About 18% of audio listeners say they avoid podcast and AM/FM ads, according to a study by Signal Hill in partnership with Ulster Media. And 61% of those who listen to podcasts say they are becoming increasingly tired of the recurrence and frequency of ads, which is up from 56% in 2023.

The study also showed that more than six in 10 podcast listeners have taken some action after hearing an ad: 32% of respondents have looked up more information about the product or service they heard about on a podcast, while 24% have talked to their family and friends about it. About 16% follow the product or service on social media, and 14% use promotional codes provided in a podcast. The usage of promotional codes is becoming more common, with a smaller amount of respondents (11%) using them in 2023.

In addition, monthly podcast listening among Canadians over 18 has increased three points this year. Daily listening has increased from 7% to 8.8%, marking the highest percentage increase recorded since Signal Hill began tracking podcast consumption in the country in 2017.

Canadians age 18 to 34 are the most frequent monthly listeners. Reported listening among French speakers was lower this year than in 2023 (24% vs. 28%). However, Francophone listeners have increased the time spent listening to audio, as well as the number of podcasts listened to weekly.

Compared to last year, YouTube has emerged as the most-used podcast platform, with 35% of respondents choosing it (29% in 2023), according to Signal Hill’s data. Spotify has declined in popularity (28% in 2024 vs. 31% in 2023), as has Apple Podcasts (15% in 2024 vs. 16% in 2023).

The most common way people find new podcasts is through their preferred podcast app (26%). Listeners also discover new pods through word of mouth and online (17% each), as well as social media (16%). True crime, society and culture podcasts are more popular among women, while sports, comedy and technology are more popular among men.