Three out of ten Belgians now listen to podcasts with many people considering them as a source of information as reliable as traditional media.
These are the findings of an Ipsos poll commissioned by the Mediafin group. The survey took place in January and surveyed 1,500 people aged 18 to 70 via an online form.
Podcasts are increasingly accompanying Belgians in their activities with 48% of those polled listening at home, 26% as a relaxation activity in their free time, 20% while travelling on public transport, 17% while in the car and 17% before going to bed. Young people are particularly fond of podcasts, while 47% of 18–24-year-olds and 44% of 25–34-year-olds listen to them.
More than eight out of ten listeners believe that podcasts allow them to further deepen their knowledge on certain topics, especially current affairs. Audio on-demand is therefore creating its own niche market, to the point of competing with traditional media. With an average credibility score of 6.6/10, podcasts are considered as reliable as radio (6.5/10), newspapers and television (both 6.4/10).
Personal podcast experience
Many media are therefore taking the plunge, from RTBF to Le Soir, La Libre and L'Echo. "According to our survey, 79% of Belgians who listen to podcasts said it was easier for them to access information through this means than through other media sources,” says Mediafin CEO Peter Quaghebeur. “So, we couldn't ignore podcasts anymore."
"Each media has its own habits, reasons for existence and implicit rules,” says Dorien Luyckx, a Researcher at the University of Antwerp. “Podcasts offer a more personal experience than radio shows and allow for a more intimate relationship between the host and their audience."
This an interesting close link for marketers, who are increasingly testing the introduction of ads in podcasts. These spots "generate more credibility than those broadcast on social networks, websites, newspapers and magazines as well as on the radio," concludes Ipsos.
