SiriusXM Media’s Lizzie Collins on the power of podcasts for influencers

More people are listening to podcasts than ever before.

That’s according to this year’s The Podcast Consumer report from Edison Research, which also found that young people especially are deeply engaged with podcasts. According to survey results, 66% of U.S. listeners ages 13 to 24 listen to stay up to date with news and 84% listen to dig deeper into topics they’re interested in.

So are podcasters the new “more-trusted” social influencers?

“The short answer is yes, but I don’t think it’s just podcasts,” says Lizzie Collins on The Current Podcast. “Any influencer out there that is very invested in their craft and their trade, and having a commercial opportunity in being an influencer, understands the power of how podcasting, and how audio more specifically, helps them reach their audience.”

Collins points to podcaster Ashley Flowers as an example, saying that what Flowers’ audience discusses on social often informs her show.

“This ecosystem connection is what these influencers are after, and I think with the power of the podcast format they can tell deeper stories and deeper ‘why-to-buys’ for the products that are integrated,” Collins adds.

Collins also talks about the most popular podcast genres across the SiriusXM network, the growth of women’s sports, utilizing AI and how podcasting fits into omnichannel strategies.