Let’s be honest — we’ve all obsessed over podcast download numbers.

Refresh. Refresh. Refresh. “Did I hit 10k yet?”

But here’s what I’ve learned after nearly a decade in the podcasting world (and helping creators like Amy Porterfield scale to a million downloads/month): download numbers are not the metric that matters most.

In this episode of Podcast Growth Tools, I’m breaking down what really drives podcast ROI — and it’s probably not what you think.

We’ll cover:

• The truth about vanity metrics (and the anxiety they cause)
• Why focusing on downloads might be holding you back
• The exact KPIs I use to measure podcast performance
• How to turn your show into a list-growing, client-attracting machine

Timestamps:

02:20 – The personal story behind chasing 1M downloads 07:10 – How metrics can cause fatigue and skew strategic decisions 10:40 – When growth becomes a burden (and what to do instead) 14:30 – The shift: from download pressure to metrics that reflect connection 18:00 – What really moves the needle: DMs, conversions, list growth 22:05 – What superfans look like and how to identify them 25:20 – How to set up funnels that track conversion from podcast listeners 28:10 – Podcasting as a long-game, high-conversion asset 30:55 – Real metrics Kylee recommends tracking weekly 33:40 – How to shift your mindset (and start enjoying your podcast again)

Whether you’re a podcaster with 1 episode or 700, this one will shift how you think about growth — and help you build a podcast that drives real results for your business.

💻 Get on the waitlist for my upcoming course: podcastmarketinghub.com/beta