---
aliases: ["Podcast Downloads"]
Is A: Measure
Belongs to: "[[responsibility-podcast]]"
Unit: "downloads/episode"
---
# Podcast Downloads

Podcast downloads per episode is the primary audience metric for [[responsibility-podcast]]. It measures reach and listener interest at the episode level, providing a clearer signal than total downloads (which inflate with back-catalog listens). Growing downloads per episode indicates that the podcast is building a loyal, returning audience rather than relying on one-off spikes.

This metric is also the foundation for podcast-specific sponsorship pricing. Sponsors price based on CPM (cost per mille downloads), so episode-level downloads directly determine [[measure-sponsorship-mrr]] contribution from the podcast channel.

## How it's tracked

Measured as 30-day downloads per episode, which is the industry standard for podcast measurement. Each episode's download count is pulled from the podcast hosting platform 30 days after publication and logged in the tracking spreadsheet. Monthly averages are calculated across all episodes published that month. Reviewed during [[procedure-podcast-analytics]].

## Targets

- **Minimum**: 500 downloads per episode. Below this, the podcast is not reaching a viable audience and may not justify the production investment.
- **Target**: 1,500-2,000 downloads per episode. This range supports meaningful sponsor CPM rates and indicates a growing, engaged listener base.
- **Stretch**: 3,000+ downloads per episode. At this level, the podcast becomes a significant independent revenue channel.

## Notes

- Downloads grew from ~400 in early Season 1 ([[24q1-podcast-season-1]]) to ~1,300 by late Season 2 ([[24q3-podcast-season-2]]). The growth trajectory is healthy.
- Interview episodes consistently outperform solo episodes in downloads (roughly 1.5x). However, solo episodes have higher completion rates, suggesting deeper engagement per listener.
- Cross-promotion from the newsletter is the primary discovery channel. Mentions in the newsletter drive 60-70% of initial episode downloads.
- Consider tracking unique listeners in addition to downloads for a more accurate audience size picture. One listener may download on multiple devices.
- Seasonal patterns exist: downloads dip in summer and around holidays. Plan high-investment episodes for high-attention windows (September, January).
