For almost two decades, consumers and marketers have focused on content that is visual, feed-based, ephemeral, and addictive in nature. But with podcasts, we are seeing something completely different emerge－relevant content delivered in a focused, rich, and powerful medium.
As podcast growth explodes and we see hosts become brands of their own,, I’m reminded by a quote from Marshall Mcluhan: “The content of any medium is always another medium – thus, speech is the content of writing, writing is the content of print, and print itself is the content of the telegraph…and so on.” – Marshall Mcluhan.
The message is really about the change of pattern that a new invention introduces into human affairs.
In partnership with Omnicom Media Group, Vox Media commissioned a two-phased research project studying ~2,500 people to understand how audiences are engaging with podcasts, giving us insights into the opportunity for marketers to lean into the medium just as it seems to be having a moment:
Why people are listening to podcasts
Much of today’s media is about passive entertainment and lean-back “engagement,” and over the next decade, I predict we will see a transition toward media offering more utility and active participation – with podcasting leading this transformation.
As we search for better versions of ourselves, we are driven by the need for content that speaks uniquely to us. And podcasts deliver the unique－with 74% of listeners in our study saying podcasts provide content not available elsewhere.
When we break down the attributes, we see just how much podcast consumption is a vehicle for self-actualization In asking podcast listeners their top 3 reasons for listening, we found 39% of listeners are looking to learn new things, 37% want to go deep on a topic of interest and 34% want to stay informed.
Podcasts require active engagement around the areas of self improvement and staying current. They are a learning instrument and source of information when compared to other forms of media.
In a comparison between podcasts and video on social or streaming services, video stands out for stimulating creativity and ability (59% vs. 41%) But we found podcasts are two times more likely to provide more value for audiences in terms of the time spent listening and leaving listeners wanting more, versus watching a video.
When comparing social media to podcasts, our social feeds naturally dominate on the ability to connect us with other people – with over 83% of respondents saying social media connects them to other people – but only 30% find social media inspires or motivates them, compared with close to 70% of podcast listeners. We want to believe these connections on social media are time well spent, but podcasts beat social media three times as often on this characteristic.
Podcast talent as brands
Like podcasting, hosts of the medium seem to be having a moment. Recent headlines might make this feel more obvious as we see Joe Rogan agree to a three year licensing deal with Spotify — showing the value of the host to any podcast brand.
Our research shows that 71% of audiences follow podcast hosts and talent across platforms, leading to an opportunity for marketers to extend a campaign into video, editorial, or experiential opportunities where we see podcast talent engage with audiences.
Podcast listeners love media
Our study found people who love podcasts also love consuming all forms of media, and do so at a higher rate than non-podcast listeners, significantly more likely to engage in editorial websites, video, and social media. So, if I am a marketer it means there is an opportunity to supplement the media-hungry consumers listening to podcasts.
Listening patterns are episodic
Podcasts aren’t about binging in one sitting. Research shows we listen mostly one at a time, it’s episodic and its worth waiting for the next episode to drop – leading to an opportunity to brands to talk to audiences over time – and to supplement other media buys with podcast ads along the consumer journey
Podcast ads are significantly less intrusive
In a head-to-head comparison, consumers are 75% more likely to say podcast ads are much less intrusive compared to those on news sites , video, and social media.
This less intrusive feeling may arise from the host-read ads used in some podcasts, which 53% of listeners prefer because they feel like content.
Podcasts listeners also find the ads more motivating – being 30% more likely to make a purchase after hearing a podcast ad versus exposure to ads in other media. They’re also more likely to take action – with nearly 3 out of 4 podcast listeners having acted after hearing a podcast ad.
Making podcasts an impactful part of any media plan
Podcasts represent the most personal of media. Audiences are truly engaged with podcasts: feeling, learning, following, and self-actualizing.
Relative to all other types of media, podcasts appear to be the least invasive and most celebrated for advertisers to tap into and represent opportunities to fill the gaps in a consumer journey, where audiences believe their time is well spent.
A natural question to ask is: what is the scalability of podcasts? Looking at podcasts in isolation is actually misguided, because podcasts are the evolution of digital media. Instead we need to rethink podcasts as a tool that can not only extend your marketing strategy but fortify it by reaching more engaged audiences
Methodology
A 2-staged piece of work with Nielsen consisting of an online survey with n=1,600 US adults age 18+ who listen to podcasts and a sample of n=1,000 US adults age 18+ who did not listen to podcasts. A second follow-up survey was done just for podcast listeners asking about their most recent podcast listening event. Co-Author: Nichole Becker
