The Podcast Study: Growth - Webinar Preview for September 25

Tim Bronsil
Sep 24
3 min read

Updated: Sep 25

The Podcast Study: Growth, preview. A nationwide look into how today’s listeners discover, engage with, and stay loyal to podcasts.

Point-To-Point Marketing, in partnership with Strategic Solutions Research, is proud to release the next wave of insight into the podcast space. The second webinar of The Podcast Study takes a close look at how audiences discover new shows, what motivates trial, and how curiosity becomes loyalty. If you are focused on growth, this study provides essential guidance.

What We Found

Discovery is not the problem. Listeners hear about new podcasts all the time, but they often fail to follow through. The issue is visibility and top-of-mind awareness. Forgetfulness, distraction, and confusion are the real barriers.
Short previews matter. Trailers, highlight clips, and social snippets are powerful tools that encourage trial.
First impressions are decisive. Half of listeners give a podcast five minutes or less before deciding whether to continue. If you don’t hook them immediately, you lose them.
Recommendations carry more weight than ads. Personal referrals from friends, family, or coworkers drive trial far more effectively than any algorithm or promotion. At the same time, our firsthand experience shows that actual conversion may often come through social and digital networks when those campaigns are executed with precision.
Social platforms are critical to awareness. They help podcasts stay visible, create shareable content, and spark trial. YouTube remains the largest discovery engine, while TikTok is increasingly influential among younger audiences. Both play an essential role in building the pipeline that word of mouth and referrals can then convert into lasting listeners. Do not sleep on Meta platforms, as we see low cost per clicks on those platforms.
Execution drives loyalty. Weak pacing, long intros, and cross talk are leading reasons why people stop listening. Great content needs strong delivery to sustain audience growth.

What You Can Do Now

The research highlights several actions that every creator and marketer can take immediately:

Make your show easy to sample. Use short, shareable clips and trailers that give audiences a taste before asking them to commit.
Encourage word of mouth. Loyal listeners are your best marketing team. Give them memorable moments to share.
Hook quickly. Open with energy and clarity in the first minute. Set expectations and capture attention.
Tighten execution. Eliminate repetition and refine pacing to prevent listener drop off.
Stay visible. Consistency on social and through email keeps your podcast top of mind. Out of sight means out of play.

Why It Matters

Podcasting continues to grow. Listeners are consuming as much or more than last year, and most expect to increase their listening going forward. But with limited shelf space, only a few shows earn true loyalty. Success depends on making discovery easy, creating trial opportunities, and converting first listens into lasting relationships.

The Podcast Study, created in partnership with Strategic Solutions Research, is designed to give creators and executives a roadmap for growth. By applying these insights, you can position your podcast to win one of the limited spots in a listener’s weekly routine.

What’s Next

Our final webinar in the series takes place Thursday, October 9, 2025. We will dive into how contests, hosts, and branding drive long term loyalty.

Register for Webinar 2 on September 25, and all the webinars at ThePodcastStudy.com or below. Let’s set the stage for smarter, stronger growth in podcasting.