Second webinar from Point-To-Point Marketing and Strategic Solutions Research finds an additional 18% of podcast consumers already behave much like Superfans, with usage emerging as the biggest gap

Point-To-Point Marketing and Strategic Solutions Research presented the second webinar in their series revealing findings from The Podcast Study 2026 today, with new analysis identifying a substantial group of podcast consumers who already demonstrate many of the behaviors of Superfans but have not yet reached the same level of podcast usage.

The Podcast Study 2026 surveyed 1,205 U.S. podcast consumers, with the sample balanced according to the most recent U.S. Census. The study is sponsored by Crooked Media, NPR, and PRX.

For this analysis, researchers created a strict definition of a podcast Superfan based not simply on attitude, but also on behavior. Superfans listen to full podcast episodes daily, consume at least five hours of podcasts per week, say the host is an important reason they listen, and have taken an additional action such as joining Patreon, purchasing merchandise, attending an event, or receiving podcast emails.

Using those criteria, Superfans represent 17% of podcast consumers.

Immediately behind them is another 18% identified by the study as “Prime Prospects.” These listeners have not yet met the full Superfan definition, but already value the host, report growing podcast consumption, and have demonstrated a willingness to pay or participate.

“One of the biggest opportunities in podcasting may be hiding in plain sight,” said Bronsil. “Prime Prospects already act like Superfans. We walked through a tangible action plan to begin the conversion process. If you can move that group forward, you have the potential to significantly grow your Superfan base.”

Prime Prospects Already Look Like Superfans

One of the clearest findings from the analysis is how closely Prime Prospects resemble established Superfans on measures that were not used to create the groups.

Eighty-one percent of Prime Prospects follow podcasts on social media, compared with 79% of Superfans. Sixty-nine percent say they would definitely join a free VIP Club from a favorite podcast, compared with 64% of Superfans. And 54% of Prime Prospects are willing to pay $5 or more per month, nearly identical to the 56% of Superfans.

Prime Prospects also dramatically outpace other podcast consumers in existing engagement. Eighty-one percent follow podcasts on social media, compared with 54% of all other listeners, while 57% receive podcast emails compared with 27% of all others.

“The surprise isn’t how different Prime Prospects are from Superfans. It’s how similar they already are,” said Rood. “They are nearly as willing to pay, even more interested in joining a VIP Club, and are just as socially engaged. The biggest gap is usage and HOW they use. The findings give podcast creators a very tangible opportunity to grow their most valuable audience.”

The Biggest Gap Is Usage

While Prime Prospects demonstrate many Superfan behaviors, the study found a clear difference in listening frequency.

Sixty-seven percent of Prime Prospects are not yet daily full-episode listeners, while 66% consume fewer than five hours of podcasts per week. Thirty-seven percent fall into both categories.

At the same time, only 15% have taken none of the engagement actions measured by the study.

The findings suggest the challenge may not be convincing Prime Prospects to care more about podcasts. Instead, the opportunity is to turn existing engagement into greater frequency and usage.

“We outlined exactly which levers can move Prime Prospects to Superfans, and how that translates to greater usage,” said Bronsil. “Prime Prospects have already raised their hand. Every one you convert makes your Superfan base bigger and more loyal.”

Content Execution Can Accelerate or Stop Growth

The webinar also examined an important obstacle to converting more listeners into Superfans: content execution.

Among Prime Prospects, 90% reported at least one content execution issue that had caused them to give up on a podcast. The most frequently cited problem was too much meaningless talk at the beginning of an episode, followed by boring conversation, repetition, and excessive off-topic discussion.

The analysis also found that even Superfans have little patience for a weak first impression. Eighteen percent will abandon a new podcast within the first minute.

“Content execution is sometimes overlooked as a key way you can influence growth,” said Rood. “Your growth will be held back if you have a leaky bucket and lose Superfans with content not firing on all cylinders. We walked through the most common content errors and how to fix them.”

Multiple Paths to Deeper Fandom

The research points to several practical opportunities for building stronger relationships with Prime Prospects.

Among the findings:

– 52% say exclusive content would deepen their relationship with a favorite podcast.

– 48% point to an online community.

– 58% discover podcasts through friends and family, while 55% cite social media.

– 65% listen while getting ready in the morning, presenting another opportunity to build podcast consumption into a daily routine.

– 63% say a short sample would definitely make them try a podcast.

– 61% would definitely open an email from a podcast host.

– 55% say they finish more episodes when watching a podcast as video.

Video also appears particularly important among this emerging group. Thirty-eight percent of Prime Prospects prefer video over audio, compared with 27% of the total podcast audience. Fifty-five percent say they finish more episodes when watching them as video.

Taken together, the findings suggest that the path to greater fandom does not depend on one tactic. Content execution, email, social media, community, short-form content, video, and the host relationship can all create additional opportunities to increase engagement and build listening habit.

The Podcast Study 2026 webinar series will continue October 13 with Beyond the Pre-Roll, a presentation focused on podcast advertising, revenue opportunities, and the relationship between listeners, hosts, and advertisers.

Previous webinar recordings, registration, webinar information, and findings from The Podcast Study 2026 are available at ThePodcastStudy.com.

About The Podcast Study 2026

The Podcast Study 2026 is a national research initiative from Point-To-Point Marketing and Strategic Solutions Research examining podcast consumption, discovery, loyalty, advertising effectiveness, audience growth, and engagement. The 2026 study is sponsored by Crooked Media, NPR, and PRX.

About Point-To-Point Marketing

Point-To-Point Marketing is an audience development agency working across podcasting, broadcast, streaming, YouTube, and ticketed events. Now in its 28th year, Point-To-Point develops and executes campaigns designed to generate measurable audience growth and engagement.

About Strategic Solutions Research

Strategic Solutions Research is a full-service research company providing strategic studies and content research for podcasting, radio, and television. Now in its 20th year, Strategic has conducted research throughout the United States and in 22 countries worldwide.