Data is like your podcasting superpower, folks! If you want to grow your show, you gotta get your hands on the right stats. Seriously, knowing what’s working and what’s not can save you from wasting your time. We dive into the nitty-gritty of how to collect and use data from places like Apple and Spotify to figure out your audience and their habits. Don’t worry, we’ll also have a laugh or two about how confusing all this can be, because who doesn’t love a good irony sandwich? So, buckle up, and let’s turn those numbers into something that actually helps your podcast shine!

Data Sources:

podcastsconnect.apple.com

You can see how many Apple followers you have, and how far they are listening (and compare episodes to median and best numbers.

podcasters.spotify.com

You can see how many Spotify followers you have as well as demographic data of your audience. You can also see how far people listen. You can also see how often your show was shown, and how that lead to people listening.

podcasters.amazon.com

You can see how many people on Amazon Music are following you, how many downloads you get and how far people listen

Your Media Host

This could be Captivate, Buzzsprout, Blubrry, Transistor, Libsyn, etc (I do not recommend Spotify). Here you can see how many downloads you get per episode, and see the location of your audience.

Google Analytics

Here you can see the top pages of your website, among many other things. You can find it at analytics.google.com

YouTube

YouTube statistics are impressive and show you an insane amount of detail. The stat I look at is how far people watch. Keep in mind a video on a YouTube short is anything above zero

Audience Survey

When in doub,t ASK YOUR AUDIENCE. This is the #1 way to get direct feedback from your audience. Check out the book, "The Audience in Listening" by Tom Webster, regarding creating a survey (or use the one built into Podpage).

Takeaways:

• Data is your podcasting superpower; it helps you know what's working and what's not.
• If you're seeking sponsors, understanding your audience demographics is absolutely essential.
• Start with the end in mind; knowing your goals helps you get the right data.
• Don't just hope for feedback; ask your audience directly with surveys for better insights.
• Using platforms like Google Analytics can reveal hidden gems about your podcast's online performance.
• Remember, marketing your podcast is as essential as creating it; be strategic about your approach.

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