A closer look at Gen Z, Young Millennials, and the latest consumption data.
If your ideal customer is a teen or twentysomething, you may be wondering if a corporate podcast is the right fit for your content marketing plan.
Gen Z and Young Millennials are certainly big on tech, but are they shifting trends away from podcasts and other long-form content?
That’s a totally fair question — and we’re here with the data you need to make an informed choice for your brand.
Below, we answer three key questions…
- Are young people even listening to podcasts?
- What platforms should you use to promote your branded show?
- And why bother with a podcast when you could stick to social posts?
Let’s get to it.
Are young people even listening to podcasts?
Podcasts rose to fame at a prime time for Gen X and “Elder Millennials” to get totally hooked — but what about the teens and twentysomethings out there?
Are they still consuming podcasts, or has TikTok grabbed their attention for good?
Let’s take a look at the numbers…
- According to Edison Research, at least 47% of monthly podcast listeners in the US are under 35
- According to Statista, Gen Z account for 43% of weekly listeners across the US and Canada
- And even children as young as 6 are tuning into podcasts these days
Bottom line? The podcast is absolutely holding its own among younger listeners.
This is a medium on track for a super bright future — despite the rise of ultra-condensed content we’ve seen thanks to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Vine.
What platform should you use to promote your show?
While we’re on the topic of social media, we need to discuss the content you need to promote and support your show.
Ultimately, great content marketing relies on an intricate web of related material, and rarely comes down to a one-prong approach.
While there are several types of content you can create that will help you grow your podcast, you should pay special attention to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Especially with this demographic.
Why? Well, in case it’s not obvious, let’s take a look at the data.
Here are the stats for folks in the United States aged 18 to 29 …
- 95% have used YouTube
- 71% have used Instagram
- And nearly half have used TikTok
Remember, this doesn’t even account for younger users who — based on existing trends — should have even higher numbers.
While these key platforms are all great picks for any young group, a closer look can help you get ultra specific as you build a plan around your ideal listener.
Here is some more helpful data collected in the US…
- 25% of TikTok users are between 10 and 19
- 30% of Instagram users are between 18 and 24
- And almost a third of teens say that YouTube is their most-used social platform
Ultimately, while you should adjust your strategy to suit your demographic, it’s clear that social media is a must for any brand that plans to make the most of their show.
Why bother with a podcast when you could stick to social posts?
So, if young people love and use social media this much, why even bother with a podcast at all?
Good question. And good news. The reasons are endless, friends.
First of all, because podcasts are long-form content, they allow you to offer way more value than you could ever pack into a 30-second TikTok, or Instagram caption.
Also, podcasts offer a level of humanity, connection, and investment you just can’t get from other social streams.
A loyal podcast listener is engaging in a much deeper way than the Instagram user who follows your account for that one big giveaway, but scrolls past your posts every week.
And need we mention screen time? Obviously, if we’ve established anything with this post, it’s that young people are getting way more than enough of it these days.
(Just like the rest of us. No shade here.)
As a society, our votes are in. We love consuming entertaining, thoughtful, and engaging content — and that’s okay.
Thankfully, we have the podcast, a value-packed medium that allows us to do that without being glued to a screen, or our devices.
And to sweeten the deal, audio allows us to multitask. With a podcast, your busy young fans can consume your content while they walk their dog, or make their way to work.
Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive, but if you take a good look, it’s not hard to see that audio is its own beast, and comes with a laundry list of unique perks.
What kind of podcast should you make?
Perhaps you’re sold on the corporate podcast, and ready to add a show to your marketing strategy — but maybe you’re not sure exactly what to make?
Obviously, this demographic has unique passions, concerns, and needs, and unless you’re also under 30, you might not be totally sure how you should proceed.
We’ve got you covered. Check out this post to learn more about creating a thoughtful and responsible podcast for Gen Z and Young Millennials.
