Podcasts are increasingly becoming popular. Most podcasts focus on improving the lives of their audience; they aim to improve your thinking, character, outlook on life, sense of humour, and even life itself.
Moreover, they are incredibly flexible. Whether you have something that piques your curiosity or has limited spare time, the podcast has you covered!
Most people eagerly consume podcasts while commuting, at the gym, or preparing. Also, they are great at bringing together groups of people who share a passion for a particular subject.
Read on for an overview of Australia’s most popular podcasts — you will find something that catches your eye.
Australia’s Podcast Popularity
1. 90% Of Australians Knew About Podcasting by 2022
- Data by Edison Research & APO
In 2020, nine out of ten Australians were familiar with podcasting, a higher percentage than the 78% of Americans who claimed to be knowledgeable about podcasting.
Comparing podcast listeners every month, the two countries are nearly on par, with 37% of Australians and 41% of Americans actively listening to podcasts.
2. Podcast Listeners in Australia Increased By 15% During the COVID-19 Lockdown
- Data by APO & B&T
Over 500 million podcast apps were downloaded throughout Australia in 2022, a staggering increase of 28% from the previous year. While the number of people who listened to podcasts increased during the lockdown, that number is still considerably below the worldwide average of 41%.
3. Podcasts Reached Over Nine Million Australians in 2022, up 54% Year-Over-Year.
- Data by AdNews
The Aussie loves podcast content and wouldn’t tolerate distractions during the episodes. To get the most out of their podcast listening experience, 88% of Australian listeners eliminate any potential sources of distraction before starting an episode.
4. Most Podcast Listeners From Australia Preferred Comedy Content
- Data by APO & B&T, APO
The percentage of total downloads that were attributed to comedy was 22%. Nonetheless, commerce and health and wellness are the categories that are expanding at a rate that is greater than 50% compared to the last year.
5. Specialized Podcasts Are Popular for Both Men and Women
- APO
The following is a list of the genres that are preferred for listening to podcasts by each gender:
- News, politics, and international events: over 63% of podcast listeners in this category are men. Their female counterparts accounted for less than 36%
- Contemporary lifestyle: The number of female and male listeners in this genre was equal
- Specialists discussions: The audience of such podcasts are majorly men, 60%. On the other hand, women accounted for about 40%
- Sports: As expected, men dominated this category, with a whopping 80% of the total audience.
6. The Top Australian Podcast Has 600,000 Subscribers and Two Million Monthly Downloads
- Data by Radio Alive
Over the past month, there have been 1,975,681 downloads of Casefile True Crime, which 652,368 listeners have heard. Based on listenership and downloads, below are the next best Australian podcasts for the month of January 2022:
| Podcast | Downloads | Listeners |
| Life Uncut | 1,320,289 | 428,964 |
| The Update | 911,885 | 424,087 |
| Hamish and Andy | 1,022,278 | 384,812 |
| Stuff You Should Know | 2,092,438 | 340,569 |
| The Kyle and Jackie O Show | 1,429,664 | 304,337 |
People in Australia who have built successful online personas as YouTubers, bloggers, or influencers of any stripe often host a popular podcast.
Podcast Listening Score
7. 77% Of Podcast Read by Hosts Usually Succeed
- Data by AdNews
25% of listeners looked for additional information after the presenter’s advert, and 24% took notice of the business the following time they were in a retail establishment.
8. Most Podcasts (31%) Are 20-40 Minutes Long
- Data by Buzzsprout
Most podcast listeners access their favourite shows on YouTube, where they typically spend more than 40 minutes every session. Typically, podcast episodes last for, however:
- 22% last 40 minutes to an hour
- 17% last an hour
- 15% last 10 to 20 minutes
- 14% lats 10 minutes or less
9. The Average Australian Listens to Podcasts for One Hour 54 Minutes Every Week
- Data by Edison Research & B&T
The following are some key takeaways from an analysis of Australian podcast listenership statistics:
- The most common day to listen to podcasts is Tuesday
- Most people listen to podcasts between 7 and 8 in the morning
- There are about 3.3 downloads each listener a week
- The average person consumes about Five podcasts every week
10. 40% Of Podcast Episodes Are Published Every 8-14 Days
- Data by Buzzsprout
According to data, the best results for podcasts come from maintaining a regular release schedule:
- 3-7 days — 32%
- 15-29 days — 19%
- 0-2 days — 7%
- over 30 days — 2%
11. 42% Of Australian Podcast Listeners Use YOUTUBE
- Data by APO
YouTube was one of the most popular social media platforms in 2022 due to the fact that it received 16.5 million unique users each month from Australia. Other common distribution methods for podcasts in Australia include the following:
- Spotify — 33%
- Apple Podcasts — 21%,
- ABC Listens — 16%
- Google Podcasts — 15%,
- Audible — 10%
12. 23% Of Podcast Listeners Utilize Smart Speakers, While 26% Of Australians Have Them
- Data by Edison Research
The following items, in addition to smart speakers, are among the most often used by listeners who get AM/FM/DAB+ internet:
- Online radio station content accounts for 46% of all visits
- Apps for radio stations account for 44% of downloads
- There are 38% who use an aggregator platform
13. 87% Of podcasts Are Consumed at Home
- Data by Edison Research
Apart from smartphones, the other most popular devices for listening to podcasts are
- Cars — 59%
- While walking — 51%
- Public transport — 39%
- At work — 27%
- while working out — 24%
14. 43% Of Under-34 Podcast Consumers Are Ready to Pay
- Data by APO
Approximately 43% of podcast users under 34 are prepared to pay for the content. in contrast, just about 33% of the elderly are willing to pay.
How Many Aussies Listen to Podcasts?
15. 30% Of Australian News Consumers Listen to Podcasts
- Data by APO
Australia’s podcast listenership is projected to reach 32% by 2020, up from 28% in the previous year.
16. 20% Of Australian Podcast Users Listen daily, While 57% Finish the Session
- Data by APO
According to the findings of this study, there are 37% more men than women in Australia who hear podcasts.
17. News Podcasts Are Less Popular in Australia (11% vs. 17%)
- Data by Infinite Dial Report APO
According to APO, men listeners make up a larger percentage (14%) of the politics and News podcast audience than female listeners (8%). Infinite Dial 2022 Survey indicated that a whopping 86% of Aussies listen to local radio podcasts at least once a month. This is despite the low ratings podcasts have received in Australia.
18. Over 60% Of Podcast Consumers Want Varied Opinions, According to One Study
- Data by APO
According to the same research, left-leaning ideology is held by 48% of podcast consumers in Australia.
In Conclusion,
Podcasting is a fast-expanding medium in Australia, and it attracts a wide variety of listeners. Podcast consumers are quite attentive and likely to take some sort of action after hearing an ad, according to the data. Furthermore, due to the fact that the vast majority of Australian podcast listeners tune in to specific genres and themes, podcasting is an effective approach to reach a specific target audience.
There is a good chance that the number of Australians who listen to podcasts will keep growing as more people get access to smartphones and other mobile devices. This means that advertisers interested in reaching a highly engaged and specific audience should think about including podcasts in their mix of promotional tools.