By Holland Cooke
Consultant
“They have the time and tools to listen, they like spoken word contest,” and Edison Research president Larry Rosin reminds us, they’re big-money consumers.
Baby Boomers – born between 1946 and 1964 – are now age 59-77. Those 55+ comprise 30% of total USA population.
Per Edison’s ongoing “Infinite Dial” research, and with data and listener videos captured for this study done with NPR:
— 55+ consume more than 3 hours and 39 minutes of audio PER DAY. And 78% own a smartphone. And “Boomers listen to way more radio than do their children and grandchildren.” And they’re “adopting online audio.”
— Nearly 2/3 of Boomers’ audio is consumed at home. “Only about a third of that group is still working…they have the time to listen to podcasts.” And home is the #1 podcast listening location.
— But compared to 25-54s, they’re podcast consumer laggards. Rosin sees opportunity: “They’ve entered the top of the sales funnel.”
Compared to 25-54s, Boomers are podcasting laggards.
— Many Boomers think podcasting is a time-shifted radio show.
— “Overwhelmingly,” 55+ podcast listeners prefer news-related podcasts.
— We need to explain how-to-listen better than “available as a podcast” and wherever-you-get-yours.
Broadcasters and podcasters: Know how busy you are, I don’t make this recommendation casually. It’s well-worth your time to see the on-demand replay of this informative webinar.
Now I’m off to fabulous, fabulous Las Vegas for the 2023 NAB Show. Look for my convention notes here next week.
Talkers contributor Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins;” and. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke