Measuring success is essential when launching a podcast. You need to track performance, and if you’re just starting, setting realistic KPIs is key—especially when creating content for a brand, institution, or organization with internal reporting needs. As the saying goes, “What gets measured gets managed,” and having clear metrics helps ensure your podcast reaches its full potential.
Managing expectations: podcast metrics are different, but quality is key
In a digital landscape dominated by quick-scroll content, podcasts offer a unique advantage. Each “listen” represents a meaningful engagement, counted only after at least a full minute. This is vastly different from fleeting social media views, which often register in just a few seconds. Comparing podcast listens to TikTok or Instagram views is like comparing apples to oranges: the level of attention required is vastly different (a few seconds vs. one minute). While you may have fewer listens than social media views, each listen is highly valuable: listeners are investing time and attention, allowing your brand to deliver a richer, more nuanced message that builds both trust and credibility.
Research[1] confirms this impact: brands with their own podcasts are perceived as closer to their audience (84%), more innovative (83%), more responsible (78%), and more credible (77%). Podcasts provide an intimate space for organizations to share their stories and values far beyond traditional ad formats.
Setting realistic KPIs: criteria impacting your number of downloads and listeners
Before jumping in to set expectations or KPIs, take time to think about what will limit or boost your number of listens. The number of podcast downloads you should target depends on several factors:
- Content quality: This is fundamental. Before worrying about initial listen numbers, make sure your content is strong. While promotion is essential, content quality is the foundation for success.
- Your target audience: If your podcast serves a niche audience, you may not attract millions of listeners—but reaching the right people can have a greater impact than sheer volume.
- Promotion strategy: A podcast’s reach is closely tied to its promotional strategy. Consider using a mix of social media posts, paid advertising, programmatic campaigns on listening platforms, host-read ads, or collaboration with other creators to extend your audience. Want to increase listens for an existing podcast? Great, but that should come with an adapted plan: intensify promotions or collaborate with other podcasts to reach new audiences. Set realistic growth goals based on your action plan.
- Language and localization: Podcasts in multiple languages can reach broader, more diverse audiences, so consider translation if you aim to increase impact across regions.
How much podcast download should you aim for?
Now that you know what to consider, you can start thinking about KPIs. Setting the right KPIs is crucial for tracking and reporting podcast success, especially for organizations.
- Set personalised benchmarks: If your podcast is already live, use your current listen counts as a baseline and establish KPIs that align with your promotion efforts.
- Using competitor benchmarks: If you know listen counts for similar podcasts, use them as a benchmark. When stats aren’t available, look to public rankings on Apple Podcasts or Spotify as a way to measure your position relative to competitors.
- For new podcasts: Don’t put too much pressure on initial listen numbers. Focus first on content quality and building a strong promotional base. Then, use relevant benchmarks from other marketing efforts. Rather than using social media (see above why), think for example about your events attendance. Visualize your audience like a room full of listeners: how many people do you expect? Hundreds? Thousands? Several thousands?
Beyond the number of download
Focusing solely on the number of listens can be too limiting when it comes to measuring a podcast’s impact. While listen counts are a valuable metric, a podcast’s true value often lies in its ability to fuel your entire marketing strategy. Each episode can do much more than just reach listeners directly—it can serve as versatile content that supports multiple channels, amplifying your brand’s message across platforms and reaching audiences in different ways.
Repurposing podcast content for social media is particularly effective. Clips from episodes, highlights, and quotable moments make excellent, shareable content for LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and even TikTok. These snippets can attract audiences who might not directly engage with your podcast but may be inspired to listen to full episodes. Even if video viewers don’t visit your podcast, they’re still exposed to your message. Podcasts also help strengthen your social media presence and audience engagement.
Boosting internal engagement
Podcasts are also valuable for internal engagement and cross-team collaboration. Sharing relevant episodes with staff can foster a deeper understanding of the brand’s mission, values, and messaging, helping to align teams and inspire engagement. Additionally, like external communication, internal podcast content can support other channels such as intranet articles, newsletters, and team events.
To evaluate your podcast’s internal impact, include KPIs like intranet listens, newsletter open rates, and survey results among employees.
Conclusion: measuring success beyond the numbers
When setting KPIs for your podcast, it’s essential to broaden your perspective beyond download counts alone. A podcast’s impact extends well beyond listen numbers—it can fuel your entire marketing mix and elevate other channels. Ensure your KPIs include metrics that capture cross-channel impact and internal engagement, in addition to listens.
Podcasts provide a unique way to connect with audiences through authentic, in-depth storytelling, creating a ripple effect that can strengthen your brand across channels. By adopting a holistic approach to measuring success, you’ll capture the full value your podcast brings to your organization, from listener engagement to brand alignment and cross-channel impact.
Looking to launch a podcast that drives engagement across your marketing strategy? Europod can help you make an impact in the European digital space. Let’s have a chat!
[1] Baromètre CSA-Havas Paris (6ème édition), 2024.
