Methodology for Podtrac's Free Podcast Audience Survey

Podtrac Audience Survey - Methodology and Value

The Podtrac Audience Survey is a tool that profiles participating podcasts. The results of the Podcast Audience Survey are specifically designed to allow podcasters and their advertisers to more effectively deliver audience-specific content and advertisements. This improves the overall listening/viewing experience and creates efficiencies in advertising and production.

Methodology

To accurately profile the listeners or viewers of various podcasts, the Podtrac Audience Survey must be conducted in a methodologically sound manner. To this end, Podtrac employed Taylor Nelson Sofres, the world's largest custom market research company, on the design of the project. Podtrac is solely responsible for the execution of all research.

The Podtrac Audience Survey is an ongoing survey with results compiled on a quarterly basis. Listeners and viewers are directed to a web-based survey where they are asked to rate the podcast which directed them to the survey. Various demographic information, usage patterns, and opinions about participating podcasts are also collected. The survey takes about 5-10 minutes to complete.

Survey respondents are qualified to only participate once per fielding period. The main reason is to eliminate any bias in the results so that profiles of the entire audience base can accurately be assessed. Technologies are employed to prevent participants from completing the survey multiple times.

Using the Data

Survey results are designed to be used to determine the most relevant programming for specific podcast audience groups and to structure effective, targeted advertising strategies. Demographic questions in the survey are structured so that listeners and viewers can be profiled on several demographic variables, including age, industry, job description, organization size, and education level. Additional questions allow for measuring overall audience satisfaction levels of specific podcasts. Specific performance attributes, such as reliability, are also measured in order to determine which areas may need improvement.

The questionnaire has a flexible design that allows for accurate audience profiling, as well as more advanced analysis when needed. Simple aggregations of individual questions can be extremely powerful methods for determining podcast profiles. Combining the results of two individual questions (cross-tabulations) can provide even more in-depth information. The standard report design provided to each participating podcaster makes for an effective tool for audience profiling.

Podtrac greatly appreciates the participation of everyone involved in this research effort. For more information on how to analyze the results of this survey, or to participate in further Podtrac research efforts, please contact us.