Listening to podcasts is my favorite way to continue my education post-college and to stay informed on current events. I subscribe to several channels that cover a variety of topics including news, fitness, diet, business, philosophy, creativity, design, and storytelling. There really is something out there for everyone!
As long as you have a mobile device, tablet, or computer and access to an Internet connection, getting podcasts is free! By subscribing to a channel, you can listen to the episodes anytime and anywhere. And swapping recommendations with others makes for great conversations.
This medium has the power to vastly expand educational opportunities by connecting individuals all around the world with subject matter experts including scientists, professors, professional athletes, top designers and ground-breaking entrepreneurs. (At the moment, I’m trying to convince my Uncle, a former nuclear physicist and volunteer archeologist, to create his own podcast. I’m optimistic he’ll come around to the idea).
In the U.S., more and more individuals are integrating podcast listening into their weekly routines. For the latest research on podcast consumption, I analyzed the 2017 Infinite Dial Study, conducted by Edison Research and Triton Digital. Here are my main takeaways from the consumer behavior report.
Podcast Listening is on the Rise in 2017
- 40% of Americans age twelve or older, say they have listened to a podcast at least once
- 24% of Americans age twelve or older listen to podcasts on a monthly basis
- 60% of Americans are now familiar with the term “podcasting”
- The average number of episodes individual users listen to per week is five
- The average listener subscribes to six Podcast channels
- 21% of weekly podcast listeners listen to six or more shows per week
So, Why Should Advertisers Care about Podcasts?
For B2C marketers, podcasting is a beneficial way to reach consumers directly. The majority of podcast listeners do not fast-forward through ads or sponsorship messages. In fact, 85% of listeners hear the entire show or most of it, according to Infinite Dial.
Furthermore, according to a study conducted by Wondery and ComScore, consumers find ads within a podcast to be the least intrusive when compared with other types of digital ads.
Why should advertisers care about #podcasts? 85% of listeners hear the entire show or most of it. Click To TweetThe podcasting industry has not seen much experimentation in the area of B2B advertising yet. However, I expect we will see more of this in upcoming years. B2B marketers who can get creative with podcast sponsorships and advertisements will be far ahead of the competition.
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