The busiest stretch of the retail year is nearly here, and there’s still time to make your Black Friday and Christmas media plan work harder with podcasts.
Shoppers are starting to research gifts, compare options and work out where their money goes. And podcasts are right there with them, now reaching 55% of Australians aged 10+ every month, according to The Infinite Dial 2026.¹ That’s a chance to put your brand in front of highly engaged listeners while they’re still deciding what to buy.
For brands, the opportunity is clear. For brands, the maths is simple. Podcasts get the kind of attention other channels have to beg for. Pair the right genre with the right shopping mindset, and listening turns into buying.
Key facts: podcast advertising in Australia, Black Friday and Christmas
- 55% of Australians aged 10+ listen to a podcast every month, according to The Infinite Dial 2026 (Edison Research).¹
- 62.4% of Australian Business podcast listeners are regular clothing shoppers, according to Triton Digital Demos+ Australian Survey Data.²
- Australian Technology podcast listeners are 37% more likely than the average podcast listener to plan a home-tech purchase in the next 12 months, according to Triton Digital Demos+ Australian Survey Data.²
- Australian Kids & Family podcast listeners are 39% more likely than the average podcast listener to plan a furniture purchase in the next 12 months, according to Triton Digital Demos+ Australian Survey Data.²
- Marketing professor Mark Ritson recommends brands invest around 11% of their media budget in audio.⁴
Why is podcast advertising effective for Black Friday and Christmas?
Podcasts give brands a different way in. Listeners specifically choose what they listen to, and they tune in during everyday moments: the commute, the gym, the school run, the evening wind-down - even when they're shopping. That makes a podcast a personal, focused environment for a brand message, away from the noise of a crowded feed.
Want to reach fashion shoppers? Start with Business podcasts
In Australia, Business podcasts are the strongest fit for fashion brands: 62.4% of Business podcast listeners are regular clothing shoppers.² Technology, Arts and Society & Culture podcast listeners all sit above 60% too.
Clothing has the broadest appeal of any category in the data. For fashion brands, that means podcasts offer scale as well as targeting. You can reach clothing shoppers across several genres, not just one.
Targeting tech buyers? Technology podcast audiences over-index by 37%
In Australia, Technology podcasts are the strongest fit for home-tech brands: 40.6% of Technology podcast listeners plan to buy home tech in the next 12 months, making them 37% more likely than the average podcast listener (index 137).²
Black Friday is the moment for the new TV or laptop, and these listeners are already planning tech purchases. They choose to spend their time on tech content, which makes them a natural audience for brands with big-ticket tech offers.
Reaching furniture shoppers? Kids & Family podcasts lead the way
In Australia, Kids & Family podcasts are the strongest fit for furniture and homeware brands: 36.4% of Kids & Family podcast listeners plan to buy furniture in the next 12 months, making them 39% more likely than the average podcast listener (index 139).²
The timing matters too. Homeware and furniture was one of last year’s fastest-growing Black Friday categories, according to ING Australia’s Black Friday Consumer Research.³ The audience planning those purchases is already tuning in.
Which podcast audiences should retail brands target this Black Friday?
Match your brand to the right genre. Each podcast genre over-indexes for a different category: Business podcasts for clothing, Technology podcasts for home tech, and Kids & Family podcasts for furniture.²
Your audiences are already in shopping mode, just not all in the same aisle:
| Category | Strongest podcast genre | Audience share | Index vs average podcast listener |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing | Business | 62.4% are regular clothing shoppers | – |
| Home tech | Technology | 40.6% plan to buy in the next 12 months | 137 (37% more likely) |
| Furniture | Kids & Family | 36.4% plan to buy in the next 12 months | 139 (39% more likely) |
Source: Triton Digital Demos+ Australian Survey Data, Q3'24 – Q2'26.²
What are Australia’s most popular podcasts right now?
Hamish & Andy (LiSTNR, SCA) is Australia’s most popular podcast, with 871,392 monthly listeners in Commercial Radio & Audio’s September 2026 Australian Podcast Ranker. And, three of the top five podcasts come from commercial radio networks, showing the pull commercial audio has with podcast audiences.
Australian Podcast Ranker top five podcasts, September 2026
| Podcast | Publisher | Monthly listeners | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamish & Andy | LiSTNR (SCA) | 871,392 |
| 2 | Mamamia Out Loud | Mamamia | 796,760 |
| 3 | ABC News Top Stories | Australian Broadcasting Corporation | 533,611 |
| 4 | Life Uncut | LiSTNR (SCA) | 480,306 |
| 5 | SEN Breakfast | Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) | 456,417 |
Source: September 2026 Australian Podcast Ranker.
Explore the full September 2026 Australian Podcast Ranker results
Why does radio talent matter for podcast advertisers?
Radio talent matters because listeners already know and trust these hosts from their daily listening. Familiar personalities carry that relationship into on-demand audio, which gives brands a strong environment for their message.
How should brands plan podcast advertising for peak season?
Brands should plan podcast advertising for peak season by matching podcast genres to product categories, then pair these podcast partnerships with commercial radio for reach. The steps below work for brand-side marketers and media agencies alike.
- Start with the category, not the channel. Work out which podcast audiences over-index for what you sell, then build the plan around those genres.
- Spread fashion spend, focus specialist spend. Clothing appeals across several genres, so fashion brands can spread their spend. Home-tech and furniture brands get more from focusing on Technology and Kids & Family podcasts.
- Use the talent. Host-read ads let trusted personalities deliver your message in their own voice, which suits the personal, one-to-one feel of podcast listening.
- Time it to the shopping journey. Build awareness in the weeks before Black Friday while shoppers research, then shift to offers and urgency as the sales and Christmas approach.
- Add commercial radio for scale. Podcasts deliver precision. Commercial radio delivers reach. Together, they cover both.
To talk about how podcasts and audio can work in your peak season plans, get in touch with helena.odowd@cra.au
Sources:
1. The Infinite Dial 2026, Edison Research. Data refers to Australians aged 10+.
2. Triton Digital Demos+ Australian Survey Data (Q3’24 – Q2’26). All percentages represent composition of each genre’s monthly P18+ podcast audience. Index compares each genre against all monthly podcast consumers (base = 100). Measures general purchase behaviour and intent, not Black Friday-specific intent.
3. ING Australia, Black Friday Consumer Research, November 2025.