What podcast ads can do that TV ads can’t

Podcast audiences’ listening habits mirror TV watching habits, but podcasts are a superior ad environment, according to research carried out in the UK by media investment and intelligence company MAGNA and funded by Spotify.

Not only do podcast audiences show greater engagement with the content they are consuming, but they are three times more receptive to ads in podcasts, the report “Peak Openness” concludes.

The details

• The growth of digital audio has increased partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 66% of people saying they suffer from screen fatigue and 75% saying this is an important reason for listening to more digital audio. Those questioned also reported that the multi-tasking, intimate style of digital audio leads to greater openness, attention and ad interaction.
• Podcast listeners seem to be more engrossed all round with the content they listen to. They are more likely to be up to date with podcasts they like (66%), compared to 55% of audiences of TV shows. And podcast audiences are more prone to binge-listening – 46%, compared to 37% of TV audiences who like a binge-watch.
• Crucially, receptiveness to ads between the two media differs quite dramatically, with 67% of podcast listeners saying they’re receptive to ads, compared with 46% of TV watchers being attentive to TV ads. Perhaps surprisingly, 38% of audio audiences are more open to visually focused sectors, like retail, auto and entertainment, compared to 29% for non-visually focused categories. 

Key Takeaway

The survey found that, while all generations say they have increased their podcast listening since the start of the pandemic, listening has grown especially among Millennials (up 30%) compared to other generations (up 20% for Gen Z, 21% for Gen X, and 12% for Boomers).