While spoken word listeners aged 55+ have the time and ability to listen to podcasts, the share of time spent listening to them is comparatively low.
What happened: Edison Research and NPR published the Hit Play, Boomer! study to share the listening habits, behavior, and opportunities in the age 55+ demographic in the U.S. Why it matters: The "boomer" audience seems to enjoy spoken-word content. On average, they listen to nearly four hours of audio content every day. The demographic listens to more radio than the 13-54 aged demographic: 56% compared to 30%. Additionally, as the study points out, they have the time and tools to listen to spoken word content. This makes them a potential target for advertisers looking to promote to this demographic. What's holding them back: The study posits that the "education process" of podcasts and podcasting to this age group needs to continue. The gap between those who have ever listened to a podcast aged 55+ and aged 12-54 has grown from 2018 to 2023. It was a 28-point gap in 2018, and it's a 34-point gap in 2023. |
