How to Take Stock of Your Podcast (and Set Up Your Best Year Yet)

Hi Reader,

As the year winds down, it’s tempting to coast into the holidays and tell yourself, “I’ll figure things out in January.” But if you’re serious about podcasting, now is when the real groundwork for 2026 begins.

Because the truth is, reflection is one of the most underrated tools a podcaster has.

Review 2025: What Were Your Goals & How Did You Do?

Let’s dive into your 2025 goals. Think back – what did you intend for your podcast this past year?

• Did you aim to publish X episodes?
• Grow download numbers by a certain percentage?
• Increase listener engagement, build an email list, monetize in a new way?
• Land particular high-value guests?

Now ask: how did you do? Be honest.

Rather than judging, this is about data and insight: where did you hit your mark, where did you fall short, and why? Document your numbers, your habits, your wins and your misses. Without this clarity you’re just driving without a destination.

What Didn’t Work, And How To Adapt

It’s just as important to identify what didn’t work. Because if something didn’t move the needle it’s a signal, not just a disappointment.

Here’s a quick checklist to audit:

• Did your publishing schedule drift (e.g., you published fewer episodes than planned or skipped months)?
• Did a format change (guest structure, solo episodes, video/hybrid) not land as you hoped?
• Did your listener engagement (comments, shares, email replies) plateau or drop?
• Did your marketing or distribution tactic underperform (social clips, YouTube repurposing, etc.)?

Once you’ve identified the “misses”, the next step is: why.

• Was the goal unrealistic (for your time/bandwidth)?
• Was the promotion too light or mis-targeted?
• Did you pick the wrong guest type or topic for your audience?

Use that insight to adapt. That might mean adjusting your publishing cadence, realigning your guest type, simplifying your format, or shifting marketing focus.

Remember: what didn’t work this year is your gift for next year, because now you know.

What Did Work, And How To Build On It

Now let’s celebrate the positives: what did move the dial?

• Maybe you increased your listener completion rate or saw more downloads per episode.
• Maybe you landed a stellar guest who showed up with good promotion and gave you a spike.
• Maybe your social-media clip experiment paid off, or your newsletter sister brand resonated deeply.

These wins – no matter how small – are your building blocks. Treat them as your foundation for 2026. Ask:

• Which win had the biggest ripple effect (e.g., a guest whose audience came over)?
• Which tactic felt easiest/most sustainable (e.g., consistent editing workflow, a guest outreach process you enjoy)?
• Where did you feel energized – because knowing what you enjoy is just as important as what works?

With that insight, you can double down, scale what’s working, and lean into your strengths.

Set Smart, Measurable Goals for 2026

Goals without measurement can result in a lot of wasted time and effort, so be sure to structure them:

1. Define clear targets. For example: “Increase average downloads per episode by 30 % by end of Q3 2026.” Or: “Grow my email list by 1,000 subscribers.” Or: “Book at least 10 guests I’ve never worked with before.”
2. Define metrics & measurement cadence. What numbers will you check monthly/quarterly? Downloads, listener completion rate, email-open rate, guest re-engagement, social-clip shares.
3. Define the systems and habits to support them. E.g., schedule guest-outreach sessions every week, block time for social-clip creation, allot time each month for analytics review/reflection.
4. Define checkpoints. Set in-season reviews (e.g., end of Q1, Q2) to see if you’re on track, behind or need to pivot.

When you write your goals this way, measurement becomes built into the process and that makes execution far more likely.

Celebrate, Reflect, Engage

Podcasting is first and foremost about sharing your voice, building community, and creating something that matters. So yes, check the numbers. Yes, pivot where needed. But also celebrate how far you’ve come.

Invite your listeners into your process – maybe share a “2025 in review” episode or post. Let them see the journey. Here’s a couple of examples of how I do it for 5 Random Questions.

5 Random Questions Turns One… Jun 27 · 5 Random Questions 2:08   ​

That’s a Wrap on Season 3, a… Jun 19 · 5 Random Questions 2:19   ​

That helps build loyalty, trust and excitement for what’s next, which will help you sustain your growth as you continue down this podcasting path you’re on.

Over to you – what was your biggest podcast win in 2025? Hit “reply” to this email, and let’s celebrate your success.

Until the next time, happy podcasting.

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