Podcasts Get Sexier
Recent estimates made by eMarketer peg the U.S. podcasting audience at 18.5 million in 2007. This number is expected to grow to 28.0 million in 2008, 38.0 million in 2009, 47.0 million in 2010, 56.0 million in 2011, and 65.0 million in 2012.
In 2007, 6.5 million members of the podcasting audience of 18.5 million were considered “active,” which means that they downloaded an average of one or more podcast(s) per week. This group is expected to balloon to 25.0 million in 2012.
Increasing awareness of podcasting, increased penetration of portable media players, the growth of multimedia features on smart phones, the ease of consumption of podcast content, and radio’s growing use of the medium are all driving factors for this growth.
Where there’s an audience, there’s advertising dollars to be had.
eMarketer estimates that 2007 saw podcast advertising spending (including sponsorships) of $165 million, 106.3% growth from the prior year. This figure is expected to reach $435 million by 2012.
While podcasting remains a mostly desktop-based experience for listeners, the continued penetration of handheld media players and enhanced smart phones will likely shift podcasting towards a more mobile experience.
