• Listened to by 61% of users over the last year, the podcast ranks as the second most consumed audio format in Spain
This summer, tuning in to analogue radio or looking for FM frequencies has taken a back seat on Spanish roads.
54% of digital audio consumers already use podcasts and audiobooks to liven up their journeys, making transportation one of the great engines of consumption for this format, according to the 2026 Digital Audio study prepared by IAB Spain, the association for advertising, marketing and digital communication in Spain, in collaboration with the agency Nethodology.
Thanks to the Internet, the car has been transformed into an on-demand entertainment space. Digital audio is no longer a residual trend, but a habit that is fully integrated into Spaniards’ day-to-day life: 82% of Internet users consume audio content on a regular basis.
For “Operation Outing”, the smartphone acts as the universal co-pilot for 79% of Spaniards, allowing drivers and passengers to decide what to listen to and when.
King of Operation Outing: The Podcast
The podcast has been crowned the star format to combat the boredom during traffic jams and long distance travel. Listened to by 61% of users over the past year, podcasts rank as the second most consumed audio format in the country, only streaming music streaming.
In fact, active user interest is still at an all-time high, with a 14% increase in searches on Google compared to the previous year.
In order to make their trips more enjoyable, Spaniards are choosing medium-length episodes (between 20 and 45 minutes), focusing their interest on universal themes such as entertainment (47%), current events (33%) and humor (33%).
The Audiobook Phenomenon Revolutionizes Summer
Literature has also adapted to the “hands-free” format.
The audiobook stars in the most disruptive change in cultural habits this summer, allowing users to “read” while driving, walking or resting in the sun. This format shows an unstoppable trend, since searches for audiobooks have grown by 19% over the past year and its real use rate already reaches 28% of Spanish Internet users -9 percentage points above previous years.
This consumption during mobilization represents a high-value showcase for advertisers. Currently, 84% of communication professionals already include digital audio in their media mix, attracted by the ability to segment and the context in which the listener is impacted. The effectiveness of advertising on the road is outstanding: 67% listeners remember listening to the advertising, and a prominent 11% of the active users end up acquiring the advertised product or brand.
Given this scenario, optimism is notable in the sector, as three out of every four professionals expect advertising investment in digital audio to continue to increase in the coming months.