Advertising on a podcast might seem like a novel idea, but it’s been a tried-and-true method for many brands for almost a decade. Juggernauts like Serial exploded in popularity nearly a decade ago, and many advertisers began to take notice of podcasting as an industry. Today, we’re seeing more and more brands dip their toes into the world of podcast advertising. What was once a risky experiment is now a popular method of reaching potential customers.
How Popular are Podcasts?
Pretty – excuse our language – dang popular! According to Pew Research, about half of Americans (49%) have listened to a podcast in the past year, with 22% of those listeners tuning in at least a few times a week and a whopping 20% listening every day. This creates an enormous amount of opportunities for brands to reach potential customers.
Even more impressive? Those listeners are less likely to skip over ad breaks. Podcast listeners are among the most engaged content consumers ever. They’re enthralled by podcasts and enjoy podcast ad breaks almost as much as the podcast themselves. Host-Read ads in particular create a better experience for listeners as the host often puts in a great deal of effort to ensure the ads are as enjoyable as they are educational.
Who’s Listening?
It feels like nearly everyone you know listens to podcasts (or is that just us?) Podcasts tend to be more popular with younger generations. With 58% of American Millennials and 67% of American Gen Z’ers being the top listeners. And a majority listeners who purchase products and/or services they heard about on a podcast are high earners with household incomes of $100k+. These listeners are highly engaged and have enough disposable income to try out the recommended products and/or services for themselves.
Many of these listeners also hold key positions in their workplaces. Making them the decision makers for certain B2B services. Advertising for B2B services and products is achievable through both Host-Read and Programmatic ads. Brands can scale their reach and awareness with podcast advertising, especially with their target demographics. Programmatic uses behavioral, contextual, and demographic targeting to ensure that your message is reaching the right listeners.
How Are They Engaging?
Podcast listeners more often than not take the word of their favorite host when it comes to product recommends. In fact, according to Ad Results Media, “68% of consumers are more willing to consider a product or service after hearing about it on a podcast.” And, according to Nielsen, “56% of podcast listeners say they pay more attention to ads read by the host(s).”
Podcasts are highly influential to almost all generations! About 90% of Millennial podcast listeners say their beliefs have been influenced by their favorite podcasts. And they’re not alone! About 82% of Gen Z listeners have taken an action directly after hearing a podcast advertisement.
The influence of podcasts are growing, with a majority of the younger generations relying on them heavily for recommendations. Trust in podcasts is among the highest across all media. The best way to reach your ideal audience, and really have them hear your message, is through podcasting.
Ready to jump into the world of podcast advertising? Let us be your guide!
