I've been saying for over a decade that 50% of downloads are lies. The truth came out when the IOS 17 update hit, and everyone realized the Emperor had only half of his clothes.

But Analytics? Those are GOLD!

Seth Silvers from storyon.co shares the importance of analytics and metrics in measuring success.

We go into the significance of retention rates, the need for experimentation in formats and the first 5 minutes of an episode, and how he communicate all this to their clients.

Our conversation highlights the challenges of understanding downloads versus plays, the role of completion rates, and the long-term benefits of nurturing an audience.

• Seth emphasizes the importance of analytics in podcasting
• Retention rates are more important than downloads for measuring success
• Clients should be willing to experiment with their podcast content
• The first 30 seconds of a podcast are crucial for retaining listeners
• Spotify says the first 5 minutes is crucial to their recommendation engine
• Paid advertising won't fix a bad podcast or business
• Feedback loops in podcasting can be long and challenging
• It's essential to track metrics weekly to make timely adjustments
• Podcasts serve best as a middle-of-funnel marketing tool
• Quality content leads to organic growth and audience retention
• Understanding the difference between downloads and plays is vital for podcasters

• Apple's Analytics: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com
• Spotify's Analytics: https://creators.spotify.com
• Amazon Music Analytics: https://podcasters.amazon.com

Seth is the founder and lead strategist of Story On Media, a podcast strategy and production agency working to help businesses launch and grow podcasts.

His team has worked with some of the leading podcasts and creators in the country along with helping launch successful podcasts in micro-niche business industries.

Find more at www.storyon.co

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We used Riverside to record this episode. It also created an outline and list of key takeaways that helped us finalize the show notes.

Oh, and we used Riverside's Ai Tools for making the "Video Lite" version of the episode for YouTube.

We use Captivate to host the podcast. Captivate offers amazing features for a low monthly price, including full control of dynamic insertion, embedded chapters, and Blocks/Shortcodes to quickly add content to show notes (either static or dynamically!)

*Use of the above affiliate links may earn us a commission, which is used to support the efforts of this show. Thank you in advance for your support!

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Mentioned in this episode:

Learn how to be a Podcast Editor

Get access to Tutorials, Support, Sales Scripts...these are just a few of the things available inside the Podcasts Editor Academy. Interested in learning more about the back end of podcasting? Or how to

Want to help your clients grow revenue? We ask Heather Osgood, CEO of True Native Media, to share how Podcast Editors and Podcast Managers can work with sponsorships and advertising.

Heather shares her expertise on what podcasters want from sponsorships, what works best to get a better ROI, and how podcast editors can work with agencies like True Native Media.

• The different types of podcast ads and which ones generate the most income
• How to determine if a podcast is ready for sponsorships, and what to do if it’s not
• Tactical things to consider for managing sponsorships, such as tracking downloads and communicating with brands

Heather also touches on the importance of dynamic ad insertion, pixel tracking, and how to avoid ad overload. For more information, check out TrueNativeMedia.com or connect with Heather Osgood on LinkedIn.

(00:00) Heather Osgood from True Native Media

(03:45) Expectations of Podcasters Regarding Sponsorships

(06:07) The Role of Podcast Editors in Monetization

(10:08) Download Numbers and Sponsorship Viability

(12:49) Affiliate Ads as a Starting Point

(16:29) Tracking Affiliate Performance

(19:51) Qualitative vs. Quantitative Metrics in Sponsorships

(24:01) Managing Sponsorships and Tracking Success

• Heather's Representative Agency: TrueNativeMedia.com
• Heather on LinkedIn (check out her URL): LinkedIn.com/in/podcastadvertising/

Heather is the Founder and CEO of True Native Media, a leading podcast representation agency that connects high-quality podcasts with major brands. With a background in radio and a focus on authentic brand partnerships, she’s helped shape the future of podcast advertising. Heather is also the host of The Podcast Advertising Playbook and a frequent speaker at industry events like Podcast Movement and SXSW.

This episode of the Podcast Editors Mastermind was edited by Alejandro Ramirez. You can find him on LinkedIn if you're interested in talking with him about editing your show.

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We used Riverside to record this episode and create marketing assets for the show. Their Ai editing tools saved about 3 hours of work and created the video version you'll find on YouTube.

WhisperTranscribe assisted in the crafting of this episode description. It probably saved me 30 minutes by providing a summary and a list of chapters.

We use Captivate to host the podcast. Captivate offers amazing features for a low monthly price, including full control of dynamic insertion, embedded chapters, and Blocks/Shortcodes to quickly add content to show notes (either static or dynamic!)

*Use of the above affiliate links may earn us a commission, which is used to support the efforts of this show. Thank you in advance for your...

Meredith Hackwith Edwards founder of an "idea consultancy" called Outsider Advantage, shares with us the challenges and opportunities of using social media to promote our clients' podcasts. She says to have fun when focusing on authentic and purposeful content.

Meredith shares her experience working with clients on their specific strategies, while appropriately pricing and packaging our services to include social media support.

• Identify and utilize strong self-identifiers in social media posts to resonate with your target audience
• Create short-form video content using tools like Opus Clips, highlighting engaging moments from your podcast episodes
• Strategically incorporate cliffhangers and intriguing questions in social media posts you create to drive engagement for your client
• Build social media promotion into your service packages, ensuring a balanced approach to marketing and production
• Analyze the effectiveness of your social media campaigns by tracking key metrics such as downloads and engagement to refine your strategy. Report those to your clients!

Podcasting since 2019, Meredith is the host & producer of Meredith for Real: the curious introvert, for which she was named one of Podcast Magazines 40 under 40 in 2022.

Meredith is the founder of Outsider Advantage, an idea consultancy whose primary offering is podcast launch & production including Voices United in Education, which won two Addy Awards in 2023.

She is best known for her imaginative approach to content creation & ability to humanize digital communication. When she’s not researching her next podcast guest, she’s hanging out with her husband at the beach, buying plants she doesn't need or planning her next trip. She believes in being lost in the right direction & that everyone should meet people outside the algorithm.

Find her at OutsiderAdvantage (click here) or MeredithForReal.com

This episode of the Podcast Editors Mastermind was edited by Alejandro Ramirez. You can find him on LinkedIn if you're interested in talking with him about editing your show.

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We used Riverside to record this episode. Use code Yetis at *https://creators.riverside.fm/Yetis for 15% off a membership plan.

WhisperTranscribe assisted in the crafting of this episode description. It probably saved me 30 minutes by providing a summary and a list of chapters. Click on the *link above to see how it works for yourself!

We use Captivate to host the podcast. Captivate offers amazing features for a low monthly price, including full control of dynamic insertion, embedded chapters, and Blocks/Shortcodes to quickly add content to show notes (either static or