Why Apple Podcasts Looks Smaller in Your Stats Right Now (and What to Tell Your Client)

If your Apple Podcasts numbers have dropped recently and nothing about your show has changed, you are probably not alone. Podnews has reported on a measurement problem that makes Apple Podcasts look smaller than it really is. If you report podcast numbers to a boss or a client, you need a calm and accurate way to explain it.

What Has Been Reported

In its October 19 newsletter, Podnews said that a bug in Apple's software probably means much of the traffic from Apple Podcasts is appearing in "other Apple apps". Podnews says this does not affect total downloads, but it makes Apple Podcasts look much smaller than it should.

A related Podnews report describes a measurement issue in how Apple Podcasts identifies itself. Under the IAB's Podcast Measurement Guidelines, only requests carrying a particular identifier should count as downloads, and the report says Apple Podcasts no longer uses it. It adds that when a listener streams an episode, the app sends several separate requests to the server, and hosts need to tell valid ones from the rest. The exact cause and timing are described differently across reports, so we are not going to pick one explanation here. Your host is the best source for what applies to your show.

Total downloads are not affected, but the Apple Podcasts share can look much smaller than it really is.

What It Means for Your Reporting

The key point is the difference between your total and your split. If total downloads are steady, your audience has not shrunk. If the Apple Podcasts line dips while "other" grows, that points to attribution rather than listeners leaving.

Platform shares will be unreliable for now, so be careful with any conclusion that depends on them. For example, do not decide that your Apple audience is leaving and shift your promotion because of a few weeks of numbers.

Read more: what Spotify's 30-second play rule means for your numbers.

What to Tell a Boss or Client

Here is a short explanation you can adapt:

"Our total downloads are steady. The Apple Podcasts line looks lower this month because of a reported measurement problem that is putting some of its traffic under 'other Apple apps'. We are not changing strategy based on the platform split until it is clarified."

A Short Checklist for Reading Your Stats

1. Look at the total first. Compare total downloads with the same weeks last month.
2. Look at "other". If it has risen as Apple has fallen, attribution is the likely explanation.
3. Ask your host. Find out whether they are aware of the issue and how they are handling it.
4. Check your server logs. Reports recommend checking which identifiers appear in your own logs.
5. Pause sensitive reports. If you sell ads based on downloads, review your data before sending figures to advertisers.
6. Note it in your records. Add a line to your reporting so later comparisons make sense.

Why Measurement Standards Matter

The IAB's updated Podcast Measurement Guidelines, version 2.3, went live at the end of September, and CoHost has become the first podcast hosting company certified under them, recertified on October 15. Standards like these exist so that numbers mean the same thing across hosts and advertisers, but they also show how easily a change on one platform can ripple through reporting.

That is why we keep arguing that distribution and measurement are what make or break a B2B podcast, and why it helps to look beyond one platform. YouTube changed how it counts views not long ago too, as we covered in how YouTube's view counting change affects podcast numbers. Whenever a platform changes, the safest habit is to understand the number before you defend it.

If you need help setting up reporting that stands up to questions, speak to the Poddster team.