In this episode of Press Play, I’m breaking down what actually moves the needle in your podcast, because there is so much noise out there about what you should be focusing on. For today, I want to simplify this and talk about the two things that truly matter if you want your podcast to grow, gain traction, and actually support your goals. If you focus on just these two things, you’ll start seeing movement, no matter what stage your podcast is in.

The first thing that matters is consistency, and it’s first for a reason. You simply cannot move your podcast forward without it. Consistency doesn’t magically guarantee growth, but it is the baseline for any growth to happen at all. You have to find a way to show up consistently in a way that works for you, whether that means releasing episodes weekly, biweekly, or even monthly. What matters most is that you stick to it.

Consistency also isn’t just about publishing episodes. It’s about how you show up behind the scenes. You need a rhythm and a routine for working on your podcast. I always recommend having a dedicated podcast day or block of time each week where you sit down and focus on recording, planning, or prepping episodes. When you build this into your schedule and treat it like a non-negotiable habit, it becomes much easier to stay consistent long-term.

The second thing that actually moves the needle is data. Once you’re consistent, you can start paying attention to the right data to understand what’s working and what’s not. Without consistency, your data isn’t reliable, so these two things work together. In the early stages, you’re not going to have meaningful insights right away. It usually takes at least 90 days of consistent publishing to gather enough data to really see patterns.

Instead of obsessing over downloads, I recommend tracking things like followers or unique listeners month over month, because that shows you whether your audience is actually growing. I also like looking at episode consumption rates, which tell you how much of each episode people are listening to. High consumption rates mean your content is resonating, while lower rates can signal that something needs to shift.

Another important data point is your call to action. Are people clicking your links, visiting your landing pages, booking calls, or purchasing your offers? That information tells you whether your podcast is doing its job as a marketing and lead-generation tool. When you consistently show up and pay attention to these numbers, you can make smarter decisions about your content and direction instead of guessing.

At the end of the day, consistency and data are what actually move your podcast forward. There are a lot of metrics you could look at, but these are the ones that truly matter. If you focus here, you’ll build momentum, clarity, and real results over time.