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Podcast Discovery: A Journey, Not an Event

Writer's picture: Amy SchlueterAmy Schlueter

For podcasters, understanding how listeners discover and connect with your show is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Podcast discovery is an ongoing process influenced by habits, preferences, and engagement. To help you understand this better, we took a closer look at metrics around podcast discovery from the 2024 Podcast Discovery Survey from The Podcast Host.

Podcast Listener Discovery

How Do Listeners Discover Episodes?

When we asked how listeners found the last podcast episode they listened to, the answers were diverse, from podcast apps to social media and recommendations.


The good news? Listeners discover your podcasts in a variety of ways.


What Convinces a Listener to Hit Play?

Once someone discovers your episode, what makes them commit to listening? The data says that words matter. Description, episode titles, and a consistent publishing schedule release were the top three. 


Podcast Listener motivations

The Ideal Episode Length

The sweet spot that listeners are looking for is between 15 to 60 minutes. Only about 15% of listeners stick around beyond an hour.


Balancing your content length with your audience's preferences can help keep them coming back for more.

What About Audio Quality?

Great content is appreciated over technical perfection. Over 63% of listeners are satisfied with "good enough" audio as long as the content is engaging. While professional-grade audio can elevate your show, don't let imperfect sound stop you from producing.


Podcast discovery is an ongoing process, and each episode is an opportunity to connect with new and loyal listeners. So, keep asking thoughtful questions, experimenting with your format, and staying curious. Reflecting on podcast trends for 2024, AI tools are now more mainstream, offering creators innovative ways to streamline production and enhance content.


Meanwhile, video podcasts have gained significant momentum, capturing new audiences and expanding how stories are told.


So, what's next for podcasters? Anything is possible, but one thing is certain: podcasting is here to stay, and we will do our part to contribute to the industry's growth in 2025!




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