Google Podcasts is the newest platform where you can download and listen to podcasts from Google. At first, the company had Google Listen, followed by Google Play Music, both of which allowed you to listen to podcasts.
With Google Podcasts, creators can quickly upload their audio files to the platform and make them available on Google Podcasts for millions of listeners.
What Is Google Podcasts?
Google Podcasts is a podcast directory, rather than a podcast host, meaning it does not store audio files. A Google search will often bring up podcast results and clicking on a link will lead to the Google Podcasts page.
According to the Google Podcasts Manager site, “Google Podcasts is the best way to discover and listen to podcasts. It’s easy to find your favorites with personalized recommendations, popular episodes, browse categories like comedy or science fiction, and explore playlists for any mood or activity.”
You can also publish your own podcast using Google Podcasts, but you’ll need to first find a podcast hosting provider. A podcast host is a service that stores audio files and serves them directly to your listeners.
ALSO SEE: How To Create A Google Podcast
Popular podcast hosts include Anchor, Buzzsprout, Podbean, Libsyn, and Transistor. Once you have chosen a host and created an account, you can upload your audio and set up an RSS feed.
You can then submit your podcast to Google Podcasts for review. Once it has been approved, you will be able to manage it from the Google Podcasts Manager website.
We look at some of Google Podcasts stats to get an idea of what it’s about and where it stands in relation to its larger competitors, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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Google Podcast Users
Although there are many ways to listen to podcasts, there are three main platforms that people use. The two largest are Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
As of September 2022, podcast stats indicate that Apple Podcasts was in the number one spot with 47,033,558 downloads and 39.3% of all podcast listeners (also see, ‘Podcast Stats‘).
Spotify held the number two spot with 31,865,381 downloads and 26.6% of listeners. That leaves just over 34% of the remaining podcast listeners to be spread out over the other listening apps and podcasting platforms.
Google Podcasts is used by 2.5% of listeners and comes below the choice of a web browser. This may be because 30% of new podcast users search the internet for new shows.
How Many People Listen To Podcasts?
In 2022, 62% of Americans over the age of 12 had listened to a podcast and more than 79% of people are familiar with what podcasts are.
A third of people in the US listen to podcasts on a regular basis and 38% of listeners over 12 will listen to a podcast every month.
By 2021 Google Podcasts hit the 100 million mark for installs since its launch in 2018, this came less than 5 months after it reached 50 million installs.
It is also in spite of the fact that Google Podcasts is a free and quite feature-limited podcast platform compared to rivals.
The increase in installs on Google Podcasts may be due to the overall growing popularity of podcasting. But it is also due to the improvements and developments in the app both on phones and within the web version.
Devices That Use Google Podcast
The devices that can use Google Podcast are Android phones. Apple phones running iOS 12 or later and any device connected to the web (also see, ‘Google Podcast vs Apple Podcast‘).
You can also use smart speakers such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Echo. The web browser on your computer can also be used to play Google Podcasts on Mac or PC. ChromeOS, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay can also be used.
About 73% of podcast listeners in America use a smartphone to listen to their favorite podcast shows; while only 13% use their desktop or laptop computer to access podcast apps.
The number of people using smartphones to listen to podcasts has increased since the beginning of 2021.
Podcasts Available For Google Podcasts
Although Google Podcasts lags behind its competitors with just 2.9% share of downloads it is pre-installed on many devices.
It is also integrated with Google Assistant and Google Home, so you can use voice commands to play, pause, discover podcasts, or change what you listen to.
There are many podcasts available to Google Podcasts similar to those on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, including This American Life and The Daily. It has a diverse library of its own too with over 500 sub-topics.
If there is a show you want to listen to that is not on Google Podcasts selection you can access it by adding its RSS feed into the app.
Marketing Related Podcast Statistics
Marketers work to increase brand awareness which in turn increases sales. About 69% of podcast listeners said they have been introduced to new products and services via podcast adverts.
An estimated 38% of listeners have reported purchasing things that are mentioned in podcasts. Although podcasts were once seen as a niche type of media it is now much more mainstream.
This has opened new marketing opportunities for many companies, businesses, and services.
Podcast revenues are expected to exceed $2 billion by 2023 and ad revenue alone has recently reached $842 million.
Health and wellness businesses are among the biggest spenders on podcast advertising alongside home and appliance advertisers.
Google Podcast VS Spotify
Google Podcast has a simple interface and streamlined design to make it easier for users to access and to operate. Unlike Spotify however, it does not have any exclusive content but does have features like being able to slow down playback speed.
Spotify meanwhile accounts for 25% of listeners and has 355 million monthly users with almost half signed up to their premium service.
In 2021 Spotify had 32% of the market share of online music making it the number one podcast platform (also see, ‘Google Podcast vs Spotify‘).
Google Podcast VS Apple Podcast
Google Podcast has now become compatible with Apple phones which are using iOS 12 or later and so both Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts can be used on these devices.
Google Podcasts’ format is easy to understand and shows are divided into three categories: New Episodes, In Progress, and Downloads making it simple to navigate to what you want.
Apple Podcasts has the second highest number of listeners at 28.5 million which is an increase on the previous year. However, its market share has gone from 34% in 2018 to 24% in 2021.
ALSO SEE: Google Podcast vs Apple Podcast
Future Of Podcasting
Experts in the industry expect podcasting to grow in the next year as this service continues to grow in popularity. Monthly podcast listening among Americans aged 55 years and older is the fastest-growing demographic.
Forecasts predict that total podcast listeners will exceed 160 million by 2023. By 2024 it is estimated that listeners in the United States will grow to 100 million from the current level of 75.9 million.
As of 2022 podcast listeners as a group have increased by 29.5% in the past three years (also see, ‘Future of Podcasting‘).
In Conclusion
The popularity of podcasting and the audiences it draws on the larger platforms indicates that this once-niche media looks set to grow and evolve even more into the mainstream.
We hope this guide to Google Podcasts stats has been helpful.
