On Device has unveiled new insights into Australia’s podcasting landscape, highlighting a nation captivated by true crime content with 45 per cent of Australians devoted to the genre, making it the most popular category.
The study revealed that 53 per cent of Australians tune in to podcasts monthly, spending an average of 1.6 hours daily listening. Australians are also early risers in their podcast habits, with 25 per cent listening between 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM on weekdays. Daily podcast listeners are also 49 per cent more likely to engage with broadcast radio daily, indicating a strong synergy between these audio formats.
Humour/comedy (39 per cent), society and culture (25 per cent), TV and film (25 per cent), and educational (24 per cent) are also popular genres for Australians to listen to. Conversely, the least popular podcast themes include fashion (9 per cent), beauty (10 per cent), politics (10 per cent), fiction (14 per cent), and technology (14 per cent).
“Australia’s podcasting landscape is evolving rapidly, with a significant preference for true crime content suggesting narrative podcasts are a very strong medium for engagement. What’s fascinating is the strong correlation between podcast listeners who are also highly likely to tune into broadcast radio, showing the two mediums are complementary and can tap into the different mindsets these channels afford,” said Allan Breiland, ANZ research director, On Device.
Unsurprisingly, mobile phones dominate as the preferred device for 79 per cent of users, with YouTube (47 per cent) and Spotify (54 per cent) leading the platform preference.
The motivations behind podcast listening in Australia are primarily for entertainment (57 per cent) and relaxation (46 per cent). While 38 per cent of listeners appreciate ads for providing free content, 33 per cent express concerns over ad clutter, highlighting the need for more effective advertising strategies.
“It’s clear that Australians use podcasts as a way to break away from the daily grind. Whilst they don’t mind the odd ad, brands and podcast producers should be mindful of over-indexing on the number of ads included in each episode for risk of creating fatigue and losing listeners,” explained Breiland.
Comparing these findings with the UK, where 61 per cent listen monthly and spend 1.8 hours daily, Australia’s engagement levels are strong yet slightly lower. However, Australia closes matches Singapore, where 55 per cent listen monthly. These insights are based on responses from 1,110 Australians.
“The increasing trend of Australians tuning in to podcasts in the morning, which has become a part of Australian culture. It’s fantastic to witness more Australians beginning their day with various podcast genres like comedy, sports, true crime, business, news, or tech, enjoying a friendly voice to kick start their day,” said Kym Treasure, CEO of Audacia.
“This transition reflects a natural move from traditional broadcast media like radio to on-demand platforms such as podcasts. On Device’s detailed examination of Australian podcast consumption habits not only provides valuable insights but also enables the brands we work with to craft compelling podcasts for their listeners,” concluded Treasure.
