Why Downloads Are a Dying Metric (And What to Track Instead)

The Podcast Report: Why Downloads Are a Dying Metric (And What to Track Instead)

In this solo "walk-and-talk" episode from, Paul Colligan reflects on his recent induction into the Podcasting Hall of Fame and tackles the industry's obsession with the most misleading metric in the business: The Download. While downloads are the easiest number to track, they are also the easiest to cheat, manipulate, and misunderstand. Paul breaks down why you should stop chasing big numbers and start focusing on the four questions that actually determine podcast success.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

• The Problem with Downloads: Downloads shift the value of a podcast from the content itself to the consumer's action. They don't tell you if a listener was entertained, if they took action, or if they even listened past the first five minutes.

• The "Cheating" Economy: From bot-generated downloads to "download arbitrage" by unscrupulous consultants, Paul explains how easy it is to buy a fake audience on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.

• Metric Realities: Even "standardized" metrics like IAB downloads can be misleading due to technical issues like multiple IP addresses for a single listener.

• The 4-Question Framework for Success: Paul shares the Podcast Partnership's internal process for measuring what actually matters:

  1. What do you want the show to do? (e.g., sell a book, generate leads, change global awareness).

  2. How do you know it's doing it? (Tracking coupon codes, sales data, or consumption depth).

  3. Is the show actually doing it?

  4. How do you make it do it better?

Resources & Links Mentioned

• The Podcast Partnership: podcastpartnership.com

• Podcast Hall of Fame: Paul's recent induction and reflections on the industry.

• Metrics Standards: The IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) standard for podcast measurement.

Call to Action

Stop measuring your success by how many people clicked "download" and start measuring by how many people did what you wanted them to do. What is the primary goal of your show this week? Would you like me to draft a LinkedIn post or a short "Shorts" script based on these show notes to help you promote the episode?