Oh no, I just hit play on my own podcast and have to listen to it now!

The hell that is the "percent completed" algorithm

My podcasts analytics left me feeling like my Spotify downloads were lower than they should be.

One minor way you can work toward solving such problems is by listening on the app you’re trying to game get more listens on. I have done this with Apple Podcasts in the past.

Before we dive in, let’s back up.

My preferred app remains Pocket Casts. I like the interface. I like that all my podcasts are downloaded not streamed* (so I don’t have to worry about signal loss if I go for a run in the woods or other reasons streaming isn’t ideal). I like the way it adds some podcasts to the top of the queue and others to the bottom. It just works. I keep hoping they will add an option involving streaming satoshis although I don’t think they will.

(the asterisk is for the The Podcasting Hall of Famers in case you guys want to have a discussion here about streaming vs. progressive downloads which no actual listener cares about.)

I can’t for the life of me get the Apple Podcasts interface to work the way I want, and I often “fat finger” the app and lose what I was trying to listen to. The Spotify interface - sheesh - if there’s a way to actually queue up a few podcasts please let me know. I’m not exactly a newbie in this field, or with tech, but I sure can’t figure that one out.

This week, however, I am using Spotify for my podcasts.

My end goal is to train their algorithm that people who listen to X listen to Y. To this end, I have been playing (and maybe not actually listening to) a mix of Daily Comedy News, Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Conan, 5 Good News Stories and Bill Simmons. At minimum, DCN will get some 100% play-throughs. Ideally, the algorithm will tell listeners to those other shows that they might like DCN.

I’ve done this move in the past with Apple Podcasts. Does it work? I don’t know, but it is minimal effort on my part.

Which brings me to the stress point part of this article.

In the morning, I drive to “the National Donuts Chain” (they have money if they want a mention) and listen back to my own shows to check for mistakes. This morning, Spotify started a second episode of Daily Comedy News. Fudge.

Why Fudge?

Well….do I let it play through now, or do I train the algorithm that “listeners” only listen to the show for 5 seconds and bail. Fudge, I will let it play through.

I live in fear of QCing on Apple Podcasts for this very reason. The last thing I want is for Apple Podcasts to think people bail on my shows after 5 seconds. Everyone knows people wait at least ten seconds before deciding my shows are terrible!

Apple needs to add “creator mode” where I won’t be algo-punished for skipping around during my own audio.

My current mess of podcast apps

Pocket Casts - the one I WANT to use.

Apple Podcasts - the best for discovery right now, but that doesn’t mean it is GOOD for discovery. The app that was GOOD for discovery was actually the late Google Podcasts.

Spotify - because I don’t like my 10% metric and I am trying to trick your algorithm.

TrueFans - I love what they are up to, but it’s not all the way there yet. I’m looking forward to some things that I hear are coming.

Fountain - I used to know how to top off my wallet but now I can’t figure it out. Also it’s at the Bro End of Crypto Bro CyberPunk Village and just isn’t a nice place to hang these days, with a VERY cluttered interface,

Castamatic - interface is Pocket Casts-ish, and has streaming sats - but I still can’t quote get it to behave the way I want, so I wind up back on Pocket Casts and thus NO SATS FOR YOU.

Today’s article probably has 15 typos. I need to keep moving. I have shows to make and I’m also the marketing department.