Understanding Podcast Metrics

November 26, 2019

How can I measure my podcast’s growth?
Am I getting as many downloads as XYZ podcast?
What do these analytics mean?

These are common questions we get asked frequently, and for good reason! You want to make sure your podcast is growing and doing well, but metrics can be confusing and overwhelming. Understanding your show’s metrics is key to know how to effectively reach your audience and track your podcast’s growth. Granted, every podcast platform provides different metrics, but these are the key metrics you should know. Get ready to be a metric genius!

Subscriptions

Simple stated, subscriptions are the people who subscribe to your feed and get updates every time you release a new episode. A high subscription rate means your listeners are very interested in your podcast and find value in your show’s content. A high subscription rate is a solid indicator that you have good listenership. It’s a good idea to reminder listeners in the beginning and end of your show to subscribe to help this number climb!

Downloads

Downloads are usually the main metric podcasters are concerned with. Every time someone listens to one of your episodes, that “listen” is considered a download. You should keep track of which episodes get more listens for a few reasons:

You can gauge your title effectiveness. When someone decides to listen, it means your title or subject intrigued them enough to download and give you a chance. Through trial and error, download data can give you an idea of keywords to focus on when writing your titles to get the most downloads and reach new listeners.
You can learn what topics your audience is most interested in. Similar to the title effectiveness, once you know which episodes get the most downloads, you can streamline your content for future episodes to please your audience.
You can better understand your audience. Depending on the platform your podcast is using, there may be demographic data available on your audience. This could include your audience’s age group, where they live, how they listen and what time they tune in. This will also help you plan content and know when and where to publish new episodes.

Social Sharing

Tracking how many likes and shares your podcast gets on social media is another way to measure your audience’s interest and content effectiveness. When a listener finds your content useful and helpful, they will share it with their friends and personal audiences on social media. This gives you the opportunity to reach new audiences, build your brand and better understand what your current audience finds valuable. (Read our blog about Using Instagram to Promote Your Pod!)

Conversion Rates

Conversion rates are typically tracked with clicks. However, since listeners can’t click on anything on your episode, it can be tricky to track conversions on podcasts. A great way to get conversions is to invite other podcasters on your show as guests. This allows you to tap into new audiences that may be interested in what you have to say as well! Inviting guests is also a great way to build strategic relationships with influencers, industry experts and potential clients or partners.

Now that you know which metrics to pay attention to, you are on your way to building a successful podcast!

Need help?

Q’d Up can help you create high-quality podcasts to reach your customers without breaking the bank. We’ve been creating full-length podcasts since 2006. At our sound studio in Hershey, PA, we create engaging digital audio content for those looking for a creative way to stand out from the competition and better connect with their target audience. We also work with a number of remote clients to edit and support them throughout the post-production process.

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