KangarooFern Media Lab

25/06/2025

The podcasting industry continues expanding even as individual creators report slowing growth, according to new research that surveyed 311 podcasters across four continents and analyzed data from shows generating more than 3.7 billion downloads.

The third annual Podcast Marketing Trends Report, published by Podcast Marketing Academy and Lower Street, reveals a paradox that should reassure investors worried about podcasting's maturity: while individual shows report declining year-over-year growth rates, the collective average growth rate of the entire surveyed pool continues rising. That suggests the medium isn't hitting a ceiling—it's getting more competitive.

Video Emerges as Key Differentiator

The report's most significant finding centers on video podcasting's rapid adoption, particularly on YouTube. For the first time, researchers established baseline metrics for podcast performance on Google's video platform, including click-through rates and average view durations—data that could prove crucial as major podcast networks increasingly pivot toward video-first strategies.

"Video has been dominating the conversation in podcasting over the past year," said Jeremy Enns, founder of Podcast Marketing Academy. The timing isn't coincidental. Spotify has invested heavily in video capabilities, while YouTube's podcast-specific features have expanded significantly, creating new revenue streams that traditional audio-only platforms struggle to match.

Quality Over Quantity Strategy Pays Off

Here's where the data gets interesting: the fastest-growing shows are publishing less frequently than their slower-growing counterparts. High-performers are prioritizing production quality over consistent release schedules, a strategy that runs counter to conventional wisdom about content marketing but aligns with broader media consumption trends favoring premium content.

This shift toward strategic experimentation—what Lower Street founder Harry Morton calls "testing what resonates with your specific audience rather than following generic best practices"—suggests the industry is maturing beyond the early "spray and pray" approach that characterized podcasting's initial boom.

Market Implications and Measurement Challenges

The report's methodology highlights ongoing challenges in podcast measurement that have plagued advertisers and investors. Traditional download metrics provide incomplete pictures of actual listener engagement, with factors like automatic downloads, partial listens, and cross-platform consumption creating complexity in accurately assessing performance.

Each podcast platform offers unique analytical perspectives, requiring creators to develop sophisticated understanding of audience behaviors across multiple touchpoints. This fragmentation makes it difficult for advertisers to establish consistent measurement standards—a problem that has historically limited podcast advertising growth compared to other digital media.

What the Numbers Really Mean

The collective data from more than 50,000 episodes reveals several trends worth watching. Shows are experimenting with formats beyond standard interviews, suggesting content diversification that could attract new listener segments. The emphasis on video integration indicates creators recognize audio-only content may not be sufficient for long-term growth.

But here's the catch: while the overall market appears healthy, individual creator struggles with growth suggest increased competition for listener attention. The podcasting landscape is becoming more like traditional media, where success requires significant investment in production quality and marketing sophistication.

Bottom Line for Investors

The podcasting industry shows signs of healthy maturation rather than stagnation. Companies betting on podcast technology, advertising platforms, and production tools should find encouragement in the data's suggestion that strategic creators are finding ways to grow despite increased competition.

The real test will be whether video integration and quality-focused strategies can sustain growth rates as the medium continues attracting mainstream media companies with deeper pockets and established audiences. For now, the data suggests there's still room for growth—but the easy wins are over.

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24/10/2024

31% of Podcast Listeners Choose YouTube: The Future of Audio is Visual

YouTube, natively a video platform, becomes the most popular podcast platform as it reaches 31% of U.S. podcast listeners each week-most especially its core Gen Z audiences.

This represents a huge evolution in content consumption and a further blurring of lines between traditional audio podcasting and video content. Edison Podcast Metrics™ research positions YouTube as the preferred podcast platform at 27%+ ahead of Spotify and 15%+ ahead of Apple Podcasts, while being strongly linked to younger listeners because of the Gen Z Podcast Listener Report.

The Key Points:

✅31% of weekly podcast listeners primarily use YouTube for podcasts

✅84% of the monthly podcast listeners from Gen Z engage with video podcasts.

✅49% of Gen Z listeners want to see the host's facial expressions and gestures for better context.

✅ YouTube has overtaken Spotify and Apple as a leading home for podcast listeners.

✅Video podcasting will be important and is becoming increasingly important for audience engagement.

Why It Matters: This is indicative that, as YouTube actually becomes the premier podcast platform, true consumption habits are shifting, especially for younger audiences. This portends that the future of podcasting will not be just about audio but about creating multi-format experiences to give audiences choices in how they want to consume content, either via traditional audio or enhanced video formats.

Our take: It is a golden moment for podcast producers, for sure. More listeners and better listener engagement, while maintaining high-value audio, going video-first creates a huge opportunity for podcast producers like us to reach more listeners and engage them better. This will mean we can easily reach the traditional podcast listener and the growing YouTube-first audience. A dual-format approach does more than potentially opening up new monetization opportunities; it will be an assurance that our content stays relevant as the media landscape continues to shift.

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23/10/2024

Why Podcast Listeners Are the New Power Spenders in Home Improvement

Online purchases of home improvement exceeded the peak pandemic-era sales during early 2024. Listeners of audio media between the ages of 18-49 years are spending more compared to other forms of media, podcast and AM/FM radio included. In a study by Open Brand and Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®, it has been indicated that there is a strong relationship between the consumers who listen to audio media and home improvement spenders since podcast listeners have the ability to spend 1.5 times more compared to frequent TV viewers.

The Key points:

Spending habits online versus in-store: $4,573 vs. $3,757 annually

Age Group Distribution: 64% of online shoppers are between the ages of 18 and 49.

The media habits of heavy spenders, including the audio media behavior of podcast and AM/FM radio power users

The brand equity of Wayfair across different demographics

Impact of shifting 20% of TV ad dollars to AM/FM radio

Why It Matters: This marked a decided shift in how consumers made home improvement purchases, pitting digital convenience against the efficacy of traditional media. Audio listeners are indeed anything but passive shoppers; instead, they are committed buyers who frequently make high-value purchases across various stores. For this reason, these listeners have become a very desirable audience for both retailers and advertisers.

Our Take: As producers of podcasts, we look at this information for confirmation that audio is pulling its weight in consumer behavior in affluent home improvement markets. It opens a peculiar opportunity for podcast creators to capture advertisements from major retailers who could, quite quickly, realize the potentially major shortcomings in their current TV-centric marketing efforts. This data underlines that podcast listeners are indeed active but also well-earning audiences with high purchasing power.

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22/10/2024

🎙️TODAY’S BRIEF
🔥2024 Women in Podcasting Awards: 15,000 Listeners Crown 39 Groundbreaking Shows
🚨 Podcast Insight: Podcast Advertising Surge: 41% of Marketers Boost 2025 Audio Investment

https://www.podwires.com/p/2024-women-in-podcasting-awards-15-000-listeners-crown-39-groundbreaking-shows via Podwires

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22/10/2024

The 2024 Women in Podcasting Awards, presented by the Women Podcasters Network, saluted the voices of women in podcasting, where over 15,000 listeners voted across 39 categories. Among the several categories stood true crime, technology, business, and storytelling.

These categories showed the leading edge taken by female podcasters in changing the audio landscape through innovative and diverse storytelling. Winners were decided via a people's choice voting system, underscoring how podcasters are directly attached to their audiences. Jennifer Henczel hosted the virtual ceremony.

The Key Points:

✅Overall engagement: over 15,000 voters, 400 nominees

✅39 unique categories from Arts & Design to Travel genres

✅Virtual ceremony was held last Oct. 18, 2024, with interactive segments and special guest appearances.

✅Next Awards Ceremony-February 1st, 2025-This also initiates the opening date for nominations for the next coming event.

✅Nomination/Voting System Format: People's Choice, in which the winners are chosen by popular vote.

Why It Matters: The recognition of women podcasters was a game-changing moment in the historically male-dominated media landscape. They showed how digital platforms-home to everything from social media to streaming services-offer more inclusiveness for the voices of a diverse nature. While the awards honor the achievements made by individuals, they also aim to underscore and bring attention to the rising economic and cultural effect of women-driven content in the podcasting world evidenced through increasing sponsorship deals and surges in listener base.

Our Take: The success of the Women in Podcasting Awards is a good indication that there is an increasing demand to see more diversity on the airwaves. Secondly, it acts as a great source for networking and finding collaborations for the future within the industry. For the podcast producers, this depicts the importance of community through interactive social media campaigns. It can permit audience engagement in live Q&A sessions and provides a road map of successful content strategies for specific podcasting niches.

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18/10/2024

Political Podcast Surge: 28% Growth Reshapes 2024 Election Landscape
Triton Digital's U.S. Podcast Ranker report reveals a 28% year-over-year increase in political podcast downloads, reshaping the way Americans engage with political discourse and potentially influencing the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

The report, sourced from Triton's Podcast Metrics measurement service, reveals significant changes in political podcast listenership, audience demographics, and network rankings. The report provides valuable insights into the evolving podcast industry, particularly in the context of the upcoming U.S. presidential election. S. presidential election.

The Key Points:

✅28% year-over-year increase in downloads for political podcasts
Democrat-leaning podcasts lead with 56% of the total political podcast downloads.

✅The listeners of political podcasts skew older, educated, and affluent.

✅Pods favoring independents have the highest % composition of Hispanic listeners.

✅iHeart Audience Network stays atop the Top Sales Networks Report.

Our Analogy: We think of political podcasts like all flavors of ice cream in a shop. Once, it was only a few flavors; everybody stuck to vanilla. Today, so many are on offer-people are eagerly trying the new ones. To some, they like flavors classic and established flavors of political thought. Others are mixing and matching flavors in wild new combinations. You know-independently minded, if you will. Much like ice cream flavors, podcast choices can be instructive on the political appetite of the electorate and how people might vote.

Our View : For the producers of podcasts, this surge in listenership of political podcasts offers a historic opportunity to pursue unprecedented growth and reach. The greater demand for the genre enables us to diversify our offerings further and tap into new audience segments that could be highly engaged. Furthermore, the demographic knowledge this report has allowed us to better tailor our content to the needs and preferences of our listeners. This development is beneficial not only to our podcasts but also to the whole industry as a whole, fully establishing podcasting as an essential platform in political discourses and information dissemination in this digital era.

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17/10/2024

56% of Fantasy Players Prefer Virtual Wins: The Rising Power of Sports Audio Content

SiriusXM Media and GroupM have supported a study by Audio Report that reveals audio content as a crucial tool for fantasy sports players and bettors.

According to the Edison Research study, 56% of fantasy sports enthusiasts prioritize their virtual team's victory over their favorite real-life team's success, indicating a shift in fan loyalty. More than 60% of both players and bettors find audio content essential for their activities, underscoring the growing influence of podcasts and radio in sports engagement. These statistics underscore the increasing importance of audio platforms in shaping fan engagement and decision-making in sports.

The Key Points:

56% of fantasy sports players prioritize their fantasy team's success over their favorite real team's victory.

65% of fantasy sports players consider audio content essential for managing their teams.

60% of sports bettors view audio content as crucial for their betting activities.

Audio content offers real-time statistics, expert analysis, and information that aid in making informed decisions.

Why It Matters: This trend signifies a substantial change in how sports fans interact with their favorite sports. Audio content is no longer just entertainment; it's become a crucial tool for decision-making in fantasy sports and betting. This change affects not only how fans consume sports content but also how they interact with the sports themselves, potentially influencing everything from team loyalties to the economics of sports broadcasting and betting industries.

Our Take: The data here represents a huge opportunity for podcasting. As producers, we hold a unique position to provide those deep analyses, real-time updates, and expert opinions that fantasy sports players and bettors want. Lensed attention on content serving the highly engaged audience will grow listenership and make us an important part of the sports ecosystem.

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16/10/2024

Veritonic has just unveiled, in a pioneering study, the power of sonic branding unwrapped within the podcasting industry. Although 50% of podcast listeners reportedly engage much better with sound identities compared to visual branding, 58% said audio elements are more memorable to them. It's crystal clear that sound revolutionizes brand experiences. This shift in consumer behavior not only fundamentally changes how marketers do their strategy but simultaneously sets audio right at the core of building enduring connections with audiences.

Hundreds of podcast listeners in the U.S. took part in this research, wherein 64% of those asked claimed to show more brand loyalty to those with cohesive sound identities across multiple platforms. This data underlines how audio elements can play a greater role in informing marketing strategies-particularly within the podcast domain.

Here are five key bullet points:

50% of podcast listeners engage with sound identities more than visual branding

58% find sound elements more memorable than visual elements

64% feel more connected to a brand if its sound identity is coherent.

64% find a brand more recognizable if it maintains similar sounds across all touchpoints.

51% said that a brand's sound identity affects their emotional perception of the brand much more than the visual identity.

Our Analogy: Consider the sound identity of a brand to be similar to that one familiar voice when one hears it on the phone. Similar to the way one is able to identify a friend or member of their family simply by the sound of their voice without one seeing them, a well-crafted sonic brand may instantaneously elicit thoughts about a certain company or product. Now, envision this voice changing every other time one called; it would be perplexing and not as memorable. This itself is one reason brands are focusing on the creation of consistent sound identities across all their platforms, from podcasts to TV ads and app notifications.

Our take: As producers of podcasts, we believe this sonic branding trend presents some great opportunities for our industry. We can work with brands to develop distinctive, memorable audio experiences that connect with our listeners. A strong focus on sound identity could drive more innovative and interesting podcast ads, possibly extending revenue streams for producers. Moreover, it puts a high value on quality audio production.

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15/10/2024

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🇦🇺 Australian podcasting's award wins

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08/10/2024

Gen Z Leads Video Podcast Boom: Spotify Study Uncovers Global Viewing Trends

The 2024 Spotify Fan Study has revealed a monumental shift in the podcasting landscape, where video podcasts have emerged as the new frontier for audience engagement.

According to the research, 40% of new Spotify podcast listeners in 2024 opted for video podcasts, showing the shifting trend in listener preferences. The visual revolution is not limited to how things appear on screens but creates amazing levels of audience loyalty, extends the global reach, and reaches across generations.

The dividing line between audio and visual is getting blurred, which presents both a great challenge and opportunity for podcasters to embrace the power of video in creating more immersive, engaging, and globally resonating content.

It focused on the viewing habits of the video podcast audience, analyzed the levels of loyalty within audiences, and tried to give a number of emerging global engagement trends of these viewers.

The report underlines the growing appeal of video podcasts among Spotify users, where 40% of new podcast listeners prefer video formats. It also reveals that video podcast audiences are 1.3 times more retainable than audio-only audiences, boasts global appeal, and the consumption rate among younger demographics is very high. The study shows flexibility in consumption habits, saying 67% of users switch between watching and listening, while the most engaged in giving full attention to video podcasts is Gen Z.

The Key Points:

40% of new Spotify podcast listeners in 2024 chose video podcasts

Video podcast audiences are 30% more likely to retain than audio-only audiences

Video podcasts have worldwide appeal, with top consumption in diverse countries

67% of users switch between watching video and listening to audio in video podcasts

Generation Z (13-17) consumes 54% of the time in actively watching the video content

More than 70% of video podcast consumers do so in the foreground.

Our Analogy: Think of the podcast industry as a busy restaurant district. For years, audio podcasts were the takeout joints down the street: convenient, enjoyed, but a little limited in their dining experience. Now, video podcasts are turning those takeout joints into full-service restaurants with open kitchens. Customers, in other words listeners, can now take out the meal and listen while doing something else, or dine in and watch intently. The chef, also known as the podcaster, is visible and adds another layer of engagement to the production of the meal through new types of content. This new format isn't just updating the food service but also bringing in new diners, making regulars more frequent, and even encouraging international food critics that a global audience can recognize.

Our View: As podcast producers, we take Spotify's Fan Study 2024 findings as a roadmap of great opportunities for innovative content and a driver in navigating the shifting landscape of podcast production. Video podcasts are gaining such momentum that it points one way: the path of evolution in content. We really should be considering how to introduce visual elements in our programs without losing that which makes podcasting so unique in the first place: its intimacy and flexibility.

This is great, since engagement times are higher for video podcasts. This means with the addition of a visual component, we will be able to build stronger, more durable relationships with our listeners, but we cannot afford to dumb down the quality of our audio. The majority of our listeners will still be an audio-only audience.

This also opens new possibilities for international growth because video podcasts are a globally appealing product. One might consider how to make his or her content more accessible to global viewers perhaps through visual storytelling techniques that transcend language barriers.

It's this flexibility in consumption patterns-usually flipping between watching and listening-that dares us to make something which will work both ways. That might mean creating a visual language which enhances the storytelling and doesn't feel essential to the story being told.

The good engagement, especially among the younger sets, that is Gen Z, indicates that a chunk of our content should be carved out for the viewers. This may be done either by including more interactive elements or by taking up topics which are most dear to them.

This does not mean we should forget those in older demographics, since this device is earning a lot of interest among them, too. It allows us to create content that interlinks generations and strikes a responsive chord in multi-variant audiences.

Lastly, a high percentage of foreground watching indicates that our visual content should be good enough to hold attention; this may require investment in higher quality video production and more cinematic thinking in how we present our content.

That is, the transition to video adds new technical and creative challenges, whereas the possibility of growing the audience, enhancing engagement, and innovating approaches to storytelling is at its very beginning. The most significant thing facing producers who currently make podcasts is how to embrace this trend without losing the core strengths of podcasting as a medium.

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02/10/2024

Government and Tech Lead Highest-Paying Podcast Ad Categories, Libsyn Data Shows

A world of deepfakes and questions about AI-generated content finds its saving grace in podcasting, which seems to suggest credibility and authenticity. Libsyn, one of the leading podcast hosting and advertising networks, has released their September 2024 Podcast Advertising Rates and finds a strong market for monetizing audio content.

As per Libsyn's September 2024 Podcast Advertising Rates, the average remains consistent at $21.37 for a 60-second ad spot, continuing to position podcasting as one of the premier channels for brands seeking premium value in the engagement and loyalty of audiences. Under the new deal, Barometer further reinforces Libsyn's commitment to brand safety and ushers in real-time content verification. This new approach promises to better the way advertisers handle podcast sponsorships by making sure that ads match up with appropriate content in real time.

This report gives an overview of the current state of podcast advertising, relying heavily on the credibility of podcast advertising among a rising tide of AI-generated content and deepfakes. It shares various CPMs for categories and a new partnership by Libsyn with Barometer to give a better brand safety solution.

The key points:

CPM, Average for a 60-second ad spot in September 2024: $21.37
The top three categories with the highest CPM are: Government at $31, Technology at $29, Health & Fitness at $24
More approachable CPM categories for marketers include Kids & Family, Sports, and History
Libsyn has a partnership with Barometer for real-time brand suitability verification
More than 75,000 shows call Libsyn home, with Libsyn delivering more than 8 billion downloads globally

Our Analogy: Podcast advertising is like placing an ad in your favorite local newspaper. As readers trust their local paper to get the news right, similarly, podcast listeners trust their favorite shows. Now, imagine the newspaper had an entire team that vetted each story to make sure the values of every one of its advertisers matched up with the ad adjacent to it. That is what Libsyn is trying to do at scale with podcasts: making sure ads run against content that best matches the advertiser's brand-a sort of print analogy, wherein one wouldn't want a family-friendly ad awkwardly placed next to a story about crime in the newspaper.

Our View : To podcast producers, this news is enormously encouraging. Such stability in advertising rates signals that the market for podcast monetization-a key element in sustaining and continuing to develop our industry-is in good health.

This news is very encouraging from the point of view of podcast producers. The fact of stability in the advertising rates is a signal that a healthy market for podcast monetization is here, crucial for sustaining and growing our industry. Libsyn's interest in brand safety through partnerships, such as that with Barometer, may usher in an era when increased advertiser confidence yields more high-quality sponsors coming into the podcasting space.

That welcome development may translate to increased opportunities for creators across genres to monetize their content better, and hence, come up with more quality content that effectively reaches wider audiences. Emphasizing how, in a time when AI-generated content is everywhere, podcasting stands out as unusually trustworthy is a great thing to do. This will really cement our medium as one of the best options for authentic storytelling and engagement. It could mean more audience numbers, but a more considerable boost to the growth of the industry.

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27/09/2024

RIP Chartable

In a move that reorders the podcast analytics landscape, Spotify has announced plans to sunset Chartable, a leading podcast measurement and attribution tool. This decision, through a recent statement from the company, comes as part of Spotify's broader strategy to rationalize its suite of creator tools and fortify its core platforms.

Key points from the announcement:

Chartable will be decommissioned on December 12, 2024

✅SmartLinks and SmartPromos features will be fully integrated into Megaphone in 2025

✅All existing Megaphone customers would continue to have the available tools at their disposal until the integration

✅The onboarding of new customers to Chartable has stopped, effective immediately

✅Spotify is replacing it with a new set of sharing links within Spotify for Podcasters

Why it matters: This move marks a significant change in how podcast creators and advertisers will approach thinking about how audiences are engaging with content and ad campaign performance. Streamlining tools within the Spotify ecosystem simplifies experiences for podcasters, according to Spotify. Of course, that does imply that creators may have to temper workflows and perhaps find other analytics solutions.

Our Analogy: Consider this transition as akin to a city replacing its public transportation system. As the old, comfortable bus routes, so familiar, are being taken out of commission, in their place comes something better: an integrated subway system. This may take some getting used to, but at least in promise it's going to be easier to travel for both podcasters and advertisers alike.

As a podcast producer, it means: This Spotify move really tells us how important adaptability is in this ever-evolving podcasting world. So, while the demise of Chartable will be terribly upsetting for many in the short term, this is another moment in time to research other analytics alternatives that might offer superior integrated solutions inside Spotify and create even more depth around audience insights and performance optimization. As producers, we're supposed to keep ourselves updated with these changing times and prepare our clients to guide them through the transition so that we can continue to provide worthwhile insights and optimize podcast performance in this changing landscape.

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