Transcription and content creation experts Trint conducted research into the most watched and profitable podcasts in the UK and beyond.
Trint looked at various data elements, such as number of listeners and demographics, to analyze how these popular podcasts stack up against other podcasts.
The survey results and methodology are as follows.
Podcast preferences by region
Local preferences will determine your content strategy. Understanding your audience and how they engage with your podcast can help you tailor your show and brand to their habits and interests. Knowing your listeners is half the battle to making your podcast stand out.
length
The US and Canada love long-form audio content. In North America, popular podcasts last an average of over an hour because listeners value in-depth conversations.
In the UK, podcasts that are less than an hour tend to be popular. This allocates enough time to dig deep into the topic without losing your audience's attention. It's the perfect length to listen to on your commute or during your lunch break.
frequency
In the US, consistency is key and listeners want as much content as possible. Daily podcasts are popular in the US, with 50% of the top podcasts posted daily. This compares to 38% who post twice a week and only 12% who post content once a week.
For podcasters targeting this region, considering a longer, more frequent format may be a wise choice. In contrast, the UK and Canada prefer posting twice a week or even weekly to balance consistency without overwhelming listeners.
Genre
Comedy and culture podcasts dominate globally, but genre preferences still vary by region. True crime has gained a stronger foothold in North America, particularly in Canada. Almost 23% of Canada's top podcasts fall into the true crime genre. However, if you're producing a podcast in the UK or US, you might do better by relying on news commentary or humor rather than focusing on crime stories.
audience
While the majority of podcast listeners in the UK and US are male, Canada is unique in its strong appeal to a predominantly female audience. Genre plays an important role here. Popular news podcasts in both the UK and US often attract male listeners. Meanwhile, in Canada, the true crime obsession is flipping the script and attracting a primarily female audience. Among the top podcasts in Canada, 54% of the audience was female-skewed.
the power of journalism
In all three regions, journalist-hosted podcasts top the charts. Their knack for storytelling and authenticity seems to resonate with listeners, especially in genres like news and true crime. In fact, journalist and Trint founder and CEO Jeff Coffman hosts his own podcast, StoryTech, where he interviews celebrities such as Emmy-nominated director Jeremy Podeswa and shares their professional stories. We focus on stories and incorporate them into our podcasts.
When it comes to guests, star power is key. Podcasts with celebrity guests tend to perform better than those that interview industry or thought leaders. This is mainly because a celebrity's name alone can attract attention. Many celebrities are also amplifying their podcast episodes by promoting them on their social platforms, greatly increasing their reach and engagement.
Towards visualization: the role of video
Think all podcasts are audio? Think again. While not all top shows are YouTube-specific, most have some kind of visual element built into them. In fact, nearly 84% of top podcasts used YouTube as part of their strategy.
Whether it's a video snippet shared on social media or a fully recorded episode for YouTube, visuals increase the accessibility of your content and draw in viewers who might not otherwise tune in.
social media savvy
You've probably heard it many times before, but social media is essential if you want to spread the word. Our research shows that posting at least one Instagram post per episode significantly increases visibility. This doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming, a simple and engaging teaser video for your social media channels can be effective.
Podcasts with primarily female audiences are especially active on social, and often go the extra mile and respond to comments to increase engagement. These interactions may seem small, but they can help turn casual listeners into loyal followers.
At the same time, it's also worth setting up a website for your show. Many successful podcasts use their website as a hub for additional content, such as behind-the-scenes content, bonus episodes, and exclusive resources. The website deepens your connection with your audience and gives them more ways to engage with your show.
methodology
To identify the top podcasts in the UK, US, and Canada, we only selected podcasts that appear in the top 50 rankings on both Spotify and Apple Music.
The following steps were taken to collect and analyze relevant data.
– Genre, demographics, engagement scores, and frequency data from rephonic.com.
– Average episode length and guest types were determined by analyzing the latest 10 episodes available on Spotify. Special or one-off episodes with special time periods were excluded.
– Social activity data is collected from Instagram and is generally based on the frequency of posts about each episode.
All data is accurate as of November 26, 2024
Trint.com
