Podtrac Reveals New Data From Its Largest Worldwide Database of Podcasting Demographics
MRI Index is Off the Charts for Podcast Listeners and Viewers
WASHINGTON, DC, May 30, 2006
Podtrac, a leader in connecting podcasters and advertisers, today announced it has developed the largest podcasting demographics database worldwide with over 55,000 detailed demographic profiles, representing more than 22 million U.S. podcast listeners and viewers. Podtrac also announced the findings from its most recent quarterly survey. Survey findings demonstrate that over half (56%) of the podcast audiences are listening and viewing podcasts on their computers 46% on a portable device, and the vast majority (88%) listen or view the entire podcast episode. Findings include that Podcast audiences are frequent online shoppers (76% shopped online in the past 30 days and 57% spent more than $200 online in the past 12 months). When comparing the survey results with the MRI Survey of the American Consumer, the index figures for the podcast audience is very high. In addition, awareness continues to grow as 41% of U.S. online adults were aware of term "podcasting" at the end of Q1 2006 versus 32% at the end of Q4 2005.
"Accurate demographics are critical in order to engage advertising agencies and large brands to test market podcast advertising as a component of their media campaigns," said Mark McCrery CEO and Co-Founder of Podtrac. "With over 79,000 podcasts and the exponential growth of the audio and video podcast medium, media fragmentation is a given. As a result, Podtrac aggregates podcasts, per the target demographics of each campaign and ultimately achieves desired reach and frequency objectives," said McCrery.
Podtrac is surveying and representing many of the top independent podcasts and large media company podcasts on the iTunes 100 including: Happy Tree Friends, Mugglecast, This Week in Tech, VOD Cars, Channel Frederator, Ask a Ninja and Associated Press. Several of these podcasts have 200,000 listeners or viewers per episode. According to Podtrac's measurement services 75% of podcast listeners and viewers come from iTunes.
Examples of the strength of Mediamark Research Inc.'s (MRI) indexes to the American consumer uncovered that TWiT (This Week in Tech) has a 392 Index value for podcast listeners and viewers who have spent more than $200 online in the past 12 months. Also, Slashdot Review has a 194 Index value for annual household income over $100,000. The Survey of the American Consumer is a national probability study of U.S. adult demographics, media and product usage, attitudes and lifestyle.
"Podcast listeners and viewers consistently display high index numbers for income, education and online shopping," said Paul Gold, Vice President of Market Solutions at MRI. "MRI's data in conjunction with Podtrac's survey are proving that the podcasting medium can be an interesting new component of advertising."
About MRI
Founded in 1979, MRI interviews 26,000 U.S. adults in their homes each year, asking about their use of media, their consumption of products and their lifestyles and attitudes.
MRI is the country's leading provider of magazine audience and multimedia research data. The company releases data from The Survey of the American Consumer (adults 18+) twice yearly, in the spring and fall. MRI data have become the basic media-planning currency for the majority of the media plans that are created each year by national advertisers and their agencies. The company's 26,000 in-home interviews each year represent the biggest survey of its kind.
MRI is part of GfK Group AG, Nuremberg, Germany.
About Podtrac
Podtrac's services for podcasters and advertisers provide the first complete system for podcast advertising insertion and podcast measurement. Podtrac has developed the largest database of podcast demographics worldwide representing more than 22 million U.S. podcast listeners and viewers. Podtrac is privately held with headquarters in Washington D.C. and an office in New York. For more information contact Podtrac at: www.podtrac.com.