Unlocking the Podcast Universe
By Tom Seest
How Many Podcasts Are There?
At PodcastBig, we help new podcasters develop strategies to create content, traffic, and revenue from podcasts based on our experiences and experimentation.
Podcasts have rapidly grown in popularity over the last 20 years and provide an effective means of reaching new audiences while being easy for listeners to consume.
Edison Research estimates that approximately 104 million Americans listen to podcasts monthly; this number has steadily increased over time.
How Many Podcasts Are There?
Table Of Contents
How many new podcasts are being created daily?
Podcasting has quickly become one of the most beloved forms of entertainment over time, largely due to its ease of use and accessibility – all you need is a smartphone equipped with microphone and an internet connection for it to become one of your go-to entertainment sources. Furthermore, this has also made podcasts an effective marketing tool for businesses.
Apple Podcasts estimates there are over two million podcasts globally, including both live and archived episodes. Of this total figure, approximately 3-4 million podcasts can be considered active based on Apple Podcast’s definition: those publishing at least one episode during the previous 12 months are considered active podcasts – although this represents only a relatively small proportion of total number. Still, this indicates that an audience exists for digital radio shows like podcasts.
Notable also is that podcast listenership has increased significantly, due to mobile device technology making listening easy on-the-go – over half listening while at work or transit! The increase may also be linked to mobile usage as most listeners consume podcasts through these devices.
As well as increasing podcast production and listenership worldwide, global podcast listenership is also expanding rapidly. According to estimates for 2022, over 120 million Americans aged 12 or above listened to at least one podcast during that year – significantly more than in any prior year and expected to increase over time.
Society & culture podcasts are incredibly popular, followed by education and then business. Additional popular podcast genres include food, technology and religion/spirituality; moreover there are niche podcasts for parenting, gardening and fitness available as well.
Podcast listeners are diverse. Of the top five listeners, four are women representing various demographics. Furthermore, most listeners under 25 make up over half of monthly consumers in the US alone.
How many new podcasts are being created daily?
How Can You Discover the Best Podcasts?
Podcasting has quickly become an integral part of modern culture. Not only can it connect you with old shows you love while finding new ones, but podcasts also serve as an educational, entertainment, and motivational resource. According to research conducted on podcast listeners they tend to exercise more frequently and consume healthier foods due to being guided through an audio narrative which stimulates their mind while motivating their body.
With so many podcasts to choose from, it can be overwhelming trying to select one. Thankfully, there are multiple resources that can help you locate the appropriate ones – Apple Podcasts being one of them; its easy interface and availability across various devices make this platform popular among podcast listeners.
Apple Podcasts currently hosts over 4.1 million podcasts, an astounding number. Most are news-related; however, other genres such as comedy, fitness and music podcasts exist as well as completely unrelated ones.
Apple Podcasts app can be downloaded for free onto any device and has an easy search function that helps users easily locate podcasts they are searching for, plus a recommendation feature to suggest other shows they might enjoy.
Locating an exact podcast count can be challenging due to inactive or repurposed podcasts; however, Apple Podcasts Index estimates there were approximately 4.1 million podcasts as of 2023 on Apple Podcasts with valid RSS feeds and at least one episode available for streaming on this platform.
Most podcasts are downloaded onto mobile devices and used for various reasons – exercising, cooking, cleaning or driving are among them. Over half of listeners tune into their favorite shows while out and about as it seems people prefer listening on-the-go rather than in their homes.
How Can You Discover the Best Podcasts?
What Makes Spotify the Podcast Giant?
Podcasting has quickly become one of the world’s favorite forms of 21st-century entertainment, captivating listeners as they commute on trains, stroll through community parks, or work out. Listeners tune in while traveling by train, strolling in local parks or working out. Podcasts provide an engaging narrative through sound, music, dialogue and sound design while simultaneously helping educate and inspire individuals on topics they are passionate about; leading to podcast stats skyrocketing – particularly on Spotify.
According to a recent study conducted by Podnews, over 1.2 million podcasts are available on Spotify. However, this figure only accounts for those podcasts currently being produced and released – not including those created but never updated or released – so the actual number may be much lower than what is reported.
Podcasts’ increasing popularity stems from their ability to deliver personalized, relevant content directly targeted toward an individual listener’s interests and preferences. This is especially relevant for Spotify’s 18-34 year old demographic who make up a substantial share of listeners; therefore it is imperative for podcast creators to gain insight into these habits so as to create and promote shows which resonate with this key demographic group.
As a result of this emerging trend, the podcasting industry is increasingly competitive. Podcast companies must compete to get noticed by their audiences; forcing them to be more inventive with their content creation efforts and strive to stand out. This bodes well for the industry overall as more opportunities for podcasts to be discovered and enjoyed globally.
Though competition among podcasts may be increasing, it is important to remember that their total numbers remain relatively few compared to total online podcasts available. This leaves plenty of space for new players in the market; those who possess unique ideas or perspectives should find platforms which allow them to share it with the world.
What Makes Spotify the Podcast Giant?
How Many Podcasts are Available on Sticher Radio?
Stitcher Radio currently hosts over 1.1 million podcasts, and their number continues to grow rapidly. While this offers podcast listeners plenty of choices, it also increases competition when selecting which episodes and podcasts to download and subscribe to; making it hard for new podcasts to gain traction quickly.
Podcast creators can take heart from the fact that most listeners to podcasts will stay to the end of each episode. Over 65% of American podcast listeners complete an entire episode before abandoning it altogether – an encouraging sign for marketers as this indicates people’s engagement with this form of media and its effectiveness as an engagement tool.
Podcast listening has quickly become a mainstream hobby in the US, attracting both men and women of all ages alike. An estimated one third of Americans now regularly tune in, up 67% over five years compared to 2013. Women podcast listeners in particular tend to follow multiple topics at once.
Podcasts offer an entertaining way to pass the time and acquire knowledge. Available any time and on almost every device, podcasts provide hours of entertainment in every form imaginable. Most listeners listen while driving, working out or performing tasks around the home – perfect for anytime listening pleasure!
TikTok may have taken the world by storm, but podcasts have long been around and have enjoyed steady popularity – until recently when their profile skyrocketed into essential media consumption for many consumers.
Podcasts are an indispensable marketing medium because they allow them to reach a broad audience of potential customers. Thanks to streaming services like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, there are more ways than ever for brands to connect with their target market through podcasts. When implemented properly, they can even drive more traffic back to your website and drive up sales figures.
How Many Podcasts are Available on Sticher Radio?
Please share this post with your friends, family, or business associates who are new to podcasting or just starting a podcast.