Sometimes people hope to earn some money by podcasting. That money comes mostly from advertisers, and before they buy an ad spot on your podcast they want to know if anyone is actually going to hear it.
To prove to these advertisers that people do indeed listen to your show you will need to provide metrics in the form of download numbers. The PRX Publishing Platform has its own downloads-tracking app (very aptly named Metrics) which is IAB certified, but most advertisers will ask for numbers from a neutral third party to corroborate our numbers.
Engaging with a third party metrics service also allows you to take your download history with you should you ever decided to change hosting providers.
Enter: Podtrac. A third-party podcast metric tracking app! They are mostly free to use, but you'll need to register.
Once you're signed up you can add the RSS feed to Podtrac by clicking on “Add Show” and entering the RSS URL.
Finally, take the enclosure prefix URL they give you and insert it in the appropriate field within your feed settings in Dovetail.
Voila!