How to Know If Your Podcast Is Working for Your Business

Welcome to the Podcasting Problem Solver: How to Know if Your Podcast Is Working

Leah Bryant [00:00:00]:
hello and welcome back to the Podcasting Problem Solver. I am Leah Bryant, your host and go to Podcast Strategist coach and your friendly metrics decoder when it comes to measuring podcast success. To get us started, I want you to ask yourself, how do I know if my podcast is working? And while you're thinking about this question, I want to say that I'm not talking about whether you enjoy podcasting. What I mean is, how do you know if all that effort, all those late nights editing, all the brainstorming, all the guest outreach is really moving the needle in your business? I'll be honest with you. Most podcasters hit this wall sooner or later. They publish episodes, they watch the download numbers and they wonder, is this really doing anything? And if you don't have an answer, it can feel like you're creating more content instead of building momentum. And this does matter, because if you don't have clarity, your podcast risks becoming a time consuming hobby instead of the authority building lead generating business, growing tool it can be. So in this episode, I'm going to walk you through how to know if your podcast is working using my Seamless podcast framework.

Introducing the SEAMless Podcast Framework

Leah Bryant [00:01:16]:
And Seamless is the system that I developed to keep podcasting simple, strategic and sustainable. I wrote a blog about this and I'll link it in the show notes below. But today you'll see how it applies directly to measuring success. And by the end, my hope is that you'll know exactly what signs to look for to prove your show is building momentum. And trust me, I get this. When I first started producing podcasts, I fully believed in the if we publish it, they will come. I thought that we just had to upload the episodes. The downloads would magically appear.

Leah Bryant [00:01:50]:
No SEO strategy, no intentional promotion, just the hope that somehow people would find my clients. But you know what? Sometimes they did it, sometimes they didn't. It wasn't until I started looking at podcasts through the lens of my Seamless podcast framework that everything shifted. I realized it wasn't that the podcast wasn't working, it was that I wasn't giving it the strategy it needed to grow. And once I did this, the results started to compound. Let's start with the S in Seamless, which is strategy. And strategy, my friends, is the foundation. Without it, podcasting feels like throwing spaghetti at the wall.

Podcast Strategy: The Foundation for Success

Leah Bryant [00:02:28]:
Record, upload, share a link, and hope for the best. And hope, my friends, is not a business strategy. Most podcasters default to downloads as their measure of success because it's the easiest number to see. But downloads alone don't tell you if your show is building authority, generating leads, or growing your business. So let me ask you, would you rather have a thousand anonymous downloads that lead nowhere, or a hundred downloads that bring in two new clients? I bet I know the answer to that. Strategy is about defining what success means for your show in the bigger picture of your business. Are you trying to build authority in your niche? Maybe. Drive lays into your funnel? Build deeper trust with your existing audience.

Leah Bryant [00:03:15]:
When you get clear on that, you stop measuring against vanity metrics and start measuring against outcomes that actually matter. So did you know that nearly 90% of podcasts don't make it past episode 10? I know. That is banana pants. If you're publishing consistently, you're already in the top 10%. But strategy is about more than survival, right? It's about alignment. Is your podcast doing what you need it to do for your business? I had a client who came to me obsessed with hitting a thousand downloads per episode. And there's nothing wrong with that. I want to say that, but every week she felt like she was failing because she wasn't there yet.

Leah Bryant [00:03:56]:
When we looked closer, she had the realization that her podcast had already brought in three high ticket clients. And that's thousands of dollars. The problem wasn't her podcast, it was her strategy. She was measuring the wrong thing. And once we redefined success for her around leads and conversions, suddenly her podcast looked like a huge win. Here's the thing I want you to remember. Strategy is about clarity. Define success in terms that will serve your business and not just your ego.

Steps to Sharpen Your Podcast Strategy

Leah Bryant [00:04:28]:
Okay, Leah, this sounds great, but how do I do that? Well, I've got you. You know I do. Here's how you can start sharpening your podcast strategy today. Number one, I want you to define your primary goal. Is your podcast about generating leads, maybe building authority, nurturing your audience, or creating opportunities? Pick one primary goal so your strategy is focused. Number two, I want you to identify your target listener. Yes. Who exactly are you speaking to? Get crystal clear on their pain, point their desires and what they want to learn from you.

Leah Bryant [00:05:00]:
A podcast for everyone connects with no one. I have said that time and time again. Number three, I want you to align your content with your goal. Yes. If your goal is leads, then your episode should point listeners towards your offers. Right. If it's authority, your content should position you as a go to expert. Make sure every episode has a purpose.

Leah Bryant [00:05:21]:
Number four, set realistic success metrics. And I will repeat that again because it's worth it. Right. Set realistic success metrics. Instead of chasing Vanity numbers. I want you to tie your success to outcomes like newsletter signups, inquiries, or client conversions. Number five. I want you to check alignment regularly.

Leah Bryant [00:05:45]:
Yes. Every 90 days. I want you to ask, is my podcast still aligned with my business goals? If not, you know what to do. Yes, that's right. Adjust it. Strategy is not set. And forget it, because you know why it evolves as your business does. Right.

Leah Bryant [00:06:03]:
That's like with anything with a clear strategy, you stop podcasting in the dark and start podcasting with intention. And that's the difference between spinning your wheels and building real momentum. Next up is E, which is the execution. And execution is where most podcasts rise or fail. Yep, you can have the best strategy in the world, but if you don't execute consistently and intentionally, your podcast will never build traction. And here's why this matters. Consistency is what builds trust. When listeners know they can count on you to show up week after week, you stop becoming another voice in their feed, and you become part of their routine.

Podcast Execution: Consistency Is Key

Leah Bryant [00:06:47]:
Execution isn't just about hitting publish. It's about how well you deliver your promise, the quality of your content, and the rhythm you create for your audience. Think about it. Why do people stick with certain podcasts? Because the hosts not only show up reliably, but they execute in a way that feels polished, intentional, and worth a listener's time. Without strong execution, your podcast can feel scattered or inconsistent with it. You build credibility, loyalty, and momentum that compound over time. Consistency is rare in podcasting industry. Data shows that the majority of podcasts, again, don't make it past 10 episodes.

Leah Bryant [00:07:27]:
Which means if you're executing with consistency, publishing regularly, showing up with intention, you know what? You're ahead of most podcasters out there. Execution is what separates the hobbyists from the professionals. Now, one of my clients came to me frustrated because her podcast wasn't gaining traction. When we looked closer, we realized she was publishing episodes sporadically, sometimes once a month, sometimes not at all, sometimes weekly, sometimes biweekly. This inconsistency made it hard for her audience to trust her. Once she committed to a clear publishing rhythm and heightened her process, her downloads doubled in just a few months. Wow. Why? Well, it's because her execution matched her strategy.

How to Strengthen Your Podcast Execution

Leah Bryant [00:08:07]:
Right? Right. Because execution was the difference maker here, friends. Now, something to remember is that execution builds trust. I have said that so many times, and I will say it until the end of time. Right? Consistency and how you show up turns your podcast from a side project into a platform people will rely on. Now, let's talk about what strong execution actually Looks like in practice. Here are a few simple but powerful ways to tighten up your execution and make podcasting easier to sustain. Number one, batch.

Leah Bryant [00:08:38]:
Record your episodes. Instead of scrambling week after week, set aside a block of time to record two or three or four in one sitting. This will keep you ahead and lowers the stress. Right. Number two, use a content calendar. Oh, my gosh. Live and die by content calendar. Map out your topics a month or even a quarter at a time.

Leah Bryant [00:08:57]:
That way you're never stuck staring at a blank page wondering, what am I gonna talk about this week? Number three. I want you to create a repeatable workflow. Yes. From outlining to recording to editing to promotion. Write down the steps you take each time, because when your process is repeatable, it's faster and easier to even hand off if you ever want to outsource. Number four, tighten up your intros. Oh, my goodness, if I hear another three minute intro from somebody for all of the love in the world, please have your intro short, right? You want to hook your listeners in the first, I honestly would say 10 to 30 seconds by getting to the point quickly. Strong execution means respecting your audience's time, and they will appreciate that.

Leah Bryant [00:09:42]:
Number five, build promotion into your routine. Execution doesn't end when you hit publish. No, no, no, no. Please continue to share your clips, repurpose your takeaways into post, and make sure your episodes really get in front of new ears consistently. Because when you put even a few of these into play, you're going to find that your execution gets sharper, your audience is going to grow more loyal, and the entire process will feel a lot lighter. Now, let's talk about the A in Seamless, which is attraction. Now, attraction is about whether your podcast is drawing in the right people and keeping them close. The best way to measure attraction is through metrics that really matter.

Podcast Attraction: How to Grow and Engage Your Audience

Leah Bryant [00:10:21]:
Okay, so that's downloads, consumption rate, subscribers, engagement, conversions. These aren't just numbers, by the way. They are signs that your podcast is attracting an audience, building that loyalty, and moving people toward action. And here's something I want you to remember. Analytics are not about vanity. They are about clarity. The right metrics give you the feedback loop you need to improve. They help you see what's resonating, what.

Leah Bryant [00:10:50]:
What's falling flat and where those growth opportunities are and what you can tweak. The key is knowing which numbers to track. Right? I get this question all the time, and not all metrics are created equal. So remember that downloads have their place, but they're only one piece of the puzzle. Consumption Rates, subscriber growth, engagement actions, and conversions. Now those are the real indicators of whether your podcast is building momentum. All right, so let me go through couple different metrics that I want you to start tracking if you're not already so metric number one, downloads per episode for the first 30 days. Yes, so downloads matter.

The Most Important Podcast Metrics to Track

Leah Bryant [00:11:25]:
They do, but only when you look at them the right way. The first 30 days is your best measurement window because it tells you about the initial traction, how well your promotion worked, and whether people are curious enough to hit play. The trap is obsessing over single episode spikes. Maybe one guest shared your episode widely, or maybe a topic landed differently at the right time. And that may be interesting, but it's not the whole story, right? What you really want to do is track the trend line. Are your average 30 day downloads slowly climbing over time? If yes, that means your audience is growing and steadily and sustainably. All right, metric number two is your listener consumption rate. This one is the most important and I think, sometimes overlooked metric.

Leah Bryant [00:12:08]:
The consumption rate tells you how long people actually stick with your episode. If most of your audience drops off within the first five minutes, that's a problem. But if 60% or more are staying past the halfway point or even through the end, that's the gold. Think about what this means. People are giving you their attention. In a world where attention is scarce, high consumption rates means that your content is compelling, your pacing is working, and your audience trusts you enough to stick around. If your consumption rate is strong, even a modest listener base is incredibly valuable because those listeners are engaged and primed to take action. All right, metric number three is subscriber growth.

Leah Bryant [00:12:54]:
So think of this like compound interest. When someone subscribes or follows your show, it signals they want to hear from you again, not just the one time. And while download spikes can feel exciting, steady subscriber growth is the real measure of long term momentum. So ask yourself, are you seeing a consistent upward line month after month, even if it's a gradual because a slow climb beasts one off viral bumps every time? And why, you may ask? Well, because subscribers stick. They represent your core community, the audience who's with you for the long haul. Metric number four is engagement actions. Yes, this is where the qualitative data comes in, and it's just as important as the numbers. Engagement actions are like your dms, your social shares, and the reviews that show people aren't just listening, but they're connecting.

Leah Bryant [00:13:46]:
So think about this. Someone took the time out of their day to tell you how your podcast impacted them. That's huge. And here's the kicker. Engagement usually represents the tip of the iceberg. For every one person who sends a dm, there are probably dozens more who felt the same way but didn't say anything. So when you see these signals, don't brush them off as, oh, just a couple of messages. No, no, no, friends.

Leah Bryant [00:14:10]:
We want to shout those from the rooftop because they're evidence your podcast is resonating deeply. Okay, Metric number five is your call to action Conversions. This is the ultimate business metric. Does your podcast move people closer to action? That action might be signing up for your newsletter, downloading your free resource, booking a call, or becoming a client. Even if the numbers look small, conversions are powerful because a handful of listeners taking action can be far more valuable than hundreds of passive downloads. Right, so think about this. If five people sign up for your freebie after an episode, that's five new warm leads you didn't have before. Your podcast is part of your funnel.

Leah Bryant [00:14:53]:
Yes, and I'm going to say that again. Your podcast is part of your funnel. It's meant to build trust and guide people towards the next step. And if that's not happening, then we need to chat. I will share a coaching tip for you. Okay. For instance, set a simple benchmark for yourself. You can measure progress without the overwhelm.

Leah Bryant [00:15:14]:
Okay. For example, would you say that 20 downloads in the first week is great? Or are you looking for five new email subscribers from each episode? When you hit those marks, celebrate them. Yes, celebrate them. Internally, externally, with your audience, by yourself. All the things. Because momentum builds over time, and these little wins are proof you are on the right track. The thing I want you to remember is that analytics aren't about obsessing over numbers. They're about tracking what matters for your goals.

Practical Ways to Attract the Right Podcast Audience

Leah Bryant [00:15:43]:
Okay, so let's break down attraction into some practical steps. Because it's not all about getting more listeners. It is about drawing in the right ones and keeping them right. All right, so number one, we want to clarify your ideal listener. Write down exactly who you want your podcast to reach. Like, what do they care about? What challenges are they facing and what they want to learn. Right, because attraction starts with knowing who. Who you're speaking to.

Leah Bryant [00:16:08]:
Number two, we want to craft magnetic titles and descriptions. Of course, keeping it SEO optimized. We want to make sure those episode titles are searchable. Right. The SEO piece and Curiosity driven Think Keywords people are going to type into Apple Podcast and combine that with language that sparks interest. We want to leverage that SEO in the show notes. Right. So you Use your show notes, your descriptions, and even, like, your transcript so that your content is easy to discover not only on your podcast app, but in Google.

Leah Bryant [00:16:38]:
And then we want to guess strategically, right? Choose guests who already have the audience you want to attract. Their listeners. Become your potential listeners when they share the episode. Right. Number five, promote in the right places. So you want to share your podcast where your audience is already hanging out. If they're on LinkedIn, go to LinkedIn. If they're on Instagram, do Instagram.

Leah Bryant [00:17:02]:
Maybe that's an industry committee or niche Facebook groups. But you don't have to do every single one right. You find what works, works for you. Number six, offer a next step. This is so often missed because attraction doesn't end at the download. Give new listeners a clear invitation to your world, whether that is the newsletter, sign up a freebie, or a community. When you put a few of these into play, you'll start attracting not just any listeners, but the right ones. The ones who resonate with your message and are far more likely to stick with you long term.

Building Podcast Momentum for Growth and Opportunities

Leah Bryant [00:17:35]:
And finally, but certainly not least, the M in Seamless, which is momentum. Yes, this is the stage where your podcast moves beyond just content and becomes a true growth engine. Momentum is a compounding effect of consistent action. It's the opportunities, visibility, and authority that build over time when you keep showing up. Because here's the thing about momentum. It doesn't happen overnight, even though we want it to. It does not happen overnight. It's built episode by episode, conversation by conversation, listener by listener.

Leah Bryant [00:18:08]:
And when you start to notice the doors your podcast is opening, whether that's clients, collaborations, or speaking invitations, that. That is when you know momentum is on your side. In fact, podcasts are now one of the top three content channels for driving B2B leads. Did you know that that means your show is more than content? It's a credibility builder? You. Yes, I would even say that that's also the same for B2C too. Remember, momentum is about those opportunities. So let me share some action steps that you can do to keep creating those opportunities. Okay, number one, we are going to track opportunities beyond the downloads.

How to Create and Sustain Podcast Momentum

Leah Bryant [00:18:43]:
Yes. Keep a simple log of every client, collaboration, or connection that comes from your podcast, because it's motivating to see how those wins are stacking up over time. Right. Number two is repurpose your episodes. Oh, my goodness. If I talk to another podcaster who does not repurpose and just lets their catalog of 500 episodes sit there with dust on it, I might cry. Please don't make me cry. Make clips.

Leah Bryant [00:19:06]:
If you do videos right, pull quotes, takeaways. All of this can be turned into social posts, reels, or blogs. Repurposing gets more eyes on your content and it maximizes the value of every episode. And number three, I want you to leverage guest relationships. Yes, stay connected with past guests. Share their wins. Collaborate again, cross promote. Momentum often comes from relationships you build behind the mic, right? Not just in front of it.

Leah Bryant [00:19:32]:
Number four is celebrating milestones. Oh my goodness. This is something that I think a lot of podcasters miss out on. Episode 25, 50, a hundred. Call them out and share that with your audience. Milestones remind both you and your listener of the progress being made. In fact, I have a client, the Get Sculpted podcast. They are going to be celebrating their 50th episode soon and they did such a great job with this, so stay tuned for that.

Leah Bryant [00:19:55]:
It will be launching in October. Number five is experiment and iterate. Momentum thrives on evolution. Try new formats, series or bonus episodes. Small experiments keep things fresh and help you learn what resonates most. Number six is stay consistent. Above all, momentum comes from not stopping. Every time you publish, you're compounding trust, authority, and visibility.

Leah Bryant [00:20:20]:
Remember that, okay? The more you show up, the easier it becomes to keep going. Because when you build that momentum, your podcast then stops feeling like a grind. And, well, it then starts becoming more magnetic, right? For the opportunities, the growth, and the kind of listeners and clients you want to attract. Now, let's tackle one of the toughest questions. How do you know when to keep pushing forward and when it's time to pivot? Yes, I get this question a lot. This is where a lot of podcasters do get stuck, though. They either quit too soon before the seeds have time to grow, or they grind away on a format, a message, or a strategy that is clearly not not working. Perseverance is powerful, but only if you're on the right track.

Leah Bryant [00:21:01]:
Right? Pivoting is strategic, but only if it's driven by data and not frustration. The good news is, when you look through the lens of strategy, execution, attraction, and momentum, guess what? That answer becomes much clearer. The signals are there, and you just need to know how to read them. So here's the first green light look for if you need to persevere, look at your consumption rate. Or some people call it retention rate. If people are staying with you through most of your episode, even if it's a small audience, remember that even if it's a small audience, that's a huge win. Consumption means people are staying with you all the way through your episodes. If 60% or more of your audience is listening past the halfway mark, or even better, to the end, that, my friends, is gold.

When to Persevere or Pivot Your Podcast

Leah Bryant [00:21:46]:
Even if the total number of listeners is small, the people who are listening are engaged. And engaged listeners, yes, are the ones who convert. Think quality over quantity here. A small but loyal audience is infinitely more valuable than a big audience that dropped after five minutes. The second green light is feedback. And I don't mean hundreds of messages pouring in, right? I mean even a handful of thoughtful replies. If people are taking time to DM you, reply to your newsletter, leave a review, or tell you they feel seen by your podcast, yes, that's a powerful sign your content is landing. Even if it's just one or two messages per episode.

Leah Bryant [00:22:24]:
Because remember, for every person who reaches out and know I've said it, but it's worth repeating, there are dozens that who likely feel the same way but are staying silent. Never, never, never underestimate the quiet majority. Feedback is proof of resonance. Okay, and the third green light is conversions. Even if a few listeners are following your call to actions like joining your newsletter, grabbing that freebie, or booking a call, this means your podcast is working. Please don't discount those small percentages here. Okay? In podcasting, even 2 to 5% conversion can mean real business growth. A couple of clients from 10 episodes might not sound dramatic, but it can represent thousands of dollars in revenue.

Leah Bryant [00:23:03]:
And that that is where the impact is. All right, so how do you know when to pivot? Well, here's your first red flag. Low consumption rates. Yep, if your listeners are dropping off before the halfway point, it's a red flag. Your content or structure is not resonating. Maybe your episodes are too long, maybe you take too long to get to the point. Maybe the topics aren't what your audience wants. But you know what? The good news is? It's all fixable.

Leah Bryant [00:23:27]:
A pivot here might mean tightening your intros, restructuring your flow, or experimenting with different episode lengths. The second red flag is silence. Yes, if you've been publishing consistently, let's say 10, 20, or even 30 episodes and. And you never received a single DM email reply or review, this is worth asking. Is your show connecting? Engagement doesn't have to be huge, but it should exist. A total lack of response usually means something needs to change, whether that's your messaging, your distribution strategy, or even how clear you are on your call's actions. And the third red flag is alignment. Sometimes the podcast isn't the problem.

Leah Bryant [00:24:06]:
It's the direction. If your show is about topics you've outgrown or you're attracting listeners who aren't your ideal clients, then your podcast is pulling you away from your business goals instead of moving you to them. Right? And that's the moment where we want to pivot. And a pivot doesn't mean throwing it all away. Please don't do that. No, no, no. It could mean adjusting your message or simply niching down, maybe even a rebrand for your show so it matches where your business is headed. One of my clients had not so great retention rates, right? And we discovered that her episodes were just too long and she meandered.

Leah Bryant [00:24:39]:
So we were able to pivot her to shorter, like many masterclass episodes, and her retention rate doubled. And that one shift turned her podcast into a lead magnet instead of a time sync. And that makes us all happy. What I want you to remember is to persevere when the signals are there, even if growth feels slow. Okay, but pivot when the data says you're not connecting. But above all else, I want you to remember a pivot doesn't mean scrapping your show. It could just mean tweaking the format or refining your message. And if this is something that you have problems with, you have questions about, book a free call with me.

Leah Bryant [00:25:14]:
Let's walk through it. Okay. All right. So how do you know if your podcast is working? Yes, you know what I'm going to say. Strategy, execution, attraction, and momentum. So, strategy. You want to get clear on what success means beyond the vanity metrics. Execution.

Recap: How to Know if Your Podcast Is Working

Leah Bryant [00:25:30]:
Pay attention to how consistently and intentionally you're showing up, because consistency builds that trust, attraction. Look at whether you're drawing in the right audience and use the right metrics to measure if they're engaging, sticking, and taking action. And then, last but not least, is momentum. Notice the doors your podcast is opening. Clients, opportunities, collaborations. Right. That will show that your show is building real business impact. And finally, learn to read the signals.

Leah Bryant [00:25:58]:
Know when to persevere because your podcast is quietly working in the background. And when to pivot because it's not aligning with your goals. Or as someone that we all know used to say, know when to fold them and know when to hold them. But above all else, I want you to remember your podcast doesn't have to be complicated to be powerful through the seamless framework. You can keep it simple, strategic, and sustainable, and know without a doubt whether it's working. And if you want more breakdowns like this about my seamless framework and how to apply it to every part of your podcast. I share tips like this every week inside my newsletter. The link is in the description below.

Leah Bryant [00:26:40]:
With my newsletter, I go deeper, share strategies I don't always cover on the podcast, and I help you podcast in a way that truly works. Okay, so go make sure you sign up for that. And if you're having trouble with any of this and want to know if you should persevere or pivot, well, then book a podcast growth coaching call and let's figure that out together. Until next time, keep showing up with purpose, keep measuring the right metrics, but above all else, keep it seamless and I'll see you next time.