Quirky Podcast Listening Habits by Pat Rullo
As podcasting has become increasingly popular, it’s not uncommon for people to develop some quirky listening habits. I’m guilty of at least one of these quirks!
Listening at Double Speed
One of podcast listeners’ most popular quirky habits is listening to podcasts at double speed. This means the podcast is played back at twice its normal speed, allowing listeners to consume more content in less time. Thanks to “playback speed” features on podcast apps, listeners can speed up the episode playback up to 3x the original speed. This allows them to consume more content in less time. In addition, some habitual podcast listeners tend to fast-forward through parts of the episode that they find unnecessary or boring, such as commercials or mundane details.
This habit might sound bizarre initially, but it’s growing increasingly common among podcast listeners who are short on time but still want to stay up-to-date on their favorite shows. While some people find this habit disorienting or distracting, others swear by it and claim that it allows them to listen to more podcasts in less time. Personal note: I do this often, especially if the host or guest is a slow talker. Then, I listen at 1.5 – 1.75 increased speed. Have I become a Podfaster?
Binge-Listening Sessions
Another widespread habit among podcast listeners is binge listening. Like binge-watching TV shows have become popular in recent years, some people enjoy binge-listening to podcasts. This typically involves finding a podcast they enjoy and listening to multiple episodes back-to-back or in succession. A survey found that around 22% of all podcast listeners binge-listen to their favorite podcasts for an average of 2-4 hours. Yikes – I could never do this.
Obsessing Over Show Notes
Some podcast listeners are obsessed with show notes, which are each episode’s written descriptions or summaries. They may read through show notes to ensure they don’t miss important information or learn more about the hosts and guests. While show notes can be helpful, some people take it to the extreme and spend more time reading them than actually listening to the podcast. Nope! Don’t do that either.
Being a Completionist
In the world of podcasting, a completionist is someone who feels the need to listen to every single episode of a particular podcast. While this habit can sometimes be satisfying, it can also become cumbersome and time-consuming. Additionally, not every episode of every podcast will be enjoyable or relevant to every listener, so there’s no need to force yourself to listen to everything. This sounds exhausting.
In the Shower
Listening to a podcast in the shower may seem strange, but it is an excellent way to multitask. You can catch up on your favorite podcast while washing your hair or shaving. Just don’t get electrocuted or ruin your device in the process. I don’t do this either because shower time is always a magical brainstorming opportunity. So many great ideas have been born in my shower!
Podcast Listening Groups
With so much content available, choosing what to listen to and how to keep track of it all can be overwhelming. This is where podcast listening groups come in. A podcast listening group is a group of people who come together to listen to and discuss podcasts. Kind of like a book group. They aim to create a community with a common interest in podcasts. Hmmm … look out dating apps!
More
I know people who listen to podcasts while getting a manicure, at the dentist, during a massage, acupuncture, donating blood, or at the hair salon. This makes sense if you don’t care to be in the moment.
Then there are times and places where listening to a podcast is inappropriate or impolite such as during a meeting, at a place of worship, or during a meal with others. Talk about a next-level listener!
Podcast statistics show that 82.4% of podcast listeners spend more than seven hours weekly listening to podcasts. That’s a lot of listening and good news for podcasters!
I’m sure there are more. Do you have any interesting, quirky podcast listening habits? If so, let me know, and I’ll add them to the list.
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