Last week, Edison Research put out a graph from their Share of Ear research showing how total audio consumption has changed over the last ten years, with a focus on where that listening is taking place (at home vs. out of home). I thought these data were worth a second glance since these numbers back up something I’ve been saying in this space for a few months: we can’t assume that audio (or even podcasting) grows forever. Gravity exists.

For reference, here is the graph Edison published:

Edison’s conclusion: “Though it was perfectly reasonable to wonder whether the pandemic had permanently supercharged our audio habits, the location differential finally started to show signs of cracking throughout 2023. Now, as the dust settles on 2024, what we see in its wake is a return to normalcy in one way: audio consumption.”

Clearly, this is true; however, normalcy does not equal stasis. Specifically, what was “normal” from 2015 to 2019 was not a rising or even flat trajectory for audio in general. What was normal was a slow, steady decline in the total minutes of daily audio consumption for Americans.  Here, I made you some numbers instead:

It can be hard to process a string of numbers like this, so I engaged in a little regression. It turns out that I was a pirate in the 14th century and committed many, many crimes. Thanks, Paul McKenna! I also engaged in a little linear regression so we could make out a trend line from these data:

(Source: Edison Research Share of Ear, excerpted from Home is Where the Hear Is)

While the crazy COVID-fueled surge in at-home listening seems to have finally rinsed out, what passes for “normalcy” is not the 254 minutes of 2015 but the just-prior-to-COVID 230 minutes of 2019. The peak of 254 minutes per day of audio consumption in 2015 has gradually eroded to 234 minutes in 2024 – a decline of about 8%. But here’s where it gets interesting for podcasters – during this same period, podcast listening in both share and total minutes has actually increased year over year.

This means something that should be obvious but isn’t often discussed: the decline in total audio consumption has come entirely at the expense of other audio sources, particularly AM/FM radio. While radio remains the largest slice of the audio pie, that pie is shrinking, and radio’s slice is getting smaller faster than the pie itself is shrinking. This is what we call in technical terms a “double-whammy,” which I think I was learned in business school or something.

Of course, the location data adds some fascinating color to this. Pre-pandemic, roughly 47% of our audio consumption happened outside the home. Today, that figure is about 46%. Pretty much where we were. So, while the pandemic certainly created a massive disruption in 2020 (with “All Other Places” listening dropping to just 38% of total listening time), we have largely returned to the same proportions of home vs. away listening that we saw before COVID. We’re just listening to less audio overall – unless we are listening to podcasts.

This presents an enormous opportunity for podcasters but also a challenge. The opportunity is clear – there is room to grow, even in a (slightly) declining market for audio overall. But the challenge is equally apparent: to get people to add your podcast to their media diet, something else has to go. The data make it clear that this is already happening – radio listening continues to decline while podcast listening grows. But this also means that the bar for quality content continues to rise. Your podcast isn’t just competing with other podcasts – it’s competing with deeply ingrained audio habits that may go back decades. (Also, I wouldn’t have shed a tear at a TikTok ban, but that’s another article.)

The Short-Term Answer

As total audio time declines, it may become increasingly challenging to hook new listeners into audio-first experiences like podcasting. Think about your own media habits – are you spending more time with audio or less over the last five years ago? If you are anything like the average American (see above), the answer is less. That decline in total audio time represents a subtle but important shift in how we spend our leisure time, likely due to the increasing role of video-first platforms like TikTok and YouTube in our lives.

This is one reason why having a video strategy for your podcast is becoming more critical, whether you like it or not. It’s not just about maximizing distribution – it’s about meeting people where they are. If your potential audience spends more time with video and less with audio overall, then you need to think carefully about creating an on-ramp to your content that doesn’t require them to change their habits first. The path to audio listening may increasingly need to start with video, even if the ultimate destination is pure audio.

The Long-Term Answer

While video is increasingly important, there’s also a compelling argument for preserving and growing pure audio consumption. After all, audio has unique benefits that video can never replicate – it’s the ultimate multitasking medium, the perfect companion for activities where our eyes are busy but our minds are free. But we need to talk about it, even to our video audiences. But what to tell them? Well, here are seven specific things we can talk about as podcasters to help preserve and grow the audio habit:

1. Focus on Audio’s Unique Value Proposition

Don’t just tell people to listen “wherever they get their podcasts.” Instead, tell them exactly *when* and *where* they could be listening. Is your show perfect for their morning routine? Their evening dog walk? Their weekend meal prep? Be specific about the context in which your show adds value to their day.

2. Make Audio a Moment of Zen

In a world of endless scrolling and constant screen time, audio can be positioned as a much-needed break for our eyes and our psyche. Consider messaging that positions your podcast as a screen-free oasis – a chance to rest the eyes while engaging the mind.

3. Create Audio-First Content

Some content just works better in audio. Intimate conversations. Storytelling. Sound design. If you’re going to be audio-only, double down on the aspects of your show that actually benefit from being audio-only. Don’t apologize for not having video – celebrate what makes audio special.

4. Focus on Companionship

Audio creates a unique kind of parasocial relationship that video often can’t match. When someone is in your ears while they are doing other things, you become a companion in a way that’s different from being a face on a screen demanding attention. Make this explicit in how you talk about your show.

5. Consider Your Episode Length

With overall audio time declining, we need to be more thoughtful about episode length. This doesn’t necessarily mean “shorter” – it means being more intentional about matching your episode length to specific blocks of time in your listeners’ day. A 45-minute show that perfectly matches someone’s commute will get more listens than a 30-minute show that leaves them hanging or a 60-minute show they can never finish.

6. Champion “Found Time”

Instead of competing for dedicated media time (which is increasingly going to video), position your show as a way to reclaim “lost” time during the day. Help your audience see how much time they spend doing things where video isn’t an option – and how your show could turn that time into something more enriching.

7. Create Listening Rituals

Help your audience build new audio habits by connecting your show to specific activities or times of day. This could be as simple as releasing your show at the same time every week, or as complex as creating content specifically designed for morning routines or weekend activities.

The Path Forward

The decline in overall audio consumption doesn’t have to be permanent. But reversing it

requires us to be more intentional about how we position audio content. We need to stop assuming that people will naturally gravitate to audio and start actively selling its benefits. After all, we aren’t just competing with other podcasts – we’re competing with the very notion that audio is worth people’s time at all.

That’s a battle worth fighting. Because in a world increasingly dominated by screens, audio offers something unique and valuable: the ability to enrich our lives while our eyes – and hands – are busy elsewhere. That’s not just a feature. It’s a superpower. And it’s up to us to help our audience rediscover it.

Think about that the next time you sit down to plan your next episode. You aren’t just competing for attention within podcasting – you’re competing for a slice of those 234 minutes, and battling for even more. Make them count.

Now back to sleep, where I am a Pirate again!