You launched the branded podcast. The production was flawless, the guests were impressive, and the creative team delivered a standout show. 

But now leadership is asking the inevitable question: What impact did it have? 

In this Brand Camp webinar, Fatima Zaidi, CEO and Founder of Quill and CoHost, and Tom Webster, Partner at Sounds Profitable, tackle the metrics that matter. From audience insights to ROI, they break down how to connect podcast performance with real business outcomes.

Here’s what you need to know:

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The download deception 

A download might make a graph look impressive in your next stakeholder deck, but here’s the truth: it’s one of the most overhyped metrics in podcasting. 

Downloads don’t tell you if someone actually listened, let alone if they cared, engaged, or came back for more. It’s the podcast equivalent of someone grabbing a flyer and tossing it in their bag — sure, they took it, but did they read it? Or as Tom puts it, someone walking into your store and walking right out.

Vanity metrics like downloads and subscribers are easy to celebrate but dangerously misleading when it comes to measuring real performance. Downloads can be inflated by bots, automatic app settings, or that one listener who downloads the episode three times, trying to get their Bluetooth to work. None of this tells you:

• Whether they made it past the first five minutes
• If they were hooked enough to finish the episode
• If they’ll return for the next one
• Or if the episode moved them to take any action
  

Metrics like these offer surface-level validation but lack substance. They don’t tell you what’s resonating or what’s falling flat. They don’t help you understand your audience’s preferences or values. And they definitely don’t prove ROI.

So while downloads can still play a role, particularly in understanding awareness or reach, they should never be the only thing you're measuring. If you want to prove your podcast is doing more than taking up server space, it’s time to dig deeper into listener behavior, retention, and engagement. 

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What metrics move the needle?

To understand the real impact of a branded podcast, you have to look beyond vanity metrics. These are the metrics that reveal whether your content is holding attention, sparking action, and building meaningful relationships with your audience. Here are some data points Tom and Fatima suggest tracking:

Consumption Rate

Think of this as your audience’s attention span. A strong consumption rate (80%+) means listeners are sticking with you through the vast majority of the episode — a clear signal that your content is hitting the mark. 

A drop in consumption? That’s your cue to reassess episode length, structure, or segment flow. Maybe an ad ran too long or a conversation strayed too far off topic. Look for patterns and adjust accordingly. 

Completion Rate

While consumption rate shows how long people listen, completion rate tells you how many stick around until the very end. High completion rates (typically 70–90%) are a green light that your content is compelling enough to keep listeners fully engaged.

Drop-Off Points

Drop-off data shows you the exact parts in your episode where listeners tuned out. Did listeners bounce during a meandering intro? A drawn-out guest segment? Mid-roll ads? Knowing when listeners leave helps you pinpoint exactly what needs fixing.

Repeat Listenership & Retention

If you're consistently seeing the same number of unique listeners episode after episode, that’s a sign of loyalty. Tools like CoHost’s Unique Listener Dashboard help you track repeat engagement over time so you can build (and retain) a devoted listener base.

Cost of Listener Attention (CLA)

Want to know how efficiently your podcast budget is being spent? CLA tells you how much you’re paying for each minute of audience attention. The lower the cost, the more effective your content and marketing efforts. 

Audience Insights: Demographics, Psychographics, and Firmographics

Are you reaching the right people? Are they in your target industry, role, or revenue bracket? With tools like CoHost’s B2B Analytics and Audience Advanced Demographics, you can go far beyond age and gender to understand your listeners’ behaviors, values, and professional backgrounds — then tailor your content accordingly.

Ratings & Reviews

Only 28% of Apple podcasts even have reviews. So if you’re getting listener feedback — good or bad — you’re already ahead. Reviews are one of the few places you hear directly from your audience. Use them to double down on what’s working and tweak what’s not.

Social and Website Metrics

Podcasting might be an audio-first medium, but engagement lives across channels. Are episodes driving traffic to your website? Are they sparking conversation on LinkedIn or Instagram? Are they contributing to newsletter clicks or blog reads? Track everything from page visits to shares to paint a full picture of impact.

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How to understand your audience

You wouldn’t create a marketing campaign without knowing who you're talking to — your podcast shouldn’t be any different. After all, branded podcasts work best when they speak to someone, not at everyone.

This is where audience intelligence steps in.

Fatima and Tom stress the importance of crafting a listener profile –  the more detailed, the better. Skip the surface-level stuff and get specific. Instead of aiming for “millennial professionals,” think “32-year-old mid-level B2B marketers at SaaS companies who are podcast power-users, drink cold brew daily, and are burned out on ‘bro’ marketing advice.”

Here are some details to consider:

• Age
• Location
• Industry + job title
• Company size 
• Income/socioeconomic status
• Education level
• Lifestyle & hobbies
• Social causes they care about
• Pain points: What challenges do they face at work or in life?
• Fears: What keeps them from making decisions or taking action?
• Total market: How many people fit this profile? Is it a niche audience or a broader segment?

You’ll want to know your listeners like the back of your hand in order to:

• Refine your content: Shape topics, guests, tone, and episode format around what resonates.
• Personalize your promotion: Focus your marketing efforts where your audience actually spends time.
• Prove ROI to stakeholders: Back up your gut instincts with hard data about who’s listening and how it aligns with your brand’s target audience and broader goals.
• Unlock sponsorships: When you can say, “Our audience is 70% VP-level decision-makers at fintech companies,” sponsors listen.

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Aligning podcasts with marketing goals 

Branded podcasts aren’t just creative storytelling platforms — they’re strategic marketing channels. But to prove their value, Fatima and Tom stress the importance of connecting the dots between the podcast and your organization’s broader goals, whether that’s generating leads, building awareness, or nurturing a community.

Step 1: Start with the why

Chances are, you didn’t launch your podcast just for fun. You likely had one (or more) of the following goals in mind:

• Drive lead generation
• Increase brand awareness
• Establish thought leadership
• Boost audience engagement
• Strengthen customer loyalty

These are great objectives — but they’re only as powerful as your ability to measure them. Now it’s time to turn those goals into actionable KPIs that reflect progress and performance.

Step 2: Match goals to metrics

Here are a few examples of how to align your high-level goals with meaningful metrics:

For brand awareness:

• Increase downloads and unique listeners by 5% this season
• Grow subscriber count by 10% this quarter
• Track new audience segments using demographic or firmographic data

For engagement & community:

• Improve average consumption rate (e.g., get 85%+ of episodes listened to)
• Reduce early drop-off 
• Track listener actions like shares, comments, and reviews

For lead gen & revenue:

• Drive 15 qualified leads via podcast CTAs this season
• Measure content downloads (e.g., ebooks or reports mentioned on the show)
• Increase email sign-ups or webinar registrations from podcast listeners
• Secure sponsorship for future seasons

Step 3: Close the loop

Once you’ve set clear KPIs, it’s time to track them. That means regularly reviewing your performance, spotting what’s working (and what’s not), and using those insights to guide your decisions. 

Are your episodes driving traffic to key landing pages? Are listeners signing up for your newsletter? Are you seeing growth in the right audience segments?

When you can connect those dots, it becomes much easier to:

• Report on success in a way that leadership understands
• Prove your podcast is worth continued (or increased) investment
• Make smarter decisions about content, guests, and distribution

As Tom and Fatima emphasized during the webinar, the brands that see long-term success with podcasting are the ones treating it like a strategic growth channel, not just a creative side project.

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Better analytics for better branded podcasts

Your CMO doesn’t need a play-by-play of your latest episode — they need to know how your podcast supports the business. And that means surfacing the metrics that matter: brand lift, audience engagement, lead generation, and listener behavior.

To recap:

• Start by knowing your listeners. Build detailed listener profiles and dig into your analytics to understand who they are, how they listen, and what they care about.
• Use those insights to optimize content that resonates and keeps people coming back.
• Connect your show to clear KPIs tied to marketing and sales outcomes — not just downloads, but impact.
• And finally, close the loop. Report on results in language your leadership understands and use those numbers to get buy-in for continued growth.

Because in 2025, a branded podcast isn’t just a storytelling tool. It’s a strategic asset. And with the right data, it’s one your CMO will care deeply about.

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