Podcast listeners are more likely to make at least $100,000 per year and have investments worth $50,000 or more compared to the average American. They are also more likely to be employed full-time and have an advanced educational degree. Those are just some of the findings in a new report from Morning Consult Intelligence, which says U.S. podcast listeners are “super consumers” in the eyes of many marketers, based on their disposable income and shopping behaviors.
The report finds that frequent podcast listeners also over index on holding high-ranking titles like CEO, and have more leeway to listen when they want since three in ten frequent podcast listeners work remotely. That compares to 24% for all U.S. adults who do.
Morning Consult says its data – which draws on millions of consumer survey interviews about demographics, psychographics, and shopping behaviors collected daily – also shows that podcast listeners home life is just as attractive to ad buyers. A majority (55%) own a home, and more than a third (36%) are taking care of kids – including 44% that have children under the age of two.
All those responsibilities leads to plenty of shopping. Morning Consult says podcast listeners are likely to make purchases much more often than the average consumer in nearly every key category that it tracks. And with most podcast listening (done) on the phone, it’s little surprise that nearly three-quarters (72%) of podcast listeners are shopping on their mobile devices at least once a week. That compares to 57% for U.S. adults overall. The report says podcast listeners are also much more likely to shop each week using social media, or to subscribe to the meal delivery services that are frequently advertised in the medium. With more disposable income, podcast listeners also over-index for flying first class, exercising, attending live events, and traveling.
But the report suggests that it is more than having more money in the wallet that is driving the buying and lifestyle habits of podcast listeners. It says the data shows that podcast fans like to be “tastemakers” with a greater propensity to stay up to date on current trends, products, and what is happening in the world. That level in engagement can offer marketers some added benefit, it says, since podcast listeners are more likely to recommend products to others.
The data shows podcast listening is part of a higher level of media usage overall, with frequent podcast listeners more likely to use Reddit – 55% do versus 34% of all U.S. adults – with sizable gaps also seen in the use of X, the New York Times, Instagram, and Hulu.
“Put simply, podcast enthusiasts are capital-C Consumers,” the report says. “They’re everywhere, and they’re eager to both influence and be influenced, which distribution networks are betting (in ever-larger quantities) will be able to net them all kinds of revenues.”
It also says that Morning Consult Intelligence data shows that Gen Z listeners are even more diverse – 37% of Gen Z frequent podcast listeners are non-white, 47% are women and 26% identify as LGBTQ+.
Read the full report HERE.