may also run as part of hosting.

WordPress.com hosting and CDN
The Site runs on WordPress.com (Atomic hosting). Images and assets may be served through WordPress.com CDN hosts (such as i0.wp.com). Automattic’s systems process the technical data needed to deliver and secure the Site.

Social sharing (Sassy Social Share)
Share buttons may let you share pages to networks you choose (for example Facebook, X, LinkedIn). Pinterest-related scripts may load when you choose that share option. Those networks have their own privacy policies.

C. Third-party embeds and listen links

Some episode or show pages include:

  • YouTube video embeds (iframe), which may set cookies and collect data under Google’s policies when the embed loads or you press play;
  • outbound links or badges to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our YouTube channel.

Those providers’ policies apply when you use their services.

D. Comments

Post comments on the Site are disabled. Some theme or Jetpack UI (for example media carousel comment fields) may still appear for some visitors, but we do not operate an open public comment system on posts. Please use our contact or subscribe forms instead if you want to reach us.

E. Tools that do not collect visitor contact info for marketing

These help publish or display the Site and do not collect visitor names or emails for marketing:

  • Yoast SEO (search metadata),
  • Category Featured Badge (display),
  • Gutenberg / block editor assets,
  • episode schema / structured data for shows and episodes.

We do not operate an affiliate or referral commission program on IowaPodcast.com.

We did not find a separate Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, or Hotjar script on the Site when this policy was prepared. There is no cookie-consent banner on the Site at this time.

3. How we use information

We use the information above to:

  • operate, secure, and improve the Site,
  • send newsletter emails you subscribed to,
  • respond to contact messages—including incomplete One Line Contact drafts that reach us by email,
  • measure content performance and traffic,
  • filter spam (including via Akismet where enabled),
  • comply with law or protect our rights when required.

We do not sell your personal information.

4. Cookies and similar technologies

We and our service providers use cookies and similar technologies for:

  • essential site operation and security,
  • analytics (Jetpack Stats and related WordPress.com tools),
  • email subscription preferences,
  • features such as Jetpack likes, related posts, search, and media carousel,
  • third-party embeds after you interact with them,
  • social share features when you use those buttons.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may limit parts of the Site (for example subscribe features).

5. Who we share information with

We share information only as needed to run the Site:

  • Automattic / WordPress.com — hosting, CDN, Jetpack Stats, Jetpack Subscriptions, Jetpack contact forms, Akismet, and related WordPress.com services. See Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/
  • Email delivery for newsletters via WordPress.com subscription tools.
  • Embed and share providers (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and similar) when you use their embeds, links, or share buttons.
  • Service providers who help us operate the business under appropriate obligations, if we use any beyond hosting.
  • Legal — if required by law, court order, or to protect safety and rights.

Site administration is handled through authorized accounts. One Line Contact notifications (including abandoned drafts) go to howdy@iowapodcast.com and general privacy questions go to howdy@iowapodcast.com.

6. How long we keep information

  • Newsletter emails: until you unsubscribe or we delete the list entry.
  • Contact-form submissions (including abandoned One Line Contact drafts that emailed us): for as long as needed to respond and keep ordinary business records, then deleted or archived according to our internal practice.
  • Analytics and logs: kept in aggregate or for periods set by WordPress.com / Jetpack.

7. Your choices and rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, or delete personal information we hold, or to opt out of certain processing.

You can:

  • unsubscribe from emails using the link in any message,
  • stop using our forms or provide only what you’re comfortable sharing,
  • clear cookies or use browser controls,
  • email howdy@iowapodcast.com to ask about your data.

We will respond within a reasonable time. We may need to verify your request.

8. Children

The Site is for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have, contact us and we will delete it.

9. Security

We rely on WordPress.com hosting security practices and limit admin access. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

10. International visitors

Cultivate Strategies, LLC operates the Site from the United States (Iowa). If you visit from elsewhere, your information may be processed in the U.S. and other countries where our providers operate (including Automattic).

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Updated Date” above will change when we do. Continued use of the Site after an update means you accept the revised policy.

12. Contact

Cultivate Strategies, LLC
Questions about privacy: howdy@iowapodcast.com
Site: https://iowapodcast.com