In this era of skepticism and misinformation, podcasters are emerging as the trustworthy figures of the media industry according to a new survey of U.S. consumers. According to the study by Acast, half of podcast listeners trust podcasters, the most of any other tested medium.
The data shows nearly two-thirds (64%) of podcast listeners also actively seek out podcasters and create time for their content, the most of any other tested media personality. That points to consumers making the time spent with podcasts highly engaging and intentional as opposed to listening to radio hosts, which are far less likely to be considered appointment listening by consumers.
“Trust in U.S. media has been deteriorating in recent years as a result of socio-political unrest and conflicting coverage by news outlets on the same events,” said Acast Director of Research and Insights Tommy Walters. “As U.S. consumers have lost confidence in traditional media, they have increasingly turned to podcasters as a source of truth.”
The personal relationship that listeners develop with podcasters has implications for advertisers. The survey finds that three-quarters of podcast listeners say they have listened to a podcaster for a product endorsement, compared to the 62% of social media users who have sought out social media creators’ recommendations, and 55% radio listeners who have turned to radio personalities for product advice.
YouTubers score nearly as high as podcasters in the survey, and YouTube is also the second most trusted media tested, with 44% of YouTube users saying they trust YouTube personalities. Acast points out that many of the sought-after YouTube personalities are also podcasters.
The research was conducted in September 2023 via OnePulse among 451 consumers aged 16 to 70.
The survey also revealed that podcasters give quality product and brand endorsements. According to the research, 73% of U.S. consumers who have acted on a podcast endorsement said the podcaster gave a good endorsement and they were happy with what they received.
The good news for creators is that of all the mediums researchers asked about, a majority of survey respondents said they received a product recommendation that they were happy with for all of the hosts, whether the message came from the radio, cable TV or YouTube.
The findings come at a time when trust in U.S. media has hit an all-time low, with half of Americans reported to believe that national news organizations deliberately mislead them, according to research from Gallup and the Knight Foundation. In this era of skepticism and misinformation, podcasters are emerging as the trustworthy figures of the media industry. “During times of hardship and uncertainty - like the start of the pandemic and the beginning of the war in Ukraine – at Acast we have consistently seen audiences flock to podcasts for deep conversations and analysis over clickbait headlines,” Walters said. “When it comes to product endorsements, we have also seen audiences be more trusting of podcaster recommendations than any other form of media.”