Last week, we shared Blubrry CEO Todd Cochrane’s tips for increasing podcast engagement. In part 2 of our series on using metrics to your advantage, gleaned from Todd’s presentation at Podcast Movement, you’ll find out how to use your stats to increase your audience and make your podcast even better.
Sure, you check your podcast stats every now and then, but do you really understand what they mean – or how you can use the information to make your show better, more engaging, and more widely listened-to? In his recent talk at Podcast Movement 2016, Todd Cochrane shared what he’s learned via ongoing study of podcasts and podcast websites. Some of the more surprising stats that his research has revealed:
- 36% offered no way to play or download the podcast directly from the site
- 27% buried the podcast feed on a secondary page, rather than the site’s home page
- 61% of podcast sites did not mention Android or give Android users a way to listen or subscribe, and just 2% of podcast websites studied included a Google Play link
- And 65% had show notes consisting of less than one paragraph of text.
While all audiences are different, Cochrane believes there are important lessons to be learned from these numbers…and that some simple tweaks can make a big difference in your show’s success. Some of his takeaway tips from the presentation:
- Don’t ignore Android. Currently 17.1% of consumption as of June 2016. Blubrry’s One-click Subscribe on Android plugin makes it easy for your Android users to subscribe to your show, and can be installed on your site with a simple snippet of code. Google Play for Podcasts is still new, but will continue to grow. Don’t overlook these potential audience goldmines!
- Consider beefing up your show notes. Cochrane credits his site’s high traffic with his in-depth show notes, which often include high-traffic timely keywords as well as long-tail search terms that lead a steady stream of new listeners to his virtual door on a daily basis.
- Check bounce rates. If your bounce rate – the number of people who click to your podcast site, then click away in less than three seconds – is high, it’s telling you something about your site. Could your site be more easy-to-navigate? Could your podcast be more prominently featured on the main page? Or maybe your podcast site is one of the 41% that isn’t mobile-ready. Remedying these issues can lead to more engagement and more listens.
- Put your show posts on your website’s home page. Don’t make potential listeners go on a deep-sea dive to find your podcast! Regular blog posts and podcast episodes are all part of your online presence. Give them equal exposure, and remember, more content = more traffic.
- Make it easy for your audience to listen right from your site. A surprising number of listeners prefer to consume podcasts right in the browser window (hopefully as they spend tons of time browsing your site.) Give them a simple way to do this! Blubrry’s updated audio player is one easy, attractive and customizable option.