Podcasts are gaining in popularity at a rapid pace. In recent years, it has become one of the most popular and accessible media for listeners worldwide. There are many reasons for this growth. Firstly, accessibility: they are available on many platforms and applications. Then there's the variety of choice: there are thousands of podcasts covering almost every subject. And finally, flexibility.Listeners can listen to podcasts to suit their schedules. There are notime constraints, which means listening on demand and greater flexibility in content consumption.
France's most listened-to podcast topics
In France, podcasts are becoming increasingly popular. According to a study by Médiamétrie in 2021, 8.5 million French people listen to podcasts every month. This represents an increase of 25% over the previous year. Podcast listeners in France spend an average of 4 hours and 26 minutes a week listening to audio content, representing an increase of 39 minutes on the previous year. On average, 23% of listeners are aged between 15 and 27, and 22% between 28 and 40, according to Digimind.
The most listened-to podcasts in France are on the theme of current affairs. There's "Les actus du jour", presented by Hugo Décrypte. It has been downloaded 1,494,131 times in France. Humor is also very popular, with "Manu dans le 6/10: le best of". It has been downloaded 1,011,185 times.
Podcast trends in the U.S.
In the U.S., young people (aged 12 to 34) are also the biggest podcast listeners. Out of 330 million people in the US, 104 million listen to podcasts. It's clear that the podcast scene here is more diverse. What's more, they cover virtually every subject.
"The Joe Rogan" has become the most listened-to podcast in the USA, gathering over 190 million listeners on his channel. He offers entertainment and comedy. He interviews celebrities, reviews films and TV series, and discusses popular culture.
Second place goes to "The Daily" podcast. Created by The New York Times, it tells the biggest stories of our time, through the world's best journalists. It attracts over 2 million listeners every day.
Why do companies make Podcasts?
Companies have understood the stakes involved in creating podcasts for communication and marketing. They followed the latest trends and new customer usages.
Podcasts offer many benefits, not least in terms of visibility and brand awareness. It establishes a more intimate and authentic relationship with the customer. While offering attractive, engaging content that captivates the audience. It also provides an opportunity to build customer loyalty by encouraging them to return regularly to listen to new episodes.
They can also be used to promote products or services. By presenting customer testimonials or product explanations.
In 2022, for example, Decathlon created a podcast for its employees called "Radio Moquette". Every day, Decathlon employees can catch up on the latest Decathlon news, with portraits of employees, local initiatives, athlete profiles and sports tips.
Luxury is also adopting podcasts, like Hermès, Chanel, Dior... In 2022, Hermès released "Un air de légèreté" featuring several items from the luxury house. They feature employees who work behind the scenes at the prestigious brand. This not only highlights certain little-known professions, but also humanizes the brand and raises its profile.
Young people and influencers revolutionize podcasting
More and more listeners are under 20, so they're influencing and appropriating Podcasts. Today, influencers from this generation are seizing on this new medium. Léna Situations, a popular French youtuber and influencer known for her lifestyle and beauty content. She has 3 million followers on YouTube. Very popular with young people, she decided to launch her own online podcast channel called "canapé 6 places" in 2022, broadcast on Spotify. Léna invites well-known French and international personalities, actors and other influencers. They talk about a variety of interesting subjects, but Léna Situations also takes the opportunity to show her community many facets of her world.
Podcasts cover a wide range of subjects. Trends differ from country to country. In France, it's news that's most listened to, while in the USA it's entertainment. Companies, too, have decided to put the spotlight on it in order to cultivate their brand image and facilitate communication with their customers. Young people, through influencers, also consume this audio format, which enables them to stay informed while following personalities on the networks.
