48% of Podcast Listeners are Women (and We’re #1 With Them)

Mar 21, 2023

Women are loving podcasts, the kind of women that you want to reach (e.g., young, smart, successful). And we can help you reach more female podcast listeners than Spotify, iHeart, et al.

The gender gap is closing; 48% of all podcast listeners identify as women,1 making podcasts an effective medium for reaching female audiences. And you can reach 47% more women with the SiriusXM Podcast Network than with our closest competitor.

Big things happen when you support women. And we do. We’re passing the mic. We’re forming relationships with powerful women. We’ve welcomed some truly impressive female podcasters to our slate. And we’ve studied female podcast listeners. So, when Edison Research named us the #1 podcast network with women,2 we weren't terribly surprised.

SiriusXM Podcast Network is #1 With Women

Women Brands Love

We’re not just the top podcast network with women. We also have the #1 podcast network for reach.3 Three in five monthly podcast listeners4 tune in with us (check it: that’s an audience of 63M).5 And as the podcast audience continues to grow, there’s a highly coveted, uber-successful female demographic joining the ranks of ravenous fans.

Female Podcast Listeners are Young, Smart, and Successful

Women Who Get Things Done

They’re go-getters, running everything from households and offices to errands and bedtime routines—and through it all, they’ve got their favorite podcasts going. Podcasts can and do everything from keep listeners informed and motivated to distracted and enthralled. Our study showed that three in four women1 who listen monthly say that podcasts keep them entertained while they’re doing mundane tasks.

Women With Diverse Tastes

It’s no secret that women aren’t scared of a little murder—and that’s why the women of true crime are absolutely killing it (like podcast mogul Ashley Flowers). But the funny thing is, comedy is actually the top genre with female listeners. And then it’s love and relationships, entertainment/celebrity/gossip, news and information, and wellness/self-improvement rounding out the list of favorite genres.1

You can’t narrow podcast-loving women down to a single topic. Female monthly listeners consume 5.7 different topics or genres on average.1 So, running ads throughout a podcast network (say, the top network for reaching women) is a good idea. And, if you want to go with a more targeted approach, take note: the top genres are comedy and true crime. So don’t let brand safety concerns alarm you; podcast advertising is not a risk, and your target audience of smart, successful women find it suitable.

Women Who Support Other Women

Women aren’t just loving podcasts in general, they’re specifically fans of female podcasts creators. Nine in 10 female monthly podcast listeners say they listen to at least one show hosted or produced by a woman. Over half say they would listen to more podcasts if there were more female-hosted shows. And 55% say they would listen to even more podcasts if there were more shows that include female stories and perspectives.1

When these listeners find a show they love, they’re letting the world know about it. Over eight in 10 say they have ever recommended podcasts to their friends and family. And these relationships are reciprocal, with three in four saying they find out about podcasts from their inner circle.1 Their #1 source of discovery is recommendations from friends and family, ahead of things like search, social media, and other podcasts.1

Female podcast listeners support women in podcasting

Women Who Like Brands That Support Women

Women in podcasting and the female listeners who support them are a community. The good news: there’s room for brands to move in. Our study found that women are open to hearing the ads that support the shows they love, especially when they’re hosted or produced by women. Roughly 50% of female listeners say they would feel more favorable about a brand if they knew it advertised on podcasts hosted or produced by women.1 They also have shown higher affinity for brands that support female podcasters. And they’re more likely to take action.

Female podcast listeners are open to ads

We Can Hook You Up

Women are loving podcasts, the kind of women that you want to reach (e.g., young, smart, successful). So, if your brand wants to make a positive impression on this audience, advertising on the medium they love is the way to go. And we can help you reach more female podcast listeners than Spotify, iHeart, et al. Whether you want to score points by supporting a show created by a woman or target women with a variety of tastes across our network, we can help. Let’s talk about women.