Podcast analytics help you measure your show’s performance through practical data. From subscriber counts to average listening time, this information allows you to make strategic decisions about your content.

But the thought of pie charts, line graphs, and bar charts is sometimes too much for some of us to bear. If you’ve been struggling to grasp the concept of podcast analytics, or have been avoiding it completely due to horror flashbacks of high school mathematics, worry not. We break it all down for you simply below.

✴ Which statistics matter the most?

Analytics deliver a wide range of data but some metrics are more important than others when it comes to measuring the success of your podcast.

✴ Streams

Streams tell you how many people pressed play on your podcast. This is only a good indication of initial plays, but it doesn’t tell you how long somebody listened to your podcast. To measure this, you need to pay attention to episode listen durations. This is a true reflection of audience engagement as it shows how long you can keep the attention of your average listener. Not all podcast analytics tools will provide you with this information, however.

✴ Downloads

Downloads do not accurately reflect audience engagement either. Many people download a podcast without ever listening to it. Some podcast apps may even download your podcast automatically when a user presses play, which further distorts the data. Oftentimes, podcast hosts will only track your total downloads, as they cannot get full access to streaming analytics. In such cases, third-party analytics tools can be extremely beneficial.

✴ Subscriptions

Subscriptions show the number of listeners who want to see more than just a singular episode. They’re a good measurement of long-term success, showing how many listeners you’ve accrued over time. Although nobody knows the full extent of the algorithms used, subscriptions are believed to play a vital role in rankings on podcast directory charts.

✴Apple Podcast analytics

Apple Podcasts is the most popular directory, accounting for around 55 - 60% of worldwide downloads. Although Apple Podcast alone does not give you the full picture, the platform’s analytics are a good estimate of overall performance. Just remember that your data can be delayed by up to 72 hours on Apple Podcasts, so don’t panic and think something’s gone awry.

Another point to note is that data will only be collected from devices running iOS 11/iTunes 12.7 or later – which excludes a small percentage of total listeners.

To view your analytics, log in to Apple Podcasts Connect. Then, click on the drop-down menu in the top left of your browser and select “Podcast Analytics”. Here you will find more comprehensive data than standard metrics.

✴Episode listen duration

The first important statistic, as previously mentioned, is episode listen duration. It reflects the percentage of people who are still listening to the episode at any given time. Ideally, you want to keep your listeners engaged for as long as possible. If you recognize a specific point at which most people stop listening, it’s easy to identify the problem, for example, a specific segment or a controversial statement.

✴Average Consumption

This shows the average time your audience spends listening to each episode as a percentage value. If your episode is an hour long and only has a 50% average consumption rating, your average listener stops the episode after 30 minutes. If you find that your average consumption rating is higher than 100%, it means people listened to the episode more than once. This information tells you which episodes are the most engaging so that you can adjust your content accordingly.

✴Understanding Apple Podcast charts

Apple has yet to disclose the exact algorithms for their charts. That being so, legend has it that Apple Podcasts favor recent subscriptions the most. In other words, how many subscriptions have you received in the past 7 days?

If your podcast gains subscribers at a steady rate compared with others, you’ll likely never show up in the charts. For example, you might have 8,000 total subscribers but only gain 5 new subscribers per week. If, on the other hand, a new podcast gains 500 subscribers in its first week, it will have a higher chance of appearing in the charts.

✴ Statistics from your podcast hosting provider

Most podcast hosts provide you with their own set of statistics based on total streams and downloads. However, these may not accurately reflect the number of streams across all directories. Your podcast host might not have access to data on individual plays, so the numbers can sometimes be skewed.

Not every podcast host has the same measurement methods either. This means that if you switch hosts, you could end up with a different set of figures. While statistics from your hosting provider are still useful, good third party analytics tools can provide a better level of consistency across platforms.

✴ Using third-party analytics tools

Third-party analytics tools are an efficient way to measure the success of your podcast across multiple directories. They collect information from multiple sources and present it in chart or table format. Below are some of our favorite third-party analytics tools.

✴ Podtrac

One of the most popular third-party analytics tools, Podtrac, provides reliable data on your listenership. Their “Unique Monthly Audience” metric offers detailed information about your audience demographics. Podtrac ensures that all its data is displayed with the utmost accuracy, making it easy for potential partners to make informed decisions about your podcast – and it’s all free of charge.

✴ Chartable

Chartable collects data from popular directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker and Stitcher. Their service provides detailed analytics to help publishers grow and brands understand their total spend. Chartable generates daily and weekly rankings in addition to regular review reports which help you regularly monitor the success of your podcast. Chartable offers a free plan or a $100/ month “Pro” plan with additional features such as conversion tracking and ROI for advertisers.

✴ Backtracks

Backtracks offers unrivaled analytics that tell you whether your downloaded episodes were played or not. This is useful for advertisers to make informed decisions based on your audience engagement. Backtracks also provides comprehensive listener data to help you figure out what’s working and what needs changing. Their pricing starts at $39/ month with a 14-day free trial.

✴Recap

When you understand podcast analytics, it can open up a world of opportunities for fine-tuning your content or strategy. With so much actionable intelligence at your fingertips, it’s never been easier to analyze what’s working and what’s not. Carefully consider the metrics you need to pay the most attention to and invest in quality third-party tools where necessary. By doing so, you’ll be able to accurately measure your current performance and plan how you’re going to improve your content and grow your audience further.

Feeling like a marketing pro? Check out these other strategies for growing your podcast.

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Understanding Podcast Analytics