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Must-Know Podcast Statistics
The timing of episodes varies per podcast. <anchor>Must-Know Podcast Statistics</anchor>: The length required to pass your message effectively, while still having the attention of the listener, will depend on your message. However, there are studies of the average podcast episode length that can serve as a guide...
Must-Know Podcast Statistics: Podcasting Industry Trends 2024
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# Must-Know Podcast Statistics: Podcasting Industry Trends 2024

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Podcasting has been around since approximately 2004, when The Guardian columnist Ben Hammersley first used the phrase to describe a new kind of independent radio programming experience that used technologies like the iPod, blogging, and inexpensive audio production software.

In the 20 years since then, podcasting has become a major form of entertainment media for many people, as well as a lucrative career opportunity.

If you’re interested in exploring podcasts as a career or income opportunity, here are the podcast statistics you should know in 2024.

## Podcast Statistics for 2024 and Beyond

Reviewing podcast statistics is a great way to determine if the podcast industry is a good fit for you. Knowing how long it takes for a show to start seeing results, how may hats individual podcasters wear, and the ways podcasters monetize their episodes are all great insights to know.

### Podcast Industry Statistics

podcast statistics

- In the last 10 years, the average time listeners spend consuming podcasts has increased 450%. 1
- 67% of the people ages 12 and up in the U.S. have listened to a podcast at some point, and 47% have listened to a podcast in the last month.1
- 98 Million people ages 12 and older in the U.S. listen to podcasts on a weekly basis.1
- 30% of podcasts are between 20 and 40 minutes long, and 21% of shows are 40 to 60 minutes long. 2
- There are over 3 Million podcasts in existence in 2024. 3
- Yet, only about 14% of all podcasts that exist are actively publishing content. 3
- Only 18% of podcast use longform formats that go beyond and hour, and less than 15% of shows use micro formats that are under 10 minutes. 2
- Comedy is the most popular podcast genre with listeners, with 22% of weekly listenership going to such shows. 2
- Other popular podcast categories for listeners are news (21% of weekly listeners), true crime (18%), sports (17%), fitness and health (17%), religion and spiritual (16%), politics (16%), and self-help (15%). 2
- AI-enabled podcasts are expected to be worth roughly $3 Billion in 2024. 2

- Advertisers are expected to spend roughly $2.37 Billion on podcasts in 2024, and that number is expected to hit $3 Billion in ad spend by 2026, which would account for about one-third of all digital audio spending. 4
- 45% of podcasters report having 10,000 listeners or fewer, with 33% reporting a listenership of 5,000 or less. 5
- Over 50% of marketing teams use podcasts for their brand, with this trend likely to increase in the future. 2
- While 55% of podcasters believe there are going to be too many podcasts competing in the industry, 64% expect the industry to gain popularity. 6
- From 2021 to 2022, 16% more podcasters reported being hired by a larger agency (as opposed to starting their own podcast), and 5% more reported being hired by an existing podcast team. 6
- 46% of podcasters rely on download numbers as a key measure of success. 6
- 40% of podcast listeners find new podcasts using in-app search bars on platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 2

### Podcaster Statistics

podcast statistics

- The average podcaster assumes the production responsibilities of at least three jobs in creating their show: hosting, guest scheduling, and marketing/promo. 5
- Over 50% of podcasters work on two or more podcasts. 5
- 69% of podcasters work on their podcasts only part-time. 5
- About 61% of top podcasts publish new episodes weekly, if not more. 7
- Roughly 29% of podcasters say passion and enjoyment are their main goals for podcasting, while another 27% said earning money is their primary goal. 5
- 70% of podcasters rely on social media to promote their shows. 5
- 81% of podcasters come up with their own episode and content ideas. 6
- Roughly 17% of podcasts also record video for their shows, which is around 50,000 podcasts that offer video. 2
- AI technology could reduce podcasting costs by up to 50%. 2
- An estimated 66% of podcasters are leveraging AI in some way to produce and improve their shows. 8

- 46% of podcasters use AI to help promote their podcasts, while 29% use AI for content creation and preparation, and 24% use AI to help with editing. 6
- 58% of the top-ranked podcasts have a single host, and about 37% have multiple co-hosts. 7
- 69% of podcasts are part of a larger company or media organization. 7
- 31% of podcasts are independently created. 7
- There are approximately 41,200 podcasts run by non-celebrity, independent, interview-based podcasters, with 100 episodes or more, and that publish on a weekly basis. 3
- 23% of podcasts use guest interviews as their main episode format. 7
- 16% of podcasts rely on hosts commenting on a particular topic as the primary episode format. 7
- Only 49% of podcasters release 8 episodes or more, about 11% make it to 50 episodes or more, and less than 7% make it to their 100th episode. 3

### Podcast Monetization Statistics

- It takes, on average, 2 years and over 100 episodes to see results from a podcast. 3
- Over 66% of podcasters offer premium content. 6
- 39% of podcasters charge a fee for guests to appear on their shows. 6
- 34% of podcasters use ads to monetize their podcasts. 6
- Podcasting ad revenue grew 26% in 2022 alone. 2
- 55% of podcasters make money by reading ads themselves as part of their show’s programming. 2

- 40% of podcasters implement announcer-read ads, and only 3% of ad revenue comes from brand-read ads. 2
- 47% of top podcasts ask their listeners directly for financial support through premium content subscriptions, crowdfunding options, or podcast merchandise sales. 7
- Independently created podcasts are 2x as likely to rely on paid subscription models, and are also more likely to sell merch than podcasts associated with a larger company. 7

### Podcast Audience Statistics

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- Approximately 505 Million people are estimated to listen to podcasts globally in 2024. 2
- 2024 is the first year that a majority of adult Americans are listening to podcasts: 54% of people over the age of 18 now listen to podcasts on at least a monthly basis.9
- The average U.S. podcast listener will spend roughly 54 minutes a day listening to podcasts. 4
- Podcasts are streamed more on weekdays: 78% of podcast listening happens Monday through Friday, and 22% occurs on weekends.10
- Millennials are the largest demographic of podcast listeners at 32.7%, followed by Gen Z at 28.9%. 4
- More Gen Z listeners are turning to podcasts to learn business, tech, and finance skills, with the global Gen Z listenership of podcasts in the business and tech categories rising 34% in 2024 compared to 2023.10
- In 2023, 61% of Gen Z listeners visited a company’s website after hearing a podcast advertisement, with the same percentage saying they actively wanted the product or service advertised. 4
- 63% of listeners trust their favorite podcast hosts more than their favorite social media influencers.11
- 46% of U.S. podcast listeners purchase products or services from podcast ads.1

- The U.S. remains the largest audience of podcast listeners, with nearly 130 Million listeners tuning in in 2023. China, Brazil, Mexico, and Germany follow. 4
- Listenership across genders is fairly equal, with 48% of listeners identifying as women and 43% identifying as men. 2
- 73% of podcast audiences prefer to listen on their smartphones, and 71% of people prefer to listen to their shows through headphones. 2
- 59% of listeners consume podcasts while doing something else, such as driving, clearing, or exercising. 2
- 32% of U.S. listeners prefer video podcasts to audio-only podcasts. 2
- However, 33% of listeners like podcasts because you don’t have to watch a screen to enjoy them.12
- When it comes to using AI in podcasts, 85% of listeners think it’s completely ethical for podcasters to use AI to help them create content. 2
- 57% of listeners believe AI tools will improve the quality of podcasts. 2
- 13% of U.S. podcast listeners have paid for a premium podcast subscription, and 12% have purchased merch from a podcast. 7
- Podcast listenership is becoming more diverse, with 48% of Black Americans and 43% of Latino Americans tuning in.1
- Podcast listeners tend to be financially stable and educated.1
- Nearly 50% of people who DO NOT listen to podcasts say they just don’t know where to find podcasts, or they find the many choices of shows overwhelming.13

### Podcast Platform Statistics

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- Spotify has the most podcast listeners of any platform with 33.7% of overall podcast listenership happening there. 2
- Apple Podcasts is the second most popular podcast platform with 27.6% of podcast listeners tuning in there. 2
- Despite Spotify getting more streams, Apple Podcasts gets the most downloads, with over 70% of all podcast downloads happening in Apple Podcasts. 2

- Other audio apps like iHeart Radio and Amazon Music make up much smaller segments of where people like to listen at only 6.2% and 2.7%, respectively. 2
- Where a podcast ranks within audio apps significantly affects how much engagement the show gets: Episodes from shows ranking in the top 1% of podcasts get nearly 4,000 downloads in their first seven days, while episodes from shows ranking in the top 5% get about 800 in the same amount of time. 2
- 99% of top podcasts are available on Spotify, and 91% are listed on Apple Podcasts. 7
- 7% of podcasts are exclusive to Spotify, with only 1% being exclusive to Apple Podcasts. 7

## The Future of Podcasting

In the ever-evolving landscape of podcasting, one thing remains clear: podcasts are here to stay.

According to Edison Research, 63% of children ages 6 to 12 are already aware of podcasts, and 46% have listened to a podcast. This suggests that the medium is likely to continue growing as these youths become young adults and, with them, the opportunities to earn a living in the podcasting industry.

Whether you’re a seasoned podcaster or just starting out, there’s never been a better time to dive into the world of podcasts, whether via your own show or through a larger media agency.

The statistics speak for themselves: Podcasts are not just a trend, but a lasting business model picking up steam.

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