Episode 242 | Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast | Courtney Elmer

Listen Notes Rankings: Not the End-All Be-All

Ever wonder how to improve your podcast’s ranking on Listen Notes? Inside this episode, we’re diving deep into what Listen Notes is, how it works, and honestly, how much you should really care about those rankings.

You'll also get the inside scoop on how these rankings differ from those on podcast apps like Apple and Spotify, and I'll give you three straightforward steps to help you make sense of your Listen Notes score.

Even more importantly, I’m going to tell you why you might want to chill a bit on the rankings obsession and instead, put that energy into connecting with your listeners.

Let’s get into it, shall we?

The Inside Scoop on Listen Notes

Think of Listen Notes like Google for podcasts — it’s a podcast search engine that makes your podcast easy to find all over the world.

Pro tip: if you haven’t claimed your podcast there, go do it. They’ll give you one of those little blue check marks that shows you’re a legit host. Just head to listennotes.com, type in your podcast name, hit the ‘podcaster’ tab and click ‘claim your podcast.’ Easy peasy.

The Listen Notes Metrics That Matter (Or Do They?)

Listen Notes provides two key metrics for podcasters:

1. Listen Score: This metric ranks the estimated popularity of your podcast by comparing it with other RSS-based public podcasts worldwide, aggregating data from various first and third-party sources. The higher your Listen Score, the more popular your show is considered on Listen Notes. There’s a caveat to this though — more on that in a second. Think of your Listen Score like a basketball score: the higher, the better.
2. Global Ranking: Unlike platform-specific rankings like those on Apple or Spotify that only rank the shows inside the app, Listen Notes’ Global Ranking metric shows where your show ranks in popularity of all shows globally. Think of this one like a golf score: the lower, the better. At the time of this writing, Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast is listed as one of the top 1% most popular shows out of over 3.1 million podcasts globally according to Listen Notes. But wait, there’s a catch.

While Listen Notes can give you a general idea about your podcast's popularity, how long it's been around, and how dedicated you are as a host (since podcasts that have been releasing episodes every week for years tend to score higher), it's not entirely accurate.

This is because its aggregator counts every podcast out there, even those that aren't active anymore or only ever put out one episode. That's a big difference, considering over 2.9 million of those 3.1 million podcasts are not considered actively established.

So as long as you understand how Listen Notes works, you can definitely use it to get a basic idea of where your podcast stands compared to others. Just keep in mind that because the platform also includes data from inactive podcasts, this can skew the accuracy of the numbers they’re reporting. (Hopefully, they’ll find a way to filter out these inactive podcasts in the future, making the data more reliable.)

Until then, podcast educators like myself often look at other metrics to truly gauge a show's success. But to get an idea of your show’s relative popularity or gauge the success of other podcasts (let’s say you want to guest on, for example), Listen Notes is a solid starting benchmark since it's a widely recognized and public platform.

Why You Should Shift from Outcome-Based to Action-Based Goals

Seeing your podcast ranking on platforms like Listen Notes can be an ego-boost, but it’s just one tool in your podcasting toolbox. It’s the host-listener relationship that helps you create a podcast worthy of being in the Top 1% (or fewer) of all podcasts.

In other words,

If you want to increase your ranking potential on Listen Notes or any other platform, stop focusing on the numbers and start focusing on your listeners.

Most podcast hosts focus only on outcome-based goals. These sound like “I want to hit X number of downloads this year” or “I need to be in the Top 100.”

It’s not a bad thing to have goals like these. But if you want to reach them, you need to shift your focus from the outcome onto what you can actively do to get there.

• Outcome-Based Goal: Hitting the top 1% on Listen Notes.
• Action-Based Goal: Engage with at least 20 listeners directly each week through social media comments, emails, or live Q&A sessions to gather feedback and increase listener involvement.

The pivot to action-based goals keeps you laser-focused on the activities that actually move the needle.

More Tips for Increasing Your Podcast’s Ranking Potential

Metrics like follows, listens, and downloads significantly impact your podcast’s ability to rank. What most people don’t realize is that in order to increase follows, listens, and downloads, you’ve got to know how to communicate to your listener that your show is worth listening to in the first place. Here’s how to do it:

1. Master Your Messaging: Get crystal clear on the top three problems your podcast solves for your listener. Directly address these problems in your episode titles, show notes, and episode content. Your episode titles and descriptions should be compelling enough to make someone stop everything and listen.
2. Know Your Market Position: Do you know what sets your podcast apart from others in your niche? If not, get clear on what content gap you fill. This not only sets your show apart from other similar shows on your topic, it also cements your role as the go-to expert in your niche.
3. Stay Listener-Focused: Forget the generic advice to “just stay consistent.” Your podcast is about creating a space that your listeners can’t wait to return to every week. Do you know the names of at least five of your listeners? Are you connecting with at least one new listener each week? Interactions like these are key to building a loyal community and seeing real growth in your podcast’s performance.
   
   

Focus on Being Hyper-Relevant to Your Listeners

By putting your listeners at the core of your podcast strategy, not only will you create a more compelling and valuable podcast, but you’ll also improve your chances of climbing the ranks on platforms like Listen Notes.

Remember, high scores are a byproduct of a podcast that genuinely connects and provides value to its audience. So, keep your focus on delivering great content that speaks directly to your listeners' needs and interests, and watch as your podcast grows not just in rankings but in influence and impact.

Want more tips on creating a bingeworthy listener experience people rave about? Follow Insider Secrets to a Top Podcast on your favorite podcast app to make your show a must-listen.

And if you’re a coach, consultant, expert, or online business owner who wants to start a podcast that turns listeners into leads, we’d love to help. Book a free strategy call to chat with our team and see if you’re a fit for PodLaunch.