PODCASTS in INDIA

“Informative entertainment on the go, podcasts are to radio what Netflix is to television” say the
experts.

 Podcasts can be streamed or downloaded on a browser or an application. They are

popular across all age groups because of their informative and conversational format
across genres like comedy, sports, mental health, crime and history.
 Radio and television are appointment listening/viewing, while podcasts are on-demand.
You can listen to them when you want.
 Most listeners tune-in to podcasts while commuting or doing chores.
“I like to podcasts while cooking or playing a video game. It’s a great way to learn while
doing task which don’t require full attention”
 A report by afaqs, an Indian advertising, media & marketing portal says 77 per cent of the
listeners in India are consuming it on the go (on their mobile phones) and 2 per cent do it
on their tablets.
 When it comes to podcasts, India has a 48 per cent completion rate of up to 75 per cent
content length. In simple terms, this means that 48 per cent of our users view 7.5 minutes
of a 10-minute content that is played. That is huge. And 89 per cent of people are in the
18 to 34 age group.
 If the host of a podcast is a woman, the percentage of women listening in could be as high
as 80 per cent.
 Listens are coming from across the country. The top cities listening to podcasts are Delhi
and Kolkata.
 Daily consumptions tend to spike in the morning hours mainly because they commute in
the morning. It tapers off in the afternoon and then rises in the evening again. Looking at
weekly consumption throws up an interesting pattern. It moves in a wave format. The
graph rises steadily from Monday until Friday when it reaches a peak and then falls over
Saturday and Sunday.
 The genres that work in podcasting: Entertainment, comedy, news, business, sports and
spirituality.
What's in it for the advertiser?
 When advertising on a podcast, the product can be explained in detail. It can run
across multiple shows and genres. It is delivered to loyal audiences. Podcast hosts
have a loyal following that they build over time.
 Time limitation is less of a factor (the ad I played just now was for 2 minutes) in a
podcast. It is free of clutter - an hour-long podcast may have just two ads. Your
site's call to action can be integrated into the podcast. Inventory is always
available for this.

2019 will be a terrific year for podcasts in India – here’s why

Podcasts, have a huge growth potential in the country, supplemented by factors such as
increasing digital penetration, the cost-effectiveness of smart mobile devices, content
diversity and an overwhelming amount of commute time.
2019 may prove to be a terrific year for the podcast industry in India owing to the
following factors:

1. Technology enhancing user convenience and engagement

Through a data-driven approach, technological interventions-enabled podcast platforms
are augmenting user experience by offering and recommending an array of content that
matches specific tastes and preferences. Such customized content is driving micro-
engagement and offering ease of accessibility for consumers, thereby leading to a rapid
inclusion of podcasts into the mainstream.

2. Rising ownership of smart devices and digital penetration

The country is projected to have 1 billion mobile users by 2020, with 96 percent of them
being smartphone users. India presently ranks second in the list of countries that spend
the most amount of time to consume content, and the rising number of smartphone users
has led to a remarkable 17x increase in content consumption. This has also led to a rise in
demand for passive content and podcast serves as one of the most effective mediums of
the same. Therefore, the podcast industry in India is expected to grow in conjunction,
with an increase in smartphone user base.

The Indian Podcast Listener Statistics in 2018 found that among all Indians who listen to
podcasts, 77 percent do so on their phones, mostly while commuting. The time taken by
people to commute takes up a substantial share of their daily lives and they mostly resort
to music and e-books for entertainment due to a lack of alternatives. As the content
available on podcasts becomes more accessible and diversified, the medium is being
pursued by Indian audiences with great enthusiasm, with experts predicting it will pose a
strong challenge to music consumption in the next few years.
3. Demography dynamics and diversified content
India is known for its diversity of languages and culture. According to a study by KPMG in
India and Google titled ‘Indian Languages—Defining India’s Internet’, the Indian language
internet user base grew at an exponential CAGR of 41 percent between 2011 and 2016.
Furthermore, it has been estimated that nine out of 10 Indian internet users will access
the internet using a regional language in the next five years.

Podcasts as a medium have tapped into this robustly-growing segment. Although

podcasts initially began with a focus on English language content, they now have a
regional appeal with content in Indian languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil,
Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Rajasthani and Bhojpuri, among others. Furthermore, the
content available through podcasts caters to every age group and every mood—from
mythological series and bhajans that appeal to senior citizens, to insightful and
inspirational series for millennials, and fun stories and poems for children. Be it news,
sports, entertainment, music, politics, skillsets, or even a general take on life—the
content offered by podcasts has limitless possibilities.

4. A thriving platform to create and consume

One of the major hindrances in the growth of the podcast industry is the perception
towards this medium. Consumers often perceive podcasts as intellectual content
consumed by an elite segment of audiences while creators assume there is a lengthy
technical aspect to the podcasting process requiring a lot of insight, experience,
equipment and capital.
On the contrary, podcasts are very native to Indian audiences and can be created by
anyone who has good oratory skills and good knowledge about their topic. Podcasts are
thus emerging as a flourishing platform to showcase the talent and to reach out to
audiences among Indians.

5. Nostalgic appeal with an enriched listening experience

For a nation that has witnessed generations grow up with radio, audio content naturally
strikes a chord. Moreover, since radio is now widely criticized for its excessive reliance on
advertisements and Bollywood, and indistinguishable content across all channels,
podcasts serve as a fresh take on the medium.
Podcasts offer a wide variety of content with the least amount of clutter when compared
to other forms of media. Advertisements take over a substantial share of the radio show
runtime, making it less likeable to audiences who tend to switch channels immediately.
On the other hand, podcasts plug the content of advertisements into the content flow
seamlessly, thereby keeping the user engaged. Therefore, equipped with engaging
content and seamless incorporation of advertisements, podcasts offer the nostalgia of
radio with an enriched listening experience.
Summary:
Indian Podcast Listener Statistics in 2018
 Podcasts are most popular in Delhi and Kolkata. Indian podcasts are available in English
and Hindi as well as local languages like Tamil and Bangla.
 Indians who listen to podcasts on their phone: 77%
 Indians who listen to podcasts on tablets: 2%
 The age group that podcasts are most popular with 18-34 years
 Most people listen to podcasts in the morning and evening as they commute to and from
work
 Weekly consumption rises through the week and peaks on Friday.