GANDHINAGAR : A new report titled “The Podcast Pulse”🎙 sheds light on India’s burgeoning podcasting landscape, revealing a 😲surprising disconnect – India boasts the world’s third-largest pool of podcast listeners, yet only 🤔12% of the population actively engages with this audio entertainment medium.
This report, a collaborative effort by UNPAC Research and Ideabrew Studios, unveils a treasure trove of insights for content creators, platforms, and advertisers seeking to tap into this massive, untapped market.
🤔Lack of Awareness: A Hurdle to Be Jumped
The study highlights a crucial hurdle – a staggering 82% of respondents were initially unaware of podcasts. While 78% of Indian podcast consumers began listening within the past year. This presents a significant opportunity for awareness-building initiatives to introduce the diverse world of podcasts to the Indian audience.
💨A Recent Surge in Interest: A Positive Sign
However, the report also brings positive news. A recent surge in interest is evident, with 78% of current listeners discovering podcasts within the last year. This suggests a growing curiosity and openness to exploring this new form of audio entertainment.
👉Content is King: Authenticity and Vulnerability Resonate
The report delves deeper, revealing listener preferences. Authenticity and vulnerability in podcast conversations emerge as key factors fostering deeper connections with hosts and content.
🗣Regional Podcasts: The Next Big Thing?
The study identifies regional language content as a potential game-changer. By offering relatable and culturally resonant experiences, regional podcasts have the potential to propel the industry forward.
🔉The Podcast Pulse: A Roadmap for the Industry
“The Podcast Pulse” goes beyond basic statistics. It delves into listener demographics – profiling the “Aware listener” by gender, age, occupation, and education. Additionally, it explores genre dynamics, differentiating between audio and video podcasts, and charting the listener’s journey from discovery to ardent advocacy.
👩⚖️Industry Experts Weigh In: A Call to Action
Sheetal Choksi, Director of UNPAC Research, emphasizes the report’s significance: “The Podcast Pulse is a game-changer, providing insights and a roadmap for creators and platforms to navigate the evolving preferences of Indian audiences.”
Aditya Kuber, CEO of Ideabrew Studios, echoes this sentiment: “The Podcast Pulse underscores the importance of diverse and authentic narratives in shaping the future of audio entertainment.”
With its comprehensive data and actionable insights, “The Podcast Pulse” has the potential to unlock the full potential of the Indian podcasting industry, transforming it from a sleeping giant to a vibrant hub of audio storytelling.
India Podcast Listener Insights: A Deep Dive
PodMirror dives into a new report analyzing the Indian podcast landscape, based on detailed interviews with 1,800 active listeners. Here’s a breakdown of key findings:
Gender Distribution
- Male: 50%
- Female: 50%
Socio-Economic Class (SEC)
- SEC A: 70%
- SEC B: 30%
Podcast Awareness & Listenership:
- 15.4% of listeners across 10 major cities actively consume podcasts.
- 82% of people are unaware of podcasts altogether.
- Delhi/NCR boasts the highest listenership (20%), followed by Chennai (19%) and Mumbai (18%).
| Category | Percentage |
| Unaware | 82% |
| Aware (Listener) | 15% |
| Lapsed Listener | 2% |
| Aware Non-Listeners | 1% |
| City | Percentage |
| Delhi/NCR | 20% |
| Chennai | 19% |
| Mumbai | 18% |
| Kolkata | 15% |
| Bangalore | 12% |
| City | Percentage |
| Lucknow | 16% |
| Ahmedabad | 15% |
| Jaipur | 14% |
| Patna | 14% |
| Indore | 11% |
Listener Demographics:
- Gender Split: Almost equal representation of male (50%) and female (50%) listeners.
- Age Groups: The 18-20 age bracket dominates (38%), followed by 29-40 (36%) and 41-55 (26%).
- Occupations: Working professionals (28%) and housewives (23%) are the top listeners.
- Education Levels: Those with a college degree or professional diploma form the largest group (48%).
| Age Group | Percentage |
| 18-20 | 38% |
| 29-40 | 36% |
| 41-55 | 26% |
| Occupation | Percentage |
| Working Professional | 28% |
| Housewife | 23% |
| Student | 23% |
| Business | 16% |
| Self-Employed Professional | 10% |
| Education Level | Percentage |
| Completed SSC/HSC (X or XII) | 22% |
| Attended college but not graduate | 20% |
| Completed graduation or post-graduation (non-professional) | 48% |
| Completed graduation or post-graduation (professional) | 10% |
Discovery & Consumption Trends:
- 78% discovered podcasts within the last year.
- Word-of-Mouth (WoM) is the primary source of podcast discovery (62%).
- Internet Searches come a close second (61%).
- Streaming Services play a moderate role (29%).
- Spotify is the most popular platform (average 80% across age groups).
- Listeners typically subscribe to free tiers across all platforms (average 80%+)
| City | Discovery Time (months) |
| Chennai | 9.2 |
| Mumbai | 8.5 |
| Kolkata | 8.4 |
| Patna | 8.2 |
| Bangalore | 8.1 |
| Indore | 7.2 |
| Jaipur | 6.6 |
| Ahmedabad | 6.4 |
| Delhi | 5.8 |
Content Preferences & Motivations:
- Multitasking is a major driver (34%).
- Entertainment and learning are equally important (32% each).
- Hosts play a crucial role in listener engagement.
- The average listener consumes 2+ podcasts per week.
| Source | Percentage |
| Recommendations from Friends and Family | 62% |
| Searching the Internet | 61% |
| Streaming Services | 29% |
| Advertisements | 27% |
| Social Media | 22% |
| YouTube Recommendations | 20% |
| Recommendations from Other Podcasts | 15% |
| Recommendations from Radio Programs | 10% |
| Recommendation from Podcast Player App | 6% |
| Recommendations from Industry Media | 6% |
| Newsletters | 5% |
| Recommendations from Office Colleagues | 5% |
| Podcast Awards | 2% |
| Reasons for Listening | Percentage (%) |
| Multitasking | 34 |
| Entertainment | 32 |
| Learning Something New | 32 |
| Improving Knowledge/Language/Skills | 28 |
| To Make Smarter | 23 |
| Portability | 12 |
| Flexibility | 9 |
| Staying Informed | 6 |
| Host Preference | 4 |
| Podcasts Listened To | Percentage (%) |
| One | 16 |
| Two | 28 |
| Three | 29 |
| Four | 17 |
| Five to Ten | 18 |
| Eleven or more | 2 |
Host Influence and Platform Awareness
- Hosts play pivotal roles as relatable voices and influential personalities.
- Platform awareness evenly spread across gender and age-groups.
Challenges & Preferences:
- Finding interesting content is a significant hurdle (61%).
- Time commitment and length of episodes are deterrents for some (30% & 23%).
👇Reasons for Not Listening to Podcasts
| Reasons for Not Listening | Percentage (%) |
| Lack of interest | 61 |
| Prefer music | 55 |
| Difficulty in finding podcasts | 52 |
| Couldn’t find interesting podcasts | 50 |
| Radio shows are more interesting | 39 |
| Time constraints | 30 |
| Lengthy episodes | 23 |
| Lack of engagement | 9 |
Subscription Dilemma: Music subscriptions are common, but podcast subscriptions are less prevalent. This might change as listening habits mature.