243 How Many Listeners or Downloads Makes a Successful Podcast?

Pop quiz: How many downloads does your podcast need to be considered successful?

10,000 an episode? A million overall?

It's less than you think.

According to Buzzsprout’s 2025 global podcast stats, half of the top shows get around 30 downloads in the first week. If you’re hitting 100 downloads, you’re in the top 25%. At 500, you’re in the top 10%. The top 1%? That’s closer to 5,000 downloads per episode.

But here’s the thing: chasing big numbers won’t necessarily translate into dollars for your business.

What really matters is attracting the right listeners. Imagine 100 ideal clients tuning in every week, giving you their full attention. That kind of influence can double or 10X your revenue, which is far more valuable than 10,000 random listeners who will never take action.

In this episode, I explain why:

1. Sponsorships aren’t the best way to monetize your podcast.

2. Selling to your audience beats selling your audience.

3. Smaller, engaged audiences can land you clients, speaking gigs, and authority.

4. The real metrics to track (and none of them are downloads).

So stop letting your ego drive the bus and chase download numbers. Focus on why you started your podcast in the first place and align your success with your goals.

👉 Ready to realign your podcast for results?

Book a free 15-minute coaching call and let’s talk about whether the Podcast Tune-Up is right for you: podcastperformancecoach.com