In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, podcasts have emerged as a staple of entertainment and information consumption. A recent study reveals that two million Australians engage in daily podcast listening, marking a significant shift in the way media is consumed Down Under. The findings, from PodPoll 2024—a comprehensive survey conducted by Deadset Studios and market research agency Insightfully—offer a window into who’s listening, what genres dominate, and the emerging trends shaping the future of podcasting in Australia.
The Surge in Podcast Popularity: A New Era for Audio Consumption
Podcasts have gained extraordinary traction over the past five years, with the rise in both podcast creation and consumption showing no signs of slowing down. Kellie Riordan, Director of Deadset Studios, explained, “We haven’t yet hit ‘peak podcast.’ Australians are expressing interest in more content, and anyone who claims the market is oversaturated is mistaken. With 4.5 million podcasts available globally, there’s still immense room for growth—especially when you compare this to more than 4 billion YouTube videos.”
Riordan added that podcasts provide a valuable medium for brands and creators looking to engage niche audiences, particularly in age-specific or interest-driven markets. “With 44% of listeners sampling new shows each month, there’s an undeniable demand for fresh content,” she said.
Podcast Listening Habits: Australia by the Numbers
PodPoll 2024’s deep dive into Australian podcast consumption shows that 39% of Australians have a regular listening habit, equating to approximately 8.2 million individuals tuning in at least once a month. A deeper look reveals that:
- Two million Australians listen to podcasts daily.
- Four million Australians tune in at least once a week.
- An additional 2.2 million listeners engage with podcasts at least once per month.
This surge in podcast consumption positions Australia as a podcast powerhouse, with listeners across all demographics embracing the medium for entertainment, learning, and escapism.
Spotify Leads, But YouTube Grows Rapidly as a Podcast Platform
One of the more surprising findings from the survey is the rapid rise of YouTube as a podcast platform. While Spotify remains the top choice for 58% of listeners, YouTube has overtaken Apple Podcasts as the second most popular platform. Currently, 30% of Australians consume podcasts through YouTube, compared to 28% on Apple Podcasts.
This shift demonstrates the evolving landscape of podcasting, where traditional audio-only platforms are being challenged by video and visual-centric services, signaling the importance of cross-media strategies for podcast creators.
Comedy, News, and True Crime Top Genre Preferences
When it comes to what Australians are listening to, comedy continues to reign supreme, with 30% of regular listeners tuning into comedy podcasts. However, there are other strong contenders in the genre landscape:
- News and current affairs came in second, with 29% of listeners engaging with content from this genre.
- True crime podcasts, a staple in the Australian podcasting scene, took third place with 27% of listeners.
- Society and culture podcasts ranked fourth, appealing to 26% of the audience.
- Health and wellbeing podcasts saw a decline, now occupying fifth place with 24%, after previously ranking third.
These genre preferences reflect a diverse array of interests, but the data suggests there is still demand for growth in underrepresented categories like beauty and lifestyle, history, science and environment, business and careers, and gaming/technology.
Generational Insights: Millennials and Gen Z Leading the Charge
When examining the age groups of podcast listeners, Millennials and Gen Z are at the forefront. 60% of listeners are aged between 25 and 34, with three million Millennials engaging with podcasts on a monthly basis. Close behind, 2.2 million Gen Z listeners contribute significantly to the audience base.
Interestingly, 15% of non-listeners cited a lack of time as the primary reason for not engaging with podcasts. This has prompted speculation that there is room for growth in short-form podcasts or more “snackable” content for those with time constraints.
Listener Retention and Bingeing Habits
One of the more impressive findings from PodPoll 2024 is that podcast listeners are highly committed to completing episodes once they start. A staggering 80% of listeners reported that they finish episodes all or most of the time. Additionally, half of all listeners engage with 2-4 episodes per week, showcasing the medium’s ability to retain attention.
For the truly dedicated, there’s a group of super podcast fans—10% of listeners binge on more than 10 episodes per week, underscoring the medium’s binge-worthy appeal.
Future Trends and Opportunities in Podcasting
PodPoll 2024 highlights several emerging opportunities in podcasting. As noted by Leanne White, Managing Director at Insightfully, there’s an unmet hunger for more beauty and lifestyle content, as well as a growing interest in history podcasts. The survey also suggests ample opportunities for creators in science, environment, business, fashion, and gaming/technology genres.
The insights provided by PodPoll 2024 are expected to guide future content creation, advertising strategies, and media planning for podcast creators and industry stakeholders.
Methodology: How PodPoll 2024 Gained Insights
PodPoll 2024 is Australia’s most in-depth survey of podcast listening habits. Conducted by Insightfully, the survey was fielded through an online questionnaire in June 2024, consisting of 42 questions that probed into the listening habits and preferences of Australians. The survey was split into two parts:
- Part 1: A nationwide survey of 4,151 Australians aged 15 and older, designed to measure overall media consumption rates.
- Part 2: A targeted survey of 1,607 regular podcast listeners, aimed at gaining deeper insights into listening habits and preferences.
Data was meticulously weighted by age, gender, and location using the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data to ensure an accurate and representative overview of the Australian podcast market.
Conclusion
With two million daily podcast listeners and millions more engaging weekly or monthly, Australia’s podcasting scene is thriving. As the landscape continues to evolve, opportunities for creators in underrepresented categories like beauty, lifestyle, and history will expand, while traditional genres like comedy and true crime remain dominant.
The findings of PodPoll 2024 offer a roadmap for podcast creators, advertisers, and media professionals as they navigate the future of this dynamic medium. With insights into platform preferences, genre trends, and listening habits, the Australian podcast industry is poised for further growth and innovation.
