What Brands Need to Know to Reach Black Podcast Listeners

Black podcast listeners are increasingly tuning in, engaged, and ad-receptive, and here’s proof. When surveyed, 58% of African Americans ages 12 and up said they have listened to or watched a podcast in the last month—a +53% growth in Black monthly podcast listeners since 2021. Not only is listenership growing, but 62% of Black listeners are spending more or the same amount of time listening to shows as they did a year ago. And when the ads start to play, Black listeners are receptive to what they’re hearing, with nine in 10 Black podcast listeners taking any action after hearing podcast ads.

Despite multicultural audiences’ increasing appetites for podcasts, the podcast industry’s diversity hasn’t kept up. According to a new study by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, 64% of podcast hosts are male, and an overwhelming 77% of hosts are white. With Black podcast listeners looking for hosts and shows they can relate to, it calls for an increasing need to support underrepresented voices and cater to a powerful consumer base. If you’re here, you’re taking the first step towards investment. 

Let’s dig into who the modern Black podcast listener is and how your brand can connect with them.

Black Podcast Listeners Are Educated and Successful

Traditionally, the total podcast listenership skews more male, with female listening on the rise to close the gap. But when it comes to Black podcast listenership, women lead the way. The average Black monthly podcast listener skews young and female, and 48% are employed full-time, while 36% have a college degree or higher—in other words, the kind of consumer brands want to reach. And though 42% of the audience falls between the ages of 18 and 34, older listeners are still joining the party. So, whether you’re trying to reach Gen Z and younger millennials or older millennials and Gen X, podcasts are an effective medium to do that.

Brand takeaway: Podcasts are an effective way to reach successful, educated Black audiences, regardless of age or gender. 

Drawn in by the Host, Staying for the Culture

Podcasts are attracting new Black listeners in droves, and listeners are tuning in more and more. Celebrity influence and popular topics play a big role in drawing in Black audiences and capturing their attention. Almost six in 10 (56%) of Black podcast listeners say the host plays a huge role in which shows they choose to listen to or watch. Meanwhile, 47% of Black consumers exclusively or mostly consume audio content from their culture. Whether they’re culture enthusiasts, part of the hive, trendsetters, or superfans, Black listeners are looking for trusted, relatable voices. 

Brand takeaway: The audience of Black podcast listeners is engaged and growing, and shows with influential thought leaders and hosts are an excellent way for brands to connect.

Podcasts Are Informing and Entertaining Black Audiences

Podcasts are meeting a wide variety of needs for Black listeners, satisfying cravings for everything from laughs to in-depth conversations. Though comedy reigns supreme with both the general and Black populations, the genres of music, sports, and health and fitness are also popular with this audience.

When you partner with the SiriusXM Podcast Network, get access to the top Black-hosted shows for reaching Black podcast consumers:

Brand takeaway: Podcasts are meeting a variety of needs for Black listeners, giving advertisers opportunities to reach them when they’re leaned in.

Black Listeners Are Looking for—and Finding Themselves—in Podcasts

Relevancy matters more than ever to the Black podcast listener. This audience wants to hear themselves represented in authentic ways. Here’s a tip: Shows with Black hosts that highlight Black perspectives are more likely to draw this audience.

The desire for Black content is high, and Black podcast listeners want to hear content made for them by them. In fact, this audience is +44% more likely to express their cultural pride and identity through podcast content. This preference extends to the ad experience too, with 60% of Black podcast listeners wanting brands to collaborate with diverse content creators and experts in the podcast space.

Brand takeaway: To resonate with this audience, advertisers should support and collaborate with Black creators and run ads on Black-hosted shows.

Black Podcast Listeners Are Receptive to Ads

With Black consumers’ holding a projected $2.1T in spending power by 2026, they’re an audience that can’t be underestimated or underinvested in. Luckily, like much of the general population of podcast listeners, Black audiences are receptive to ads. A whopping 90% of Black podcast listeners take action after hearing podcast ads. 

Black listeners are also taking note of the brands that support the content they love: One in four Black podcast listeners feel more trust towards brands who sponsor their favorite shows repeatedly. The best way to win over Black podcast listeners is to run ads on shows that represent their voices, culture, and points of view. Podcast ads on shows created by or featuring Black hosts are particularly effective at influencing Black podcast listeners and moving them through the consumer journey.

Brand takeaway: Developing authentic ads and running them on podcasts by Black creators is the best way to win over Black listeners and move them from consideration through to purchase. 

Reach Black Podcast Listeners Year Round

If you’re like a lot of brands, you’re likely saving some ad budget for Black History Month in February (and beyond) to reach Black audiences. And if you haven’t already, the above gives you plenty of reasons to start. Like so much of the population, Black audiences are listening to podcasts—and, as you’ve learned, they’re leaned-in and here for ads that support the shows and creators they love. 

The SiriusXM Podcast Network is the ultimate destination for reaching Black consumers and collaborating with Black creators. We have the leading Black voices (Saeed Jones, Trevor Noah), the reach (one in five weekly Black podcast listeners reached), and the engagement (6M+ downloads across our Black-hosted shows).

Whether it’s retargeting and refining an existing campaign or launching your first podcast ad, we can help you reach Black audiences. Let’s talk about diversifying your next campaign.

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