Podcasting has taken the advertising world by storm in the last 5 years, becoming an essential tool for businesses to connect with their audiences effectively. However, the success of a podcast does not solely rely on its content creation but also on the host being able to understand and leverage their podcast analytics.
In our final episode of Amplify, hosts Jonas and Franco shed light on the secrets behind leveraging podcast metrics for success, focusing on content strategy, and audience engagement. This episode delves into the world of podcast analytics, highlighting the significance of consumption rates, reviews, and other pivotal metrics. Jonas and Franco discuss how these metrics can guide content in a direction that not only captivates audiences but also piques the interest of potential sponsors.
How to find your Metrics
For most hosting platforms, you should be able to find accurate analytics for how many listeners, downloads, etc. you have. There is also data available on various platforms like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify, that can help podcasters understand their listeners better. Most of the time, that numbers you see will be represented either in a monthly 30-day metric, or a 90-day metric. This can help you to understand some very important things about your listeners, and be able to better represent your audience to potential brand partnerships.
Understanding Your Metrics
The significance of understanding analytics in podcasting cannot be overstated. For many podcasters, they might only focus on how many downloads of their podcast they have. The issue with this, is that is doesn’t accurately represent your audience’s listening habits. Many podcast players provide automatic downloads to listeners, but they might never actually listen to their downloaded episodes.
A more accurate and useful metric that Jonas and Franco discuss during the Amplify episode, is the importance of listening time. This shows you how much of your podcast your audience consistently listens to, and can inform you when audiences are most likely to stop listening. Do they listen all the way through? Or do they always stop as soon as your main content is done? Maybe they only listen to your opening segment, or consistently drop off around the 30-minute mark. These metrics can help to inform how you shape your show in the future, by either cutting down on content, or expanding on the segments your listeners seem to always listen through.
Your rates and reviews area also important to keep in mind. While not all information will be helpful all of the time, check for trends in your audience interaction that will aid you in shaping your content. Do you see a lot of audience engagement during your “Q+A” portion? Or maybe you’re receiving messages from your community that they want more of one thing, and less of another. Be open to adjusting your content based on this info, and keep in mind that you want to look at consistent trends in your data before you decide to change too much.
For more information about engagement with your community, check out the episode 8 of our Amplify series, and read our blog post for more information.
Having Authentic and Accurate Data
Jonas and Franco also emphasize the necessity of third-party data that authenticates your demographics, as this will be something that brands will want in order to work with you. The more accuracy you can provide when assessing your audience, the more prepared you’ll be to pitch them to potential brands and advertisers. It is also important to be setting short and long-term goals for growth. Try not to make too many changes to your show at once, otherwise you won’t be able to decipher which adjustments are having the best impact on your audience. Jonas and Franco share insights on how to monitor the efficacy of your marketing messages and use platforms like Apple and Spotify to evaluate reach and unique listeners.
In conclusion, understanding and leveraging podcast metrics is not just about numbers. It’s about knowing your audience, tailoring your content to their needs, and constantly striving to improve. As Jonas and Franco aptly put it, “None of these numbers mean anything unless they’re actionable.” So, tune in, learn, and take your podcast to new heights.