What do weekly podcast consumers really care about when choosing a podcast to listen to or watch? Edison Podcast Metrics™ tells us exactly what is important to consumers when browsing the vast number of podcast titles.

The most important factor is the podcast topic, with 64% of U.S. weekly podcast consumers saying it’s important to them. Having a clear topic and accurately marketing that topic is one of the most effective levers podcast creators and marketers can use to win over new listeners and viewers.

The second most important factor is the show host, with 53% of weekly podcast consumers saying it is important to them. Years of research in the audio and podcast space has illustrated just how essential picking the right host is for attracting and maintaining audiences.

The featured guests can also help draw someone into a new title. 38% of weekly podcast consumers say the featured guests are important to them when choosing a podcast.

Our data not only shows which features are the most important to weekly consumers, but also measures which are less of a priority. The podcast trailer (12%), the appeal of the cover art (11%), and if it’s appropriate for kids (7%) are the three lowest items on the list.

The data above is only a small example of what is included in Edison Podcast Metrics for this question. Results can be analyzed across a variety of audience segments, including demographic groups, listener profiles, listening frequency, platform usage, and more.

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