Who listens to the most podcasts in the world?

3 times as many podcasts were created in 2020 compared to 2019.We often talk about the explosion of podcasts in France, but we don't talk much about the development of podcasts abroad.Is this also the case? Which country has the most listeners? We know in advance that this article will be of interest to international brands lacking perspective on their marketing investments abroad.

What podcast listeners around the world have in common

A specific audience that differs from other media

Whether they're walking the sidewalks of Manila, Paris or Algiers, podcast listeners have different demographics than the traditional audience. What they all have in common is that they're an audience:

• Younger,
• More educated,
• More connected.

To listen to their podcasts, the French, Koreans and Americans are the same... They prefer headphones/mobile phones.

CalliopÉ's opinion:

Reaching young consumers is very complicated. Brand disloyalty, short attention spans, the possibility of boycott. Stories, snaps and Tiktok videos vanish as quickly as they appear.Podcasting on the contrary offers here a channel of communication with a young audience, whose attention is available over the long haul.

The positive impact of covid-19 on the podcast market

In a similar vein, the pandemic has been responsible for an increase in the number of podcast listeners worldwide, with over 40% of Americans, Germans and Britons reporting that they have spent more time listening to podcasts since covid19.According to the Sortlist study, there has been a 76.2% increase in the consumption of audio content since the pandemic.

Popular genres for podcast fans

The most popular podcasts in the USA, Germany and the UK are the same:1. Social podcasts2. Culture podcastA fact confirmed by the statistics below, which show the most popular podcasts worldwide.

Podcasts compete with radio

It's no secret that on-air radio is struggling to keep up with the digital age, yet in Europe, radio remains listeners' favorite audio content, with :

• 46% of listeners in France.
• 56% in Spain.

However, podcasts are gradually making their mark on the audio landscape, coming in 2nd place among audio content such as :

• In France, 41% of listeners prefer podcasts. (Just 5% less than radio).
• In Germany, 38% of listeners prefer podcasts (the gap with radio is 8%).

Statistics and specifics on the podcast market and listeners

Since their inception, podcasts have always been associated with the Apple Podcast platform. But in recent years, a new entrant to the audio streaming market has upset the established order.

The dominance of Apple Podcast in the U.S.

As the chart below shows, 47% of podcast listeners in the USA use the Apple Podcast platform.

Still the leader in the USA, this hegemony is in danger of being overturned in the coming years by a Swedish player... Spotify! The purchase of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast and various studies show that... Spotify is here to shake up the established order.

Spotify Podcast makes a strong comeback in Europe

In Europe, this change has already taken place, with Spotify now the number 1 podcast platform, accounting for 39% of podcast listeners in Germany and 29% in the UK.

Podcast statistics worldwide: who listens to the most podcasts?

The countries where podcasting is most popular

The United States: one of the market leaders

A land of marketing and innovation, the U.S. is going full steam ahead with this format, and podcasting in the U.S. seems to touch every ethnic group in the country.

Europe: the podcast-hungry continent

28% of Europeans have listened to a podcast in the past month (Reuters Institute of Journalism study).

• In Spain, 2 out of 5 people listen to podcasts at least once a month,
• 1 in 8 people in the UK (+24% in one year) (Ofcom study).

Sweden: world leader in branded podcasts

47% of Swedes have listened to a podcast in the last 12 months. Ireland and Brazil follow, also reaching +40% of their populations.

France: the podcast market with the highest ROI

Surprising as it may seem, France is THE market when it comes to podcast ROI: 40% of French people have already bought something as a result of an ad they heard on a podcast, making it the country where this number is highest!

Read also: How to choose the best branded podcast agency?

Avner UZAN