Podcast creators are highly influential – even though most listeners don’t think of them as traditional “influencers” – but a new study by podcast company Acast has revealed a “paradoxical trust dynamic” which elevates podcasters above conventional influencers.
The 2025 Podcast Pulse report finds that 84% of weekly podcast listeners say a podcaster has changed their mind about something they once believed, even though 75% don’t consider podcast hosts to be influencers.
The report documents how podcasters have established a trust-based influence model that achieves impact through depth, rather than reach, across ten global markets. This trust extends to brand recommendations, with podcasters ranked alongside journalists as the most credible sources for product recommendations (both at 33%), placing them ahead of YouTubers (31%), social media influencers (28%), and celebrities (25%) in consumer trust rankings.
When compared with creators on other platforms, podcast hosts score significantly higher on key trust metrics — being perceived as genuine (28%), trustworthy (27%), honest (29%), authentic (30%), knowledgeable (28%), and relatable (25%).
The research identifies what it calls a “resonance” formula, where attention meets trust to drive consumer action. This resonance manifests in the podcast format, with 79% of consumers stating that listening to podcasts feels like a personal, one-to-one conversation – higher than for any other creator category. One in two daily listeners report that listening to their favorite podcast hosts is often a highlight of their day, reaching 76% in the UK and 67% in the U.S., indicating the medium’s emotional connection with audiences.
Podcasting Reach and Format
The study finds that 64% of global consumers engage with podcasts monthly, with 46% listening to audio podcasts and 57% consuming video podcasts. Adding video podcasts to audio extends reach by 39% among global consumers.
Nearly four in five global podcast consumers both listen to and watch podcasts, though audio remains the primary consumption channel. Only 5% of podcast consumers exclusively listen to audio podcasts, while 17% solely watch video content, with the remainder engaging across both formats.
Podcast consumption demonstrates higher attention metrics compared to other digital media formats, with 70% of consumers reporting they are focused when consuming audio podcasts and 67% focused during video podcasts. These figures exceed attention metrics for cable TV (66%), Instagram (64%), YouTube (64%), streaming music services (61%), Facebook (60%), and radio (60%).
“Podcasts aren’t just part of the conversation, they’re leading it,” the report states. “From presidential campaigns to establishing new lines of investigation in criminal cases, podcasts set the stage where moments become movements.”
For marketers, podcast advertising demonstrates remarkable efficiency compared to other media channels. Sixty percent of podcast listeners actively consume podcast ads, compared to 52% for streaming music services, 50% for YouTube, 48% for Facebook, and 47% for radio.
The study reveals a standout metric for advertising effectiveness: podcast ads require significantly fewer exposures to drive consumer interest. Only 35% of video podcast listeners and 41% of audio podcast listeners need five or more ad exposures before considering a brand – considerably lower than Instagram (43%), YouTube (46%), and Facebook (46%).
“That efficiency means fewer wasted exposures and faster impact, giving advertisers more value from every dollar spent,” according to the report.
Podcast ads stand out for their authenticity and relevance. Video and audio podcast ads are the ones listeners most often say they actually want to hear (37% and 33% respectively), ahead of cable TV (30%), YouTube (29%), and other media platforms.
The research also highlights podcasting as one of the safest ad environments for brands. Only 8% of consumers report seeing content that occasionally offends or aggravates them in video podcasts, and just 6% in audio podcasts – significantly lower than on Facebook (25%), YouTube (19%), Instagram (16%), and TikTok (16%).
Human Connection
The report identifies a significant advantage for podcast creators in the current media landscape: authenticity. When AI chatbots only tell consumers what they want to hear, audiences increasingly crave what feels real, according to the research.
Consumers are almost three times more likely to see human-created content as trendsetting compared to AI-generated content. This preference for human creativity gives podcasters a distinctive edge, with podcast hosts warning that AI-generated content threatens their listener bond (concern averaging 7.3 out of 10).
“Human voices, perspectives, and storytelling have the ability to create culture that algorithms just can’t replicate,” the report states. “For podcasters, human creativity is their greatest asset. For brands, it’s their chance to tap into their authenticity.”
Commercial Impact and Consumer Action
The research indicates strong commercial impact, with 85% of global daily podcast audiences reporting they’ve taken some form of brand action after consuming podcasts. Among actions taken: 27% visited a brand’s website, 25% discussed the brand with friends and family, 22% looked at a brand’s social media, and 20% discovered a new favorite brand.
Purchase impact is significant, with 67% of global podcast listeners reporting they’ve made a purchase directly because of a recommendation from a podcaster – reinforcing podcasting’s ability to turn trust into tangible action.
These actions are reinforced during cultural moments, with listeners saying that hearing a brand message during major events makes them more likely to learn more about the brand online (49-50%), talk about it with friends (48-54%), remember it after the event (50-54%), and try or purchase the brand’s products (48-52%).
Multi-Platform Creator Ecosystems
The report highlights how podcast creators are building cross-platform presences that extend their influence beyond audio. Acast podcasts and creators collectively maintain over 2.66 billion followers across social networks.
Forty-one percent of podcast listeners follow podcast creators on YouTube, 36% on Instagram, 34% on TikTok, and 21% on X. These numbers increase significantly for listeners aged 18-34, with 40% following on YouTube, 45% on Instagram, 49% on TikTok, and 26% on X.
This multi-platform approach creates what the report terms “omnichannel impact,” with one in two podcast fans saying their trust in a creator’s recommendation grows when they see products featured across multiple platforms. Following podcast hosts on social media leads 68% (Instagram), 67% (TikTok), and 68% (X) of listeners to feel closer to the host, 67% (Instagram), 66% (TikTok), and 66% (X) to notice brand partners more, 65% (Instagram), 64% (TikTok), and 63% (X) to increase trust in host recommendations, and 62% (Instagram), 63% (TikTok), and 64% (X) to try products mentioned.
While social media is where podcast creators spend most of their time actively interacting with fans (46%), audio remains the space where creators build their strongest connection, with 55% of creators ranking the podcast audio feed as their #1 channel for audience connection.
“Podcasters are no longer confined to audio; they’re building creator ecosystems that encompass video, social, live events, and merchandise,” the report states. “Their influence spans formats and feeds, meeting fans wherever they are.”
Cultural Impact and Audience Demographics
The research indicates that podcasts’ influence on broader cultural narratives is growing, with 72% of daily podcast listeners agreeing that podcasts significantly shape cultural conversation. When asked about understanding topics in depth, 46% of consumers say podcasts are often their first stop, rising to 62% among 25-34 year-olds.
Podcast consumption increases during cultural moments: 29% of listeners consume more podcasts during major breaking news events, 25% during major sporting events, 23% during political elections and debates, and 21% during significant moments in their favorite TV series.
The impact on brand perceptions is substantial: 60% of daily podcast listeners say they are more likely to change their opinion after hearing something on a podcast than on other media. Four in five global marketers surveyed agree that podcast hosts effectively shape consumer perceptions of brands.
Podcast listeners to be younger, more educated, and more affluent than the general population across all surveyed markets. Indexed demographic data shows the highest concentration among 25-34-year-olds, with index values of 122-149 across markets. The 35-44 age group also indexes strongly across markets, ranging from 109 to 128.
Postgraduate degree holders are overrepresented in the podcast audience, with index values ranging from 106 to 149. Urban dwellers are also more likely to be podcast consumers, with index values of 102-126 across markets.
Methodology
The “2025 Podcast Pulse” research incorporated three distinct studies: a quantitative global consumer study with 2,600 respondents across ten markets (conducted by Differentology), a podcaster study with 137 respondents from Acast’s network (conducted via Typeform), and a global marketer study with 200 respondents from the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia (conducted via Attest). All research was conducted between July and August 2025.
The countries included in the consumer study were the UK (n=500), U.S. (n=500), Germany (n=200), France (n=200), Mexico (n=200), Canada (n=200), Sweden (n=200), Norway (n=200), Australia (n=200), and Ireland (n=200).
Image credit: Acast The full report is available here
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
Podcast creators are highly influential – even though most listeners don’t think of them as traditional “influencers” – but a new study by podcast company Acast has revealed a “paradoxical trust dynamic” which elevates podcasters above conventional influencers.
The 2025 Podcast Pulse report finds that 84% of weekly podcast listeners say a podcaster has changed their mind about something they once believed, even though 75% don’t consider podcast hosts to be influencers.
The report documents how podcasters have established a trust-based influence model that achieves impact through depth, rather than reach, across ten global markets. This trust extends to brand recommendations, with podcasters ranked alongside journalists as the most credible sources for product recommendations (both at 33%), placing them ahead of YouTubers (31%), social media influencers (28%), and celebrities (25%) in consumer trust rankings.
When compared with creators on other platforms, podcast hosts score significantly higher on key trust metrics — being perceived as genuine (28%), trustworthy (27%), honest (29%), authentic (30%), knowledgeable (28%), and relatable (25%).
The research identifies what it calls a “resonance” formula, where attention meets trust to drive consumer action. This resonance manifests in the podcast format, with 79% of consumers stating that listening to podcasts feels like a personal, one-to-one conversation – higher than for any other creator category. One in two daily listeners report that listening to their favorite podcast hosts is often a highlight of their day, reaching 76% in the UK and 67% in the U.S., indicating the medium’s emotional connection with audiences.
Podcasting Reach and Format
The study finds that 64% of global consumers engage with podcasts monthly, with 46% listening to audio podcasts and 57% consuming video podcasts. Adding video podcasts to audio extends reach by 39% among global consumers.
Nearly four in five global podcast consumers both listen to and watch podcasts, though audio remains the primary consumption channel. Only 5% of podcast consumers exclusively listen to audio podcasts, while 17% solely watch video content, with the remainder engaging across both formats.
Podcast consumption demonstrates higher attention metrics compared to other digital media formats, with 70% of consumers reporting they are focused when consuming audio podcasts and 67% focused during video podcasts. These figures exceed attention metrics for cable TV (66%), Instagram (64%), YouTube (64%), streaming music services (61%), Facebook (60%), and radio (60%).
“Podcasts aren’t just part of the conversation, they’re leading it,” the report states. “From presidential campaigns to establishing new lines of investigation in criminal cases, podcasts set the stage where moments become movements.”
Advertising Efficiency: Higher Impact, Fewer Exposures
For marketers, podcast advertising demonstrates remarkable efficiency compared to other media channels. Sixty percent of podcast listeners actively consume podcast ads, compared to 52% for streaming music services, 50% for YouTube, 48% for Facebook, and 47% for radio.
The study reveals a standout metric for advertising effectiveness: podcast ads require significantly fewer exposures to drive consumer interest. Only 35% of video podcast listeners and 41% of audio podcast listeners need five or more ad exposures before considering a brand – considerably lower than Instagram (43%), YouTube (46%), and Facebook (46%).
“That efficiency means fewer wasted exposures and faster impact, giving advertisers more value from every dollar spent,” according to the report.
Podcast ads stand out for their authenticity and relevance. Video and audio podcast ads are the ones listeners most often say they actually want to hear (37% and 33% respectively), ahead of cable TV (30%), YouTube (29%), and other media platforms.
The research also highlights podcasting as one of the safest ad environments for brands. Only 8% of consumers report seeing content that occasionally offends or aggravates them in video podcasts, and just 6% in audio podcasts – significantly lower than on Facebook (25%), YouTube (19%), Instagram (16%), and TikTok (16%).
Human Connection
The report identifies a significant advantage for podcast creators in the current media landscape: authenticity. When AI chatbots only tell consumers what they want to hear, audiences increasingly crave what feels real, according to the research.
Consumers are almost three times more likely to see human-created content as trendsetting compared to AI-generated content. This preference for human creativity gives podcasters a distinctive edge, with podcast hosts warning that AI-generated content threatens their listener bond (concern averaging 7.3 out of 10).
“Human voices, perspectives, and storytelling have the ability to create culture that algorithms just can’t replicate,” the report states. “For podcasters, human creativity is their greatest asset. For brands, it’s their chance to tap into their authenticity.”
Commercial Impact and Consumer Action
The research indicates strong commercial impact, with 85% of global daily podcast audiences reporting they’ve taken some form of brand action after consuming podcasts. Among actions taken: 27% visited a brand’s website, 25% discussed the brand with friends and family, 22% looked at a brand’s social media, and 20% discovered a new favorite brand.
Purchase impact is significant, with 67% of global podcast listeners reporting they’ve made a purchase directly because of a recommendation from a podcaster – reinforcing podcasting’s ability to turn trust into tangible action.
These actions are reinforced during cultural moments, with listeners saying that hearing a brand message during major events makes them more likely to learn more about the brand online (49-50%), talk about it with friends (48-54%), remember it after the event (50-54%), and try or purchase the brand’s products (48-52%).
Multi-Platform Creator Ecosystems
The report highlights how podcast creators are building cross-platform presences that extend their influence beyond audio. Acast podcasts and creators collectively maintain over 2.66 billion followers across social networks.
Forty-one percent of podcast listeners follow podcast creators on YouTube, 36% on Instagram, 34% on TikTok, and 21% on X. These numbers increase significantly for listeners aged 18-34, with 40% following on YouTube, 45% on Instagram, 49% on TikTok, and 26% on X.
This multi-platform approach creates what the report terms “omnichannel impact,” with one in two podcast fans saying their trust in a creator’s recommendation grows when they see products featured across multiple platforms. Following podcast hosts on social media leads 68% (Instagram), 67% (TikTok), and 68% (X) of listeners to feel closer to the host, 67% (Instagram), 66% (TikTok), and 66% (X) to notice brand partners more, 65% (Instagram), 64% (TikTok), and 63% (X) to increase trust in host recommendations, and 62% (Instagram), 63% (TikTok), and 64% (X) to try products mentioned.
While social media is where podcast creators spend most of their time actively interacting with fans (46%), audio remains the space where creators build their strongest connection, with 55% of creators ranking the podcast audio feed as their #1 channel for audience connection.
“Podcasters are no longer confined to audio; they’re building creator ecosystems that encompass video, social, live events, and merchandise,” the report states. “Their influence spans formats and feeds, meeting fans wherever they are.”
Cultural Impact and Audience Demographics
The research indicates that podcasts’ influence on broader cultural narratives is growing, with 72% of daily podcast listeners agreeing that podcasts significantly shape cultural conversation. When asked about understanding topics in depth, 46% of consumers say podcasts are often their first stop, rising to 62% among 25-34 year-olds.
Podcast consumption increases during cultural moments: 29% of listeners consume more podcasts during major breaking news events, 25% during major sporting events, 23% during political elections and debates, and 21% during significant moments in their favorite TV series.
The impact on brand perceptions is substantial: 60% of daily podcast listeners say they are more likely to change their opinion after hearing something on a podcast than on other media. Four in five global marketers surveyed agree that podcast hosts effectively shape consumer perceptions of brands.
Podcast listeners to be younger, more educated, and more affluent than the general population across all surveyed markets. Indexed demographic data shows the highest concentration among 25-34-year-olds, with index values of 122-149 across markets. The 35-44 age group also indexes strongly across markets, ranging from 109 to 128.
Postgraduate degree holders are overrepresented in the podcast audience, with index values ranging from 106 to 149. Urban dwellers are also more likely to be podcast consumers, with index values of 102-126 across markets.
Methodology
The “2025 Podcast Pulse” research incorporated three distinct studies: a quantitative global consumer study with 2,600 respondents across ten markets (conducted by Differentology), a podcaster study with 137 respondents from Acast’s network (conducted via Typeform), and a global marketer study with 200 respondents from the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia (conducted via Attest). All research was conducted between July and August 2025.
The countries included in the consumer study were the UK (n=500), U.S. (n=500), Germany (n=200), France (n=200), Mexico (n=200), Canada (n=200), Sweden (n=200), Norway (n=200), Australia (n=200), and Ireland (n=200).
Image credit: Acast
The full report is available here
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