Hi Reader,

Every December, Spotify Wrapped shows up and podcasters everywhere think:

“Cool… but this only shows part of my audience.”

If you want something actually useful, it’s time to make your own Podcast Wrapped - one that pulls from all your analytics, across all platforms, and helps you make smarter decisions for next year.

Here’s how to do it, plus how to turn that data into a plan for 2026.

Step 1: Gather Your 2024 vs 2025 Numbers

Start with your hosting provider - this is your source of truth.

Pull:

• Total downloads (2024 vs 2025)
• Downloads per episode
• Listener growth or decline
• Completion or consumption rate (if available)

You’re not looking for perfection here - you’re looking for trends.

Ask:​
Did the show grow, plateau, or contract? And more importantly… why might that be?

Step 2: Which Apps Grew (and Which Didn’t)?

Now zoom in on listening apps:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Pocket Casts
• Overcast
• Podcast Addict
• Any others that appear consistently

Look for:

• Surprising growth (hello, new Pocket Casts followers!)
• Shrinking platforms
• Apps where completion rates are higher (you can get this kind of data from Apple's Podcasts Connect, and Spotify for Creators dashboard)

Insight to pull:​
Where your best listeners actually live - not just where the big numbers are.

That influences where you promote (especially for live shows or hyperlocal sponsors), what links you share, and which platform features you should care about in 2026.

Step 3: Countries That Showed Up

Even if you’ve never intentionally “targeted” geography, your data has opinions.

Check:

• Top countries overall
• New countries that appeared in 2025
• Which regions are growing fastest

Why this matters:​
Time zones, cultural references, guest choices, even release timing can all be adjusted once you know who’s listening.

If India, France, or the UK suddenly pop? That’s not trivia - that’s opportunity.

Step 4: Your Episode Hall of Fame

List:

• Top 5 episodes of 2025
• Episodes with the highest completion rates
• Ones that outperformed expectations

Now ask:

• Was it the topic?
• The guest?
• The format?
• The title?

This is the closest thing you’ll get to a guaranteed hit formula - and most podcasters completely ignore it. Don’t.

Step 5: What This Data Is Trying to Tell You

This is the part most people skip, and it’s the most important.

Your "Wrapped" isn’t just a recap - it’s feedback.

Look for patterns like:

• Shorter episodes performing better
• Solo episodes beating interviews
• Specific themes repeatedly showing up in top episodes
• One platform outperforming all others for engagement

That’s not coincidence. That’s direction.

Step 6: Turn Wrapped Into a 2026 Plan

Finish by answering these questions:

• What should I double down on?
• What can I stop doing?
• Where should I experiment more next year?

Your audience has already voted with their ears.

Your job now is to listen back.

If you make your own Podcast Wrapped this year, even just as a private doc, you’ll start 2026 with more clarity than many podcasters ever have.

And clarity beats motivation every single time.

Until the next time, happy podcasting.

​​​