Ratings and reviews do not affect ranking in Apple Podcasts

• Ratings and reviews do not affect ranking in Apple Podcasts. That’s the analysis of Daniel J Lewis from My Podcast Reviews, who posts the above graphic, saying:

I took this screenshot of the top 12 shows in all of Apple Podcasts yesterday, and I added text showing the number of ratings and reviews for each show. Note that the current highest-ranking show has the second least number of ratings and reviews (1.5K), beating a show with 134K ratings and reviews. And note that the #9 result has only 209 ratings and reviews. That’s not 209,000; it’s only 209. And it’s ranking better than a show with 60K ratings and reviews. So if ratings and reviews affected ranking, then Crime Junkie would be beating The Joe Rogan Experience, most of these podcasts would be in this top-12 list, and Solve would be near the bottom of all podcasts. I’ve collaborated with others who have helped podcasts climb the charts with legitimate audience growth and almost no ratings and reviews. And I’ve seen the data from others who get lots of ratings and reviews, but don’t climb the charts.

• Podcast assembly company Auxbus is for sale, its founder and CEO Dan Radin has announced. He says: “We’ve focused too heavily on building a great product while not focusing enough on building a great business.”

• Podcast Movement have announced more speakers for Podcast Movement Evolutions in February. Our Editor, James Cridland, is also speaking.

• Powerpress 8.1 has been released, with a new “Getting Started” feature to help new users.

• The CatholicTV Network, from Boston MA, USA, is to launch a new podcast division, called Grexley.

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• Google Podcasts is working on a number of new features, which 9to5google has worked out how to enable. Coming “soon”, kind of, maybe, is a “History” tab, so you know what you’ve been listening to; a play queue (so you can choose what’s coming up next); and auto-downloads (first spotted in January).

• Idea: Want to give your favourite podcaster a nice present? Pop along and give them a positive, five-star review - either on Apple Podcasts or on Podchaser.

Christmas is a time for joy and happiness, they say, but if it’s not for you, there are plenty of people who can help - a problem shared is often a problem helped. Here’s a list of helpful numbers and online chat services.

Podcast News - with Spreaker Prime

Spreaker Prime: The Karen & Ellen Letters highlights a found correspondence between two teenage girls and their landlord, over a three year period, from the 1980s. This podcast is the reading of those letters and a re-telling of the host’s journey to validate their authenticity. They’re using Spreaker Prime to earn money and cut their hosting costs.

Malaysia Tatler carries an article from Yi Jun Loh, the host of Breaking Bread, a food podcast from Malaysian radio station BFM. In What I’ve Learnt From Running A Food Podcast For BFM, he says how it’s changed his appreciation for Malaysian food.