“Why do we need podcast metrics?” you might ask. Why have a podcast, for that matter? Here’s why:
Your prospects have busy lives. Not only are they decision-makers in their own businesses and personal lives, but many of them have begun to commute to work again.
Some of them might not have time to fully digest a blog post, let alone a white paper or ebook during their commute. You can still reach them during those long commutes, or while they cook and clean at home, with a podcast. And, if they’re auditory learners – about 30% of a typical audience – they will probably remember more than if they read the material.
As your podcast grows, and your creative teams become more familiar with the medium, they’ll probably be able to come up with innovative content that entertains as well as informs. But to start, you can repurpose some of your best content to jumpstart your broadcasts.
Blog posts, white papers, ebooks, and even statistics you pull from top-performing infographics and slide presentations, are all potential sources of information that can form the outline of your podcast.
But how do you measure the impact of your podcast once you launch it? How do you gauge how people perceive how it sounds?
Here are some metrics to add to your usual content analytics. These podcast analytics can help you know how your audience perceives and responds to both your podcast’s content and its sound.
1. Google Analytics and Search Console
If you host your podcast on your main website, you’ll want to look specifically at how your podcast page performs. These tried-and-true analytics platforms can provide you with information on your continuing and new visitors, as well as your site performance. If you host your podcast on a new website, you’ll want to set it up with these two Google standbys.
2. Google Podcasts Manager
To meet the need that the meteoric rise in podcasts’ popularity created, Google created a tool that targets podcast broadcasters’ unique needs.
With robust audience analytics, you can see real-time insights on who your audience is, when they start listening and where they stop, and on what devices they are listening. Podcasts Manager also plugs into the entire Google universe, allowing you to reach your listeners no matter where they are on Google.
While those insights might not directly relate to “sounding good,” their ability to detect when your audience tunes out can alert you to a problem with your sound, whether it be with your host’s voice itself or a poorly performing sound system.
3. Podcast Platform Analytics
If your brand, like most podcast hosts, utilizes the popularity of podcast platforms, you can take advantage of those platforms’ analytics to gain audience insights. Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts all provide hosts with robust audience analytics to help you refine your podcast quality.
4. Keep an Eye on Your Comments
Early on in your podcast, you’ll want to keep an eye on the feedback listeners provide. It might sting a bit, but if they cared enough to leave a comment, they’ve already invested in your success.
If your sound isn’t up to par, you’ll want to improve it with higher-quality equipment.
On the other hand, if they suggest that the host’s voice isn’t pleasant to listen to, it might be worth investing in some voice lessons (yes, they do have them for speaking) to fix the problem.
5. Facebook Pixel Metrics
Facebook Pixel is a unique bit of code that you can embed on your podcast website. It enables you to see which Facebook users visit your site. Then, when you want to promote your podcast on Facebook to drive growth, you can use that data to target your ads to those users.
6. Number of Downloads and Plays per Episode
The number of downloads or plays each of your episodes has directly relates to your podcast’s popularity and your audience’s engagement. You’ll need to keep track of this number on each of the platforms you choose to host your podcast.
7. Subscriptions to Your Podcast
Comparable to your blog and newsletter subscribers, your podcast subscribers have taken enough interest in your podcast to receive notifications whenever you release a new episode. Just like your regular blog readers, these middle-of-the-funnel prospects need a digital “carrot” to move further along on their buyer’s journey.
For that reason, it’s essential that you not only keep track of this key metric, but you also need to nurture them. These are the people you need to reach with your free trials, in-depth videos, ebooks, and white papers.
Emails that direct them to landing pages whose sole purpose is to get them to look at the advantages your product offers them can be helpful at this point. Additionally, with the data you gather with your podcast and social media analytics, you can target them with email and search ads that promise to address their pain points.
Measuring your subscriptions also gives you insights into how well your podcasts connect with your audience. Growth in your subscription numbers means that you’re on the right track.
8. The Crowning Jewel of Podcast Metrics: ROI
Ultimately, your podcast exists to rake in revenue for your company. Whether you’re a media brand selling airtime to advertisers or produce products and services, you want your podcast to drive sales up.
Measure everything you spend to produce your podcast, including equipment, your ad spend, and any professionals you need to pay. Then subtract that from the revenue you take in from sales directly attributable to your podcast, and you’ll have a good idea of what numbers you need to aim for in the next quarter.
9. Backlinks to Your Podcast
When other websites link to your podcast, it’s a vote of confidence in your industry expertise and helpfulness. People who link to your site act as your brand advocates, encouraging others to seek out the information you offer in your podcast.
Those who click on the backlinks enter the top of your sales funnel, starting the whole cycle all over again, provided you meet your listeners’ needs. It’s well worth the time and money you invest to attract a new audience segment.
However, adding a podcast to your content teams’ already busy content calendar – if you’re like most of the large content teams we serve – can turn content production into chaos if you don’t have a central hub to organize everything.
With DivvyHQ’s content marketing platform, you’ll have a single digital location and the capability to automate most of your routine tasks, including publication to all your chosen channels. From ideation to analyzing the results, it covers all the aspects of content production.
But don’t take our word for it. You can try it for 14 days free – with no obligation on your part. Start your free trial today!