Audio, Video Podcasts Serve Different Listener Needs

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, November 4, 2026 | 11:54am CT

Edison Research at SSRS

Audio and video podcasts play complementary roles in consumers' routines, with 70% of monthly podcast consumers reporting that they both listened to audio-only podcasts and watched video podcasts in the past month, according to new research from Edison Research at SSRS, SiriusXM Media and Publicis Media.

"The Video Podcast Consumer Report" examines how audiences move between formats and what those choices mean for advertisers. The findings suggest that listening and watching serve different needs, with audio preferred during activities and video finding a role during leisure time.

Among respondents who used both formats in the past month, 68% chose audio-only listening while in the car, 54% while working and 51% while exercising. Fifty-five percent chose to just listen when on the go.

Audio also fit more easily into daily routines. Within that same group, 53% said podcasts they only listen to fit more easily into their schedules, while 52% said they were easier to access on a mobile device.

Video offered advantages for attention and connection. Among consumers of both formats, 55% said podcasts they watch are easier to pay attention to, and 51% chose active viewing when they wanted to connect with a host. Seventy-six percent reported watching most often at home.

The two audiences also shared characteristics relevant to advertisers. Audio and video podcast consumers each had a median age of 40, and 75% of each group said they were likely to recall ads.

Social media clips provided another route to podcast discovery. Among monthly podcast consumers, 77% reported encountering podcast clips on social media, and 65% said they had listened to or watched a full podcast after seeing a short clip.

The report draws on an online survey of more than 2,000 monthly podcast consumers ages 13 and older across a national U.S. sample, conducted in the second quarter of 2026. Results were weighted to match monthly podcast consumer demographics established by The Infinite Dial 2026.