How do YouTube views affect ZenCast download numbers?
At this time, YouTube views aren't counted in ZenCast analytics.
When your RSS feed is imported into YouTube, they make their own copy of every episode, so any plays inside the main YouTube app are delivered from Google’s servers, not ZenCast’s. Because of this we never see the files getting played, and those plays skip our download counter entirely.
Where to find your YouTube podcast analytics
Thankfully, YouTube has some pretty useful tools for learning about how your podcast is consumed.
- Open YouTube Studio (studio.youtube.com or the mobile app).
- In the Content tab, hover over an episode and click the bar‑chart icon to see detailed stats.
- Use the Reach and Engagement tabs for discovery sources and audience‑retention curves.
- In Advanced mode → YouTube Product, you’ll see a split between plays in the main YouTube app and the YouTube Music app.
Can ZenCast pull YouTube numbers into my dashboard?
Not currently. While Google offers analytics APIs, they report “views,” which aren’t compatible with normal podcast download counts and statistics. Mixing them would inflate totals and cause some confusion.
Do I need to change anything in ZenCast to stay on YouTube?
No. Once YouTube has imported your RSS feed, new episodes will appear automatically - just publish in ZenCast as usual.
Should I disable YouTube if I can’t merge the statistics?
Only if YouTube isn’t bringing you new listeners. For most shows, it’s free extra exposure, so the upside usually outweighs the hassle of having stats from multiple sources.