With podcast listenership on a rapid rise, you could be forgiven for thinking that everybody tunes in. That may not be strictly true, but it may be of benefit to podcasters to understand the types of people most likely to listen.
Young people are at the forefront of the podcasting revolution, and it appears to be Sweden that is leading the charge. 47% of Swedes have listened to at least one podcast in the last year.
Other leading podcast countries include Ireland, and Brazil where over 40% had listened. More than one in three Americans having listened to at least one podcast in the last 12 months. The UK has a very high figure of 31% and other countries above 30% include Australia, Taiwan, Portugal and Spain.
The most striking aspect of podcast consumption is their appeal to younger people. In Sweden and the United States, two of the countries that have embraced podcasts most, we find that over half of under 35s have used a podcast monthly compared with less than a fifth of over 55s.
Older podcast listenership
More recent figures however have shown the over-55 market is also increasing rapidly with 25% listening to podcasts at least once a month (a 29% increase). The over-55s appear to be responding to an increase in educative content.
A 2021 study of people in the United States and Europe found that the main reason given by people (20%) for not listening to podcasts was a lack of time, whereas only 9% of Americans claimed ignorance of podcasts, whereas in Europe that figure rose to 16%.
Technology is a key driver
The big difference between figures for the younger vs older market appears to be down to technical knowledge of modern digital outputs. Older people are less inclined to bother themselves with trends in technology and are more likely to consume media through traditional routes, like television and radio. This is most notably true in countries that are less advanced technologically.
Technologically savvy countries are seeing massive surges in podcast listenership. One study showed that at least 58% of South Korean adults listen to podcasts, whereas another had the figures closer to 66%. South Korean adults are big consumers of digital goods and are heavy internet users.
Podcasters tend to target the younger market
The age differential can also be attributed to the audience targeted by many podcasters. An estimated 67% of podcast publishers focus on the 18-to-44 demographic.
At the youngest end of the spectrum, teenagers are far more likely to concentrate of visual media, although 2020 research showed almost half of teenagers in the United States had listened to a podcast. Teenagers between 13 and 17 had the highest percentage (48%).
There is a reason why podcasters target the younger age groups. The Very Different Scales Report by Ethan Cramer-Flood examined the behaviour of listeners in 18 countries, including the US, Canada, France, Germany, and Brazil. The most popular age group for podcasts listeners is 25-44 which make up 49% of total listeners and Spotify is the world’s most popular podcast app, closely followed by the Apple podcast app.
USA and a growth in podcast awareness
The United States has over 100 million podcast listeners and 80% of Americans aged over 12-years-old are aware that podcasts are available to them. That is 30% higher than it was 10 years ago. This role of podcasts in peoples’ lives has grown markedly and that increase shows no sign of slowing down.
Where do people listen to podcasts?
The Ethan Cramer-Flood Study also found that 49% of people primarily consume podcasts in their own home, a reduction of 2% from 2017. The 22% of people that listen while driving remained the same as four years earlier. Driving a vehicle requires concentration and those listening at home were more able to listen without distraction.
Podcast listeners spend an average of 6 hours and 39 minutes on podcasts each week. As podcasts become even more widely known, this statistic is unlikely to reduce.
Most people hate doing the housework and Podcastinsights have found that 59% of those listening to podcasts do so to get themselves through their household chores as they predominantly listen to educative content, comedy, and the news.
Men vs Women
In the USA, only 29% of women listen to podcasts, according to Edison Research, compared to 36% of their male counterparts. Generally worldwide, it seems men are more committed to listen to audio than women.
Podcast subscriptions and loyalty is on the rise and this shows no sign of slowing in 2023.
It's a fantastic time to get podcasting and Yorkshire Podcast Studios can get you up and running.
Yorkshire Podcast Studios is just off the M62 in West Yorkshire, close to the Leeds IKEA at Birstall and within easy reach of central Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, Wakefield and Batley. If you are looking for high-quality studios in which you can record podcasts, livestream broadcasts and get your audio or video to the audience you want in the most effective way possible, get in touch with us here at Yorkshire Podcast Studios.
We look forward to seeing you (for a brew and a chat) at Yorkshire Podcast Studios soon.
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