Skip to content

Missing Data

Common reasons for data that appears to be missing are:

  • Delay

  • Sample size too small

  • Issues with the data source

  • Services not connected

  • Data not provided by platform

  • Issues with the Bumper Dashboard

Sometimes data can appear to be missing from the Bumper Dashboard when a show's audience size is simply too small and there isn't enough data to aggregate. Other common issues concerning missing data are outlined below.

If any of the data on your Bumper Dashboard still looks wrong, be sure to let us know at support@wearebumper.com

Why can't I see real-time data for my show?

The Bumper Dashboard refreshes every two hours, but keep in mind that this doesn't mean there will always be new data available from providers. Typically we see Spotify and Apple Podcasts analytics delayed by a few days, so if you're looking for data on a brand new episode, it's best to wait a couple of days before you check on its performance.

Why can't I see YouTube data on the Bumper Dashboard?

In order for Bumper to access your YouTube podcast analytics, the YouTube Channel is what needs to be connected. Sometimes, Dashboard users inadvertently give us access to their YouTube Studio account instead.

This step needs to be completed by the person on your team with "Channel Owner" access on YouTube. Your Channel Owner will also need Bumper Dashboard access, so be sure to let us know if that person hasn't been set up yet at support@wearebumper.com.

Missing Data: Verified Listeners

Why don't I see Apple Podcasts Verified Listener data prior to October 2017?

The earliest available Apple Podcasts listener data starts in late 2017.

Why can't I see cumulative Verified Listeners for Apple Podcasts before a certain date?

Historical data for cumulative Apple Podcasts listeners is only available from the time the Bumper Dashboard gets access to your show in Apple Podcasts Connect, and the days/weeks/month after.

Why can't I see Verified Listeners for YouTube?

YouTube does not offer unique viewers, data via the YouTube Analytics or Reporting APIs, so it's not a number the Bumper Dashboard can access or display.

We hope YouTube will make unique viewers available via their API in the future. Until then, you can see unique viewers for YouTube in YouTube Studio.

When I add up all my daily/weekly Verified Listeners, I get a different number from the monthly total. Why?

"Verified Listeners" is a metric used to calculate unique, individual listeners over a set period of time. That means that weekly Verified Listeners, for example, cannot simply be added together, because the same Verified Listener might show up over multiple weeks. When the Bumper Dashboard is toggled to any selected period of time, Verified Listeners are deduplicated.

For a monthly total, be sure to set the data range to "Monthly" instead of trying to add up numbers.

Why can't I see New and Returning Listeners for Apple Podcasts?

Historical data for new and returning Apple Podcasts listeners is only available from the time the Bumper Dashboard gets access to your show in Apple Podcasts Connect, and the days/weeks/month after.

Why can't I see new and returning listeners for Spotify?

New and Returning Listeners is a derived metric, calculated by Bumper using daily listener counts from Spotify. Smaller podcasts may not have enough listeners day over day for us to make this calculation.

Missing Data: Playback

Why is estimated Playback missing for Apple Podcasts?

When "remove play inflation" is toggled on, the Bumper Dashboard displays estimated plays for Apple Podcasts. Bumper's estimated plays by day/week/month relies on episode-level data. Apple Podcasts Connect makes this data available for up to 300 of the most recently-released episodes.

The episode-level and show-level all-time estimated Playback totals include all episodes, but Playback by day, week, or month may not include historical data prior to the 300 most recent episodes.

This limitation also means the sum of daily/weekly/monthly estimated Playback may not equal the all-time total displayed in the Bumper Dashboard.

Missing Data: Listen & Watch Time

Why is Spotify data missing prior to Jan 2024 on the Listen & Watch Time graph?

The earliest available Spotify Listen & Watch Time data starts on January 1, 2024.

Missing Data: Followers

Why don't I see Apple Podcasts followers prior to December 2019?

The earliest available Apple Podcasts follower data starts in early 2020.

If your podcast existed before this date, you may see a spike of Apple Podcasts Followers Gained in December 2019. This was not actually a sudden influx of followers, but rather a representation of all the Apple Podcasts followers your podcast already had on this date.

Follower spike

Why don't I see subscriber data for YouTube?

YouTube only tracks subscribers at the channel level, not the playlist. If your YouTube channel solely consists of your podcast as a single playlist, your subscriber count is roughly equivalent to your Apple Podcasts and Spotify followers, however this is not the case for many clients who use the Bumper Dashboard.