Every new podcaster does it. You launch your show, then spend the whole week refreshing your hosting dashboard analytics like it’s going to magically change.

And when those first week podcast download numbers trickle in, they feel… embarrassingly small.

Here’s the truth: those numbers don’t matter. Like, at all.

In this episode, I’ll explain why your launch week stats are useless, the psychology behind why we obsess over them (hello, spotlight effect), and the success metrics that actually fuel real podcast growth.

From listener retention to 30-day rolling averages, I’ll show you what’s worth tracking — and what’s just noise.

If you’ve ever felt crushed by your first week’s downloads, this one’s going to reset how you think about podcast success.

Mentioned in this episode:

Free PLOT workbook

A Podknows Production

Podknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/

A painful truth for business podcasters who still think follower counts equal listeners...

Let’s get uncomfortable for a moment.

LinkedIn tells you that bigger is better. Hit that 10,000, 50,000, or even 100,000 follower milestone, and suddenly you’re tempted to believe you’re sitting on a goldmine of eager podcast listeners.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I’ve consulted with more than enough LinkedIn 'influencers' to know this: if you’re counting on that social proof to deliver actual podcast results, you’re going to be disappointed.

In fact, if you’re expecting more than a handful of listeners per episode simply because you have a five-figure following, you’re already losing the game.

Here’s the reality.

LinkedIn is a platform designed to serve its own interests, not yours. The algorithm is geared towards creating a false sense of reach and relevance. You post about your new episode, rack up a few dozen likes, maybe a polite comment from that one guy who always chimes in, and screenshot the analytics because they look impressive.

But when it comes to actual podcast listeners—real people pressing play, not bots or random scrollers—the numbers barely register.

And don’t just take my word for it.

I’ve literally done the math for clients.

The entire illusion falls apart once you work through the numbers on how posts convert followers into listeners. You’d be amazed (or horrified) at how small that number is.

Imagine this: 100,000 LinkedIn followers. That’s enough to fill a stadium, right?

So, if you’re chasing followers and bragging about your vanity metrics, you’re fooling yourself.

Want to break this cycle?

Listen to this episode to get the background on the problem.

Then, get the Swipe Files so you can fix it.

Ready to do the math? Get your free files at podmastery.co/math, or reach out for a straightforward audit of your podcast’s real growth potential.

Because your real audience deserves better than a vanity strategy.

00:00 "LinkedIn Followers Don't Equal Success"

03:57 Deceptive Podcast Popularity Tactics

08:59 Boost LinkedIn Engagement Tactics

10:46 "Podcast Growth and Mastery Tips"

Mentioned in this episode:

A Podknows Production

Podknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/

Every August, you'll hear the same noise about everyone disappearing.

Holidays, beaches, the world moving a little slower.

I used to kinda buy into this myth myself, until I watched a client hit pause, just to realise that their audience hadn't gone anywhere.

They'd simply found something else to jam into their earbuds. This latest episode of Podcasting Insights is all about flipping the so-called 'summer slump' on its head.

I’m walking you through three moves you can make right now, literally before the weekend’s over, to keep your download numbers in healthy shape and your listeners coming back for more.

No grand production, no drama, just practical steps you can act on right away.

Mentioned in this episode:

Book your Podmaster audit

Wanna get unstuck from the sub 100 downloads per month doldrums. Fancy getting closer to top 2% podcaster glory? Sounds like you need one of my Podmaster audits. Go to podmastery.co/lite and within 5 business days you’ll get a full video and written report on my findings. That's podmastery.co/lite

Podmaster audit

A Podknows Production

Podknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/