Downloads per episode
Downloads per episode averages each episode's reach in its first window, and it's the benchmark advertisers and peers judge a show by.
Downloads per episode is the average number of downloads each episode earns within a set window, usually the first 30 days. It is the most common way podcasts are benchmarked and sold to advertisers.
For example, if your last ten episodes averaged 1,200 downloads each in their first 30 days, your downloads-per-episode figure is 1,200.
Why it matters: downloads per episode is useful as a consistency and growth gauge, but for B2B it should sit beside audience quality and pipeline, since reaching 200 of the right buyers can beat 2,000 of the wrong ones.
Across the B2B shows Fame produces, the median is about 570 downloads per episode; strong shows reach 1,840+ and the top tier passes 9,400. For B2B, who is listening matters more than the raw number.
See the full B2B podcast benchmarks- Promote every episode across LinkedIn, email and clips
- Book guests who actively share to their own audiences
- Publish on a consistent schedule to build listening habits
- Refresh titles and thumbnails to lift discovery over time
total downloads across episodes divided by number of episodes, within a fixed time window
Use the same window for every episode to keep the comparison fair.
- Comparing your per-episode numbers to shows in a different niche or category.
- Reacting to normal week-to-week noise as if it were a trend.
- Optimising titles for downloads at the expense of relevance to buyers.
What is downloads per episode?
Downloads per episode is the average number of downloads each episode earns within a set window, usually the first 30 days. It is the most common way podcasts are benchmarked and sold to advertisers.
What window should I use for downloads per episode?
A fixed window such as 30 days keeps episodes comparable, since older episodes have had longer to accumulate downloads.
Is a high downloads-per-episode number always good?
Not for B2B. A smaller, highly targeted audience often drives more pipeline than a larger but poorly matched one.