47 reasons why people listen to podcasts?
To understand why people listen to podcasts, you have to start thinking of audio products—like podcasts—as Lifestyle Brands.
If you’re unfamiliar with this marketing term, some examples of lifestyle brands that my partner LOVES are Addidas and Lululemon.
Whereas my “lifestyle brands” are Rolex and Nike. (How are we dating)
Here’sLimelight Marketingmore eloquently describing this category of brands:
Lifestyle brands, regardless of industry or product, embody the values, beliefs, aspirations, and attitudes of their particular target audience.They are brands that tap into and influence our emotions, aspirations and ideologies. They create a connection that embeds their brand into their consumers’ personal identity and creates a sense of belonging to a community or a mindset they admire.
Through the lens of “my podcast queue reflects my lifestyle” it’s much easier to understand what makes this growing audience tick.
Not only do podcasts provide listeners with a sense of belonging, but they also serve as accessories to an individual’s self-image.
In the same way thatcarrying a Birkin bagsends a message about who you are and what you value,wearing this “a Bored Ape Yacht Club” logo hoodietells everyone:
I am an internet rock star who owns digital grungy simians that aren't just viral images — they're tickets to a whole world you don't have access to.
Different folks. Different strokes.
Last weekiHeartMediain partnership withPublicis Media (PMX)shared the results of its“Exploring The Brand Benefits of Trust & Companionship in Audio” study.
The findings highlight what moves people to listen to podcasts.
- 67% of podcast listeners say that podcasts “motivate and inspire me”
- 74% of heavy podcast listeners (defined as in the top 25% of hours listened per week) say that podcasts “motivate and inspire me”
- 71% of podcast listeners say that podcasts “educate/teach me something new”
- 79% of heavy podcast listeners say that podcasts “educate/teach me something new”
- Podcast listeners are 158% more likely than listeners of other audio platforms to say they listen “to immerse myself”
- Participants reported feeling “lonely,” “disconnected,” and “more overwhelmed doing simple tasks” when they were asked to stop listening to the radio and/or podcasts for three days
What else motivates podcast listeners to tune in?
Earlier this month, Queensland University of Technology researchers from The School of Psychology and Counseling sharedthe results of a study that surveyed 300 participants about their podcast listening habits.
The study pulled responses across regions and age groups to compare individual podcast consumption habits to the survey participants’ known personality traits.
Here’s what they discovered:
- Podcast listeners are more open and non-neurotic than non-listeners
- People with personality traits that measured higher in openness to experience, interest-based curiosity, and need for cognition were more likely to listen to podcasts
- Researchers also disproved their original hypothesis that podcast listeners were likely drawn to the medium for “mindfulness reasons or due to smartphone addiction.” Neither proved to be key motivators for habitual podcast listeners.
- Interestingly, the study found that people motivated to belong (or “fit in”) were less likely to be habitual podcast listeners
Published in the online academic research journal,PLOS ONE, research findings concluded that, based on personality traits, podcast listeners are motivated by informational needs rather than social or emotional needs.
But I fundamentally disagree with this outcome.
Context is everything.
Modern media diets are all about curation and predictive algorithms.
In a departure from past generations, I’d argue that “fitting in” means something different to a nineteen-year-old than it does to a recently turned 47 year old.
Yes, thank you..JUST TURNED .....as in, it was recently ( 16 April) my Birthday (and you wondered if I could get that information into a blog about podcasts?).
Younger generations would rather “find their tribe” asAmy Poehler puts it in her memoir “Yes Please”than “fit in” with blanket social constructs.
Here’s my interpretation of these findings: Non-listeners might struggle with not knowing where to begin with podcasts since this on-demand media channel is a departure from their goal of consuming content to “fit in.”
I’d argue that habitual podcast listeners are more purposeful about how content serves to fulfill their social and emotional needs.
Maybe podcast audiences have a deeper grasp on their content preferences because they know themselves better?
In a 2019 research study from The Reuters Institute of Journalism at the University of Oxford, which polled a nationally representative average of about 2,000 respondents from each country, we can see similar podcast listener motivations quantified.
Across countries, here’s what drives podcast listenership:
- 46% tune in to keep updated about topics of personal interest
- 39% tune in to learn something new
- 25% tune in to fill empty time
- 22% tune in as a change of pace from music
The Takeaway
What drives listeners to podcasts goes deeper than a basic human desire to efficiently consume information and be entertained.
This is an emotionally charged media channel.
When listeners turn on their favorite podcast they’re seeking out connection, community, inspiration, and something to quench deep seeded curiosity.
Not only does a listener’s podcast queue reflect their personal preferences but like a strategically placed coffee table book, it signals to friends and family who they are and what they value.
Devil’s Advocate
Now, you could say this is true of all media but I disagree.
The social imperative tocatch up on My dad Wrote a p*rn0orread The Metro on the Tube or listen toKanye’s new love songs to himselfas soon as the album drops…well, are those wholly personal preferences?
Or peer pressure?
In this way, podcast consumers actually become more valuable.
Our motivations to tune in and engage go deeper than fleeting trends.
The podcast audience is (quite literally)here for a long time and a good time.
Where do people listen to podcasts?
In 2022, the average person’s media diet is a colorful and chaotic plate of food.
And unlike other parts of our media consumption regimen, audio has long been described as a “lean back” rather than a “lean in” medium.
Now for the Resolution / Conclusion.
Referring to the outcome or result of a complex situation or the sequence of events in a literary work, where the aftermath of the story is addressed, everything comes full circle, and a sense of closure may be reached.
That means podcast listening is more elastic and can happen just about anywhere, which lends itself to the whole “lifestyle brand” narrative.
This is good news for creators and advertisers, because that means listeners can fit podcasts into every *nook* and cranny of their lives!
P.S this is a podcast, The WorkBold Podcast, produced by my team, being made inside a nook, that's smart writing and shameless self-promotion..right there!
Referencing the 2019 Reuters/Oxford study again, the flexibility to consume podcasts anywhere gives it staying power.
Check out this pre-pandemic data below, to get a sense of where listenership may “bounce back” to in the near future:
- 64% at-home podcast listening
- 24% commuting on public transport
- 20% riding on private transport (car or bike)
- 18% while “out and about” shopping or walking
- 16% while exercising
As marketers think more about podcasts as a lifestyle product, honing in on where audiences listen to their shows may unlock an opportunity to reach more people.
Whether commuting, folding laundry, ortaking a “depression walk” around the block—like Flubber, a good podcast seamlessly molds to the contours of our lives.
There are TOO many podcasts. What’s the deal with that?
There are an estimated ~850 000 active podcasts
1. There are close to 850,000 podcasts in the world right now.
(Oberlo) Updated Feb 05, 2022
Eight hundred fifty thousand is the number of active podcasts, not the number of all podcasts that have ever existed.
That might seem like a lot but compared to other kinds of media, it’s actually pretty low.
Check it out:
- 37 million YouTube channels(source: March 2022)
- 2.2 million minutes of content on Netflix(source: 2020)
- 82 million tracks on Spotify(source: 2022)
- 1 billion Facebook stories are shared daily
- 100 million Instgrammers watch or launch live videos daily
- 200 billion Tweets are published per year
- 100 billion average monthly video views on TikTok(source: 2022)
- How many websites are there? As of Mar 21, 2022, there are currentlyover 1.93 billionwebsites online
Every day, there’s a deluge of content to consume through digital platforms.
For audio products like podcasts, the competition isn’t necessarily other podcasts but all these other forms of media competing for our attention.
Whether you’re on Apple Podcasts or AppleTV+, the paradox of choice will be a hurdle.
My advice to creators and consumers:There’s no such thing as too much.
Audiences will always gravitate to their special interests.
What’s the deal with podcast advertising?
According to a report released just last week fromthe Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), podcasts and streaming audio have seen the largest growth in ad revenue—hitting a total of$4.9 billion during 2021.
With a measured 58% year-over-year growth, the digital audio category is said to have outpaced streaming video, social media, search, and display advertising.
Not too shabby.
This ad revenue growth is great news for publishers, platforms, and independent creators hoping to monetize their podcasts through advertising support. But before the money comes through the door, salespeople need proof that podcast ads work.
How exactly do podcast ads break through?
Is there a science behind what makes this ad channel so effective?
In short, yes. Audio advertising is likely more effective than other ad channels because of how our brains are stimulated by audio storytelling.
There’sa great episode ofFreakonomicsfrom 2016that talks through how our brains respond more emotionally to audio storytelling, which leads to stronger memory retention.
The episodedetails how researchers at UC Berkeley used episodes ofThe Moth Radio Hourto measure our brains on podcasts.
In the meantime, here are some quick and dirty facts on why our brains remember podcast ads.
Spotify recently partnered with research team Neuro-Insight,a leader in the field of cognitive research, to understand how our brains respond to digital audio.
Neuro-Insight used a series of proprietary metrics to understand how our brains reat to information delivered via digital audio.
Check out the study’s key findings:
- 66% of participants said “there was too much visual stimulation” and “audio provides a nice escape”
- 93% of the brain’s engagement with the content transferred directly into ad engagement, as the listener moved from a music or podcast into the ad experience
- 19% higher Brand Impact on Spotify compared to all other media
- Digital audio led to “significantly elevated” memorability, engagement, and emotional intensity
- Digital audio allows listeners to “self select” content that connects to their special interests and lifestyle. Compared to radio, this interactivity leads to increased brain engagement
- People use digital audio to enhance their daily experiences
This isn’t the only example of media properties turning to neuroscience to prove out marketing techniques.
Last yearAustralian Radio Network’s Neuro Labset out to understand how consumers’ brains respond to distinct audio formats through the Sound You Can See study.
The study, which measured brain responses to radio, music, and podcasting formats, yielded the following results:
Audio builds a strong connection between audiences and brands
- 200% uplift in attention when a listener hears an advertisem*nt across two audio formats (example: radio and podcasts)
- 134% uplift in memory for audio content (editorial and advertising) delivered across two or more listening channels (example: radio and podcasts)
Audio enhances the effectiveness of other media campaigns
- Out-of-home and TV messages saw a 35% average increase in memory when paired with media running across audio channels
No, Really, I am Wrapping It Up NOW
For Friends Virgins like me, still wondering if Ross and Rachel will ever tie the knot, the answer to the “why podcasts” question is actually a very accessible one.
In almost every way imaginable, podcasts fit into our lives.
- Podcasts are the ultimate lifestyle product.Podcasts can work for literally anybody’s lifestyle. The “lean back” or elastic nature of audio listening seamlessly fits into our lives.
- There’s a podcast community for everyone.There’s no such thing as “too many podcasts.” Listeners are curious, open-minded, and turn to pods to inform their special interests.
- There’s science behind why podcast ads work so well.Audio is more memorable and elicits a stronger emotional charge than other types of media. Our brains are wired to retain audio messages, which may explain why digital audio ads break through.
Thank you for reading.... and I lied there are way more than 47 reasons here...always under promise and overdeliver, my birthday gift to you!!
