Why should you even be worried about reaching an extended audience? Well did you know that the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 77 years old, as of 2020[1]?
While technology is the norm in our society, it’s safe to assume that a healthy dose of the elderly population probably isn’t savvy to using podcast apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, or Audible. Additionally, if your extended audience targets the military, caregivers, or those living off the grid, you might be wondering how to get in front of even more people. That’s where Dial-a-Podcast comes in.
Check out the statistics:
Internet Usage By Age
When Dial-a-Podcast was started, at the height of worldwide shutdowns, many of those 65+ years old weren’t attending church because of the risk of illness. In a time when many were turning to video streaming to continue reaching their audience, the elderly were likely missing out because they don’t use the internet. According to a Pew Research Study, most recently updated in 2021[2], 25% of people aged 65+ don’t use the internet.
Telephone Access By Age
Yet, the telephone (in its most basic form) still remains a near universal access system! Adoption of a smartphone by the elderly population has increased from 13% to 61% since 2012[3], but the studies have shown that they use it as well… a phone. These statistics make dialing-in an ideal and easy-to-use medium for sharing audio content.
A Decline in Need for the Internet?
A recent study by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) showed that a shocking 1-in-5 households in the U.S. are not hooked up to the internet at home, with a whopping 58% of those saying it’s because they simply don’t want to![4] Another 4% in 2022 said it’s because it’s not available where they live. With that kind of disconnection, having a service that can still connect people to relevant, interesting, and important content via a dial-in service could be vital.
Connecting With Service Members
While our nation has withdrawn from a time of war in the middle east, we still have a large majority of personnel deployed around the world. In summer 2022, of our 1.4 million U.S. military personnel, there were over 165,000 service members deployed outside of the U.S.[5] – that’s over 10%! While technology and communications have definitely improved over the years, the likelihood of every service member having access to a smartphone and being allowed streaming apps is low. Yet, Dial-a-Podcast members can likely reach this extended audience by leveraging one of our global call-in numbers!
