The news: Podcasts are emerging as a high-attention channel that converts listeners into buyers. In a conversation with EMARKETER, Chris Wilson, CEO of Tenetic, affirmed the strength of podcasts at driving measurable results for marketers seeking attentive, engaged audiences in specific demographics.

The podcast advantage: Podcast advertising differs from other formats because it unfolds in intentional, lean-forward moments. “Podcasts don’t interrupt—they invite,” Wilson said. Listeners opt in, becoming part of the host’s story and community instead of passively encountering ads mid-scroll; podcasts are “more of a conversation… versus a lean-back experience that you get with other media.”

Data backs up Wilson’s argument.

• Podcast listeners are highly engaged, with 55% of weekly consumers listening to at least six hours of podcasts every week. One-third of Americans identify as weekly listeners, according to Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights.
• Engagement translates into direct actions: 26% of listeners visit a brand’s social media page after hearing an ad, and 27% search for more information about a brand.
• This leads to direct purchases: 22% of monthly listeners made an immediate purchase after hearing a podcast ad, well above streaming services (13%), Instagram (13%), and YouTube (12%), per Sounds Profitable and Signal Hill Insights.

Targeting key audiences: Wilson pointed to Tenetic data underscoring podcasting’s power to connect with younger consumers. Nearly one in three listeners is 30 or under, per Tenetic, and that consumption habit is unlikely to diminish over time. Podcasts cultivate engagement among high-value demographics, giving brands the chance to build loyalty early. And as older listeners age up, “younger audiences flow into [podcast consumption],” Wilson noted.

Implications for marketers: Podcast advertising is a performance driver, where engagement translates into site visits, searches, and immediate purchases—offering a rare opportunity to build brand affinity with a measurable response.

But marketers should note that creative strategy will boost results. Listeners are most likely to pay attention to podcast ads that are casually mentioned during the show (59% of listeners), host-read (52%), or told as a sponsored interview or story (50%), per National Research Group. Aligning ad formats with listener expectations will increase authenticity and effectiveness.