Podcast listening up 44% amongst US Latinos and one third listen to podcasts in Spanish. These findings are from an Edison Research report and show the results of a representative survey of 2500 Hispanic/Latino adults age 18+. conducted in May 2021. The US Latino Podcast Listener Report 2021 found that 36% of US Latinos age 18+ (16 million people) have listened to a podcast in the last month, which is a 44% increase over 2020 (25%). This is narrowing the gap with the overall 18+ US population, of whom 40% are monthly podcast listeners. New research shows that this dramatic increase comes from both English-dominant and Spanish-dominant listeners.
One factor may have contributed to the changes seen in the most recent study: the COVID-19 pandemic. Over half (54%) of Latino monthly podcast listeners say they began listening to podcasts during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 or after). 44% of non-Spanish dominant US Latino monthly podcast listeners and 57% of Spanish-dominant US Latino monthly podcast listeners began listening within the last year, which reinforces the idea that available content for Latino listeners is increasing.
Key findings from the US Latino Podcast Listener Report 2021
- The number of US Latinos reached daily by podcasts has increased dramatically since pre-pandemic times, with 21% of the US Latino population being reached by podcasts each day, up from only 11% in Q1 2020.
- 58% of US Latino monthly podcasts listeners say they would be likely to pay a small fee to avoid hearing ads on the podcasts they listen. Six million US Latinos say they would be very likely to pay a small fee to listen to ad-free podcasts. In the current ad-based environment, though, US Latinos show an affinity for brands advertised on Latino podcasts — 75% say they are likely to purchase a brand on a podcast hosted by Latinos.
- 77% of US Latino podcast listeners listen to podcasts with a video component. 41% of US Latino podcast listeners say they prefer consuming a podcast with audio and video, while actively watching the video.
- Latino podcast listeners also have unique listening habits and motivations. When they listen to podcasts at home, 49% are spending time with family and friends – more than double that of the overall 18+ population (22%). 38% of US Latino podcast listeners listen to stay connected with their family’s country of origin.
- 29% of US Latinos are weekly podcast listeners
- 48% of US Latinos say they have ever listened to a podcast mostly in English (up from 36% in 2020)
- 33% of US Latinos say they have ever listened to a podcast mostly in Spanish (up from 24% in 2020)
- 58% US Latino monthly podcast listeners are men, 48% are age 18-34, 35% are Spanish-language dominant
- 96% say they are very or somewhat likely to continue to listening to podcasts once the pandemic ends.
The Latino Podcast Listener Report in English may be downloaded at http://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/US-Latino-Podcast-Listener-Report-2021-English.pdf and in Spanish at http://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/US-Latino-Podcast-Listener-Report-2021-Spanish.pdf.
