How to measure Podcast ROI
One of the most common questions we hear at The Video Podcast Studio is: how do I know if my podcast is working? The answer most people expect involves downloads and views. Those metrics are almost entirely irrelevant for a business podcast. Here is what actually matters.
Why downloads and views are the wrong metrics
Downloads and views are designed to measure consumer media — shows that make money through advertising. The more downloads you have the more you can charge advertisers.
But most Las Vegas business owners are not running advertising-based podcasts. They are using their podcast as a business development tool. The revenue model is completely different. And so the measurement model needs to be completely different.
The number of people who watch an episode is irrelevant. What matters is whether the right people watched it and what happened as a result.
The business podcast metrics that actually matter
Relationships opened
How many new relationships did this podcast create in the last 90 days? Count the guests you recorded with, the follow up conversations those recordings led to, and the new connections that came from sharing episodes with specific people. Keep a simple log — guest name, date recorded, relationship status, outcome.
Referrals generated
Did any guests or listeners send you a referral after engaging with your podcast? Start asking new referrals how they heard about you. You will be surprised how often a podcast episode or a guest recommendation comes up.
Deals influenced
Did any revenue come directly or indirectly from a podcast conversation? This includes deals that started in the recording room, clients who mentioned your podcast during the sales process, and revenue from guests who became clients after recording.
Content leverage
How many times did you use a specific episode as a sales or relationship building tool? Did you send it to a prospect? Reference it in a meeting? Include it in a follow up email? A podcast episode you actively deploy generates significantly more return than one you simply post and forget.
Guest-to-client conversion
Track how many of your podcast guests become clients or active referral partners within 12 months. This is the clearest signal of whether your guest selection strategy is working.
A simple tracking system
You do not need complicated software to track this. A simple spreadsheet with these columns is enough.
- Guest name
- Recording date
- Guest category: potential client, referral partner, current client, or ecosystem
- Follow up sent: yes or no
- Episode shared with: list specific people you sent it to
- Outcome: relationship deepened, referral received, deal started, nothing yet
Review this log quarterly. After 90 days you will have clear data on which guest types and which follow up behaviors generate the best outcomes for your specific business.
What good looks like after 12 months
A Las Vegas business owner who uses their podcast consistently and strategically for 12 months should expect to see some combination of the following.
- 5 to 15 new meaningful business relationships that did not exist before
- A measurable increase in referral activity from guests who became partners
- At least one deal or significant opportunity that started in a podcast conversation
- A library of 12 or more professional episodes that build credibility with anyone who researches them
- Content that is actively being used in sales and follow up conversations
One of our members showed up consistently for one year and tripled his revenue. That is the compounding effect of 12 months of strategic relationship building through consistent professional conversations.
Start tracking from day one
At The Video Podcast Studio in Henderson NV our intro strategy session includes helping new members set up a simple tracking framework alongside their guest and content plan. Sessions start at $299. Memberships start at $497 per month. Book at thevideopodcaststudio.com or visit us at 2625 North Green Valley Parkway Suite 110, Henderson, NV 89014.
Stop guessing. Start measuring what matters.
Our intro strategy session includes a simple tracking framework so you know from day one whether your podcast is working. Sessions start at $299. Henderson, NV 89014.
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