A listener survey can be a great way to figure out how people find your podcast, what you need to improve, and how to get more listeners. Below you'll find a free template you can use with sample questions.
How to conduct a podcast listener survey
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Use a survey tool like Reform, Typeform, or SurveyMonkey
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Create your questions in the survey tool, and publish a link to the survey
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When you record your podcast, invite listeners to complete the survey: tell them the URL and link to it in your show notes
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You may want to incentivize people to fill out the survey by having a draw for podcast merch (a t-shirt, stickers, etc)
Sample questions for a podcast listener survey
Use these questions when you craft your podcast listener survey:
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How did you first hear about our podcast?
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What was it about our podcast that made you want to listen?
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How long have you been a listener? When did you start listening?
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What do you most like about the podcast?
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What do you like least about the podcast?
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What activity are you usually doing while you listen to the podcast? (Driving, washing dishes, walking)
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Do you listen to all our episodes, or just a few?
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What's your favorite episode(s) of our show? Why do you like it?
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Have you ever told friends, colleagues, or social media followers about our podcast? What motivated you to share it? Did you share a specific episode?
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Which app do you use to listen to our podcast? (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube)
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When you open your listening app, how do you decide what to listen to first?
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What are your other favorite podcasts to listen to? Do you listen to other podcasts similar to our show?
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What would you like us to keep doing on the show?
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What would you like us to stop doing on the show?
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What would you like to hear more of on the show?
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Is there a specific guest or topic you think we should have on the podcast?
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Anything else we should know about?
How to use podcast listener survey results
Once you start receiving responses to your listener survey, you'll learn some important information:
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How do most listeners find you? Is it word-of-mouth, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, or other podcasts in your niche? Can you invest more time and money in that channel?
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What makes people want to listen? What do they like? Double down on the content, bits, guests, and topics that make people want to listen!
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What turns people off about your show? This feedback can be hard to hear, but removing the things people don't like is a great way to improve your show.
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What topics, guests, or ideas do they have for your podcast? Incorporate these into the show.
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What other podcasts do they listen to? Cross-promoting your podcast on other podcasts is one of the most effective ways to promote your show. Find the other podcasts your listeners dig, and reach out to them and ask if they'd do a promo swap!
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How do people decide what to listen to first when they open their app? Is it the title? The guest? Are they hooked on your storyline? Optimize your podcast episodes for what makes people click.
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