Podcasts are everywhere… or at least, it feels that way.
Some people can’t imagine a commute without a true crime binge or the daily news in their headphones. Others? They tried it once, didn’t click, and moved on.
At The Podcast Show in London, Tom Webster shared some fascinating findings from The Advertising Landscape. While the study mainly explored how podcasting stacks up against other ad-supported media in attention and trust, one slice of data stood out to me: the fandom question.
Participants — monthly consumers of ad-supported podcasts — were asked to rate how much of a fan they were on a scale of 1 to 10. Sounds Profitable broke it down like this:
- Fans (8-10): Devoted listeners who plan their next binge before finishing the last episode.
- The “Meh” Middle (4-7): Interested but not committed, a prime territory for growth.
- Anti-fans (1-3): Tried podcasts, didn’t love them, unlikely to become regular listeners.
A key detail: these Anti-fans aren’t complete outsiders. They’ve sampled podcasts but haven’t embraced the medium fully. This study isn’t about why people who’ve never tried podcasts stay away — it’s about what makes someone who’s already listening either fall in love or just stay in “meh” territory.
In this blog, we’ll explore who truly loves podcasts, who’s harder to reach, and how demographics and media habits shape listener enthusiasm.
Who are podcast fans?
Not every podcast listener is a superfan. Some tune in religiously, while others float in the middle, and a small group just never really clicks.
According to The Advertising Landscape 2025:
- 40% of monthly podcast listeners identify as fans
- 49% fall in the “meh” middle category
- & 11% are Anti-fans
Understanding who these groups are and why they engage differently gives creators and marketers the insight to build strategies that turn casual listeners into loyal advocates.
With this in mind, let’s dive into how these groups of people fit into three key areas: demographics, social media preferences, and wider media consumption habits:
Demographics
Gender gap
Men are more likely to be fans (44%) compared to women (33%), while women are overrepresented in the “meh” middle. This isn’t about convincing women to try podcasts — they’re already listening. The challenge is creating content and experiences that deepen their engagement.
Age trends
Listeners aged 35–54 lead the way with 46% identifying as fans and only 7% as Anti-fans. Surprisingly, younger listeners (18–34) aren’t as enthusiastic, with just 39% as fans. The 55+ group trails with only 27% fans and nearly one in five as Anti-fans.
This upends the assumption that podcasts are purely a “young person’s medium.” Middle-aged listeners are the most engaged and reliable fans, while older audiences — though they’re already listening — aren’t forming the same deep attachment. Creators need to consider how to serve both the loyalty of mid-life fans and the potential of older audiences.
Race and ethnicity
Fandom is remarkably consistent across racial groups, with fans making up 37–40% in every category. The main outlier is Hispanic listeners, who have a higher Anti-fan rate at 15%.
This consistency is good news — it suggests that once people of different racial backgrounds start listening, they engage with podcasts in similar ways. But the higher Anti-fan numbers among Hispanic listeners point to a gap where tailored messaging or culturally relevant content could make a difference.
Social media preferences
High fandom platforms
Threads (55%), X/Twitter (46%), and Telegram (44%) lead the way. These platforms thrive on conversation and community, which may explain why their users are more likely to dive deep into podcasting. Marketers and creators should consider leaning into these platforms to build stronger communities around their shows.
Low-fandom platforms
Snapchat (31%) and TikTok (34%) have the lowest fan percentages. Their visual, fast-paced nature doesn’t naturally align with long-form audio, though listeners still check in monthly.
The case for Discord
Discord is unique with 34% fans but also the highest Anti-fan rate at 29%. It appears to host both passionate advocates and skeptics within the same environment. For the right communities, it could be a powerful distribution and engagement tool. But it requires a nuanced strategy to avoid alienating less enthusiastic listeners.
Media consumption habits
How people engage with other media strongly shapes their likelihood of being a podcast fan.
Audio-first audiences
Paid music streamers (54% fans) and streaming radio users (57% fans) show the deepest podcast fandom. They’re already comfortable with premium audio and long-form listening, which translates naturally into podcast enthusiasm.
These groups are prime targets for growing loyal listenership. For marketers, they also represent audiences more open to premium subscriptions or branded content.
Moderate fans
Free streaming music (44% fans) and AM/FM broadcast (42% fans) sit comfortably in the middle. They’re engaged, but not as passionately. These listeners may need more incentives—unique content, personalities, or experiences—to shift from casual listeners into superfans.
Lower engagement groups
Free streaming TV (31% fans), network/cable TV (29% fans), YouTube (33% fans), and TikTok (34% fans) sit at the bottom. Interestingly, these audiences consume a lot of video content, yet that doesn’t necessarily translate into podcast fandom—even as video podcasts rise in popularity. This suggests that while video might help with discovery (especially on YouTube and TikTok), it doesn’t guarantee long-term engagement or fandom.
What you need to know about monthly podcast fans
Now let’s talk about the people making podcasts part of their routines. Their preferences shape how the medium evolves and ultimately drive monetization opportunities. Understanding what sets them apart helps us see where the biggest opportunities lie for growth.
Here’s what the latest Sounds Profitable data tells us:
Paid audio subscribers go deeper
Unsurprisingly, when someone is already paying for Spotify Premium or Apple Music, they’ve actively chosen to invest in audio. Among monthly podcast consumers, this group shows the highest rates of fandom, suggesting that once they’ve bought into audio as a core part of their lives, they’re more likely to fold podcasts into that mix wholeheartedly.
This makes them the audience most likely to pay for premium perks, memberships, or ad-free experiences, since they already see audio as something worth opening their wallets for.
Text-heavy social platforms fuel fandom
Fans who spend time on Threads, X (Twitter), Reddit, or Telegram show stronger enthusiasm for podcasts compared to users of more visual-first platforms. That overlap makes sense: text-based communities thrive on depth, discussion, and shared interests — the same qualities that make podcasts so sticky. Monthly podcast listeners on these platforms aren’t just listening passively; they’re engaging with media in ways that complement long-form audio.
The gender gap is still there
Among monthly listeners, men are far more likely to identify as podcast fans compared to women. Women are showing up, listening every month, and engaging with the content, but they’re not reaching the same levels of enthusiasm.
This gap suggests podcasts may not yet be speaking to female listeners in ways that feel truly tailored or valuable to them. The opportunity isn’t to get women to try podcasts — they’re already here — it’s to create formats, communities, and storytelling styles that convert them from casual listeners into die-hard fans.
What this means for your podcast monetization strategy
The future of podcast revenue isn’t just about reaching more ears, it’s about converting the ones already tuned in. The real opportunity lies in recognizing that not all monthly listeners are created equal, and tailoring monetization strategies to match their level of commitment.
Here’s what creators and marketers need to know:
1. Tiered models: Meet listeners where they are
Not every listener is ready to drop $5/month for a subscription. Some are casual browsers; others are die-hard superfans. Offering tiered options, like free, ad-supported for casuals, and premium or bonus content for your core fans, lets you capture value across the spectrum.
If you treat every listener the same, you risk leaving money on the table. A tiered approach respects the reality of podcast consumption and makes monetization feel natural instead of forced.
2. Demographics go beyond age
Yes, generational divides matter (younger audiences skew subscription-friendly), but gender gaps and listening behaviors are just as important. For example, many female monthly listeners haven’t crossed into “superfan” territory yet, but with the right content or community touchpoints, they could.
In other words, if you only slice the data by age, you run the risk of missing entire segments with huge conversion potential. Nuance is where the money is.
CoHost Tip: If you’re looking to learn more about your listeners – like their social media habits, income, pets, and more – check out CoHost’s Advanced Audience Demographics (no migration required).
3. Get platform-specific
Monthly listeners on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube don’t behave the same way — and your monetization strategy shouldn’t either.
A Spotify loyalist might be more receptive to in-app subscription tiers, exclusive episodes, or ad-free listening because they’re already used to a paid-audio ecosystem. Meanwhile, YouTube-first listeners expect video, interactivity, and community. They’re not just consuming podcasts passively; they’re commenting, liking, and sharing. For them, monetization will likely look less like “pay for bonus audio” and more like access to behind-the-scenes video.
The lesson here is that the platform is as much a signal of behavior as it is a distribution channel. Matching your monetization approach to platform habits doesn’t just make offers more attractive — it reduces friction, increases trust, and makes listeners feel like the experience was designed for them. That, in turn, makes them far more likely to convert from casuals into paying supporters.
4. Nurture existing audiences
Creators often chase new listeners, but the bigger revenue opportunity may be sitting right in their current base. Turning casuals into fans is easier (and cheaper) than convincing non-listeners to care about podcasts at all.
The Sounds Profitable data shows a clear correlation: monthly listeners who already pay for other audio services (like Spotify Premium, SiriusXM, or Audible) are more likely to become podcast superfans. In this instance, the main focus shouldn’t be on bringing in new ears; it’s about nurturing the ones already here.
Lock into listener data
As the new Sounds Profitable data makes clear, Podcasting doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it reflects the broader media habits, demographics, and values of the people who listen.
Fans aren’t just fans because they found the “right” podcast; they’re fans because their media diet, age group, or even social platform of choice makes podcasts feel like home. Anti-fans, on the other hand, aren’t rejecting audio altogether — they’re signaling that something about the experience isn’t clicking with the way they already consume media.
That’s a critical shift in perspective for creators and marketers. Instead of trying to push everyone into the same mold, the smarter play is to recognize the signals listeners are already giving us.
- A Spotify loyalist who pays for premium music? They might be ready for subscription-only content.
- A Threads superfan? They’re primed for deeper conversation and community-driven podcast experiences.
- A 55+ listener who dips in and out but never becomes a superfan? They’re telling us they value utility over immersion.
It’s all about meeting people where they are, respecting their habits, and designing experiences that make sense for their world. Growth won’t come from forcing casuals to behave like superfans, but from creating the right pathways for each type of listener to get more of what they already value.
And if you want to keep tracking the latest in podcasting, make sure you’re subscribed to our bi-weekly newsletter, Tuned In.
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