Record Number of UK Podcast Listeners! - Official 2024 Data
As the UK's top podcast consultant, it's my job to keep ahead of trends in podcasting in the country.
Along with that, the latest Edison Research data has been released, revealing a significant growth in podcast listenership in the UK.
This episode addresses both aspiring and existing podcasters, highlighting the key demographics and their engagement levels.
Next steps:
Fancy working with me on launching your new podcast?
Find out all you need to know at http://podknowspodcasting.co.uk/
Transcript
Do you want to double your branding reach with a podcast?
Speaker:Now's the perfect time.
Speaker:Hi there, podcaster or would be podcaster.
Speaker:Neal Veglio here, the UK's number one podcast consultant.
Speaker:It's official.
Speaker:Just check Google and sometimes check GPT, depending on what mood it's in.
Speaker:This episode is really gonna make you rethink Your podcast strategy overall.
Speaker:Whether you're a seasoned podcast already, or you're a brand that's kinda
Speaker:dabbling with the idea of starting one, and you've been doing your research,
Speaker:you'll find this really useful.
Speaker:This episode is for you.
Speaker:Once again, some juicy data has emerged from Edison Research.
Speaker:Gabrielle Soto has released the data that us Brits are really going
Speaker:to want to sink our teeth into.
Speaker:It's very insightful.
Speaker:Let's start off with a headline grabber, shall we?
Speaker:Podcasts are officially taking over the UK.
Speaker:More adults here than ever are listening in, with over two thirds
Speaker:of the UK population aged 18 plus having said they've listened
Speaker:to a podcast at some point.
Speaker:That's a massive 42 percent listening in monthly and 30 percent listening weekly.
Speaker:Think of the opportunity there.
Speaker:These numbers are at an all time high.
Speaker:So if you've not been podcasting yet, you're missing out on a huge
Speaker:opportunity to reach a captive audience.
Speaker:They're there.
Speaker:And for my fellow existing podcasters who might be listening to this episode
Speaker:via the podmaster, this is fabulous news.
Speaker:It means our audiences are growing.
Speaker:There's more potential than ever.
Speaker:To expand reach and influence
Speaker:Now let's break down what these numbers actually mean.
Speaker:Shall we?
Speaker:So weekly podcast listeners aged 15 and above are spending an average of
Speaker:five hours and 27 minutes each week.
Speaker:With their favorite podcasts, that's nearly an entire work day dedicated
Speaker:to just consuming podcast content.
Speaker:Think the radio in the nineties and two thousands.
Speaker:That's where we are.
Speaker:That's a lot of ears and a lot of time for your brand to make an impression early on.
Speaker:Today's teenagers are tomorrow's consumers.
Speaker:Now, for existing podcasters, this means more opportunities to keep your
Speaker:audience engaged and loyal even earlier.
Speaker:Obviously, you're going to have to think about the content and how
Speaker:you engage those younger audiences.
Speaker:But we're no longer at that point where we have to write off Gen Z with our content.
Speaker:Consider how you can approach younger ears with your content to
Speaker:make it more attractive to them.
Speaker:It could pay dividends in the long run.
Speaker:Your podcast is going to be your golden ticket to engaging with a
Speaker:tech savvy, trend setting ground.
Speaker:You want your brand front and center of these TikTok dwelling social jedis.
Speaker:I had to get a Star Wars reference in.
Speaker:It's pop culture, man.
Speaker:So, yeah, I hope I've made a compelling argument now to think more about
Speaker:how you're approaching those younger audiences between the ages of 15 and 34.
Speaker:But it doesn't stop there.
Speaker:There's still great opportunity.
Speaker:Prime Targets, 35 to 54 age group, is another sweet spot.
Speaker:About half of them are monthly listeners.
Speaker:And 34 percent weekly.
Speaker:Now this age group is in their prime spending years, making them a really
Speaker:lucrative audience for brands looking to boost sales and brand loyalty.
Speaker:Now they're usually quite affluent.
Speaker:They're from the generation that actually managed to get on the housing ladder.
Speaker:So they do have disposable income.
Speaker:Existing podcasters, consider creating content that resonates with this
Speaker:demographics, interests, and needs.
Speaker:What are we all talking about in this age group at the moment?
Speaker:But it's not just the young whippersnappers who
Speaker:are hooked on podcasts.
Speaker:The 55 the saga crowd, they're catching up fast.
Speaker:The Edison Research Report shows that 28 percent of those 55 and older
Speaker:are monthly listeners, up from 20%.
Speaker:Just last year!
Speaker:An 8 percent increase in a year!
Speaker:That's massive!
Speaker:Weekly listeners in this age group have also increased to 18%.
Speaker:So don't overlook those silver surfers, as we used to call them
Speaker:during the dot com bubble era.
Speaker:They're increasingly turning to podcasts for entertainment and entertainment.
Speaker:And information And they've got the time and resources to be valuable
Speaker:customers for existing podcasters.
Speaker:This means there's a growing market of mature listeners,
Speaker:hungry for quality content.
Speaker:Now, let's talk about diversity.
Speaker:The report highlights that 48 percent of black UK adults and 39
Speaker:percent of UK Asian adults listeners.
Speaker:These figures are higher than the overall UK population's 42%.
Speaker:This means podcasts are a powerful way to reach a diverse audience that's
Speaker:often overlooked in traditional media.
Speaker:Why do we not have more creators focusing towards these groups?
Speaker:They've been shouting about it long enough.
Speaker:In fact, that's always the complaint around podcast
Speaker:conferences and podcast award shows.
Speaker:Not enough recognition for diversity.
Speaker:And the data is screaming at you.
Speaker:Include us in your content.
Speaker:As existing podcasters.
Speaker:It's absolutely crucial to create inclusive content
Speaker:that reflects this diversity.
Speaker:Here's another interesting tidbit for you.
Speaker:Gen Z, or as my American compatriots would call it, Gen Z, they're making
Speaker:waves in podcasting as well in audiences.
Speaker:New weekly listeners are more likely to be from Gen Z, with 38 percent of them
Speaker:starting to listen in the past year.
Speaker:Now, this is a generation that's grown up with the internet and streaming,
Speaker:so it's not massively surprising they're flocking to podcasts.
Speaker:If your brand or podcast is looking to connect with the younger generation,
Speaker:this is going to be where you need to be.
Speaker:And let's not forget the ladies.
Speaker:Reach among UK women is up significantly.
Speaker:In 2023, 31 percent of UK based women were monthly podcast listeners.
Speaker:That number's jumped to 39 percent this year, with 26 percent listening in weekly.
Speaker:Now, the top three podcasts for UK women are Shagged, Married,
Speaker:Annoyed, Saving Grace, and oh my god, I'm reluctantly going to have
Speaker:to share this, Diary of a CEO.
Speaker:These shows are apparently entertaining, certainly two of them are.
Speaker:They're resonating deeply with female listeners.
Speaker:Now, podcasters, take note and consider what your female audience
Speaker:might be looking for in your content.
Speaker:Now, I personally don't feel that Diary of a CEO is a great barometer of that,
Speaker:but clearly somebody out there likes it, and they're described as women,
Speaker:although I do feel that bit needs a bit of a deeper dive by Edison.
Speaker:Here's another fun fact to chew on for you.
Speaker:The top ten podcasts in the UK.
Speaker:Reach 31 percent of all weekly listeners aged 15 plus the top 25.
Speaker:They reach 44 percent of weekly listeners.
Speaker:This means nearly half of all weekly listeners are listening to just 25 shows.
Speaker:If you're thinking about doing advertising or collaborating with podcasts as a brand,
Speaker:these top shows are where you'll get the most bang for your buck, literally.
Speaker:And for existing podcasters, it's a reminder of the importance of aiming
Speaker:high and possibly collaborating with these top tier shows.
Speaker:If you're going purely organic or investing in your market growth, if
Speaker:you're willing to put the cash in.
Speaker:And if you are have a chat with me, I can make it happen for you, baby.
Speaker:Okay, so it's lovely to have all this data, but let's ask the burning question.
Speaker:Why does all this matter for brands and podcasters?
Speaker:Gabriel Soto, the Senior Director of Research at Edison, who did this report,
Speaker:summed it up, in my view, perfectly.
Speaker:This report arms UK based creators with the ammo they need to
Speaker:secure support for their content.
Speaker:For brands, it means podcasts are no longer a niche market.
Speaker:They're a mainstream platform with a diverse, engaged audience
Speaker:that's ripe for the picking.
Speaker:For existing podcasters, this data is a goldmine for refining your
Speaker:strategy and expanding your audience.
Speaker:So there it is, the UK podcast consumer 2024 report, a treasure trove of insights
Speaker:that show just how powerful and widespread podcasting has become in the UK.
Speaker:Now, whether you're a brand looking to connect with future customers or
Speaker:a creator wanting to make your mark in the space, there's never been a
Speaker:better time to dive into podcasting.
Speaker:If you enjoyed this episode, make sure that you hit follow in your favorite
Speaker:podcast app, also leave a review.
Speaker:If you would, I'll truly appreciate it.
Speaker:And if you are an existing podcaster, ready to take your podcasting game
Speaker:to the next level, get yourself over to pod mastery dot co for more
Speaker:tips, tricks, and expert advice.
Speaker:If you're a brand thinking about getting started in this game.
Speaker:I can help you to pod knows, podcasting.
Speaker:co.
Speaker:uk
Speaker:Oh, one more thing before I click stop on this episode, podcasting,
Speaker:isn't just about talking into a mic and hoping for an audience to listen.
Speaker:It's about connecting with them, engaging with them, Empathizing with them, telling
Speaker:your story and listening to theirs coming back at you, building a community So
Speaker:get on your mic and start forming yours.
