Grow The Show: Episode 198 | "3 Reasons Your Podcast Is Doing Better Than You Think"

Release Date: November 11, 2024
Host: Kevin Chemidlin

Introduction

In Episode 198 of Grow The Show, titled "3 Reasons Your Podcast Is Doing Better Than You Think," host Kevin Chemidlin delves into the common frustrations podcasters face regarding their show's growth. Drawing from his extensive experience of helping over 400 podcasters build profitable brands, Kevin identifies three unique challenges in the podcasting landscape that often lead creators to feel stagnant. This episode aims to shift listeners' perspectives, helping them recognize their podcast's hidden successes and understand the distinctive dynamics of podcast audience growth.

1. Podcast Metrics Are Private

Timestamp: [00:00 - 17:30]

Kevin begins by addressing the pervasive frustration among podcasters, including those with substantial followings and established brands, who feel their podcast isn't growing despite outward indicators of success. He explains that unlike platforms like YouTube or Instagram, where metrics such as subscribers and likes are publicly visible, podcasting operates in a realm where download numbers remain private.

Key Insights:

• Lack of Public Metrics: Unlike other social media platforms, podcasters can't publicly see how their peers are performing. This secrecy leads to assumptions that other shows have significantly higher download numbers, fostering unnecessary self-doubt.

• Misconception of Success: Kevin highlights a common misconception where podcasters believe that achieving 1,000 downloads per episode is underwhelming. In reality, he asserts, "You do not understand that that is an upper echelon of podcasting" ([06:45]). Many podcasters are performing better than they realize because they are unaware of the private nature of podcast metrics.

• Impact on Guest Appearances: He shares an example where a podcaster spent considerable time appearing on 30 different shows, only to realize through estimated listener numbers that these appearances yielded minimal reach. This illustrates how private metrics can lead to ineffective growth strategies.

Notable Quote:

"Podcast downloads is a completely private metric. There is no public growth metric that podcasts have." — Kevin Chemidlin ([05:10])

2. Podcast Audience Growth Is Not Cumulative

Timestamp: [17:31 - 35:45]

Kevin contrasts podcast audience dynamics with those of other content platforms. While platforms like YouTube and Instagram benefit from cumulative growth—where subscribers and followers steadily build over time—podcasting does not function in the same decentralized manner.

Key Insights:

• Decentralized Consumption: Podcasts are consumed across various platforms (Apple, Spotify, YouTube, etc.), making it challenging to track a unified audience size.

• Misleading Perceptions: Using YouTube as an analogy, Kevin explains how a YouTube creator with a million subscribers but relatively low views per video might feel underwhelmed. Similarly, podcasters might feel stuck when their current download numbers don't reflect the total audience they've built over time.

• Non-Cumulative Metrics: Unlike subscriber counts that aggregate over time, podcast downloads are episode-specific. This means "When you measure your success by downloads, you are measuring success only by how many downloads your last episode got" ([28:20]).

• Hidden Audience Growth: Despite stagnant download numbers, podcasters may have a growing cumulative audience that isn't immediately visible through download metrics alone.

Notable Quote:

"The fallacy with the metric that is downloads. When you measure your success by downloads, you are measuring success only by how many downloads your last episode got." — Kevin Chemidlin ([28:20])

3. Podcast Audience Behavior Is Different

Timestamp: [35:46 - 54:30]

The third challenge Kevin addresses revolves around the unique behavior of podcast audiences. Unlike other content mediums where consumption can be more spontaneous or continuous, podcast listening is often a companion activity, integrated into specific routines or moments.

Key Insights:

• Companion Medium: Podcast listeners typically engage with content while multitasking—such as exercising, commuting, or performing chores. This creates a fixed "shelf space" where listeners can allocate their limited listening time.

• Content Duration and Commitment: Podcasts vary in length, from short 15-minute episodes to extensive 3-hour discussions. The time commitment required influences how many podcasts a listener can regularly follow.

• Discovery and Drop-off: As listeners discover new shows, they often rotate or replace existing ones in their rotation. This natural churn means that download numbers may not consistently reflect the total engaged audience.

• Static Attention Supply: Kevin posits that the overall demand for audio content hasn't significantly increased, possibly even declining post-COVID due to reduced commuting. However, the quality and production values of existing podcasts have risen, increasing competition for listeners' attention.

Notable Quote:

"If you have 2,000 downloads per episode, or a thousand or even 500 or more, it is not the same people every single time. And it's not like your audience is 2,000 people. It's 2,000 people downloaded that last episode." — Kevin Chemidlin ([43:15])

Implications of These Realities

Timestamp: [54:31 - 1:10:00]

Understanding these three realities can significantly alter how podcasters perceive their growth and success. Kevin emphasizes that many negative feelings stem from misinterpretations and comparisons due to the inherent privacy and non-cumulative nature of podcast metrics.

Key Insights:

• Mindset Shift: By recognizing that download numbers don't capture the full scope of their audience, podcasters can alleviate feelings of inadequacy and frustration.

• Audience Engagement: Knowing that listeners rotate through shows and that cumulative audience growth exists, even if invisible, can encourage podcasters to focus on engaging content and listener retention rather than solely chasing download spikes.

• Competitive Landscape: With higher production standards, podcasters must prioritize quality and differentiation to stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

Notable Quote:

"It is going to be a lot easier to change your mindset than it will be to change these realities. So just keep that in mind. You're doing better than you think, I promise you." — Kevin Chemidlin ([1:08:50])

Recommendations

Timestamp: [1:10:01 - 1:20:00]

To combat the challenges outlined, Kevin offers actionable advice for podcasters:

1. Track Total Audience Size:

   • Instead of focusing solely on download numbers, Kevin recommends aggregating audience metrics across all platforms (Instagram followers, YouTube subscribers, email list subscribers, TikTok followers, etc.) into a single spreadsheet.
   • This holistic approach provides a clearer picture of overall audience growth, revealing incremental gains that might otherwise go unnoticed.

2. Embrace a Broader Growth Strategy:

   • Encourage podcasters to diversify their presence across multiple platforms to build and track their total audience.
   • Understanding that each platform contributes to the overall reach can help in creating more comprehensive growth strategies.

Notable Quote:

"Track your total audience size, not your downloads, or I should say in addition to your downloads." — Kevin Chemidlin ([1:12:15])

Conclusion

Kevin wraps up the episode by reinforcing the importance of adapting one's mindset to the unique realities of podcasting. By acknowledging that podcast metrics are private, audience growth is non-cumulative, and listener behavior is distinct, podcasters can better appreciate their progress and strategize effectively for future growth.

Final Thoughts:

• Acceptance and Adaptation: Embracing these realities can lead to greater satisfaction and motivation, reducing the tendency to unfairly compare oneself to others.

• Continuous Learning: Kevin encourages podcasters to seek out resources, such as the Grow the Show Academy, for tools and strategies to enhance their podcast's growth and monetization.

Notable Quote:

"If you are going to be a podcaster, you have to make peace with these three realities that I have outlined. They don't look like they're going to change anytime soon." — Kevin Chemidlin ([1:18:00])

Key Takeaways

1. Privacy of Metrics: Podcast download numbers are private, leading to misconceptions about one's standing in the podcasting community.

2. Non-Cumulative Growth: Unlike other platforms, podcast audience growth isn't cumulative, making it challenging to gauge overall progress.

3. Unique Listener Behavior: Podcast listeners engage with content in specific contexts, affecting how and when they consume episodes.

4. Holistic Tracking: Podcasters should track audience metrics across all platforms to gain a true understanding of their growth.

5. Mindset Adjustment: Accepting the unique challenges of podcasting can improve satisfaction and drive more effective growth strategies.

By shifting the focus from isolated download numbers to a comprehensive view of audience engagement across multiple platforms, Kevin Chemidlin empowers podcasters to recognize their true progress and navigate the evolving podcasting landscape with confidence.