How To Read And Understand Your Podcast Analytics
Although numbers can be intimidating, the ability to understand podcast analytics is crucial for podcasters to evaluate their show’s performance, improve content and build their audience!
Podcast analytics are helpful in assessing your podcast, as well as revealing the areas in which you can make improvements.
If you’re wondering what specific analytics are important, as well as how to actually read and understand them, you have come to the right place!
In this blog post, we will be sharing our knowledge, advice and tips about podcast analytics to help guide you through another significant aspect of the podcasting journey. Let’s dive in!
For Starters…
WHY Is It Important To Understand Your Podcast Analytics
Understanding your podcast stats is crucial for a number of reasons. Here’s our quick breakdown of why it is important
Measuring performance and growth
Understanding your audience incl. average consumption by listeners
Improving the quality of your content
Enhancing listener engagement
Identifying areas for improvement
Important Podcast Analytics You Should Be Tracking
Tracking the right podcast analytics is essential to your podcast’s growth and momentum, but what specific analytics should you be focusing on, and why are they significant? See below our list of the 8 key metrics that we believe yield the most useful information for the podcast host -
Downloads - The number of times an episode file or video is downloaded, revealing the overall reach of your podcast.
Listeners - The specific users who listen to your podcast, providing you with insight to your actual podcast audience size compared to downloads.
Subscribers - People who subscribe to your podcast channel, indicating your loyal listener base, as well as predicting future episode downloads.
Listener Retention - The percentage of listeners who continue to tune in to your podcast over several episodes, helping you to understand the engagement and loyalty of your audience.
Audience Engagement - Interactions such as likes, comments, shares, and ratings, measuring how actively your audience is engaging with your content.
Geographical Data - The locations of your podcast listeners, helping you to cater content and marketing strategies to specific regions or audience demographics.
Device and Platform Data - The devices (i.e. smartphones, tablets, computers) and platforms (i.e. Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify) used by your listeners, helping you to optimize content and marketing efforts for the most popular devices and platforms.
Source of Traffic - Where your unique listeners are coming from (i.e. social media, referrals, etc.), identifying the most effective marketing channels.
Understanding Your Podcast Analytics
So, now that you are aware of the specific podcast analytics you should be keeping an eye on, the next step is to figure out how to read and understand them. Feeling stuck? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Read on -
Podcast Analytics Tools And Techniques
Tracking podcast analytics can involve using various tools and techniques. See below the methods we believe will assist you in piecing together a more accurate look at your podcast’s performance -
Take advantage of podcast hosting platforms - Most popular hosting platforms, such as Buzzsprout, will provide the analytics you need to keep track of episode performance, including individual listens and downloads.
Keep an eye on the podcast directories where you have the largest amount of listeners - Podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify, offer analytics that allow you to keep track of # of downloads and listens within their online platform. These figures can be used to better understand episode performance in a specific directory, and give opportunity to make improvements.
Use an external podcast analytics provider for deeper insights - External podcast analytics providers, such as Google Analytics, offer more advanced features than those offered by your hosting platform, helping you to make data-driven informed decisions to build your audience and improve your content.
Measuring Podcast Success
Looking at the above mentioned 8 podcast metrics separately will provide you with useful information about your podcast’s overall performance, and allow you to pinpoint where you need to make improvements!
Here are a couple of our favourite tips for better understanding your podcast analytics in order to measure success, set informed goals, and continuously refine your show -
Track performance per episode - This will give you better insight into the specific episode structures/formats that are working best with your listeners, allowing room for future improvement.
Stay up-to-date with listening podcast trends - This will keep you well-informed about shifts in listener behaviour and retention, strengthening your show over time! We highly encourage it! :)
Conclusion
Fellow podcasters! Did you find this blog post helpful? How do YOU read and understand your podcast analytics? If you’re looking for more tips and tricks to help guide you along your podcasting journey, be sure to check out our past