What happens after the listen: Linktree’s trending Podcast(er)s Pulse, April 2026

Spotify counts downloads. Apple Podcasts counts streams. Neither tells you what a listener does when they actually want more.

That’s what Linktree sees.

When a podcast listener clicks through to show notes, signs up for a newsletter, buys merch or joins a community, that action shows up on Linktree. It’s a layer of intent that download numbers don’t capture. And across 587,440 podcast-linked profiles generating 26.6 million profile views and 18.9 million link clicks in 28 days, a few things stand out.

Podcast audiences show up ready to act

At 0.71 clicks per profile visit, podcast audiences on Linktree show strong engagement — visitors arrive with clear intent and act on it. They’re not browsing – they already know what they want, whether that’s an episode link, a newsletter sign-up or a merch page. The listening is done. Linktree is where the next step happens.

TikTok sends fewer listeners, but they click more

Instagram drives 59% of all incoming podcast traffic on Linktree, nearly five times TikTok's share. But TikTok-referred visitors click through at 81%, compared to 72% from Instagram.

The two platforms play different roles: Instagram gets more podcast listeners to your Linktree, while TikTok gets more of those visitors to actually click once they arrive. For creators weighing where to focus their promotional energy, that gap is worth paying attention to, especially when the goal is driving a specific action (a pre-save, a Patreon signup) rather than broad awareness.

Canada and Australia are outperforming the US

The US leads on raw volume at 36% of total podcast profile views. But Canada converts at 70% and Australia at 69%, both above the US at 65%.

These are large, English-speaking audiences who are already showing up and clicking at higher rates than the biggest market in the world. Most creators aren’t actively targeting them. The data suggests they probably should be.

Brands now compete alongside independent creators

This month’s Top 20 includes Liverpool Football Club, whitefoxboutique and westsidestores right alongside independent creators like snowthaproduct and simonegiertz. Brands are competing for the same listeners and winning on sheer volume. Podcast distribution on Linktree has grown well beyond individual creators.

What we’re watching next

Podcast audiences arrive ready to act, click through at rates well above the platform average, and span a genuinely global footprint. (This month’s Top 20 covers seven countries across four continents.) The platforms driving that engagement and the markets where listeners click most aren't always the obvious ones.

We’ll be tracking this every month. Next edition: May 2026.

Based on data from 587,440 podcast-linked profiles across Linktree's global base of 70M+ creators. Covers the 28 days ending March 28, 2026.