New Nielsen data reveals that podcast consumption continues to grow—in large part due to new listeners. During the pandemic, many people tuned into podcasting for the first time. Now, these light listeners who are new to podcasts make up roughly half of podcast consumption. “The hope is that these people will turn into habitual listeners and become those medium and heavy listeners,” said Nielsen VP of Cross Platform Insights Tony Hereau in a webinar.
Of podcast audiences, Baby Boomers have made the largest gains and account for 16% of podcast listenership, up from 12% in 2018. Although Millennials and Gen Xers still make up the largest percentage of podcast listeners, Baby Boomers are increasingly exploring podcasting.
The latest Nielsen data also proves podcasting’s power to drive brand recall. On average, 70% of listeners exposed to an ad on a podcast were able to recall the brand. Earlier research by Nielsen has found that high brand recall “creates high levels of consumer interest, purchase intent, and recommendation intent,” as reported by Inside Radio.
Do you want to reach diverse and rapidly expanding audiences through podcast? To hear your brand’s message on podcasts or other audio channels including broadcast, streaming, or satellite radio, contact SMI today.