Does your client realize how popular podcasts are among U.S. consumers? According to Pew Research Center, 49% of adults in the U.S. have listened to a podcast within the last year. 20% of those consumers listen to podcasts at least a few times per week. That’s a lot of consumers spending a lot of time listening to one media type. Podcast advertisers aren’t going to miss the opportunity. But do they have all the information they need to make ads that will truly resonate with listeners? Here’s what your client needs to know.

Do Your Podcast Advertisers Know Why Customers Tune In?

Why do Consumers Listen to Podcasts?

Deciding which types of products and services podcast advertisers should feature starts with knowing why consumers are listening to different podcasts. According to Pew Research Center, U.S. consumers listen to podcasts:

To learn: 88% of podcast listeners listen for this reason
For entertainment: 87%
For something to listen to while performing a task: 81%
To hear other peoples’ opinions: 71%
To stay up to date on current events: 64%
For encouragement or inspiration: 59%

Since the majority of podcast listeners tune in to learn something new, they’re primed to absorb information about products/services. Targeting consumers while they perform tasks gives podcast advertisers the chance to promote related products/services. To find out which tasks U.S. consumers are most likely to perform while listening to podcasts, check out our How to Connect Your Client’s Audio Ads to Consumers’ Daily Routines blog post.

What They Listen to

Figuring out what types of podcast topics consumers are listening to can also help podcast advertisers place the right ads in popular locations. According to Pew Research Center, consumers listen to podcasts about:

Comedy: 47%
Entertainment: 46%
Pop Culture: 46%
The Arts: 46%
Politics and Government: 41%

Obviously, political ads should be posted on political and government podcasts. As for the rest, your client should do some research into channels and shows with the themes above. There may be a common message that they can tie their product or service to. For example, say there’s a comedy podcast that focuses on family-related humor. Your client could easily promote household items, children’s toys, etc., to offer relevant products to an audience that is primed for household hardships and finding solutions.

How Podcasts Effect Listeners

Consumers are heavily swayed by what they hear on the podcasts they enjoy. In fact, nearly a third of podcast listeners have tried a lifestyle change because of a podcast, says Pew Research Center. Podcasts have influenced consumers to:

Watch a movie, read a book or listen to music: 60% of consumers have done at least one of these activities because of a podcast
Made or tried a lifestyle change, such as a new workout, diet, journaling, etc.: 36%
Bought something that was promoted or talked about on a podcast: 28%
Donated to, volunteered for or attended an event for a political cause: 13%

If your client has any doubt about the effectiveness of podcast ads, just show them these stats.

How Your Client’s Target Audience Reacts to Podcast Ads

Most marketers could easily become podcast advertisers if given the budget and opportunity. Your client is no exception. If they’re still on the fence about it because they’re unsure if their target audience falls into the 49% of consumers who listen to podcasts, look up their target audience’s profile on AudienceSCAN on AdMall by SalesFuel. There, you’ll be able to see what percentage of that audience took action after hearing podcast ads within the last year, as well as what types of programming they enjoy.

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