Podcasting has grown drastically and steadily since it began in the early 2000s. Every year, leading research and media groups such as Spotify and Edison release surveys to measure trends, understand listener behavior, and track podcast growth worldwide. We've compiled the latest local and global stats to give you an accurate picture of the industry’s current and future state. US and UK stats tend to be indicative of how the industry will evolve in Australia. Here are the latest eye opening stats and insights you need to deliver to your team to inform your next media plan.
Current Top 10 Australian Podcasts (April 2022)
Hamish & Andy
The Uninspired Unemployed
ABC News Briefing
Shameless
It’s a Lot with Abbie Chatfield
Pedestrian Daily
7am
Life Uncut
Happy Hour with Lucy & Nikki
From the Newsroom (Chartable)
Reach
Australians spend an average of 40mins a day listening to podcasts.
79% of the US population 12+ are familiar with the term “podcasting” (up from 78% last year.) (The Infinite Dial 22)
Seventy-three percent of the U.S. 12+ population (an estimated 209 million people) have listened to online audio in the last month, up from 68% in 2021. (The Infinite Dial 22)
62% of those age 12+ in the U.S. (an estimated 177 million people) have ever listened to a podcast, up from 57% last year. (The Infinite Dial 22)
Audience
People of Hispanic descent make up 16% of monthly podcast listeners, compared to 11% in 2017. Black listeners now comprise 16% of the audience, up from 12% in 2017 and Asian Americans account for another 3% as the proportion of White listeners has fallen from 66% to 59% during the past five years. (The Infinite Dial 22)
26% of weekly podcast listeners are now coming from non-white backgrounds in the UK and the average listener age is younger at 37, compared to 40 in previous Guardian research in 2020. (The Guardian)
Podcast listening still leans male by a 53% to 46% ratio. (The Infinite Dial 22)
Half of 12–24-year-olds surveyed said they had listened to a podcast in the past month, compared to 43% for those aged 35-54. And among those age 55 and older, Edison says 22% had consumed a podcast in the past month. (The Infinite Dial 22)
Listening Habits
60% of our audience say they tune into podcasts to educate themselves, and two out of three podcast listeners give them their full attention. (Spotify)
In-car podcast listening also showed growth: 32% of those age 18+ who have ridden in or driven a car in the last month now listen to podcasts in-car, compared to 30% last year. (The Infinite Dial 22)
One in five (19%) surveyed said they frequently listen with others and 28% said they sometimes do. Younger demos were most likely to listen to audio with other people. Overall, one in four people said they never listen to audio with others. (The Infinite Dial 22)
25.7% of internet users own a smart speaker currently. (eMarketer)
Path to Purchase
83% of podcast listeners say their favorite podcasters feel like friends. (Spotify)
51% of UK weekly users of each channel said podcast adverts made them want to buy something from the brand versus 38% for radio. (The Guardian)
Trust levels increase from 45% to 63% when podcasts are added into the media mix. (The Guardian)
81% of listeners have taken action after hearing audio ads during a podcast. These actions include researching a product online, connecting with the brand on social media, and talking about the brand with others. (The Guardian)
Media Mixing
81% of podcast streams on Spotify happen on a weekday, 35% during commuting hours, and 77% on a mobile device (Spotify)
65% of listeners paid attention to podcast adverts - more than adverts on TV at 39% and adverts on the radio at 38%. (The Guardian)
41% of podcast listeners are listening to podcasts more than they were 12 months ago. (The Guardian)
Interestingly, in combination with other media, the overall effectiveness of an advertising campaign is maximised by adding podcasts into the mix. For example, those saying “it tells me something new about the brand” increases by 34% when podcasts are added alongside a radio campaign. (The Guardian)
They also help dial-up the ‘brand’ part of branded content - 47% of those exposed to branded content said “it improves my opinion of the brand”. Add podcast adverts to the mix and the same metric jumps to 64%. (The Guardian)
Combined with the visual cues of digital display, podcasts make campaigns more memorable and trustworthy. Trust levels increase from 45% to 63% when podcasts are added into the media mix. (The Guardian)
Current Biggest Podcast Advertisers
Better Help
Hello Fresh
Athletic Greens
Express VPN
Progressive
Geico
Stamps.com
ZipRecruiter
Indeed
Squarespace (Megallan AI)
The podcast industry continues to evolve, content becomes more diverse, varied and bold. You are now loaded up with fresh podcast stats and insights to fuel your next campaign. Get ahead of the curve and contact us to find out how you can get your brand involved.