Edison Research today released its 2021 edition of the Latino Podcast Listener Report, a survey of U.S. Latinos and that group’s relationship with podcasting. Results show an enthusiastic population.
The Latino population is less knowledgeable than the overall population about podcasting generally; 64% are familiar with the term “podcasting,” compared to 77% across the board. The difference is greater when measured by language dominance; only 47% of Spanish speakers are familiar.
However, familiarity translates to actual listening better among Latinos: 56% have ever listened to a podcast, slightly more than the 55% of total population. And 59% of Spanish-dominant speakers have listened. More of those listeners have heard a podcast in English (48%) than a show in Spanish (33%), which might be explained by the prevalence of English-speaking shows.
Monthly listening in the Latino population is 36%, compared to 40% in the U.S. generally. And the monthly listening group is growing much faster Latinos (+44% year-over-year) than in the entire survey population (+8%).
If the podcast listening lifestyle is defined as weekly listening (which it is, in our opinion), 29% of Latinos are in the groove with weekly listening. Of course Edison has a bigger group to work with in the monthly listening cohort, and the Latino Podcast Listener Report drills into the demographics:
- 50% are 18-34, 55% are men
- only 35% are Spanish language dominant
- 50% are first-generation U.S. born
- 28% have been listening monthly for at least a year
- and 54% started listening monthly during Covid
Ninety-six percent of all monthly listeners who started during the pandemic plan to sustain the new habit post-Covid.
Most of the monthlies listen at home at least some of the time. In-car and while walking are also popular settings.
Video plays a part in Latino listening. While only 8% listen/watch exclusively to shows with video, 77% sometimes do.
Advertising plays well, especially in podcasts hosted by Latinos. In those shows, 84% of the survey group said they would be somewhat likely or very likely to “consider the brand.” Nearly the same percentage (83%) would recommend the brand. In what might be considered a contrary finding, 58% of all listeners would be somewhat likely or very likely to pay a monthly fee for ad-free listening. (It’s 53% of Latino listeners.)
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