Fans who tune in for more than eight hours per week are far more likely to engage with brands that  advertise on their favorite podcast shows — visiting advertisers’ websites and stores, researching products, and making purchases.

If you’ve heard the podcast boom is fizzling, let’s set the record straight: Not only are podcasts thriving, but the biggest fans are consuming more content than ever before, and new listeners are discovering fresh shows and hosts. Podcast listening has increased fivefold in the last decade, and podcasts now account for nearly 20% of all time spent with audio daily¹.

As marketers search for more effective ways to reach consumers, podcasts offer a rare direct line to them. While social media users scroll away and TV audiences tune out during commercial breaks, podcast listeners are fully engaged. Podcasts are “me” time—whether through earbuds, smart speakers, or in the car — fans form a deep, one-to-one connection with their favorite content. That intimacy and attentiveness are difficult to replicate in today’s oversaturated media landscape.

Super fans of podcasting’s most popular genres are the most likely to engage with brand marketers. That includes true crime series, and rewatch series like Severance. Heavy listeners tune into comedies like Fly on the Wall to lighten the mood and dive into news and information series from Search Engine to History That Doesn’t Suck.

 As listeners become more familiar with the medium, they spend more time listening . Nearly a third of audiences who started listening more than four years ago are heavy podcast listeners now².

This kind of fandom is a major win for brands as heavy listeners embrace podcast ads with positivity. 76% say that ads in podcasts make them aware of new products and services and 57% say they’re likely to buy from companies that sponsor podcasts they listen to³.

As podcast consumption continues to increase and more listeners deepen their engagement with podcasts, brands have the opportunity to build authentic connections and drive success. They offer advertisers unrivaled credibility and authenticity throughout the consumer journey, from awareness to conversion and long-term loyalty.