A Survey among Podcast Enthusiasts: What Leads to More User Loyalty

 An Exploratory Study among Podcast Enthusiasts: Factors Influencing Audience Loyalty
Shaho Sabbar[1]; Albert Boghosian[2]; Shaghayegh Nosrati[3]
 
 
Abstract
This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to audience loyalty towards podcasts. Firstly, a comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to compile a list of 20 media attributes that potentially influence audience loyalty to a media outlet. Additionally, a questionnaire consisting of 12 items, based on previous studies, was developed to measure the level of loyalty. A group of podcast enthusiasts were then asked to evaluate the presence of these 20 attributes in their favorite podcast by responding to Likert-scale questions. Simultaneously, the loyalty of these individuals to their preferred podcast was assessed based on their responses to the 12 questions. A total of 768 participants completed the questionnaire. The study evaluated the significance and strength of the relationship between each of the 20 podcast attributes and audience loyalty. Out of the twenty attributes studied, seven demonstrated strong relationships with loyalty. These attributes include "meeting the audience's needs," "enhancing audience knowledge," "welcoming feedback," "valuing emotions and thoughts," "providing accurate information," "facilitating the sharing of useful information," and "targeted learning."
Keywords: Podcast, Podcasting, Audience, Loyalty, Audience Loyalty
 
Introduction
With sound playing a significant role in communication, podcasts, which utilize the auditory element, have become increasingly important in the digital media landscape (Majidi Ghahroudi & Golestani, 2011). In other words, podcasts align well with the demands of modern human life, blurring the line between face-to-face and virtual communications, and even harkening back to the era of verbal-auditory interactions (Tulley, 2011).
However, the proliferation of digital media and its extensive diversity pose a challenging task for media owners and practitioners in retaining their audience. This challenge applies to various media outlets, including podcasts, as well as their audiences or consumers. By incorporating loyalty-building attributes in their programming, podcasts that successfully prioritize these factors may attract new audiences at a lower cost, with these loyal listeners themselves bringing in new listeners (Keshvari, Pourkhililu, Khajestehfar, 2018).
Research Question
This study aims to address the following question by relying on individuals' personal evaluations of their favorite podcast(s) and measuring their level of loyalty to the same podcast(s): Which podcast attributes have correlation with the level of audience loyalty to them?
Methodology
This study seeks to determine which attributes of podcasts have correlations with the level of audience loyalty. As previously mentioned, this evaluation encompasses two aspects: podcast attributes and the level of loyalty. In this study, the term "podcast attributes" refers to the attributes as perceived by the audience. Audience loyalty, on the other hand, is a cognitive factor based on the audience's perception and behavior. Since both sides of the equation under investigation in this study are based on an individual's perspective, a survey method and questionnaire distribution are suitable for conducting the research.
One aspect of the study focuses on the attributes of podcasts. Previous studies in this field were examined to compile a list of potential media attributes that may have a significant relationship with audience loyalty to podcasts. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify and complete a list of media attributes (not exclusively related to podcasts) that may be relevant to loyalty. Finally, 20 characteristics were collected, with each being measured by a single question in the questionnaire.
The other side of the equation is loyalty. To measure loyalty, 12 questions were designed, and like the previous section, these questions also utilize a five-point Likert scale. The study does not examine the 12 questions independently; instead, the cumulative score obtained by an individual from their 12 responses represents their loyalty score.
Findings
A total of 768 individuals responded to the questions, and since answering these questions was mandatory in the questionnaire, this number remained consistent for all 32 questions. The questions are divided into two sections. The first section comprises 20 questions that examine the attributes of a medium based on indices provided in previous studies. Respondents indicated the presence or absence of each attribute in their favorite podcast using a five-option Likert scale (ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree).
As a result, it was determined that seven characteristics from the list of twenty podcast attributes showed a strong relationship with loyalty. These attributes include "meeting the audience's needs," "enhancing audience knowledge," "welcoming feedback to the podcast," "valuing emotions and thoughts," "providing accurate information," "facilitating the sharing of useful information," and "targeted coverage." Additionally, eleven characteristics demonstrated a moderate relationship, including "priority of this podcast for those interested in this field," "ease and speed of access," "creating interaction with people from diverse cultures and languages," "suitability of service delivery speed," "improving the productivity and efficiency of communication," "updating audience information," "addressing audience criticism," "being informative," "creating convenience in information exchange," "strengthening relationships between people," and "creating access to the growth of visits and participation of new audiences". Two characteristics, "long-term relationship" and "establishing a friendly and close relationship," showed a weak relationship with loyalty and can be considered less significant.
The list of influential podcast attributes developed by this research can play an important role in designing a podcast loyalty model, making it valuable for researchers, media owners, and others. To foster loyalty towards their podcast, media owners should strive to enhance these 18 attributes as perceived by their audie