Rising Creators Forum

I launched my podcast 6 weeks ago and i've released 6 episodes. i'm getting about 40-60 downloads per episode and i have no idea if that's good or terrible for a new show

What are realistic download numbers for a new podcast? Should I be worried that I'm not hitting hundreds or thousands of downloads?

40-60 downloads per episode after 6 weeks is actually pretty solid for a brand new podcast

podcast download statistics (these are real industry benchmarks):
- top 50% of podcasts: 140+ downloads per episode
- top 25%: 1,000+ downloads per episode
- top 10%: 3,400+ downloads per episode
- top 5%: 7,700+ downloads per episode

so if you're at 40-60, you're not in the top percentiles yet but you're doing fine for week 6

my download progression:
- episodes 1-5: 30-50 downloads each
- episodes 6-15: 60-120 downloads each
- episodes 16-30: 150-300 downloads each
- episodes 31+: 400-800 downloads each (i'm at episode 45 now)

growth is slow and steady with podcasts. it's not like tiktok where you can go viral overnight. you're building a loyal audience one listener at a time

what matters more than raw numbers:
- are downloads increasing month over month?
- are people listening to multiple episodes?
- are you getting reviews and feedback?

focus on consistency and quality. keep releasing episodes weekly and your numbers will grow naturally over time

I’m going to be brutally honest: 40-60 downloads means you probably don't have product-market fit yet

After 6 episodes you should have at least tested different topics, formats, and angles to see what resonates. If you're still at those numbers something needs to change

questions to ask:
- are you promoting your podcast anywhere besides just publishing it?
- is your topic something people are actively searching for?
- are your episode titles compelling and searchable?
- have you asked your existing audience (social media, email list) to listen?

Most podcasters fail because they think "if i build it they will come." that's not how it works. you need to actively promote

what worked for me:
- sharing clips on social media (instagram reels, tiktok, youtube shorts)
- guesting on other podcasts in my niche
- asking guests to share the episode with their audience
- seo optimizing episode titles and descriptions

i went from 35 downloads per episode to 400 downloads per episode in 3 months by promoting strategically

don't just keep publishing into the void hoping it gets better. change your strategy and actively build your audience