Measuring Podcast Audiences

How do you measure your podcast audiences? Subscribers? Downloads?

What about the composition of your audience?

Certainly potential advertisers would want to know, and you're probably interested too.

• You could make your audience register somehow, but you'd certainly lose listeners.
• You can poll your audience, for example using Survey Monkey, and some will comply, but it would be better if you could offer then something of value.

Here's an idea: offer them transcipts of your podcasts for free IF they provide some basic information, for example demographic info advertisers would be interested in. It's simple and easy, and transcripts are very valuable -- the ultimate show notes.
Transcipts are:

• Easy to review
• Easy to check resources mentioned in the podcasts
• Easy to scan
• Easy to produce (hint: hire college students or try elance.com or similar)

If you try this let me know how ir works for you.

Comments

[Dwight Stickler]

These are all good ideas that should be implemented within any professional podcast initiative, in my opinion.

I would agree that it is crucial to make some determinations regarding a podcast's audience demographics.

If for no other reason that it is imperative to determine how well your podcast is accomplishing your objectives regarding audience reach and market penetration.

Of course, if you ever expect to sell advertising on your podcast, no advertiser is going to spend penny one without having some idea of who they are advertising to.