How do you measure the success of your podcast that is NOT downloads

How do you measure the success of your podcast that is NOT downloads? You’ll hear from a wide range of podcasters in different niches—storytelling, history, prepping, finance, faith, recovery, TV rewatch shows, local podcasts, health, creativity, and more—sharing how they really gauge success. Their answers include: Direct listener feedback & real‑life impact (behavior change, decisions, staying sober, safer driving, adopting, spending time with Jesus, handling conversations differently) Engagement & community (emails, voicemails, social comments, active groups, email lists, live events, guest offers, collaborations) Actions taken (lead magnet signups, newsletter growth, memberships, classes, affiliate links, donations and financial support) Enjoyment, fun, and personal growth (being excited about the next episode, getting better on the mic, becoming more confident and creative) Alignment with purpose & service (sticking to your “why,” serving a niche community, “who many” vs. “how many,” “one life at a time”) Legacy & memory (building an audio/video archive for family, preserving loved ones’ stories, creating a personal record you can revisit) Along the way, Dave adds commentary on why downloads alone are a poor North Star, how to re‑center on who you serve and why you podcast, and how podcasting can be a tool for service, community, and legacy—not just stats. Participants In This Episode Scott from What Was That Like? Kate from Drafting in the Past Mark from Practical Prepping Nancy from Family Food Stories Buck Ralph From Content Creator's Accountant Steve from Podcast Editor's Mastermind Trip From Home Brewed Christianity Podcast Spencer from The Recovery Show Travis from Bestie Approved Ashriel from Called and Curious Podcast Dave Interviewed Jesus Zo from Back Look Cinema Jen from Women in Podcasting Marc from Solo Talk and Podcast Branding Chris from Cool Cars with Chris Howard from AA Recovery Interviews Ray from Around the Layout York from Welcome to Earth Stories Rob from Softball Central Dan from Based on a True Story Tim from Create Art and My Solo MS Journey Kim from the Pharmacist's Voice and the Perrysburg Podcast Dave from Fix My Podcast Mentioned in this episode: You Have A Message That Needs to Be Heard You have a message that needs to be shared. Discover the art of podcasting at the School of Podcasting. We teach you to shine a light on your stories, inspiring others one episode at a time. Let your voice be your legacy. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join School of Podcasting Build the Website You Want with Podpage Podpage is flexible. If you want to promote something you can put it in the sidebar, on the front page, or at the bottom of every episode (not to mention the navigation bar, the footer and more). Podpage is designed specifically for podcasts. Quit trying to squeeze your podcast into a website made for a yoga studio. Start your free trial at podpage.com/preview Podpage Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why? Does the size of your audience matter? Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes) School of Podcasting Live Appearances I loved connecting with my audience. Here are the next events I will be at: November 11: Podindy.com (use the coupon code SOP) February 23-26, 2027: National Religious Broadcasters nrb.org I'd love to speak at your event. Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/contact Where Will I Be?