Apple Launches New Podcast Analytics Beta for Podcasters

[MacRumors]

Apple in June promised to introduce new analytics features for podcasters, providing in-episode analytics options for tracking people listening, where in a podcast listeners stop and skip content, whether ads are skipped, and how long people generally listen for.

Starting today, Apple's podcast analytics feature is rolling out in a beta capacity, reports TechCrunch.

In recent years, podcasts have been growing in popularity, which is what led Apple to finally introduce dedicated analytics tools. Apple also redesigned the Podcasts app entirely in iOS 11, implementing a much improved end user experience with better linearity for podcast episodes.

Apple's new podcasts analytics feature uses anonymized data to make sure user privacy is preserved while also allowing developers access to data that will improve their podcast performance. Data is available from iOS 11 and iTunes 12.7 users.

Podcasters can access the new analytics options for free starting today in iTunes Connect.

Article Link: Apple Launches New Podcast Analytics Beta for Podcasters

 

[Velli]

Beginning of podcasts truly reaching mainstream masses, death of quality podcasts.

 

[richard4339]

Apple also redesigned the Podcasts app entirely in iOS 11, implementing a much improved end user experience

Personally I’ve found the user experience to be frustrating to the point that I stopped using the supplied podcasts app, while it was usable in iOS 10. And I haven’t seen many comments anywhere that feel like the interface was “improved”.

 

[NeuralControl]

The Podcast app can be quite frustrating to use. The UI is confusing and many more taps are needed to play an episode than before. While just anecdotal evidence, my friends and coworkers share the same feeling about the update.

 

[redneckitengineer]

And here we are...still without a podcast app for Apple Watch. I can’t use my series 3 to its full cellular capability until Apple fixes this.

 

[sevvere]

Will it use the same analytics that keeps the Serial podcast in the top 3 all year long only though new episodes are released 2 months of the year?

NPR has hijacked the podcast scene and hijacked (bought off?) the ranking system. these analytics are just one step in a slow attempt to figure out a way to monetize the whole podcast infrastructure for companies like NPR.

 

[kurisub]

I imagine this will be a big wake up call for some podcasts when advertisers start asking for this data instead of usual garbage analytics. "Oh, I see most of your listeners are just skipping through your ad-reads…no thanks!"

 

[redneckitengineer]

I imagine this will be a big wake up call for some podcasts when advertisers start asking for this data instead of usual garbage analytics. "Oh, I see most of your listeners are just skipping through your ad-reads…no thanks!"

You know it. An example, Bertcast. I’ll skip the first 10-15 min of his show which is just one giant ad.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

This is HUGE for podcast creators. Until now there's only been very vague indications of listener engagement.

Having better data will allow them to charge advertisers more accurately and likely make much more money, which will in turn make them invest in the shows we love to listen to.

 

[scottcampbell]

This is HUGE for podcast creators. Until now there's only been very vague indications of listener engagement.

Having better data will allow them to charge advertisers more accurately and likely make much more money, which will in turn make them invest in the shows we love to listen to.

This is only going to make podcsasters less money.

Everyone will see that ads are simply skipped.

We'll get our Forward 15 button removed first. Then somehow ads will become unskippable.

 

[CrzyP]

The Podcast app can be quite frustrating to use. The UI is confusing and many more taps are needed to play an episode than before. While just anecdotal evidence, my friends and coworkers share the same feeling about the update.

Agreed. It bothers me that I can't mark podcasts as played or unplayed on iOS. I have to use Apple TV or iTunes to do that. The iOS 11 podcast app is pure garbage.

 

[Archer1440]

Beginning of podcasts truly reaching mainstream masses, death of quality podcasts.

If by "quality podcasts" you mean 1970's college radio production values and people snorting and breathing into microphones, then, yeah.

 

[DiegoEGonzalez]

I don’t see how giving more data to podcasters will get rid of more high quality podcast. It’ll allow them to make it more engaging. I do see the 15 second forward button disappearing or if possibly Apple taking the next step and administrating ads themselves to force listeners to listen to ads. I’m too lazy to skip them so i don’t really care. It’s free content.

 

[Westside guy]

Personally I’ve found the user experience to be frustrating to the point that I stopped using the supplied podcasts app, while it was usable in iOS 10. And I haven’t seen many comments anywhere that feel like the interface was “improved”.

Me either. All I've seen are comments from people like you and me who gave up on the Apple Podcast app as of iOS 11. ... well, I did also see lots of comments from people who gave up on the Apple Podcast app sooner than that...

Seriously - how good are these analytics going to be when the total user base has probably dwindled into the double-digits?

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

This is only going to make podcsasters less money.

Everyone will see that ads are simply skipped.

We'll get our Forward 15 button removed first. Then somehow ads will become unskippable.

Sucks for the podcasts that aren't doing well.

It should help those that look at their analytics understand their programs better. Are there things that cause people to stop listening or unsubscribe. Is there a better length of time they should make their presentations and much more.

I see this having much more benefit than harmful impact. Wanting to be ignorant to these things isn't the best way forward. Better understanding of how our audiences consume our content is.

 

[The Game 161]

Get a damn apple watch podcast app.

 

[Archer1440]

Sucks for the podcasts that aren't doing well.

It should help those that look at their analytics understand their programs better. Are there things that cause people to stop listening or unsubscribe. Is there a better length of time they should make their presentations and much more.

I see this having much more benefit than harmful impact. Wanting to be ignorant to these things isn't the best way forward. Better understanding of how our audiences consume our content is.

This is spot on. Already, I can see clear trend lines tied to specific content. This is the best analysis tool yet available.

 

[Glassed Silver]

I don’t see how giving more data to podcasters will get rid of more high quality podcast. It’ll allow them to make it more engaging. I do see the 15 second forward button disappearing or if possibly Apple taking the next step and administrating ads themselves to force listeners to listen to ads. I’m too lazy to skip them so i don’t really care. It’s free content.

"I'm lazy, therefore I don't care about DRM"

"It's free, don't complain"

Ah, bright future ahead, because that's how too many people think these days.

Glassed Silver:ios

 

[nick42983]

The Podcast app can be quite frustrating to use. The UI is confusing and many more taps are needed to play an episode than before. While just anecdotal evidence, my friends and coworkers share the same feeling about the update.

You are totally right, Apple most certainly did NOT implement “a much improved end user experience with better linearity for podcast episodes.” The must frustrating thing beyond the extra clicks all over the place is that podcasts won’t play in sequence automatically! There is a lengthy thread on this baffling “update” in Apple’s discussion forums. You have to manually press play on every new episode, where in the past they would keep playing one after another. Beyond annoyance this is a danger for people who drive and listen, and now are forced to fumble around their iPhone.

 

[DiegoEGonzalez]

"I'm lazy, therefore I don't care about DRM"

"It's free, don't complain"

Ah, bright future ahead, because that's how too many people think these days.

Glassed Silver:ios

They created something I enjoy. I really don’t mind listening to an ad for it. I want them to be successful. What’s wrong with that?

 

[Glassed Silver]

They created something I enjoy. I really don’t mind listening to an ad for it. I want them to be successful. What’s wrong with that?

They can put in ads as much as they like, the problem is to enforce listeners to not skip them means they have to implement DRM.

That IS a problem.

Glassed Silver:ios

 

[DiegoEGonzalez]

They can put in ads as much as they like, the problem is to enforce listeners to not skip them means they have to implement DRM.

That IS a problem.

Glassed Silver:ios

True. Obnoxious DRM that segregates technology is problematic. Maybe they can stream the podcast in parts requiring users to listen to one half before listening to the rest idk. Maybe thanks too much. I think removing the 15 second forward button is reasonable though.