36% of Black Americans are monthly podcast listeners and 59% said they would listen to more podcasts if they had black hosts. These findings are part of The Black Podcast Listener Report 2021 from Edison Research in partnership with SXM Media and Mindshare based on a survey of over 2,500 Black Americans age 18+.
Key findings from the report
- 36% of Black Americans now listen to podcasts monthly, which is equal to 12 million Black adults listening to podcasts monthly.
- In 2020, 17% of Black Americans were listening to podcasts weekly, compared with 24% of all Americans. Just a year later, the number of weekly Black listeners jumped to 26% (while the general market grew slightly to 28%).
- 42% of Black monthly podcast listeners say they’ve been streaming shows for one year or less. Half of Black podcast fans said they like shows that focus on people of colour because these podcasts spur unfiltered conversations that can’t be had on social media.
- Half of the users that were surveyed said it was important to them to listen to shows with Black hosts, and more than half wanted shows that include Black stories and perspectives. 59% of these consumers say they would even listen more if there were more podcasts with Black hosts.
- Black listeners top three content-loving categories are comedy, music, and health & fitness, a genre not found in the top rankings among the general population.
- 58% of Black listeners wish there was more content around key interests covered by and for Black voices, including Business/Economy, History, True Crime, Fiction, Kids & Family.
Podcast hosts build trust amongst their listeners
As a whole, podcast fans trust their favourite hosts to make recommendations for products and services they use and admire, but when it’s a Black host doing the talking, the response is even greater for Black listeners: brand trust, consideration, and purchase intent all increase to over 80% in each category.
40% of Black listeners report they’re more likely to purchase a product based on an ad they heard on a podcast compared to other platforms. 71% of Black listeners are streaming their favourite podcasts most often at home, providing ample opportunities for marketers to reach them on home products and services. 47% of those who listen at home say they listen while spending time with family and friends, compared to just 23% of the general weekly audience.
Black consumers are eagerly diving into podcasts, and SXM Media has produced podcasts and hosts to meet their needs and interests. These include:
Comedy Gold Minds with Kevin Hart
Why Won’t You Date Me? With Nicole Byer
The Black Podcast Listener Report 2021 from Edison Research in partnership with SXM Media and Mindshare is free to download here.
