What people do when listening to a podcast
By Cliff Dumas
Podfacts: What are listeners doing during podcast sessions? Podcasts have a strong following among desirable demographics, particularly among young adults aged 18-34, with 27% of them tuning in daily and another 26% listening weekly. This is followed by those aged 35-49, with 45% of them listening at least once a week. However, the older population is less likely to listen to podcasts, with half of those aged 50-64 and 62% of those over 65 saying they do not listen at all. Unlike traditional media like TV and movies, podcast listening does not require viewers to use their hands or eyes, allowing listeners to enjoy shows while engaged in other activities.
Nearly half of all podcast listeners (49%) listen to their favorite shows while performing household chores, making it the most popular listening scenario. Commuting to work comes in second at 42%, followed by working out and cooking/baking, both at 29%. While both genders find various scenarios appealing, some activities have a significant gender gap. Women are more likely to listen while doing household chores (55% vs 43% of men) and while cooking/baking (35% vs 22%). On the other hand, men are more likely to listen to podcasts while working out or participating in sports (32% vs 26%). A graph has been included for your reference!
Advertisers continue to flock to podcasting
Advertisers continue to place their media buy in the podcast ecosystem despite concerns about an economic slowdown. There are some positive indications that the year has started on a solid foundation. Magellan AI reports that the top ten podcast advertisers collectively spent $93 million during the fourth quarter, an increase of one-third compared to their spending in the third quarter.
The biggest advertiser for each of the last three months of the year was the online mental health platform, BetterHelp, with no surprise. Magellan AI estimates that BetterHelp spent $26 million in the fourth quarter, a 24% increase from the previous quarter.
Amazon maintained second place each month and ended the quarter in the same position with an estimated $17.5 million in podcast advertising spending during the fourth quarter, nearly double its spending of $8.9 million in the previous quarter.
The e-commerce platform, Shopify, also benefited from the holiday season, rising to third place as its podcast advertising investment increased by 50% to $9 million in the fourth quarter, according to estimates from Magellan AI.