Episode 25: The Emotional Toll of Chasing Downloads
Why Downloads Alone Aren’t the Goal (Even When You’re Hitting 1 Million a Month)
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Downloads. The metric every podcaster talks about… and secretly (or not-so-secretly) obsesses over.
We chase them. Refresh them. Compare them. Celebrate them. And sometimes? We build our worth around them.
But what if chasing that number—especially as your main measure of success—is actually stunting your podcast’s potential? What if more downloads don’t always equal more growth, more revenue, or more alignment?
In this episode of Podcast Growth Tools, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes story I’ve never fully unpacked before: what it was really like to work on a top-ranked business podcast as we scaled from 400k to over a million downloads a month. And why, despite the impressive numbers, I started to question whether we were measuring the right things.
This one’s personal. It’s for every podcaster who’s ever felt anxious about their numbers, unsure if their voice is enough, or overwhelmed by what “success” is supposed to look like.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
✔️ Why download counts can feel like a vanity trap
✔️ The behind-the-scenes pressure of chasing milestones (even the million-download kind)
✔️ The real podcast metrics that show momentum—and matter to your bottom line
✔️ Why vulnerability sometimes “underperforms” but leads to deeper conversions
✔️ How to reframe podcast performance with strategy and soul
Here is a glance at the episode:
02:20 – The personal story behind chasing 1M downloads
07:10 – How metrics can cause fatigue and skew strategic decisions
10:40 – When growth becomes a burden (and what to do instead)
14:30 – The shift: from download pressure to metrics that reflect connection
18:00 – What really moves the needle: DMs, conversions, list growth
22:05 – What superfans look like and how to identify them
25:20 – How to set up funnels that track conversion from podcast listeners
28:10 – Podcasting as a long-game, high-conversion asset
30:55 – Real metrics I recommend tracking weekly
33:40 – How to shift your mindset (and start enjoying your podcast again)
The Pressure Behind the Numbers
At first, hitting big download milestones felt like validation. Like all the time, energy, and heart poured into the podcast had finally “paid off.”
But very quickly, I saw how those numbers created a new kind of pressure—one that shaped our content decisions, weighed on the team, and made us second-guess whether an episode was “worth it” if it didn’t perform on paper.
And I know I’m not the only one who’s felt this.
So many of my clients (and maybe you too) hit record each week hoping for growth, but they walk away feeling discouraged when the numbers stall—or spike unpredictably with no clear rhyme or reason.
If that’s you, let me say this: you are not your download count.
And your podcast’s value runs so much deeper than that number.
The Metrics That Actually Matter
If downloads aren’t the best indicator of success… what is?
Here’s what I track with my clients—and what I believe paints a much fuller, more strategic picture of podcast ROI:
Email list growth driven by podcast-specific funnels and lead magnets
DMs and direct messages from listeners who feel personally impacted
Superfan behavior: sharing, tagging, responding, showing up consistently
Apple & Spotify follower growth, tracked weekly
Lead magnet conversions tied directly to specific episodes
Client or customer acquisition that starts with a podcast touchpoint
None of these show up in your podcast hosting dashboard. But they’re the indicators of something deeper: resonance, relevance, and relationship-building.
Because at the end of the day, I’m not just trying to help you go viral. I’m helping you turn your podcast into an asset that creates qualified leads, nurtures your audience, and grows your business.
Vulnerability Might Not Go Viral—But It Converts
Another thing I see all the time?
Episodes where you really show up—sharing something raw, real, or emotionally honest—often don’t “perform” according to traditional metrics. The downloads might be lower. The drop-off rate might be higher. And it can feel discouraging, especially when you poured your heart into that one.
But here’s what I know from experience:
Those episodes tend to spark the most DMs. They deepen the relationship with your existing audience. And they build the trust that leads to conversions down the line.
That kind of connection can’t be measured in clicks. But it absolutely shows up in your bottom line.
Your Podcast Is a Long Game—Play It Strategically
If you’re only looking at week-over-week downloads, you’re missing the bigger picture.
The most successful podcasters I know (and the ones I work with behind the scenes) don’t chase the algorithm. They build systems.
How do they do it?
Set up lead magnets and funnels that tie into their episodes
Use dynamic CTAs that guide listeners to one clear next step
Track long-term conversion and list growth—not just plays
Repurpose content that’s working instead of always chasing what’s next
And most importantly? They stop treating their podcast like a content chore and start treating it like the strategic marketing tool it was always meant to be.
Key Takeaways
Your download number is just one metric—and it doesn’t define your success
Fatigue often comes from chasing growth without clarity on what you're really measuring
Engagement, list growth, and conversion are far more powerful indicators of momentum
Vulnerable, low-download episodes might actually drive the deepest impact
With the right funnel and mindset, your podcast becomes a long-term business asset
Your Next Steps
🎁 Want to Be First to Know When My Podcast Growth Course Drops?
I’m building something I wish existed years ago: a course designed to help you grow your podcast and convert your listeners—without burning out.
It’s actionable, strategic, and designed for podcasters who are ready to scale sustainably.
✨ Get early access and the beta pricing here: podcastmarketinghub.com/beta
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Let’s Connect!
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