Episode Summary: How to Fix Your Podcast When Numbers Take a Nose Dive

Podcast: Your Podcast Consultant: Podcast Tips To Avoid Podcasting Mistakes
Host: Dave Jackson
Date: March 28, 2026
Episode Length: ~9 minutes

Overview

In this concise and actionable episode, Dave Jackson answers a listener’s question about declining podcast download numbers. He digs into why a downward trend occurs, outlines diagnostic steps, and offers practical strategies for improving content and audience retention. Dave emphasizes thoughtful improvement before promotional efforts, drawing parallels between podcasting and the entertainment industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Problem: Numbers Are Decreasing

• Listener Question:
  A podcaster posting as “I need for a podcast” reports a steady decrease in listeners since launching a show in November, featuring discussions on "topics no one teaches you about. Adulting."
  "I really enjoy the few listeners we have... But I’ve also noticed our stats are dropping. How did you promote your podcast? Any tips?" (01:02)

• Dave’s Immediate Take:
  When numbers are falling, the goal should be fixing audience retention rather than merely promoting the podcast.

  “Now is not the time to promote your podcast because it’s not keeping the people you have. It’s when the numbers are going up that you start promoting your podcast because you know it’s good.” (02:08)

2. Diagnosing Declining Numbers

A. Ask Your Audience (03:20)

• Direct communication is underutilized:

  “Ask your audience, hey, do you like the show? Do you listen to the whole thing? If you don’t, where do you stop and why? How likely are you to share this with a friend?” (03:30)

B. Use Analytics Tools (04:00)

• Key platforms:
  • Apple Podcasts Connect: podcastsconnect.apple.com
  • Spotify for Podcasters: creators.spotify.com
• Check metrics like completion rate and follower counts to see how much of each episode listeners are consuming.
• Good completion rates: Aim for 70% (C), really good is 80%+ (B/A range).

  “And you want it above 70%. ...We really like it to be above 80. But 70 is good, right? But again, if we want it to grow, we’re really looking for 80%.” (04:55)

C. Patterns Seen in Analytics (05:35)

• Expect a “big dive” at the start, especially from followers who skip intros.
• Noticeable drops include ad sections or when episode wrap-up signals begin.

  “The minute you even hint that the show is over—'So to wrap this up'—that’s it, they’re gone.” (06:09)

3. Promotion Comes After Fixing Content

• Promoting a show that isn’t retaining listeners is a waste of time and resources.

  "That’s as bad as a movie theater that’s like, ‘Wow, nobody’s coming to this movie. That’s really awful. We need to go out and spend money on promoting this really awful movie.’ That wouldn’t make any sense.” (06:45)

• Focus instead on perfecting your “art” first, much like comedians and filmmakers do by testing material in small venues before a big release.

  "They go to small clubs, and they test these jokes and they tweak them... before they put it all together and do it in front of an audience." (07:28)

4. Practical Tools and Inspiration

Listener Parties (07:55)

• At the School of Podcasting, Dave runs “listener parties” where a group listens live and provides feedback—modeled after film director Ron Howard’s practice of watching audience reactions.

  "He sits with the audience, and he wants to see them react because he wants them to react a certain way. And if they're not, then he goes back and he edits." (08:20)

Book Recommendation (07:50)

• For further learning, Dave recommends The Audience is Listening (link in show notes).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Preaching Data-Driven Content Improvement:

  “Because podcasting is a lot like the movie business. We spend a lot of time getting our art just right, getting our episode just the way we want, and then we go out and we promote them after we know it’s working.” (08:58)

• On Audience Referrals:

  “Our prayer is that the audience will tell their friends, because that’s really how the movie business works now.” (09:12)

Important Timestamps

• 00:44: Listener question introduction: "I need for a podcast"
• 02:08: When to promote your podcast
• 03:20: Asking your audience for honest feedback
• 04:00: Analytics tools and completion percentage
• 05:35: Typical listener behavior and what stats reveal
• 06:45: Analogy of movie promotion and focusing on quality first
• 07:28: Comedy special analogy for content testing
• 07:50: Book recommendation and listener parties
• 08:20: Story of Ron Howard's audience feedback method
• 08:58: Podcasting as an iterative creative process

Final Thoughts

Dave stresses that declining numbers are a signal to investigate and improve—not merely to push harder on promotion. Use audience feedback and analytics to pinpoint weaknesses, refine your content, and only then invest in broader outreach. The podcasting journey mirrors other creative fields: test, iterate, and perfect before scaling up.

For more hands-on help, Dave pitches the School of Podcasting with a risk-free 30-day trial—true to his consultative spirit.