The truth behind German podcast listeners

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Every year we eagerly await new data to confirm what we already know….that German podcast listeners continue to actively enjoy, and engage with, podcasts.  The 2024 Podcast Survey conducted by Podstars OMR is exactly that.  This annual survey gives us an insightful look into podcast consumption habits, preferences, and behaviours among different age groups in Germany. Having said that, there are a few anomalies in the data which seem vastly different to the data reported in 2023….and we have attempted to unravel the data to identify the truth in the statistics. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:

1. Podcast Listening Habits

The survey unpicks the listening habits among podcast consumers. The frequency of podcast consumption varies significantly but with 82% listening at least once per month, this remains a significant portion of the population:

• Daily Listeners: 21% of respondents listen to podcasts daily.
• Several Times a Week: 32% tune in several times a week, indicating a strong, regular engagement with podcast content.
• Weekly and Monthly Listeners: 12% listen once a week, while 11% engage several times a month. A smaller segment (6%) listens once a month.
• Infrequent Listeners: 7% listen less frequently, and 11% never listen to podcasts.

However, this is one of the key data points which has changed significantly since 2023 when 94% of all respondents claimed that they listened to a podcast daily (63%) or several times a week (31%).  The key difference between the methodology year on year is that only 50% of the number of participants were included in the most recent survey compared to last year.  Although this goes some way to explaining the discrepancy, this is a hugely significant shift in the data pools between studies which is left open to interpretation by the reader.

2. Preferred Platforms and Discovery Channels

Discoverability of podcasts has been a key point of discussion in recent years as the volume of podcasts available have accelerated. Podcasts are discovered through various platforms and channels:

• Social Media: 53% of respondents find new podcasts through social media, highlighting the importance of social media marketing in podcast discovery (up from 41% in 2023).
• From friends: 49% discover podcasts by receiving recommendations with friends (down from 67% in 2023!).
• YouTube and Podcast Apps: 45% use YouTube searches, and 38% find podcasts through dedicated podcast apps or platforms.
• Search Engines: Google search is also a common tool for discovery, used by 38% of respondents (up from 4% in 2023!!!).
• Recommendations from Other Podcasts and Public Figures: 29% rely on recommendations from other podcasts, while 28% follow suggestions from influencers or public figures.

As with the listening habits, these data points have shifted dramatically from 2023. This could be a result in a change of methodology for the study or that podcast listeners are claiming behaviour which is not consistent.  It will be interesting to see how this data changes moving forward.

3. Content Preferences and Motivations

• 75% of podcast audiences listen to podcasts to be entertained (2023:77%)
• 62% for relaxation (2023:28%)
• 56% for information/news (2023:83%)
• 46% for education purposes (2023:79%)

Of these, only entertainment has maintained its popularity since 2023 whereas some of the other points have dropped by as much as 30%……

4. Podcast advertising and authenticity

The survey indicates that podcasts can significantly influence brand perception and engagement:  With 78% of podcast listeners trusting the statements and opinions of podcast hosts, this is one of the key reasons why podcast advertising is so successful in the German market.

• 61% of respondents have heard a podcast advertisement
• 85% of those who have heard a podcast ad think that it is good when they become aware of a new product or service through podcast ads
• 90% accept podcast ads so that podcasts remain a free product
• 80% trust that their favourite podcast host will only recommend relevant content

With 55% stating that they enjoy ads spoken by the podcast host (native host-read ads).

5. Purchase behaviour

And podcast advertising is delivering tangible results for brands:

• 32% have made a purchase after hearing a podcast ad
• 41% have visited the brand’s website
• 34% have visited the social platforms for the brand
• 31% have talked to a friend about the brand or product

6. Subscription and Monetisation Preferences

Listeners are also open to different forms of podcast monetisation:

• Ad-Free Listening and Early Access: 43% prefer ad-free listening, while 27% value early access to episodes.
• Additional Content and Paywalls: 31% are interested in additional exclusive content, and 29% are willing to access complete podcasts behind a paywall.
• Popular Platforms for Paid Content: Spotify is the preferred platform for paid podcast content (73%), followed by Apple Podcasts (34%).

7. Consumption Formats

When it comes to the preferred format for podcasts:

• Audio vs. Video: 43% prefer audio-only formats, 35% are open to video podcasts, while 23% have no preference between the two.

A few final thoughts

The 2024 Podcast Survey underscores the diverse and evolving nature of podcast consumption. The findings highlight the importance of social media and personal recommendations in podcast discovery, the varying motivations for engaging with content, and the potential impact of podcasts on brand engagement and consumer behaviour. 

But, it also comes with a caveat…… we can only work with the data that we can find and some of the results in this year’s survey seem very different to previous studies.  Does this mean that we should discount the report? Not at all….but proceed with caution when taking the data as the whole truth. There are now enough pieces of research available across Germany, the UK and USA for us to trust the trend of the data and the key points that the research makes. Although it also shows the importance of having a big enough sample when conducting quantitative research and maintaining consistent wording across different studies to ensure their viability!