Black Americans continue to feel underrepresented in mainstream media. Studies show they’re still not seeing their stories on-screen and are still affected by the negative stereotypes that have permeated the space over the years.
As popular media outlets struggle to diversify their content, Black creators turn to podcasts to share their own stories and perspectives. Every podcast episode they produce adds to the tapestry of the Black experience, redefining what representation means for those who tune in.
With more relevant podcast content available than ever before, Black listeners are showing up in large numbers. A recent study by SXM Media, Mindshare and Edison Research found that 36% of Black Americans—12 million U.S. adults—tune in every month. This is a relatively new audience, as 42% have only been listening for less than a year.
Podcasts’ growing and engaged Black audience make the medium attractive for advertisers and content creators alike. The space is still nascent but filled with opportunities for genuine engagement. Let’s look at what podcasts are getting right.
Distribute opportunities evenly
With a relatively low barrier of entry, podcasts give anyone with a microphone and audio editing software the opportunity to share their voice and express their opinions. Black creators, in turn, develop content they can relate to, connecting with listeners who share similar points of view.
Gettin’ Grown hosts Dr. Tykeia Robinson and Jade Verette connect each week for Kitchen Table Talk as they learn how to adult and figure out life as 30-somethings. These hard-working women started the podcast in 2017 from the comfort of their own homes. Chatting through Facetime and spewing lessons in Black women’s self-care, they recreated the friendly dynamic they’ve enjoyed over the years and continue to strengthen their community of Black women.
Offer something for everyone
People often associate podcasts with learning, and anyone with a passion for a topic can dive a lot deeper by listening to a podcast. Black podcast listeners know this and are finding content that satisfies their needs. While 73% tune in to learn something new, an equal percentage is tuning in to dive deeper into many topics of interest. These topics range from comedy to music, health and fitness, sports, true crime, and many others.
Francheska Medina, Dustin Ross and Assanté host The Friend Zone, a podcast focused on mental hygiene, covering topics like relationships and fitness with the realness and familiarity of people you’ve known your whole life. In one of their episodes, “The Covert Overt,” they share their experiences with overt, covert and systemic racism, from trying to get apartments in NYC to dealing with gaslighting co-workers, bosses and teachers.
Reflect diverse perspectives, ideas and voices
Black podcast listeners love a good podcast story but love it even more if it’s coming from a Black creator. Three in five say, “it is important that the podcasts I listen to include Black stories and perspectives,” and a little over half say, “it is important that the podcasts I listen to are hosted by Black podcast hosts.”
Black creators can bring a relatable perspective that is hard to emulate. For starters, they bring authenticity to the mic and are not afraid to dive into topics restricted by other spaces. Such is the case of BFFs and cultural critics Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings, who every week deconstruct the nerdier side of pop culture on their podcast For Colored Nerds. As the title states, the show peels back the layers of Black culture, focusing on, as the hosts would put it, “the conversations that Black people have when white people aren’t in the room.”
Go beyond the surface
Podcast listeners are used to the long-form nature of the space, allowing creators to go as deep as they need to on any topic. Unlike social media, creators can express themselves fully and tackle any subject with the tactfulness it deserves.
Marketers have an immense opportunity to support and elevate Black podcasters today.
Natasha Stockton, director, communications planning, Mindshare
Black listeners love diving into meaningful conversations: 70% tune into their favorite podcast to hear unique perspectives not covered in other media, and 63% say, “it is important that podcasts include unfiltered conversations that can’t be heard elsewhere.”
Those navigating motherhood turn to The Suga, a safe space where Black moms, moms-to-be and those undecided laugh, learn and love each other. In an episode titled “Protecting your Magic,” hosts Tika Sumpter and Thai Randolph chat with clinical psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford to demystify the concept of therapy and share tools to help cope with anxiety brought up during the pandemic. These and many other episodes help Black women feel seen and understood at a time when they feel disconnected from the world around them.
Approach advertising from a place of trust
Black creators are making meaningful content that’s winning over their audiences, and the ads they create are just as impactful. Black podcasters are careful about what brands they bring into their safe spaces and only allow those they genuinely care about and consume.
Their tactful approach helps them build trust with their listeners, as they receive the ads they hear more favorably than in other spaces. In the Black Podcast Report, 84% of Black podcast listeners said they would consider a brand if they listened to its ad on a Black-hosted podcast, and four in five would trust, purchase and recommend the brand to others.
But for these podcasts to thrive, advertisers must show up. Not only is it right, but it’s also good for business. “Marketers have an immense opportunity to support and elevate Black podcasters today. In doing so, not only will they better connect with Black audiences, but their support can help Black creators breathe and thrive in a space where their voices are often underrepresented,” said Natasha Stockton, director, communications planning at Mindshare.
By learning what works well in the podcast space, advertisers can connect with Black consumers and represent them well in the ads they produce. A time will come when the importance of representation is understood by all and executed as naturally as done by podcasters of color.
