Gen Z remains an elusive generation that brands, advertisers and media companies are constantly grasping to understand.
While much has been written about their potential spending power and their unique expectations of brands, there are still plenty of misconceptions around this generation and how they are spending their time. Though podcasts have clearly been on the rise over the past several years, they aren’t typically top of mind for advertisers when thinking about media activities that are essential to Gen Z’s daily lives.
As part of an ongoing thought leadership series to spotlight the diversity of podcast listenership, the first-ever Gen Z Podcast Listener Report from SXM Media and Edison Research captures the listening behaviors of monthly podcast listeners ages 13 to 24 across the country. Through over 1,000 online interviews conducted in April 2023, this report determines growth in Gen Z listenership over time, uncovering emerging themes and the resulting implications for marketers and advertisers.
Gen Z podcast listening is on the rise
Seen across virtually every demographic, monthly podcast listening continues to grow in popularity among Americans ages 13 to 24, soaring by 57% over the past five years. Now, 47% have listened in the past month, representing an estimated 24 million Gen Z U.S. monthly podcast listeners—a vast opportunity for advertisers.
As Gen Z listening has expanded, the demographics of those listeners have shifted. Now 46% of monthly podcast listeners ages 13 to 24 are female, up from just 42% in 2018. Over that same time period, the diversity of these listeners has also increased, and continues to be more diverse compared to total U.S. podcast listeners.
Gen Z monthly listeners are heavily engaged, with 75% having listened to a podcast within the past week and 78% saying they often binge-listen to podcasts. While most initially started listening to podcasts as teenagers, almost one out of five first started listening as children. Those who took to podcasts as children are now voracious listeners, consuming an average of 10.6 hours per week, compared to 7.7 hours for total Gen Z monthly listeners.
Social media is a gateway for podcast discovery
Given that they are digital natives who grew up with social media, naturally these platforms play an important role in Gen Z’s podcast listening journey. About nine out of 10 Gen Z listeners have listened to a brief podcast clip on social media, and almost three out of four of them say that the brief clip led them to listen to or watch the podcast somewhere else.
Over 80% of Gen Z listeners say they find out about podcasts from YouTube or TikTok, over 70% do so through Instagram, and over 50% through Facebook or Twitter. For podcast creators and distributors, social media cannot be ignored as a way to build an audience of young listeners.
Interest in current events and social issues
Podcasts have become a crucial way for Gen Z to stay informed—two out of three monthly listeners say they listen to or watch podcasts to stay up to date with the latest topics, and 61% listen or watch specifically to keep up to date on social issues.
Gen Z monthly listeners are heavily engaged, with 75% having listened to a podcast within the past week and 78% saying they often binge-listen to podcasts.
Though almost six out of 10 say they first hear about current events through social media, less than one out of five say that they trust the information they read there. While social media is a key discovery source for Gen Z listeners, they turn to other media like podcasts to dive deeper into topics they are interested in, largely due to its trusted voices and authentic conversations.
A focus on mental health and well-being
Perhaps more so than any other generation, Gen Z is acutely aware of the importance of mental health, and they tackle it openly. Podcasts are a key outlet for Gen Z listeners to decompress—over eight out of 10 say they listen to relax, about two out of three listen to escape, and over half listen to help them understand their feelings about something. About six out of 10 Gen Z listeners say it’s important that podcasts provide them with good tips and advice. And three out of 10 listen to wellness or self-improvement podcasts specifically, with female Gen Z and LGBTQ+ Gen Z being more likely to listen.
Even if they aren’t listening to wellness content specifically, Gen Z is turning to podcasts to unwind. While many do listen while multitasking with other activities, over eight out of ten say they listen to podcasts while doing nothing else. Teens are even more likely to just listen, with 86% saying they do so. Gen Z listens to an average of 6.8 different genres, led by comedy, entertainment/celebrity/gossip and true crime.
The messaging Gen Z remembers and acts on
The best news for marketers and agencies whose ears are perking up at the possibility of connecting with Gen Z through podcasts? Advertising in this space is incredibly effective, with about half of Gen Z listeners saying they are more likely to remember brands they hear advertised on podcasts compared to ads they see or hear elsewhere.
Among those ages 16 or older, 43% have actually bought a product after hearing it advertised in a podcast, and 44% of listeners ages 13 to 17 have asked someone to buy an advertised product for them. Even more listeners have visited a brand’s website or gathered more information about a brand after hearing a podcast ad.
Podcast listening is now a major media activity for Gen Z in the U.S. and should not be overlooked as a vital way for brands to reach this generation at scale through a medium they love. Podcasts play a multi-faceted role for Gen Z listeners, providing them with entertainment, relaxation, escapism, self-care and education. This presents boundless opportunities for brands to engage with Gen Z in contextually relevant ways, all while knowing that they are likely to take action after hearing ads that support the podcasts that they love.
