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3 examples of Podcast metrics and KPIs

What are Podcast metrics?

Developing an effective Podcast metrics can be intimidating, especially when your daily duties demand your attention. To assist you, we've curated a list of examples to inspire your planning process.

Feel free to copy these examples into your favorite application, or leverage Tability to maintain accountability.

Find Podcast metrics with AI

While we have some examples available, it's likely that you'll have specific scenarios that aren't covered here. You can use our free AI metrics generator below to generate your own strategies.

Examples of Podcast metrics and KPIs

Metrics for Podcast Performance

  • 1. Total Downloads

    The total number of times the podcast episodes have been downloaded.

    What good looks like for this metric: 10,000 downloads/month

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Promote episodes on social media
    • Collaborate with other podcasters
    • Optimize episode titles and descriptions
    • Encourage listeners to subscribe
    • Engage with your audience
  • 2. Listener Retention Rate

    The percentage of listeners who listen to episodes from start to finish.

    What good looks like for this metric: 60%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Improve audio quality
    • Create engaging and relevant content
    • Use storytelling techniques
    • Release episodes consistently
    • Ask for listener feedback
  • 3. Average Episode Rating

    The average rating given by listeners on platforms like Apple Podcasts.

    What good looks like for this metric: 4.5 stars

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Ask listeners to rate your podcast
    • Respond to listener reviews
    • Ensure high-quality content
    • Regularly update podcast cover art
    • Interview interesting guests
  • 4. Social Media Engagement

    The number of likes, shares, comments, and overall interaction on social media posts related to your podcast.

    What good looks like for this metric: 500 engagements/post

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Create visually appealing posts
    • Use hashtags effectively
    • Engage with your audience's comments
    • Share behind-the-scenes content
    • Host live Q&A sessions
  • 5. Subscriber Growth Rate

    The rate at which new listeners subscribe to your podcast over a specific period.

    What good looks like for this metric: 10% increase/month

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Promote your podcast on different platforms
    • Run targeted ads
    • Offer exclusive content for subscribers
    • Collaborate with influencers
    • Create a referral programme

Metrics for Podcast ROI

  • 1. Listener Count

    Number of listeners who tuned in to the podcast episode featuring the appearance

    What good looks like for this metric: 500-1000 listeners per episode

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Promote the podcast on social media
    • Encourage word-of-mouth sharing
    • Collaborate with the podcast host for cross-promotion
    • Engage with the podcast audience post-episode
    • Leverage email marketing campaigns
  • 2. Lead Generation

    Number of new leads generated as a result of the podcast appearance

    What good looks like for this metric: 10-20 new leads per appearance

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Include a special offer or call-to-action
    • Mention a landing page or unique URL
    • Utilise tracking links
    • Follow up with listeners via email
    • Provide valuable, actionable insights during the podcast
  • 3. Social Media Engagement

    Increase in social media interactions (likes, shares, comments) following the podcast appearance

    What good looks like for this metric: 15-30% increase in engagement

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Share key highlights from the podcast
    • Use engaging visuals
    • Respond to audience comments and questions
    • Host a live Q&A session
    • Create shareable content related to the podcast topic
  • 4. Website Traffic

    Spike in website visits post-podcast appearance, measured through unique visitors and page views

    What good looks like for this metric: 5-10% increase in traffic

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Mention your website during the podcast
    • Promote blog posts related to podcast topics
    • Offer free resources on your website
    • Use SEO optimised content
    • Collaborate on guest posts
  • 5. Conversion Rate

    Percentage of podcast listeners who take a desired action (purchase, sign-up, etc.)

    What good looks like for this metric: 2-5% conversion rate

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Offer a limited-time discount
    • Use compelling CTAs
    • Provide a clear value proposition
    • Optimise landing pages for conversions
    • Deliver follow-up content with additional incentives

Metrics for Podcast Ad Performance

  • 1. Listening Rate

    Percentage of listeners who actually listen to the entire ad episode, calculated by comparing full ad listens to episode downloads.

    What good looks like for this metric: 40-60%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Create engaging and relevant content
    • Improve ad placement within the podcast
    • Experiment with different ad lengths
    • Use well-known voices or hosts
    • Incorporate storytelling elements
  • 2. Conversion Rate

    Percentage of listeners who take the desired action after hearing the ad, such as visiting a website or making a purchase.

    What good looks like for this metric: 1-5%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Use clear call-to-actions
    • Offer exclusive discount codes
    • Simplify the listener journey
    • Retarget listeners with follow-up ads
    • Track and refine ad copy
  • 3. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

    The cost of acquiring a new customer through podcast ads, calculated by dividing the total ad spend by the number of new customers acquired.

    What good looks like for this metric: $30-$100

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Negotiate better ad rates
    • Focus on high-conversion podcast channels
    • Optimize your landing page
    • Continuously test ad creatives
    • Leverage audience insights
  • 4. Reach

    The total number of unique listeners who have heard your podcast ad.

    What good looks like for this metric: Varies widely by podcast size

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Collaborate with popular podcasts
    • Promote across multiple platforms
    • Leverage social media marketing
    • Offer shareable content
    • Invest in cross-promotion
  • 5. Engagement Rate

    The level of interaction listeners have with the ad, including actions like sharing, commenting, or discussing the ad on social media.

    What good looks like for this metric: 5-10%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Create interactive ad content
    • Encourage listener participation
    • Feature listener testimonials
    • Engage with listeners on social media
    • Incorporate listener feedback

Tracking your Podcast metrics

Having a plan is one thing, sticking to it is another.

Setting good strategies is only the first challenge. The hard part is to avoid distractions and make sure that you commit to the plan. A simple weekly ritual will greatly increase the chances of success.

A tool like Tability can also help you by combining AI and goal-setting to keep you on track.

Tability Insights DashboardTability's check-ins will save you hours and increase transparency

More metrics recently published

We have more examples to help you below.

Planning resources

OKRs are a great way to translate strategies into measurable goals. Here are a list of resources to help you adopt the OKR framework:

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