Episode 128
Why You Shouldn't Panic About Spotify's New Public Plays
Spotify recently made podcast play counts public, and some podcasters are worried. Here's why you shouldn't panic.
Additional reading and listening:
- What they are playing at: Spotify (and YouTube) play counts | James Cridland - radio futurologist
- Introducing plays on Spotify
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Transcript
Spotify recently made podcast play counts public, and some podcasters are worried. What if my numbers look small? What if people judge my show? But here's why you shouldn't stress play counts aren't the whole picture.
They don't show who finishes your episodes, who shares them, or who supports you on Patreon, for example. And remember, Spotify is just one piece of your audience. What about your listeners on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocketcast, or YouTube?
Now zoom out even more and think about your newsletter subscribers, social media followers, paid supporters, email replies, guest DMs. All that and more is your true reach and influence. If you're pitching sponsors, highlight all of that.
A brand wants engaged niche audiences, not just raw download numbers, and you've got that. So don't panic and focus on value play counts. Don't define your podcast. Your impact does. Until the next time. Happy podcasting.
