Data is powerful. It can help inform your content, guide promotional strategies, and uncover patterns you never considered before. Recognizing this value, we’re excited to share the top insights from the latest Spotify Advertising report—the 2024 Podcast Trends Tour.
True to its name, the Podcast Trends Tour is an interactive exploration of the latest trends in podcasting. It reveals emerging behaviors from audiences, hosts, and brands on the Spotify platform and sheds light on how creators like you fit into the broader creator economy.
While the report’s core audience is advertisers and marketers, we’ve distilled the most relevant and poignant takeaways for creators. Let’s break down the insights that will help make your podcast more attractive to brands, grow your audience, and expand your reach on Spotify.
Trend: Podfluencers
Podcast hosts build trust with their audience, and they’ve become highly influential in purchasing decisions. Sixty-three percent of people asked said they trust their favorite podcast host more than their favorite social media influencer. Just call them podfluencers.
Here’s a look at what creators are saying:
All that work you’ve put into connecting with your audience doesn’t just pay off in loyal fans—it transforms your show into a powerful platform of influence. Podcast hosts like you have carved a place in the creator economy and now have a real, tangible impact on people’s purchasing decisions.
Recognize that you hold this influence and use it as a springboard to monetize your passion. If your content is reaching audiences and inspiring action, each episode could be a potential goldmine for sponsors.
Sponsorships, in the form of product mentions or sponsored episodes, are valuable because they are tailored to fit the unique style and content of your podcast (a wellness podcast partnering with an athleisure brand, for example.) With the right partnership, you ensure the authenticity of your promotional messages, share something helpful with your fans, and earn money in one fell swoop.
Make these insights here the cornerstone of your sponsorship pitch to drive home just how much value your content and audience bring to the table. And don’t sleep on including other podcast analytics to strengthen your case further —including listening hours, number of downloads, audience size, and demographics like age, gender, and country.
Another way to capitalize on your audience’s trust is through podcast subscriptions. The strong bond you've built gives you a prime opportunity to offer exclusive bonus content and perks in exchange for monthly support. It’s a win-win situation, where you generate a steady revenue stream and your fans enjoy enhanced value from a creator they know, love, and want to support.
Trend: Stream to screen
Podcasts aren’t just for listening anymore. Globally, there’s been a +39% increase in average daily streams of video podcasts.
Video continues to take the podcasting world by storm. This format especially appeals to a younger crowd who just can’t get enough of visual content (they were raised on TikTok, after all.) If you've been thinking about mixing things up with your show, there’s no time like the present to enter the zeitgeist.
Think about it: You're already recording, so why not flip on the camera? You can turn a single session into both an audio and video episode, doubling your content without doubling your workload - and creating more promo material to boot. Clip out the best bits and share them on social media to draw in new fans (particularly if you want to capture the attention of younger demographics, who overwhelmingly favor video-sharing platforms.)
If you’re already creating video content for other platforms, you have everything you need to tap into Spotify’s podcast audience—without starting from scratch. Join over 100,000 video shows currently flourishing on Spotify. Whether you're new to our platform or already hosting audio podcasts here, integrating your video content with us is seamless and straightforward.
Adding video means offering your audience a richer connection. With visual cues, body language, and on-screen graphics, fans literally get the full picture. They feel like they’re right there with you, chatting about their favorite topics. These little bonuses go a long way in deepening the understanding and retention of your content, making each episode more impactful.
Trend: Survey says: Success
There’s been a +21% global increase in creators leveraging polls in their shows in 2024 compared to 2023, as podcasters use interactive tools to connect with their audience—and fans come to expect an avenue for expressing opinions, showing some love, and providing input on future episodes.
“Using the Q&A tools has helped me beyond words. I constantly check for what my listeners want to see from me and what guests they want me to have on.” - Jake Shane, host of Therapuss with Jake Shane
Guess what—your fans love you and they want to feel closer to you. In another study we conducted, 73% said they are interested in finding more opportunities to interact with their favorite podcast hosts. And we’re happy to provide interactivity tools designed specifically to bring you closer to your fans.
Making your show interactive helps you glean valuable information. Polls, for example, are a fantastic way to tap directly into what your audience is curious about or interested in. It’s a direct line to your fans’ preferences that can steer your content strategy in the right direction.
Blythe Terrell, the executive producer of ‘Science Vs’, values Spotify’s interactivity tools because they’re a way of “getting information exactly from who you want to” and seeing if something's connecting with people. Based on that data, the team can pivot to different promotion strategies or double down on something that really struck a chord with the audience.
There’s a monetary component to it, too. Engaging with your audience through Q&A and polls can significantly boost your podcast's appeal. When fans feel involved, they're more likely to tune in regularly and for longer periods, which is what potential sponsors and advertisers will be looking for.
Interacting with your audience is also just plain enjoyable. Wendy Zuckerman, the host of ‘Science Vs’, points out that “the audience just wants to have a bit of fun with these interactive features. It's fun to reveal a little bit of ourselves (...) and that the audience can play along.” Exchanges like this vastly contribute to that sense of community and loyalty every creator aspires to cultivate.
Trend: Growth Spurt
Globally, the number of podcast shows streamed per person has increased +9% YoY, showing growing interest in new content.
Audiences are constantly on the hunt for their next favorite podcast, and while many might not know you yet, they're ready and waiting for your content. And what better place to help them discover your show than on Spotify, a platform with over 615 million users worldwide?
In fact, our 2023 Fan Study showed that 50% of people find new podcasts on Spotify. We’ve been hard at work rolling out features that help creators optimize their show page and prime their podcasts for discoverability. Get started by:
Whether it’s monetization, video, interactivity, or discoverability features, Spotify for Creators has got you covered. Keep an eye on our News page and follow us on Instagram and X to stay on top of new product announcements and insightful data, all dedicated to making your podcasting dreams a reality.
Head over to our partner site ads.spotify to check out the full 2024 Podcast Trends Tour and glean more insights into the world of podcast advertising. Discover what data is top of mind for brands when they consider podcasts as an ad format—and think about how your show can deliver what they're looking for.
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