The number of Hispanics that are listening to podcasts continues to climb, with 43% of U.S. Latinos 18 and older reporting they listened to a show within the past month. That is a five-point increase from a year ago in Edison Research’s annual Latino Podcast Listener Report. Demonstrating how quickly podcasts have grown, when Edison asked the same question in 2020, just one in four Hispanics said they were monthly podcast listeners.
Edison says nearly half (47%) of Latinos say they first discovered podcasting through social media, while a quarter (24%) were turned on to the format by friends and family. And many are leaning into it with gusto. The latest report also shows about a third (32%) now listen to podcasts weekly, up from 20% in 2020. The amount of time they listen is holding steady, at five minutes per week on average.
“We have measured that Latino monthly podcast listenership has increased by 72% since 2020. In addition to that, the time that Latinos spend with podcasts each week has also increased by 36%,” Gabriel Soto, Edison’s Senior Director of Research, said during a Tuesday webinar.
Six in ten Latinos say they have listened to a podcast that was mostly in Spanish. That is significantly less than 93% who consumed English-language shows. And among these monthly podcast listeners, a majority 56% report they listen to shows in both languages. That compares to 13% who only listen in Spanish, and 28% who only listen to English shows. The latest research also shows that more podcast listeners say they’re not bothered when they listen to a show where the hosts have an accent different than their own.
Who Are The Latino Listeners?
Edison’s latest report, the fifth in its series, paints a fresh picture of which Hispanics are turning to podcasts. This year’s data show for the first time that men don’t have an edge, with the gender of listeners evenly split as women now account for half of the U.S. Monthly Latino Listening population.
Elsie Escobar, Libsyn’s Director of Community and Content, credits the growth in female-centric podcast brands for the shift.
“It’s made for women, centering their interests and perspectives, and that’s why it resonates so deeply,” Escobar said. “I don’t think that this is a trend. It’s part of a much bigger shift where women hosts and creators are becoming a driving force in podcasting and shaping the future of the industry in powerful and meaningful ways.”
Latinos are a younger population overall, and Edison says nearly half (47%) of the demo’s podcast listeners are between the ages of 18 and 34. They are also increasingly found outside the big cities. The report says 12% of Latino podcast listeners describe where they live as rural vs. 46% urban and 42% suburban.
Politically speaking, the demo is also more diverse. When their party affiliation was asked in 2020, 19% said they were Republican. Today, that figure has risen to 22% while those identifying as Democrats has slipped to 40%, down from 46% four years ago.
Video-First Podcast Listeners
Hispanic podcast fans have been at the forefront of video viewing. Five years ago, more than a quarter said YouTube is where they consumed podcasts the most. Today, four in ten monthly podcast listeners say YouTube is their most-used app. That’s double the number who say Spotify is their top pick, and four-times the number who say Apple Podcasts. Edison also says 30% search on YouTube most often to find out about podcasts.
“The video isn’t just part of podcasting, it’s driving growth,” Escobar said. “Over the past few years, we have seen the shift with more audiences watching podcasts, instead of just listening, and Latinos have been at the forefront of this trend.”
For the first time, the report also shows more monthly podcast listeners report they watched a podcast video than watched an audio-only version without any video. Edison says 86% report they’ve watched a show vs. 72% who say they listened to a video-free option. And two-thirds of monthly listeners say they have used a video to consume a show but have simply minimized the app to focus on the audio.
“If the young Latino demographic is any indication of how listening will take shape among the rest of the podcast audience, podcasters will have another reason to consider video as part of their content,” Soto said.
Audio may work in situations where video viewing is impossible, such as while driving, but Edison says that half (51%) of the monthly podcast listeners it surveyed say they watched a video episode at least once a week.
It’s A Social Thing
Edison first surprised the podcast industry when it reported a phenomenon among Hispanic podcast listeners — it’s not a solo act, and many co-listen with others. As more Latinos have come into the medium, that has remained true. The latest update shows 43% say they listen with others, typically that is a significant other, family members, friends, or their kids. Gen Z and Millennial Latinos are more likely to listen or watch podcasts with other people. The result is 73% of monthly listeners say they discuss a podcast with other people, and three-quarters offer show recommendations.
There also remains a cultural element. The number of Latinos who say it is important that a show includes Hispanic stories and perspectives has risen five points during the past five years, with nearly half (48%) now considering that a major factor. Even so, nearly two-thirds say shows should cover topics beyond Latino culture and identity.
There has also been a big shift in the number of people who say shows should be hosted by someone their own age. Edison says 41% consider that important, which is up from 33% in 2020.
Brand Halo Shines Bright
The report also finds that many Latino podcast listeners continue to view brands they hear on shows hosted and produced by fellow Hispanics in a positive light. One in five (21%) monthly listeners say they feel much more favorable about those brands. Another 43% say they feel somewhat more favorable. The result is a majority 56% say they are more likely to purchase a product they hear pitched vs. other places where they hear advertisements.
Edison also asked about the types of things Hispanic podcast listeners would like to hear ads for. Half said entertainment products, 41% said restaurants and fast food, and 34% said consumer goods and travel products.
“Younger Latinos are embracing the fluidity of their cultural identity, and this is certainly reflected in how they listen to music and especially with podcasts,” said Briana Mendez, Senior Sales Marketing Manager at SiriusXM Media. “I think from like an advertising perspective, there’s certainly so much space to explore bilingual ad messaging as well, keeping in mind that these listening habits are very true to the Latino listener.”
The Methodology
Edison’s Latino Podcast Listener Report is based on 2,502 online interviews of Hispanics aged 18 and older conducted in November. It was offered in both English and Spanish. It was produced with financial support from LWC Studios, Latino Media Network, Libsyn, SiriusXM Podcast Network, and Uforia Podcasts.
Download the report HERE.