Authenticity is widely believed to be among the reasons that listeners often connect to podcasters and their shows, and now there is research to back that up. The U.K.’s University of Salford has published a study that not only confirms that but also sheds some lights into the factors that listeners look for when rating a host authentic. They include making self-disclosures and using everyday language.
The study — published in the Journal of Radio & Audio Media — was based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 podcast listeners 18 and older who consumed shows hosted by stand-up comedians at least once a month. It says most participants used language that indicated they had formed parasocial relationships with their favorite hosts. A majority of participants said they have a “feeling of knowing the host” and many said they had a “feeling of friendship” toward their favorite hosts.
There were other factors at play. The study found a majority of participants used language that indicated they perceived their favorite hosts to be authentic.
“The hosts were often described as being ‘honest,’ ‘genuine,’ and ‘natural,’ which were characteristics that were appreciated even when participants did not agree with what they were saying,” it says. “Despite sometimes having ‘opposite opinions’ with their co-hosts, the hosts were described as just saying what they think and being themselves in every way.” The study says that perception of authenticity extended to advertising, because the hosts talk about using the product or are promoting products not widely advertised.
The study found that all the participants brought up factors such as ordinariness, immediacy, similarity, freedom, spontaneity, imperfection, and confessions as they assessed whether someone was being true to themselves on their show.
“Almost all of the participants used language that indicated the ordinariness of their favorite hosts,” it says, noting one participant referred to Joe Rogan as being a “really common guy” and “an ordinary guy who just wants to learn.”
Researchers say host were often described as being “one of us” and “not pretentious” even when they tackled topics as mundane what is happening in their daily lives. One listener said a host who mentioned that she has some skin concerns made a connection since she thinks every woman has issues about their appearance. “In this way, the interviews also demonstrated how participants’ perception of the hosts’ ordinariness can contribute to their parasocial relationships, by creating a feeling of friendship,” the study says.
Listeners often felt they had similarities with the hosts, which worked to help build that perceived connect. Reacting to current events and trending topics also demonstrated how the participants’ perception of immediacy creates a feeling of friendship. Others pointed to a host’s freedom to speak their mind without a perception they are beholden to a media outlet or advertiser.
The study also found that most participants indicated that their favorite hosts were imperfect, giving them an opportunity to get to know them as people rather than media figures worried about delivering a perfect presentation. One study participant says host Iliza Schlesinger is “kind of messy” and a “bit silly,” but that made her “really human” to listeners. Another factor is the spontaneity of a host, and the perception they are just saying what is on their mind. Researchers say it created a feeling by listeners that they are getting to know the hosts on a deeper level.
Researchers concede their study was limited by its small sample size, and the results cannot be generalized to the larger population of podcasts hosted by stand-up comedians. They also didn’t factor in how many hours users accessed podcasts each week and say there could be differences between heavy and casual podcast consumption. They suggest future research includes a larger sample and focus more on how different markers contribute to the overall assessment of a podcast host being authentic such as geographical background, cultural differences, age and gender might.
“This study was only exploratory, it is likely that there are further markers waiting to be identified,” authors Karl Maloney Yorganci and Leslie McMurtry write. But they believe the results provide valuable insight into how the participants make sense of their world and, in particular, their relationships with podcast hosts.
Download the full study HERE.