Podcasting Fact Sheet

Podcasting is booming and is showing no signs of slowing. And, while the pandemic brought on some changes to where and how users tune in, the upward trend in podcast listening continues. More companies and brands are creating podcast content as well as putting ad dollars into podcasting.  

This podcasting fact sheet reviews key statistics and trends. 

Key Statistics and Trends

Podcast familiarity and listenership are up, with Spotify leading the pack among online audio platforms.  

Majority of Americans are now familiar with podcasting. 75% of Americans ages 12+ (approximately 212 million people) are now familiar with podcasting, up from 70% in 2019. And, 37% (104 million) listen monthly, up from 32% in 2019. — 50 Crucial Content Facts

More Americans than ever are listening to podcasts. As of 2023, 42% of Americans ages 12 and older have listened to a podcast in the past month, continuing an upward trend from 37% in 2020 and 9% in 2008. — Pew Research Center

Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play are most popular for online audio. Americans ages 12 and older are most likely to listen to online audio using Spotify (29%), followed by YouTube Music (22%), and Apple Music (13%). — Infinite Dial, Edison Research and Triton

Online audio listening hits new heights. In the U.S., 90% of those ages 12-34 and 85% of those ages 35-54 have listened to online audio in the last month.” — The Infinite Dial, Edison Research

Podcast listening continues to gain ground. 47% of the U.S. 12+ population has listened to a podcast in the last month, up 12% year over year.— The Infinite Dial, Edison Research

AI and podcasting. One in four podcasters (25%) “are already using AI tools to record, edit, produce, or promote their podcast. A further 45% of creators say they are not yet using AI tools in their podcast, but they would be open to using them in the future.” — How creators areelevating their podcasting process with AI— insights you need to know

Benefits and Best Practices 

Podcasting is a growing source of revenue and an impactful way to market your business. 

Many users are willing to pay for great audio content.  In 2023, 43 percent of survey respondents from the United States said they spent money on a subscription for a music streaming platform, compared to 35 percent in 2020.  — Statista Consumer Insights

Podcast ad spending is increasing rapidly. “Advertisers will spend $2.37 billion on podcasts in 2024, marking 19.1% YoY growth….” Podcast ad spending is expected to pass $3 billion in 2026. — Insider Intelligence, Podcast Industry Report

Podcast ad revenues also on the upswing. Revenues from podcasting in the U.S. grew 19% year-over-year in 2020, and are on track to exceed $1 billion in 2021 and $2 billion by 2023. — Interactive Advertising Bureau

Ads on podcasts have an impact. “When it comes to absolute, undivided attention, a massive 64% of respondents pay full attention to podcasts – compared to 49% of music streamers and 44% of radio listeners.” This leads to two thirds (68%) agreeing “that podcast adverts ‘stand out’ over and have more ‘clarity’ than music and radio…” — How Acast Quantified the ‘Attention Economy’ for Podcasting

Companies should embrace journalistic practices when creating podcast content. For example, CVSHealth has branched out into the podcast space with Healthy Conversations, which it says “brings experts together for an open discussion on timely topics in health care to uncover clinical insights and the emerging innovations that are transforming our industry in real time.” — What Is Brand Journalism?

Bottom Line

Podcasting is growing in popularity as users gain access to more digital devices and platforms for streaming audio online easily. So, whether you’re thinking about creating a podcast or investing ad dollars in the space, now is a good time to make a move.