With all the attention podcast statistics are getting right now, we thought it seemed like a good time to sum up the most important things podcasters need to know when it comes to crunching those numbers…and making them count:
Podcasts that are listened to from a browser window (like on a website or show notes post) do “count” as downloads.
Contrary to what many believe, if a listener plays your podcast in their browser window, it is a download, and is recorded just like it would be if they were listening on iTunes or another podcast application. So while it’s great to get people to subscribe to your show in iTunes if possible, it’s not the end of the world if some of your listeners prefer to listen the old-fashioned way!
Blubrry and other industry leaders use sophisticated methods to accurately measure each podcast’s listenership.
Contrary to recent implications of a “Wild West” environment when it comes to reporting podcasting statistics, Blubrry and other industry leaders have long ensured that download data is accurate, measurable and honest. In particular, Blubrry has always taken great pride in the accuracy of our statistics, which means we work hard to cancel out erroneous downloads via constant monitoring and proprietary algorithms that we regularly tweak. Blubrry has built custom filters to prevent fraud, and in some cases, even white label IP’s that originate from enterprise networks.
So if you’re using Blubrry statistics, you can be confident that the number of downloads reported for your podcast is as accurate as is scientifically possible. Combined with the provided show trending data, podcasters can get a very good picture of their show’s overall audience size and whether the show is growing.
Numbers aren’t everything.
As RawVoice/Blubrry CEO Todd Cochrane said emphatically in our recent Q&A about 2016 podcasting trends: to Blubrry, you’re more than just a set of numbers! Whether your show is large or small, or you have 50,000 listeners per episode or 10, you’re important to us – and as they continue to evolve along with this space, you’re increasingly important to advertisers, too.
The upshot? Definitely keep an eye on your podcast stats – they can tell you a lot about trends and help you watch your audience grow, and they’re essential for landing deals with advertisers. But don’t obsess. Numbers are important, but they aren’t everything. Focus on creating the highest-quality content you possibly can and building a relationship with your audience, and watch your influence – and yes, over time, your stats – grow.