Common Podcast Downloads: At-a-glance:
- Podcasting is long-form content material. Don’t evaluate podcast obtain numbers with YouTube performs, social media “likes”, or follower counts.
- Potential viewers sizes are completely depending on present subjects. There’s no single podcast obtain numbers gauge right here.
- Nevertheless, statistically, for those who recover from 28 downloads for a brand new episode within the first week of its launch, you’re within the prime 50% of all podcasters.
- Learn on to search out out extra…
Obtain numbers are one of the vital apparent metrics for measuring the success of your podcast.
Obtain stats are instantly accessible from the minute you launch your first episode. Watching the numbers climb will be rewarding—some would possibly even say addictive.
However after the preliminary novelty has worn off, it’s pure for podcasters to start asking the query, “Are my common podcast downloads good?”.
So, are your podcast obtain numbers “good”? Let’s have a look.
How Many Podcast Downloads Ought to I Be Getting?
In a world of YouTube views and Twitter/X followers, we’ve grow to be accustomed to figures within the a whole lot of hundreds (and even thousands and thousands!).
It’s essential to understand, although, that these numbers are utterly irrelevant to podcasting. The effort and time it takes to click on ‘Comply with’ on social or watch just a few seconds of a YouTube video ought to by no means be in comparison with listening to podcast episodes.
Podcast listening is a dedication and an funding. It’s long-form content material that isn’t instantly accessible by way of shiny sidebars and viral social media clickbait.
So, evaluating your common podcast downloads to another person’s Instagram followers is like evaluating the variety of rooms in your home to the variety of timber within the Amazon. It’s utterly irrelevant and completely pointless.
Does it (as Standard) Rely upon Your Content material?
In fact it does.
May a present about breeding Russian white dwarf hamsters realistically anticipate to see the identical common podcast downloads as a present about Recreation of Thrones? Completely not.
Does this imply that the podcast with extra downloads is the extra profitable one? Once more, completely not.
When you run a podcast a few matter that was solely fascinating to actually ten folks on the earth, and also you have been getting seven downloads an episode, statistically, you’d be working the most well-liked present in historical past.
The massive issue is the dimensions of your potential viewers. Listed here are a few issues to think about.
Firstly, what number of people on the market have an interest sufficient in your matter to really wish to eat content material about it?
Secondly, what number of of these persons are present podcast listeners?
Case Research – Board Recreation Design Lab
Gabe, who runs the Board Game Design Lab Podcast, shared some nice phrases of knowledge on a recent episode of Podcraft.
“The ceiling for board recreation design is fairly low. It’s not like Joe Rogan; it’s not like Tim Ferriss, the place the entire world is type of potential, proper? And so, you must be extra intentional about not overspending. It’s like, how many individuals are there? How many individuals are in your {industry} and hearken to podcasts and care about what you’re doing?”
Pondering alongside these strains will assist carry you nearer to seeing what these chilly exhausting obtain stats let you know. They will help you set life like objectives that don’t contain drawing comparisons with viral movies, movie star social media accounts, and behemoth podcasts just like the JRE.
Viewers High quality & Engagement
An viewers may appear “small” in a numerical sense. However with long-form content material like podcasting, exhibits with smaller however extra area of interest hyper-targeted audiences are sometimes thought-about the extra profitable.
I’ve given this instance earlier than. When you ran a podcast in regards to the know-how wanted to fly folks to Mars, and your solely listener was Elon Musk, would you think about this a profitable present?
Granted, it’s a far-fetched instance. However it’s all the time extra about precisely who is listening quite than what number of of them there are.
And, it’s in regards to the engagement. This isn’t one thing that may be achieved in a single day. However, for those who’re creating good content material, over time, you’ll start to listen to out of your listeners.
This may very well be since you’ve requested them a query or beneficial they examine one thing out. Or it may very well be since you’ve talked a few topic that resonated with them a lot that they felt compelled to succeed in out.
Measuring engagement requires a little bit extra digging than merely observing your obtain stats dashboard. However typically, they’ll let you know much more in regards to the influence your present is having.
In case your podcast host offers this information, check out the geography of your podcast downloads. Are you instantly getting a burst of downloads in a specific area or nation? In that case, you would possibly wish to examine the information and discover out what’s taking place there. It’s all about measuring podcast engagement.
I Nonetheless Need a Gauge on Common Podcast Downloads per Episode
Buzzsprout is among the largest podcast-hosting platforms on the earth, with effectively over 120,000 lively exhibits publishing content material there.
Internet hosting this many podcasts means Buzzsprout has loads of helpful information to analyse. This offers them an correct image of podcast downloads on an industry-wide degree. The excellent news is that Buzzsprout makes their world information out there to everybody on their Platform Stats page.
Right here’s one of many key sections that’ll curiosity any podcaster.
How Many Podcast Downloads Is Good?
In case your new episode will get, inside seven days of its launch:
- greater than 28 downloads, you’re within the prime 50% of podcasts.
- greater than 109 downloads, you’re within the prime 25% of podcasts.
- greater than 462 downloads, you’re within the prime 10% of podcasts.
- greater than 1,101 downloads, you’re within the prime 5% of podcasts.
- greater than 4,707 downloads, you’re within the prime 1% of podcasts.
[Updated Jan, 2025]
And listed below are another fascinating stats from this web page, on the time of writing.
Podcast Downloads on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, & Google Podcasts
37.2% of listening takes place on Spotify, with 33.2% on Apple Podcasts.
Buzzsprout
Podcast Obtain Areas
42.5% of downloads come from the USA, with 6.1% from the UK, and 4.6% from Canada, and 4.4% from Australia. The Netherlands are in fifth place with 3.9% of the share.
Buzzsprout
Podcast Obtain Gadgets
Cellular accounts for 88% of all podcast downloads, with 62.5% of these coming by way of the Apple iPhone.
Buzzsprout
Need Extra Podcast Statistics?
When you’re a fan of podcast stats, then remember to try our podcast industry trends put up. We often replace this text with all the newest information that will help you maintain your finger on the heart beat. You’ll discover the whole lot, from podcast listenership stats (like the most well-liked podcast style) to the newest Edison analysis.
What About Month-to-month Podcast Listeners & Downloads?
Some creators would possibly say, “Oh, I get 10,000 downloads a month, ” however that doesn’t let you know something about their common podcast obtain numbers. As an alternative, it means that they’ve revealed loads of episodes so far.
For instance, we run a every day present known as Pocket-Sized Podcasting, which has a whole lot of revealed episodes. Subscribers get one fast ‘how-to podcast’ tip every day, from Monday by way of to Friday. When new listeners discover the present, they have an inclination to binge by way of the again catalogue. This implies our whole month-to-month downloads can get fairly excessive, even when the brand new episode downloads are within the “modest” vary.
Podcasting Numbers: Downloads & Listens FAQ
We are sometimes requested about podcast obtain numbers in our IndiePod Community. Listed here are just a few of essentially the most frequent questions.
Do I Have to Share My Obtain Numbers With Anybody?
Nope, by no means. Although you may be requested for them for those who’re speaking to potential sponsors about podcast advertisements, or, for those who’re in discussions with any podcast networks. Some potential visitors would possibly even desire a gauge of your numbers earlier than agreeing to come back on. If so, it’s greatest to create a media kit the place you’ll be able to optimally current this information. Additionally, remember to clarify that viewers engagement is simply as (if no more) essential than exhausting numbers. As we’ve mentioned so many instances on this information, obtain numbers by no means inform the entire story.
Can I See How Many Downloads Different Podcasts Are Getting?
Not until the podcast host makes their stats publically out there.
That mentioned, it may be potential to search out an approximate information utilizing a third-party analytics instrument like Podtrac. You may seek for the podcast in query and see if it’s listed of their listing. Whether it is, you may even see some primary metrics, such because the variety of downloads, subscribers, and podcast viewers demographics. It’s price taking any numbers you discover with a pinch of salt, although, as they might not be wholly correct.
Do Extra Podcast Evaluations Equate to Extra Downloads?
Having a number of scores and evaluations on podcast apps could make a present appear to be it has an enormous viewers. Typically, that is the case, and the present has reached a important mass of listeners leaving evaluations. It isn’t a rule with out exception, although. Some exhibits have numerically small however tremendous engaged audiences, while different podcasters could actively seek out reviews utilizing numerous strategies. Once more, this strategy may give you a touch, but it surely’ll by no means inform the entire story.
Do All Profitable Podcasts Have “Huge” Obtain Numbers?
Positively not. A few of the most profitable podcasts on the market have numerically small audiences as a result of the topic is extremely niche. Area of interest audiences are among the most engaged and fanatical, although. There’s nothing to say {that a} podcaster in a sure area of interest won’t work full-time on their present with an viewers of “solely” 100 folks.
Can My Internet hosting Supplier Get Me Extra Downloads?
Podcast internet hosting platforms will not be accountable for your present’s development or obtain numbers. In our article on changing podcast host, we discuss how these providers set you up with podcast feeds, provide the instruments and report the details, but the rest is up to you.
Podcast Downloads vs Listens: What’s the Distinction?
The tip result’s sometimes the identical: the viewers hears your content material. Nevertheless, there are some refined variations between podcast listens and podcast downloads.
A obtain is when the episode is—funnily sufficient—downloaded onto a tool comparable to a pc, pill, or smartphone. From a listener’s viewpoint, this makes it extra versatile to eat since you’re not reliant on an web connection.
However from a podcaster, community, or advertiser’s viewpoint, it makes it more durable to “show” {that a} pay attention has occurred. In any case, somebody would possibly obtain an episode however by no means really hear it.
A “pay attention” will be enjoying a beforehand downloaded episode, or it may be somebody streaming an episode by way of the online or a podcast listening app. This may make it simpler to see that listening has really occurred. That mentioned, it’s a mistake to attempt to power your viewers to stream quite than obtain. Let people make up their very own minds about how they like to eat your content material.
If it’s worthwhile to reveal to sponsors, advertisers, and so forth, that your obtain numbers precisely replicate your listener numbers, you’ll be able to present engagement by way of elements and methods comparable to audience surveys, and your Calls to Action.
Abstract: Common Podcast Downloads Information
In the end, asking, “What’s a great variety of downloads for a podcast?” is just like asking, “How lengthy is a chunk of string?” Each case is exclusive, and no two podcasts are the identical.
By all means, maintain observe of your obtain stats. However this isn’t going to assist develop your present.
As an alternative, spend your time on the issues that do transfer the needle. Right here’s our pillar information to rising an viewers, which will help kind the premise of a stable and efficient podcast promotion plan:
Podcast Promotion: From Your First 100 Listeners to Your Subsequent 100K!
Read article called: Podcast Promotion: From Your First 100 Listeners to Your Next 100K!
And eventually, just a few questions for you:
Based mostly in your matter, what do you’re feeling your podcast’s potential viewers is, and the way does that stack up towards your current viewers numbers? How a lot development do you could have left on the desk? And what are your subsequent steps for reaching these new listeners?
Hop into the IndiePod Community and tell us!
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