A podcast ranking can move without a massive spike in downloads—and after tracking two of my shows for 90 days, that changed the way I think about charting.
Downloads matter, but they don’t tell you who found your show, whether they were new, how quickly they arrived, or what they did next. When I stopped staring at download totals and started watching listener engagement, I began seeing the same patterns around chart movement again and again. Those patterns became what I now call The Podcast Charting Loop.
I’m breaking down the six behaviours inside that loop: acquisition, velocity, follow, listen-through, binge, and return. You’ll see why concentrated new-listener activity may matter, how audience engagement strategies go beyond getting someone to press play, and why your back catalogue can become part of your podcast growth strategy.
Because podcast ranking factors aren’t something Apple hands us in a neat formula. I’m not claiming to have cracked the algorithm. I’m sharing what I repeatedly observed in my own data—and why I now pay much closer attention to podcast listener conversion, audience growth, and what happens after someone discovers a show.
And this is where podcast ranking becomes more than a vanity metric. Charting can create public proof, increase podcast discoverability, and put your show in front of people who didn’t know you existed. For anyone focused on business podcast growth, that visibility can create another acquisition opportunity and help turn discovery into trust.
If you want to go deeper, join me September 28–30 for The Canadian Entrepreneur Podcast Experience. I’ll show you how I measure the Podcast Charting Loop, the benchmarks I watch, and how to create deliberate acquisition activity around your show.
Grab your free spot at janditchfield.co/summit and come learn with me.
Ready to grow your podcast alongside Canadian women who get it?
The Show is Canada’s podcast business mastermind for women entrepreneurs who want to build a podcast that gets found, grows their business and climbs the Canadian charts.
Inside, we’re working on the things that actually move a show forward: podcast business growth strategy, discoverability and SEO, audience growth, analytics, content, authority, Canadian chart strategy and turning your podcast into a business asset.
You’ll also be part of a room full of Canadian women podcasters to connect and collaborate with, plus access to Canadian guest opportunities, Sponsor Match, podcast growth resources and The Show LIVE—our monthly mastermind where we dig into what’s working, what’s not and what to do next.
The Show is free to join.
If you’re a Canadian woman entrepreneur building a podcast to grow your business, come find your people—and let’s put more Canadian women on the podcast charts.
Join The Show → janditchfield.co/theshow
