Four Podcast Growth Benchmarks You Should Aim For.

 

Hey Pod Pals!

This newsletter was lovingly curated (without the use of any AI) in real time on Thursday morning at 8:35am CST. 

It's yet another rainy morning here in STL....but I still knocked out a quick walk after breakfast with the family.

Now I'm slowly sipping my cold brew coffee and I'm ready to write!

This week's newsletter is being sponsored by my NEW PROGRAM I'm launching this week!. ⤵️ 

 

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

NEW PROGRAM: Threads Strategies for Podcasters

This is the program where I help podcasters leverage the Threads platform to get more podcast listeners and clients every week!

This program is for you IF:

👉 You want to SIMPLIFY your social media strategy so you can spend 1/2 the amount of time (or less) and get WAY better results.

👉 You are ready to ditch video based social media content.

👉 You want to post on social media and actually get new followers and engagement.

👉 You want to grow your podcast audience and get new clients every week.

🚨Special BONUS for this week only:

Use the code THREADS at checkout and save 50% off of the course and also get lifetime access to my Download Growth Club membership!

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This week we are going to talk about FOUR podcast growth benchmarks that all podcasters should aim for.

We all know that POD-fade (podcasters quitting) is a huge problem in the industry.

I think a big part of this issue is that podcasters have no idea how to measure their success....and sadly.....many podcasters quit that are actually putting up really great download numbers!

Today I'm going to help you establish some achievable podcast growth benchmark goals!

🎯 Benchmark #1: Get to TEN episodes released.

We are starting really simple here but check this out:

👉 Only 17% of all podcasts that are launched make it to this point!

So if you are just getting started....I would map out enough content to get you past the ten episode mark and beyond.

If you are past this point..CONGRATS! 

On to the next goal!

 

🎯 Benchmark #2: Get to 125 downloads per episode on average.

This means you have a top 50% podcast in terms of download numbers!

This stat is measured at 30 days post release. So go back about a month and see how those episode numbers look.

If you aren't quite there yet double down on my three buckets of podcast growth:

🪣 Bucket One: Organic Discovery and SEO. Here's a great podcast episode to help with this one.

🪣 Bucket Two: Paid ad strategies for growth. Here is a recent newsletter that will help with this one.

🪣 Bucket Three: Effort based marketing. Here is another recent newsletter that will help with this bucket.

 

🎯 Benchmark #3: Get to 100 episodes released.

Sadly only about 5% of all podcasts make it to this point. 

Podcasters that make it to 100 episodes usually:

🏆 Have their niche dialed in.

🏆 Have a specific content strategy that allows them to be consistent.

🏆 Aren't afraid to try new things and make micro pivots in order to keep their show fresh and exciting for both the content creator and the audience.

 

🎯 Benchmark #4: Get to 1,000 downloads per episode on average (again measured after 30 days). 

This means you have a top 20% podcast!!!!

Many podcasters are shocked when they hear this stat. A common response is: "1,000....that's IT?"

I'm here to tell you that having 1,000 true fans of your podcast is in fact a big deal....and it's a great place to be!

One of the goals of this newsletter is to make sure you ALL cross this point!

 

Now you all know I aim to over deliver so for all of you with BIG growth goals here are a few bonus benchmarks to shoot for:

🎯 BONUS Benchmark: 2,000 downloads per episode puts you in the top 10% of all podcasts.

🎯 BONUS Benchmark: 5,000 downloads per episode puts you in the top 5% of all podcasts.

🎯 BONUS Benchmark: 12,000 downloads per episode puts you in the top 2% of all podcasts.

🎯 BONUS Benchmark: 21,000 downloads per episode puts you in the top 1% of all podcasts.

**Shout out to Rob Walch from Libsyn for providing these stats for us all!**

 

 

Now that I've got your podcast growth motivation peaked....I want you to dive into this week's podcast episode where I teach you about the social media platform I'm using to get new podcast listeners....DAILY!

🎤 Podcasting Business School Episode 568: How I'm using the Threads app for podcast growth.

Top takeaways:

-What exactly IS Threads?

-Why podcasters should consider putting more effort into Threads.

-9 things that will help you grow your podcast with the Threads platform.

-3 things to avoid doing on the Threads platform. 

 

 

📈 Download Growth Club question of the week:

"Why is WEEKLY podcast content such a big deal...won't that lead to burnout?" 

This is one of my favorite questions to tackle because I believe this is the biggest misconception in the entire podcasting industry!

Podcasters do NOT burn out from releasing weekly episodes.

They CAN burn out from trying to create content every week....this is why I teach my clients and listeners to batch record episodes.

Weekly podcast episodes are a superpower for podcasters because we get to insert our content into the life routine of our listeners.

They listen to your show in a regular routine/rhythm like: 

🎧 Every Wednesday on their drive to work.

🎧 Every Thursday evening while they do Bulgarian Split Squats at the gym.

🎧 Every Saturday while they take their dog to the dog park.

If you decide to not release a weekly episode, your listeners will listen to someone else's content!

We all work SO HARD to get new listeners.....we have to do our best to keep them by releasing content every week!

 

 

🚀 Podcast Launch Tip of the week:

Many new podcasters make the mistake of creating their episodes "on the fly" without being strategic or planning at all.

Now I agree that releasing any content is a WIN....but you are my Pod Pals...so I want BETTER for you!

One of my favorite exercises to do with my Podcast Launch Blueprint clients is to have them map out 52 potential podcast topics...before we even launch!

I know that some of you are freaking out at the thought of this but the way I teach it...this will only take about 30 minutes of your time...I promise!

⭐️ In episode 090 of Podcast Launch Tips I do a deep dive on my 52 episode content mapping strategy.

  

 

 🤩 Client testimonial of the week: My client Lacey Baxter has a show called Funnel Building Strategies for Online Business Owners.

Check out what he has to say about working with me inside of me:

"I hired Adam to help me launch my podcast. I wanted to launch with confidence. I wanted to nail the title of my show, the artwork, the description, and come up with an episode plan that I felt good about. That is EXACTLY what we were able to do by working together. I actually got a new customer from the podcast on the FIRST DAY that it went live!"

 

➡️ If you are ready to get some help with launch a new podcast that attracts your ideal clients..... Hop on my Podcast Profit Potential Discovery Call Calendar and we can talk about working together.

 

 

✍🏻What's happening on the Threads app this week: Here is a long form SuperThread post that you might like:

"Here are 9 things about podcast content creation that I wish I knew when I first started podcasting...." Full post HERE

 

I hope that you are enjoying this weekly newsletter!

Today I'm working on a free 90 minute workshop I will be hosting on May 20th. I will be teaching about five ways to grow your podcast without social media. You can go GRAB A SPOT HERE!

Talk to you next week!

Your Pod Pal,

Adam

 

⭐️ P.S. Ready for some help with your podcast launch, growth, or with getting more clients from your podcast?⭐️ 

Sign up for a FREE Podcast Profit Potential Discovery Call.