A study from Sounds Profitable and Signal Hill Insights found that LGBTQ+ consumers rate podcast advertising as far more authentic than ads on social media platforms, a finding with implications for how brands approach year-round marketing to that demographic.
The report, titled “The Advertising Landscape: Podcasting’s Place in the Ad-Supported Media Universe,” surveyed 5,005 Americans ages 18 and older in January and February 2025. Sounds Profitable describes it as the largest public study of podcasting and advertising in America. The study measured attentiveness, trust, and credibility across more than 20 ad-supported media channels.
LGBTQ+ Consumers Rate Podcast Ads Higher on Authenticity
Among prime podcast users, defined as adults who name podcasting one of their top four ad-supported media choices and use it daily or near-daily, 53% of LGBTQ+ respondents agreed that podcast advertising feels authentic and natural. That figure sits 14 percentage points above the social media average for the same demographic, which registered 39%.
The LGBTQ+ authenticity advantage for podcasting was the third largest of any demographic group measured, trailing Hispanic/Latino consumers at 19 points and adults 55 and older at 17 points.
Ad Recall and Trust Across All Listeners
The broader study found that podcast prime users reported the highest ad recall of any medium measured: 86% said they had seen or heard a podcast advertisement in the past week, outpacing network or cable television at 82% and AM/FM broadcast radio at 81%.
When the researchers applied what they called “effective reach,” a metric combining monthly reach with ad recall rates, podcasting’s standing relative to larger platforms strengthened. Despite reaching 31% of Americans 18 and older monthly, one of the lower figures among the media measured, the 86% ad recall among prime users produced an effective reach of 27%.
The study also measured perceived advertising credibility. Among prime podcast users, 41% agreed that podcasting effectively prevents misleading or false advertising, compared to 25% for Facebook and 22% for Discord. Forty-eight percent of podcast prime users said they believe the advertising claims made on podcasts to be true, outperforming every social platform measured by an average of 10 percentage points.
A Perspective on Year-Round Engagement
Tom Webster, Partner at Sounds Profitable, said the trust data reflects structural advantages podcasting holds with audiences that have historically received less coverage in mainstream media.
“Podcasting works for the LGBTQ+ audience for the same reason it works for any audience that has historically been underserved by mainstream media. It offers a space where people can hear their lives reflected back to them authentically,” Webster told Net Influencer. “That kind of trust doesn’t just happen; it’s earned over time by hosts who genuinely connect with their listeners. And our data shows that trust converts: LGBTQ+ podcast listeners are more likely to act on advertising than the general podcast audience.”
Webster cautioned brands against limiting outreach to Pride Month campaigns. “The biggest mistake brands make is treating Pride Month as a campaign rather than a relationship. LGBTQ+ listeners are sophisticated consumers. They know when they’re being marketed at for 30 days and then ignored for the other eleven months,” he said, describing the pattern as “Seasonal Advertising Disorder.”
Webster said the data points to sustained opportunity in categories including financial services and healthcare. “The brands that win are the ones that show up consistently, with relevant messages, in relevant shows, year-round. The question is whether brands are willing to commit beyond June.”
Image source: Sounds Profitable, Signal Hill Insights Get the full report here
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
A study from Sounds Profitable and Signal Hill Insights found that LGBTQ+ consumers rate podcast advertising as far more authentic than ads on social media platforms, a finding with implications for how brands approach year-round marketing to that demographic.
The report, titled “The Advertising Landscape: Podcasting’s Place in the Ad-Supported Media Universe,” surveyed 5,005 Americans ages 18 and older in January and February 2025. Sounds Profitable describes it as the largest public study of podcasting and advertising in America. The study measured attentiveness, trust, and credibility across more than 20 ad-supported media channels.
LGBTQ+ Consumers Rate Podcast Ads Higher on Authenticity
Among prime podcast users, defined as adults who name podcasting one of their top four ad-supported media choices and use it daily or near-daily, 53% of LGBTQ+ respondents agreed that podcast advertising feels authentic and natural. That figure sits 14 percentage points above the social media average for the same demographic, which registered 39%.
The LGBTQ+ authenticity advantage for podcasting was the third largest of any demographic group measured, trailing Hispanic/Latino consumers at 19 points and adults 55 and older at 17 points.
Ad Recall and Trust Across All Listeners
The broader study found that podcast prime users reported the highest ad recall of any medium measured: 86% said they had seen or heard a podcast advertisement in the past week, outpacing network or cable television at 82% and AM/FM broadcast radio at 81%.
When the researchers applied what they called “effective reach,” a metric combining monthly reach with ad recall rates, podcasting’s standing relative to larger platforms strengthened. Despite reaching 31% of Americans 18 and older monthly, one of the lower figures among the media measured, the 86% ad recall among prime users produced an effective reach of 27%.
The study also measured perceived advertising credibility. Among prime podcast users, 41% agreed that podcasting effectively prevents misleading or false advertising, compared to 25% for Facebook and 22% for Discord. Forty-eight percent of podcast prime users said they believe the advertising claims made on podcasts to be true, outperforming every social platform measured by an average of 10 percentage points.
A Perspective on Year-Round Engagement
Tom Webster, Partner at Sounds Profitable, said the trust data reflects structural advantages podcasting holds with audiences that have historically received less coverage in mainstream media.
“Podcasting works for the LGBTQ+ audience for the same reason it works for any audience that has historically been underserved by mainstream media. It offers a space where people can hear their lives reflected back to them authentically,” Webster told Net Influencer. “That kind of trust doesn’t just happen; it’s earned over time by hosts who genuinely connect with their listeners. And our data shows that trust converts: LGBTQ+ podcast listeners are more likely to act on advertising than the general podcast audience.”
Webster cautioned brands against limiting outreach to Pride Month campaigns. “The biggest mistake brands make is treating Pride Month as a campaign rather than a relationship. LGBTQ+ listeners are sophisticated consumers. They know when they’re being marketed at for 30 days and then ignored for the other eleven months,” he said, describing the pattern as “Seasonal Advertising Disorder.”
Webster said the data points to sustained opportunity in categories including financial services and healthcare. “The brands that win are the ones that show up consistently, with relevant messages, in relevant shows, year-round. The question is whether brands are willing to commit beyond June.”
Image source: Sounds Profitable, Signal Hill Insights
Get the full report here
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