Pod-Alization: Insights from Spotify's Latest Fan Study for Podcasters
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Chapter 1: Overview of Spotify's Fan Study
Spotify has unveiled its latest Fan Study for Podcasters, providing a wealth of data-driven insights into listener behaviors. This year's findings indicate a rise in the popularity of video podcasts and a significant desire among listeners for more interactive experiences with their favorite hosts.
As Spotify notes, "The Fan Study for Podcasters equips creators with essential industry insights, along with practical recommendations to help them navigate listening trends and grow their shows effectively on Spotify." Below is a concise summary of the key takeaways from the 2023 Fan Study:
Being Seen
Video podcasts are on the rise, particularly in the comedy genre, which leads with 27.55% of the audience. Listeners tend to prefer audio-only formats during daytime hours (1 AM to 5 PM), while evenings (6 PM to midnight) see a shift towards watching video podcasts.
Being Heard
The data indicates that new podcast listening spikes in January, March, July, and October. Furthermore, 78% of podcast consumption occurs during weekdays, with peak listening times at 8 AM and 5 PM, coinciding with typical commute hours.
Being Connected
A significant 73% of listeners are eager for more ways to engage with their podcast hosts. The primary method for discovering new podcasts is through existing shows, with 54% of listeners citing this as their main avenue. Recommendations from friends and family (53%) and browsing on Spotify (50%) follow closely. Demographic trends show that Gen Z is 1.5 times more likely to use social media for podcast discovery than Gen X or Boomers, who prefer articles, blogs, and newsletters.
Chapter 2: Top Podcast Networks and Shows
In addition to Spotify's insights, Podtrac provides an independent overview of podcast downloads. As of October 2023, the leading podcast networks are:
- iHeart Podcasts
- Wondery
- NPR
- New York Times
- NBC News
Notably, the list features a newspaper (New York Times), a broadcast network (NBC), an e-commerce company (Amazon), and two networks that originated from radio (NPR and iHeart).
The top five podcasts for October 2023 are as follows:
- The Daily
- Up First
- Dateline NBC
- NPR News Now
- Morbid
Among these, three shows focus primarily on news, while two delve into the true-crime genre, showcasing a range of tones. Notably, "Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me!" has demonstrated remarkable resilience, maintaining a loyal audience over 25 years, ranking at #20 among podcasts today.