Research led by One Day: Podcast Ad Consumption and Listener Behaviour.

We’ve conducted an independent research study, with surveys that measured the podcast listeners ad skipping rate and listening behaviours.

In this piece, we analysed the habits of 1,000 active podcast listeners to understand how they interact with audio advertising. The hypothesis was that listeners skip ads by default. While the data confirms high avoidance rates, it also reveals specific opportunities for brands that are willing to adapt their strategy.

Read below our analysis of the key findings and the strategic behaviours advertisers should adopt.

81% of Listeners Avoid Ads.

Our ad consumption data shows that 81% of listeners actively avoid ads. Specifically, 60% manually skip using their device, while 21% "tune out" and treat the ad as background noise. Only 18% of listeners actively listen to the content. This confirms that attention is not guaranteed; it must be earned immediately.

47% Listen if Under 15s.

We identified what prevents a listener from skipping. The leading factor is brevity, with 47% of listeners stating they will stay if an ad is under 15 seconds. The second factor is entertainment, with 38% staying if the ad is funny or entertaining. Notably, only 14% are motivated by discount codes. This proves that respecting the listener's time and entertaining them is far more valuable than a financial incentive.

51% Search the Product Later.

This graph highlights a major attribution gap. 51% of listeners behave by searching for the product later, whereas only 14% click a link immediately. This indicates that podcasting is a memory-encoding channel rather than a direct-response channel. Listeners are consuming content on the go and are unlikely to interrupt their session to click a link.

45% of Trust for Podcasts versus 4% for Social Media.

The podcast environment holds significant credibility. 45% of listeners trust podcast ads more than social media ads, while only 4% trust social media more. This high-trust environment allows brands to borrow equity from the host, creating a premium perception that is difficult to replicate on other digital channels.

Audience Profile

The core demographic is Millennials (aged 25-44), making up 54% of the audience, with Spotify being the dominant platform at 47%. This is a discerning, digital-first audience. They actively reject aggressive sales tactics, engaging only with content that feels genuinely relevant.

What does this mean for brands?

Podcasts are effective for audience trust.

The research highlights how easily a media channel can be misinterpreted. Far from reducing the value of the medium, the data confirms that podcasting is a sophisticated environment where engagement is earned, not assumed. We remain convinced that this is a premier channel for brands, offering a level of trust and intimacy that social feeds cannot replicate. The behaviour we observe is simply a filter for relevance, where the data indicates that the traditional direct response playbook is ineffective in podcasting. Advertisers using long scripts and tracking immediate clicks are misreading the channel.

To turn this listener discernment into a competitive advantage, we recommend the following strategic considerations below.

Ad Consumption

While the data indicates a high skipping rate, this is largely a reaction to creative that is not tailored to the audio environment. Listeners are simply bypassing interruptions that break the flow of their content. Consequently, the "active listener" metric should be treated as a high-value segment rather than a low-volume one.

Required approach: When planning your media mix, it is crucial to look beyond the raw CPM and consider the "effective" cost of reaching this engaged audience. To mitigate avoidance, the smartest investment is often in sponsorships or integrated host-reads, which naturally align with the content and bypass the listener's urge to skip.

The 15-Second Mandate

You don’t need 60 seconds to sell a product. You need 15 seconds to grasp attention. The 47% preference for short ads suggests that respecting the listener's time is the best way to buy their attention.

Required approach: Be ruthless with your copy. Prioritise a single, punchy message over a list of product features. If the script cannot be read comfortably in 15 seconds, it is too long.

Entertainment Over Offers

A 20% discount code is not a strong hook. Listeners are there for the show, so the ad must feel like part of the entertainment value.

Required approach: Give hosts creative freedom. A funny, unscripted 30-second read that integrates with the show's tone is far more valuable than a compliant, dry script. We are buying mental availability, not immediate transactions.

Measure Search, Not Clicks

Most brands fail because they measure success by immediate link clicks. The data shows that 51% of users search for the brand later.

Required approach: Stop optimising for immediate clicks or promo code usage. Instead, measure Share of Search and Organic Lift. Monitor Google Search Console for spikes in branded search terms during your campaign flights. This captures the audience that heard the ad, remembered it, and searched for it on their own terms.

The Behavioural Approach: How to stop listeners from skipping your ad

Podcast listeners are smart and quick to skip. To capture this audience, brands must be quicker, funnier, and respectful of podcast listeners are smart and quick to skip. To capture this audience, brands must be quicker, funnier, and respectful of the medium. This requires a shift in perspective, viewing the ad not as a break in the content, but as a continuation of it. When creative aligns with the intimacy of the format, it builds mental availability, ensuring the brand remains top-of-mind long after the episode concludes. the medium. The goal is not to force a click but to build a memory that drives a search later in the day.

Learn more about spotify advertising, and podcast advertising with us!

Frequently Asked Questions.

We rely on partners like YouGov and more to gather data. For this study, we surveyed 1,000 active podcast listeners across the UK to get a clear, accurate picture of how people actually listen.
Brands are welcome to advertise at the Private Jet Centre's welcoming area, which is positioned away from the main terminal but uses the same main entrance point from the road. The area also provides advertising panels within the fast-track security screening area, high-end lounges, and across the runway viewing panels.
Yes. We commissioned this study ourselves to get an unbiased view of the market. We are not trying to sell specific ad slots, so we can focus on the hard truths about listener behaviour rather than just the positives.
There are no less than 45 potential sites, each with multiple screens, with at least six of the concourse displays visible to passengers from any location.
Of course, we can provide tailored advice and guidance about the right solutions based on your budget, campaign duration, and the responses you want to initiate.
We focused specifically on active listeners in the UK, people who listen to podcasts every week, and more than twice a week. This ensures the data reflects the habits of the actual audience brands are paying to reach, rather than casual users.
This placement has been designed at a massive scale, ensuring audiences can’t miss it or fail to see your advertising.
A similar set-up is available through the West Pier Arrivals hall, with an equally full-height range of screens that showcase premium advertising to all arrivals. This ensures that 100% of travellers landing at London City are exposed to your messaging.
Because you need to understand the problem to fix it. By analysing why people skip ads, we can identify exactly what stops them, like keeping ads under 15 seconds, and help brands create content that gets heard.
The data points to three clear actions: move budget towards host-read ads, keep scripts short and entertaining, and measure success by looking at search volume rather than immediate clicks.

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