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According to Edison Research, there were an estimated 209 million podcast listeners in the United States alone in 2022 — and millions more worldwide. However, some might be interested to learn that the behaviors and preferences of this growing audience are even more dedicated than may have once been believed.
A recent survey published by the revolutionary audio content platform Pocket FM, entitled “Digital Entertainment Insights: Audio Takes the Centerstage,” supports this claim that audio series are becoming an increasingly popular form of entertainment. Their report shows that 90% of respondents engaged with audio content daily, which has led to audio content becoming more popular than even other forms of entertainment. Pocket FM’s report shows that 36% of users switched from music to audio series, 22% from video streaming, and 18% from audiobooks and podcasts.
Why audio content is becoming a dominant form of entertainment
So, why is it that audio series have become so popular among listeners? Survey respondents cited three main draws for audio series as a form of entertainment: their quality storytelling, the convenience of listening, and the diversity of content the medium offers. This trifecta of qualities makes audio series perfect to enjoy in virtually every setting — whether a listener is tuning in during their commute to and from work or simply sitting down to enjoy some great content to unwind after a long day.
Indeed, a massive 65% of respondents in Pocket FM’s recent survey said that listening to audio was useful in helping them destress. Others reported that listening to audio could be a valuable tool for productivity, with 17% saying it helps them avoid distractions and another 17% saying it helps them enhance their focus. As a result, audio content emerges as a versatile medium with numerous uses, from entertainment to use as a practical tool.
The quality of audio content is another massive consideration when it comes to attracting listeners to audio content. Listeners want an audio experience that allows them to activate their imaginations and be immersed in the story and its world. This is why Pocket FM has such high levels of success with its “blockbuster” audio series — listeners are drawn into the story as it unfolds and can’t wait to listen to more.
In terms of diversity of content, Pocket FM also has plenty of offerings on this front. The survey revealed that listeners’ top genre preferences included drama (21%), romance (23%), suspense/thriller (16%), and sci-fi (15%). Among Pocket FM’s library of thousands of narrative audio series are plenty of options that fill whatever listening craving a user may have, both in English and localized storytelling, allowing the platform to resonate with a global user base.
The survey also reveals that around 63% of respondents listened to audio content on their smartphones, with only 15% listening on tablets and another 22% on smart TVs, desktops, and other devices. This reaffirms the importance of the convenience of audio content, as listeners want content they can listen to wherever they are. By listening on their phones, they aren’t limited to one location like their car, office, or home.
A preference for shorter, binge-worthy content emerges
From Pocket FM’s survey, we can also see that listeners tend to prefer content with shorter episodes, with 43% saying they prefer episodes that are 5-15 minutes long, while 38% preferred 15-30 minutes. A much smaller percentage — a mere 18% — said they were partial to content with episode lengths of 45-60 minutes. Even though many listeners are taking in longer amounts of content, they prefer to have the convenience and flexibility of shorter content.
Indeed, Pocket FM’s platform is designed with the behavior of “binge listening” in mind. The service reports that for some of its most popular shows, including “Insta Millionaire,” “Saving Nora,” and “The Return,” the average time a listener spends consuming the content daily exceeds 150 minutes.
This binge-ability is aided by Pocket FM’s revolutionary “freemium” model. Unlike other audio entertainment platforms, like Spotify, where users have to pay a monthly subscription fee to access content, Pocket FM releases a set amount of free episodes daily. Users can then purchase access to additional episodes if they want to continue their binge.
Pocket FM’s survey proves that listeners in the United States are increasingly turning to audio series as their preferred form of entertainment. Those looking for entertainment that is high-quality, convenient, and diverse in genre and offering have few options better than audio. And with a library as massive as Pocket FM’s, it’s out there not just to take on the incumbent audio players like Spotify and Audible, but to turn into an entertainment IP powerhouse to shape the furture of entertainment in America.
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