Podcast Analytics: The Metrics That Matter

In this episode, Ed Barker, founder of Studio 1878, tackles the moment every marketer dreads: being asked how the podcast is performing and not having a confident answer.Downloads and chart rankings are the easy metrics to reach for, but they rarely tell the story that matters to leadership. The episode sets out how to define the purpose of a show before settling on KPIs, which health metrics and more advanced indicators are worth tracking, and how to turn reporting into something that makes a coherent case for the show's value. The frameworks here apply whether the goal is reach, reputation, or internal engagement, and the underlying argument throughout is that measuring what actually matters and proving ROI are not in conflict, as long as you start with the right questions.00:00 - Introduction: Measuring Podcast Success00:46 -The Problem with Traditional Podcast Metrics01:42 - Define Your Why Before Your KPIs02:25 - Core Health Metrics That Matter03:52 - Advanced Metrics for Mature Shows06:06 - Turning Data Into a Story07:13 - Measurement Cadence07:47 - Wrap-Up & Next Episode PreviewAbout Your HostEd Barker has been producing and recording podcasts since 2009. After a long career as a corporate marketing and strategy executive - and then a VC - Ed launched Studio 1878 in early 2025 with the goal of making brand and business podcasting much better. Ed is a Brit, working out of Seattle, and podcasting worldwide. 🌎Studio 1878A podcast development studio for the modern brand. We believe everyone has a story worth telling. Specializing in business and brand podcasts, we’ll help build your story from ideation to distribution, transforming concepts to real connection with your audiences. We produce our own shows but our core proposition is in helping businesses and creators produce something truly compelling and authentic. We’d love to help you tell your story.ContactWeb: www.1878.studioEmail: [email protected]: 425-520-3483 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.