How I Understand My Podcast Listeners

There are specific places I look for “breadcrumbs of success”.

Yes, podcast downloads are important, but they aren’t the only measure of your content’s success. I look at many places — across many platforms — to decide which types of content will perform best and where. 

Doing this type of “data deep dive” is something I recommend all podcasters do, at least a few times a year. 

The numbers I refer to most are:

• Podcast Downloads (Buzzsprout)
• YouTube Views
• Website Stats (Google Analytics)

Podcast downloads make the most sense to look at first when you’re trying to understand your podcast audience, but it’s only part of the puzzle. Alongside other platform stats where you’re creating content (YouTube, social media, etc.) there can be more clues to understand your podcast listeners. 

As for website stats, this is why I recommend all podcasters eventually have their own website. You can do so much more with website information than with podcast numbers alone.

For more information on how to set up a podcast website, make sure you check out these YouTube videos below:

Other Resources to Check Out

Here are some podcast industry resources:

• NPR & Edison Research Findings: The Spoken Word Audio Report Page Webinar, The Spoke Word Audio Report 2021 (Downloadable PDF)
• Join the PodNews Email Newsletter 

Also, check out our recent episode of The Proffitt Podcast all about How to Know If Your Podcast Message is Working, Episode 314.