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There's something you need to be really careful about when you're looking at
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ways to grow your podcast, and that's so-called professional podcast promoters.
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Now, there are legitimate companies and people who can help you promote your
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podcast, but if someone promises you thousands of new listeners for a relatively
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small amount of money, I'd be asking a lot of questions.
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Because while a big download number can look fantastic on the surface,
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what matters is whether those downloads represent actual people who listen to your podcast.
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So here's something you can look at. Compare your downloads to your audience or listener numbers.
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If you're seeing 10 or 20 times as many downloads as listeners,
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that's something I'd want to understand.
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Now, it doesn't automatically mean the traffic is fake. Podcast measurement
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is complicated and downloads aren't the same as people.
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But if the numbers don't make sense, start looking at the detail.
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Where are these downloads coming from? What podcast apps have been used?
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Are you suddenly seeing unusual platforms, locations, or listening behaviour
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you've never seen before?
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And perhaps most importantly, does that audience stick around?
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Because if someone promises you 10,000 downloads, but you don't see a corresponding
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increase in listeners, followers, engagement on future episodes,
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what have you actually gained?
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And there's another reason this matters. Advertisers and sponsors don't just
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want a big number. They want to know who you're reaching.
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Podcast advertising relies on consistent, trustworthy measurement,
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which is why the IAB has industry guidelines around how downloads,
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listeners and invalid traffic are measured.
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If a potential sponsor looks at your numbers and can't make sense of them,
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that can make them think twice about working with you.
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So, rather than chasing the biggest download number you can get,
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focus on building an audience you know is real.
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Grow your podcast authentically and make sure the numbers you're proud to share
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actually reflect the people listening.
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Because 1,000 real listeners are worth far more than 20,000 downloads you can't explain.
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Until the next time, happy podcasting.
