Are you measuring the right things—or just chasing vanity metrics?

In this episode of Profitcast, Seth Silvers and The Real Brian take a deep dive into podcast analytics: what they used to be, how they’ve evolved, and what you should really be tracking in 2025. Whether you’re podcasting for fun, growth, or business ROI, this conversation will help you shift away from outdated metrics like downloads and into more actionable data that drives smart decisions.

Learn how to track actual audience size, completion rates, 7-day performance, platform trends, and how to use data to meaningfully improve your show’s performance.

Topics explored in this episode:

(00:00) What data actually matters in podcasting?

(01:26) The history of analytics in podcasting

(04:02) Why downloads are incomplete (and still useful)

(06:54) Shift your mindset: from downloads to audience

(10:55) Tracking behavior-changing metrics

(12:46) The 3 types of podcast data to track

(17:40) Why data without insight leads to wasted time

(21:33) Why you should analyze performance at 7 days

(25:19) Monthly data vs. real-time insight

(28:15) Retention rates and 60-second drop-offs

(30:07) Using analytics to adjust intros, pacing, and episode length

(31:59) The big question: Why?

Thanks for listening to Profitcast! For more tools to grow your podcast, check out BusinessPodcastRoadmap.com —a free resource we update monthly with everything we’re learning about successful podcasting for businesses.

Thanks for joining us on Profitcast! If you’re serious about growing and monetizing your podcast, reach out to The Real Brian and Seth Silvers to learn more.

Seth Silvers:

storyon.co

Seth's LinkedIn

The Real Brian:

realbrianmedia.com

TRB's LinkedIn

realbrianshow.com

TRB's YouTube Channel

Subscribe and Listen to The Real Brian Show Podcast HERE:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/profitcast-helping-businesses-start-a-podcast-that/id894979986

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IahJnf3FJjOSvomfjGwRv?si=0458e8a8579b46d1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLomuMlItmjjdWoo6VQQvBg

Any time you purchase something off of Amazon, please consider using the Profitcast affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4kyVYfz

Affiliate links mean we earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the channel at no additional cost to you!

Ecamm Live for Streaming:

Everyone wants to know how to grow a podcast, but most are looking in the wrong places. In this episode of Profitcast, The Real Brian and Seth Silvers introduce a simple but powerful framework: The Podcast Growth Matrix.

It breaks podcast growth down into four strategic paths, helping you cut through the noise and focus on what actually works.

From organic word-of-mouth to smart paid strategies, this episode clarifies how podcasts really grow and why it's not about going viral.

The Real Brian brings a decade of podcasting wisdom and an eye for authentic connection. Seth Silvers, founder of Story On, specializes in helping businesses use podcasts as marketing and relationship tools.

Topics explored in this episode:

(00:00) Why growing a podcast feels so complicated

(01:07) Start vs. grow: why no one’s searching “how to grow a podcast”

(03:33) Why podcast discoverability is broken

(06:31) What really works: the power of a confident pitch

(10:42) Why none of this matters if your content sucks

(12:36) Introducing the Podcast Growth Matrix

(14:44) Why people don’t talk about your podcast

(19:38) The second quadrant: others sharing your show

(23:39) The hidden power of audience connection

(25:49) The third quadrant: paying to promote your podcast

(31:28) The fourth quadrant: paying others to promote your show

(36:28) Why organic sharing always beats paid

Thanks for listening to Profitcast! For more tools to grow your podcast, check out BusinessPodcastRoadmap.com —a free resource we update monthly with everything we’re learning about successful podcasting for businesses.

Thanks for joining us on Profitcast! If you’re serious about growing and monetizing your podcast, reach out to The Real Brian and Seth Silvers to learn more.

Seth Silvers:

storyon.co

Seth's LinkedIn

The Real Brian:

realbrianmedia.com

TRB's LinkedIn

realbrianshow.com

TRB's YouTube Channel

Subscribe and Listen to The Real Brian Show Podcast HERE:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/profitcast-helping-businesses-start-a-podcast-that/id894979986

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IahJnf3FJjOSvomfjGwRv?si=0458e8a8579b46d1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLomuMlItmjjdWoo6VQQvBg

Any time you purchase something off of Amazon, please consider using the Profitcast affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4kyVYfz

Affiliate links mean we earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the channel at no additional cost to you!

Ecamm Live for Streaming:

The trend in 2025 is shifting. Audiences seem to crave unfiltered, authentic content over highly produced, polished podcasts. Should your podcast follow this new trend, or should you give your podcast a highly-detailed edit?

In this episode, The Real Brian and Seth Silvers dive into the debate over whether podcasts should be raw and minimally edited or if a polished, professional production still reigns supreme. They explore the pros and cons of both approaches, how content strategy affects editing needs, and what makes the most sense for different types of podcasts.

The Real Brian has been podcasting since 2014 and has hosted numerous business and entertainment shows. Seth Silvers is the founder of Story On, specializing in helping businesses grow through podcasting.

Topics explored in this episode:

(00:00) Welcome – The shift toward raw, unedited content

(02:30) The radio vs. podcasting mindset on editing

(06:00) Does heavy editing make your podcast seem inauthentic?

(09:45) The impact of audio vs. video formats on editing

(12:50) The balance between authenticity and professionalism

(16:10) Editing for content vs. editing for perfection

(19:30) What’s the right approach for business podcasts?

(21:40) The Business Podcast Roadmap – A free resource for podcasters

To learn more about The Business Podcast Roadmap, visit this website! - BusinessPodcastRoadmap.com

Thanks for joining us on Profitcast! If you’re serious about growing and monetizing your podcast, reach out to The Real Brian and Seth Silvers to learn more.

Seth Silvers:

storyon.co

Seth's LinkedIn

The Real Brian:

realbrianmedia.com

TRB's LinkedIn

realbrianshow.com

TRB's YouTube Channel

Subscribe and Listen to The Real Brian Show Podcast HERE:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/profitcast-helping-businesses-start-a-podcast-that/id894979986

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IahJnf3FJjOSvomfjGwRv?si=0458e8a8579b46d1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLomuMlItmjjdWoo6VQQvBg

Any time you purchase something off of Amazon, please consider using the Profitcast affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4kyVYfz

Affiliate links mean we earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the channel at no additional cost to you!

Ecamm Live for...

Podcasting continues to be popular for businesses, but how do they know if they are successful or not? Most businesses quit podcasting, unsure of if they ever had an ROI.

In this episode of Profitcast, Seth Silvers and The Real Brian talk through the Business Podcast Roadmap and identify what businesses should be paying attention to know if they are on the right track. If you want to start a podcast that is profitable, this is the roadmap.

Seth Silvers is the founder of Story On, a podcast production company helping businesses leverage podcasting as a powerful marketing tool.

If you’re serious about growing and monetizing your podcast, reach out to The Real Brian and Seth Silvers to learn more.

Seth Silvers:

storyon.co

Seth's LinkedIn

The Real Brian:

realbrianmedia.com

TRB's LinkedIn

realbrianshow.com

TRB's YouTube Channel

Subscribe and Listen to The Real Brian Show Podcast HERE:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/profitcast-helping-businesses-start-a-podcast-that/id894979986

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IahJnf3FJjOSvomfjGwRv?si=0458e8a8579b46d1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLomuMlItmjjdWoo6VQQvBg

Any time you purchase something off of Amazon, please consider using the Profitcast affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4kyVYfz

Affiliate links mean we earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the channel at no additional cost to you!

Ecamm Live for Streaming: https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=realbrianshow

Why do so many business podcasts start with enthusiasm but fade away within months? Is it bad advice, unrealistic expectations, or something else entirely?

In this episode, Profitcast kicks off a new chapter with The Real Brian and our new host, Seth Silvers, now on YouTube for the first time too!

Why do 90% of podcasts fail? How can you avoid becoming part of that statistic? The Real Brian and Seth share their firsthand experience working with businesses on launching and growing podcasts.

They debunk common myths and begin to provide a clear roadmap for businesses to create a profitable podcast that stands the test of time.

The Real Brian has been in the podcasting world since 2014, hosting Profitcast and numerous other shows, including those for businesses looking to establish their online presence through podcasting.

Seth Silvers is the founder of Story On, a podcast production company helping businesses leverage podcasting as a powerful marketing tool.

Topics explored in this episode:

(00:00) Welcome to the new chapter of Profitcast

(02:00) Why most business podcasts fail within a year

(06:35) The myths of podcasting success

(10:40) The role of expectations in podcast longevity

(15:15) Is podcasting a viable business growth tool?

(19:01) Why most podcasting advice doesn’t work

(23:26) The importance of storytelling in podcast marketing

(28:10) Creating a podcast strategy that actually works

If you’re serious about growing and monetizing your podcast, reach out to The Real Brian and Seth Silvers to learn more.

Seth Silvers:

storyon.co

Seth's LinkedIn

The Real Brian:

realbrianmedia.com

TRB's LinkedIn

realbrianshow.com

TRB's YouTube Channel

Subscribe and Listen to The Real Brian Show Podcast HERE:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/profitcast-helping-businesses-start-a-podcast-that/id894979986

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IahJnf3FJjOSvomfjGwRv?si=0458e8a8579b46d1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLomuMlItmjjdWoo6VQQvBg

Any time you purchase something off of Amazon, please consider using the Profitcast affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4kyVYfz

Affiliate links mean we earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the channel at no additional cost to you!

Ecamm Live for Streaming: https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=realbrianshow

It's time to do some evaluation here on Profitcast. To do this, we're taking a break and going through our numbers and our future plans. But we're not the only ones who should be doing this.

Listen in to here what we'll be reviewing, why we think it's important, and when you can expect more new episodes.

Check out all of our episodes at https://www.rockmypodcast.com

We've talked about having a plan for your podcast and why it's so important. Now it's time to talk about having a plan for each episode. We're sharing what to consider, how to validate content ideas, ways to get feedback, and of course, how to test and optimize.

It's been said so many time, but it's still so true, having a plan for your episodes allows you to be more creative when in the moment things happen.

How do you plan out your podcast episodes? Do you wing it?

Check out all of our episodes and let us know how we're doing at https://www.rockmypodcast.com.

Podcast guesting is a GREAT way to grow your own podcast audience. It's significantly more effective than having guests on your show AND it can help you become an even better host.

So what do you need to consider as you're trying to be on other shows? The most important thing to remember is that your main goal should be to provide value to the hosts' audience.

Listen in to learn more!