Podcast Summary: "12 Signs Your Podcast Is Actually Working"

Podcast: School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast
Host: Dave Jackson
Episode: 12 Signs Your Podcast Is Actually Working
Date: November 24, 2025

Episode Overview

Dave Jackson, an acclaimed podcasting coach and Podcaster Hall of Fame inductee, tackles a pressing question: How do you measure podcast success? Many new and seasoned podcasters obsess over download numbers, but Dave emphasizes there are at least 12 other meaningful metrics. This episode unpacks these alternative measures, gives practical advice, shares personal stories, and delivers plenty of encouragement for podcasters concerned about their show's effectiveness and growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reframing Podcast Success

• Challenging Download Obsession:
  Most people equate podcast success with downloads, but Dave urges listeners to consider what really matters for their personal or business goals.
• "Why are you doing this? Who is this for? What's your content gonna be? And then how are you going to measure your success?" (00:42)

2. 12 Alternative Signs Your Podcast Is Working

1. Listener Completion Percentage

• Use Apple and Spotify dashboards to see how much of your episodes listeners actually consume.
• Dave’s advice: "Be careful what you wish for, because sometimes you find out, oof, maybe 42% of people listen to my show. Is that good? Well, it's a place to start." (04:33)
• Watch for sudden drop-offs to identify where listeners bail out and adjust content accordingly.

2. Engaged Listeners vs. Unique Listeners

• Engaged listeners: Those who stick around for 20 minutes or 40% of an episode.
• Platforms define metrics differently—Spotify highlights ‘reach’, ‘interest’, and ‘consumption’.
• Optimize titles and artwork to increase engagement. Don’t be clickbaity: “Look at your episode title as a promise.” (09:08)

3. Unprovoked Audience Feedback

• Definition: Valuable, organic responses like emails or messages that weren’t directly solicited.
• "When you get that feedback, always, I can like, bold, double underline, always reply to that and start a conversation." (15:44)
• Example: A listener’s suggestion inspires future episode topics.

4. Email List Growth

• Email lists often correlate more closely to business outcomes than downloads.
• Dave reports: "Just by promoting it and I have pop ups now on my website... it did grow my email list by 40%." (20:33)
• Utilize lead magnets tailored for listeners.

5. Community Growth

• Track the size and activity of your community (Facebook, Discord, Heartbeat, Circle, etc.).
• Cautionary tale: Dave warns against relying on free services—he once got banned from his own Facebook group for appearing to ‘spam’ about his own event. (25:13)
• Memorable quote: "Mark Lawley of Practical Prepping... has 115,000 people in his Facebook group. That’s a stadium full of people!" (24:54)

6. Revenue & Customer Growth

• If monetization is your goal, prioritize measuring customers, revenue, and especially profit over downloads.
• Dave notes: "If the goal is money, I believe you should be measuring your success in income... profit is the key metric." (29:03)

7. Attribution: How People Find You

• Ask how new fans discovered you; many will cite your podcast even if you have other, larger platforms.
• Story: Pat Flynn was surprised that, despite his blog’s success, podcast listeners formed the core of his dedicated fans. (31:04)

8. Unprovoked Speaking or Media Invites

• Being invited to speak or appear elsewhere is a strong indicator of impact and authority.
• Personal note: Dave’s upcoming speaking gigs at major podcast conferences result from such opportunities. (33:07)
• Suggestion: Platforms like Podmatch could provide useful statistics about your guest appearances per year.

9. Authority & Being Quoted

• Are you referenced or quoted by others? Are websites linking to your content?
• Quote: “Have you ever heard yourself being quoted? I have. It’s kind of cool. It’s hard to watch your ego!” (35:45)
• Tools like SEMrush or Google can show who’s linking to your site for authority tracking.

10. Consistency of Release Schedule

• Regular publishing, even when not perfectly on schedule, signals professionalism and builds listener trust.
• Example: “I would much rather have a ‘late show’ that was remarkable than an on-time show that was just okay.” (39:28)
• Listeners build routines around your release days.

11. Quality of Audience

• Are you attracting the right listeners? Audience alignment trumps sheer volume.
• Examples:
  • Daniel J. Lewis: Intended a "courage to podcast" show but attracted users seeking Audacity software tips—he adapted content accordingly. (46:10)
  • Super Joe Pardo: Adjusted his content to better match the audience he attracted or targeted.
• Key point: “You don’t monetize a podcast, you monetize an audience.” (48:03)

12. Fun and Fulfillment Factor

• Are you having fun? Do you feel fulfilled and see personal growth?
• Sage advice: "Take your life and see if there's enough room to squeeze in your podcast, not vice versa." (50:13)
• Improvement as a communicator and growing confidence are valuable markers of success.
• Listener story: Nancy May noticed Dave’s hosting style improved dramatically over the years—a reminder that personal progress is success too.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On chasing the download dragon: “If I only base my success on downloads, I would need medication.” (02:04)
• On episode titles: “Look at your episode title as a promise.” (09:08)
• On unexpected community struggles: “I got kicked out of my own Facebook group… they banned me and said I was a spammer. I’m like, it’s my Facebook group!” (25:13)
• On monetization myths: “I hear a lot of gurus like, ‘Oh, I did $8 million last year.’ I’m like, okay, how much profit did you make? ‘Oh, $13.57…’” (29:50)
• On personal growth: “Are you a better communicator or interviewer than when you first started?” (51:23)

Important Timestamps for Segments

• 00:42 – Setting up the problem: Downloads as default metric
• 04:33 – Listener completion percentage and dashboards
• 09:08 – Crafting compelling, honest episode titles
• 15:44 – Unprovoked audience feedback
• 20:33 – Email list growth and lead magnets
• 24:54 – Community growth, Facebook warnings
• 29:03 – Revenue and customer tracking vs. downloads
• 31:04 – Attribution and Pat Flynn’s story
• 33:07 – Speaking invitations and external recognition
• 35:45 – Authority and being quoted online
• 39:28 – Importance of consistency
• 46:10 – Audience quality; adapting to real audience interests
• 50:13 – Fun, fulfillment, and avoiding burnout
• 51:23 – Measuring personal development as a host

Additional News & Tools

• Apple Podcasts Chapters: Apple will auto-add chapters to shows that don’t have them. (After 54:00)
• Resource shout-outs: Tools like Buzzsprout, Captivate, Heartbeat, podchapters.com, and SEMrush mentioned throughout.

Final Takeaways

• Success is multi-dimensional: Downloads are just one metric. Your email list, community growth, earned income, consistency, and personal progression provide a broader, healthier view.
• Adjust your metrics to fit your why. Whether for business, community, or personal fulfillment, pick signs of success that matter for your unique podcast journey.
• Keep going: Often, your impact is larger than it appears in stats alone. Reach out to your audience, celebrate progress, and enjoy the ride.

For links, resources, and listener questions, visit schoolofpodcasting.com/1011.