Stephen Pickens on LinkedIn: Podcast audience is big … and under-counted (2024)

FAQs

What are the pros and cons of podcast advertising? ›

They are ideal for building brand awareness and grabbing the listener's attention, as they are less likely to be skipped or ignored. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as being more expensive, having less creative flexibility, and being less relevant to the podcast content or theme.

Nearly half of podcast listeners choose to skip ads

However, a 2023 YouGov study reported just one in seven listeners (14%) find ads in podcasts interesting and not interruptive, while more than two in five (42%) skip them altogether.

Besides promoting your brand, it's also important for many consumers to feel like they know the people behind the brand. To understand the mission and values of a company. A podcast is a great way to showcase this through behind-the-scenes insights.

Research has shown that among crucial segments like 25 to 54 year olds extends brands' reach by 12% for radio listeners and 15% for TV viewers. In a survey by Acast, most marketers indicated that podcast advertising improves overall campaign effectiveness by 21 to 40%.

In excess, podcasts can distract you from your work and social connections and even impede your ability to learn and remember. Keep reading to dig in to the research about what happens in your brain when you listen to podcasts and discover the best way to enjoy your favorite podcasts with no downsides.

The ability to build personal connections with listeners

Unlike other forms of media, podcasts offer a unique opportunity to create a personal and intimate connection with your audience. Podcasts are often conversational in nature, allowing you to connect with your listeners on a deeper level.

This means that only 25% of possible future actively established podcasters are active. Podcasts have a 94.77% chance of failure.

People who don't care about the topic, the audience, or the medium should not start a podcast. Otherwise, they'll never be happy with the process or results.

The podcast market is oversaturated, making it challenging for creators to stand out. Effective promotion strategies, including leveraging social media and collaborating with guests, are essential for success in this crowded space.

67% of podcast listeners are between the ages of 18 and 44 years old. The 45+ demographic is growing, but millennials and gen-Xers are the most avid listeners. 48% of people in the U.S. ages 12-34 listen to podcasts at least once a month. 27% of U.S. podcast listeners have a 4-year college degree (vs.

Who listens to podcasts more? ›

Podcast Listener Demographics

66% of podcast listeners in the United States are aged 12-34. According to a 2022 Edison Research study, 50% of podcast listeners in the United States aged 12-34 had listened to a podcast in the last 30 days.

In the first quarter of 2024, BetterHelp was the leading podcast advertiser in the United States. Its podcast ad spending for the quarter stood at 24.6 million U.S. dollars, while that of Amazon stood at 15.6 million. The total 2022 podcast ad spend in the U.S. was estimated at 1.73 billion U.S. dollars.

Because listeners have the ability to skip ahead easily, it's understandable that you may be concerned that your ad spend is being wasted. Fortunately, the ad skipping issue probably isn't as big of a problem as you think it is. The truth is, podcast advertising is one of the most effective ways to market.

With over two million podcasts out there, it is easy for your content to get lost in the sea of active podcasts. There is a 50 percent chance that your podcast is going to podfade. With more than half a million podcasts churned out yearly, only 20 percent survives, the question of why podcasts fail deserves answers.

Advertising can be a great way to reach a large and specific audience, increase brand awareness, and drive measurable results. However, it can also be expensive, competitive, and risky to run and maintain campaigns, as well as intrusive and annoying to your audience.

Magazine advertising provides targeted exposure and creative flexibility at an affordable cost. It offers enduring impact and potential pass-on exposure. However, challenges include high costs for premium placements, extended lead times, and the risk of ads being overlooked or misunderstood.