Digital audio is the most undervalued, underestimated channel in local marketing. While businesses fight over the same screens, U.S. internet users spend more than 7 hours a week listening to streaming music, and nearly half listen to podcasts every week. That’s hours of attention in the car, at the gym and at work, when no screen can reach them.
7:23
Hours and minutes per week U.S. internet users ages 16+ spend listening to music streaming services, 2 hours 22 minutes more than the worldwide average. (GWI, Q2 2026)
The U.S. by the numbers
GWI’s latest survey data, published in DataReportal’s October 2026 report with We Are Social and Meltwater, shows how much of Americans’ week goes to digital audio:
- 73.7% listen to streaming music every week. Nearly 3 in 4 U.S. internet users ages 16+ use services like Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music or Amazon Music each week.
- 7 hours 23 minutes a week. That’s how long U.S. users spend with streaming music, compared with 5 hours 1 minute worldwide, and one of the 10 highest of any country measured.
- 3.31 days a week. The average U.S. user streams music on about half the days of the week, above the worldwide average of 3.10.
- 46.8% listen to podcasts every week. Nearly half of U.S. internet users, on an average of 1.54 days a week.
Put together, that’s a big, loyal audience listening several times a week, for hours at a time.
Why digital audio is undervalued
Most local businesses put their money into what they can see: social posts, display ads, search. Audio gets overlooked because it’s invisible on a dashboard. That’s exactly why it’s an opportunity:
- It reaches people when screens can’t. Driving, cooking, working out, working. Those are hours your competitors’ banner ads never touch.
- Less clutter. A social feed shows dozens of ads in a few minutes. An audio break plays a handful of messages, one at a time, and yours gets the listener’s full ear.
- A voice builds trust. Hearing a real owner, doctor or attorney explain what they do creates a connection a logo can’t. It’s the same reason local radio still works.
- Precise local targeting. Streaming audio and podcast ads can be aimed by ZIP code, age and interests, so you only pay to reach listeners in your market.
- Affordable to produce. A strong 30-second audio spot takes a script, a voice and a studio, not a film crew, so you can refresh your message often.
Underestimated, but extremely powerful for local businesses
Digital audio works best for businesses people choose by name and by trust: a dentist, a personal injury attorney, an air conditioning company, a restaurant, a jeweler. The listener may not act the moment they hear your ad, but when the need comes up, your name is the one they remember. Pair it with radio, streaming TV and social, and the same message follows your customers through their whole day: in the car, on the couch and on their phone.
How Sunray Media Consultants puts you in their ears
We write and produce your audio commercials, from script and voice to a finished mix, then place them on streaming music services, podcasts and local radio targeted to your market. We report what the campaign reaches and what it produces every month. See our audio commercial production and TV and radio media buying services.
Your customers are listening right now. Book a free marketing diagnostic and we’ll show you how digital audio can put your business in their ears.
Sources
- DataReportal, Digital 2026 October Global Statshot Report (We Are Social and Meltwater): “Listening to streaming music,” “Frequency of listening to streaming music,” “Time spent listening to streaming music,” “Listening to podcasts” and “Frequency of listening to podcasts,” GWI data for internet users ages 16+, Q2 2026. datareportal.com.
