Podcast advertising has moved from an emerging trend to an essential part of modern media planning. With podcast spending expected to reach $4.46 billion in 2025, the brands that get results will be the ones who treat podcasts as partnerships with trusted voices. The real question isn’t whether to advertise, but which hosts and communities actually fit your brand’s story.
In today’s Plain Talk, we’ll look at why podcasts have become such a powerful channel. You’ll discover when it makes sense to add podcasts to your media strategy, plus find best practices to help you get the most from your investment.
The technology behind podcasts became available to listeners in 2003, with the actual term “podcast” coined in 2004. Former MTV VJ Adam Curry and software developer Dave Winer are credited with pioneering this new, on-demand style of audio content that listeners could subscribe to and stream or download.
In 2005, Steve Jobs referred to podcasts as “the future of audio.” For a while, consumers and the marketing industry were intensely interested in podcasts. However, while the format was lauded as the next big thing, consumer adoption and the scale required for media monetization didn’t really materialize. Many of us thought the podcast was destined to become a resident of the technology junk heap next to the Apple Newton and the Zune MP3 player.
The advertising industry takes notice
What our industry failed to realize was that for the next decade, a slow and steady groundswell of loyal podcasters and their listeners was building the critical mass that the medium lacked early on. Then, in 2014, the podcast universe had its first megahit, the true-crime drama Serial. Suddenly, the ad industry was talking about the resurgence of podcasting. But in truth, it was never gone – just growing quietly.
So why the growth after all this time? Until recently, podcast advertising was treated as more of an experimental spend in media plans. But with growth in high-quality programming, some high-profile hits to spark renewed national interest, and steadily expanding loyal audiences, marketers are now looking to podcasts as a high-attention, hyper-targeted consideration within the digital audio space.
A huge hurdle to making the leap from experimental medium to the mainstream was the addition of increased targeting capabilities along with IAB-released guidelines (in 2018) establishing a standardized set of ad metrics. This ultimately gave advertisers more confidence in their spend. In addition, improvements in attribution and pixel-based measurement, paired with expanding programmatic options, have made podcast campaigns easier to plan and optimize at scale.
How to Advertise on a Podcast
While podcasts remain a strong channel for brand awareness, a large portion of podcast advertising is still direct-response oriented — often baked into the conversation via host-read spots rather than being dynamically inserted after download or stream. That said, use of dynamically inserted (programmatic) ads is rising.
Here are common ways brands integrate advertising in podcasts:
Pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll
Ads are placed at the beginning (pre-), middle (mid-), or end (post-) of a podcast episode. Pre-roll and post-roll spots tend to run around 15-30 seconds, while mid-rolls are generally longer — often 30 seconds or more depending on the show.
“70% of listeners say podcast ads make them aware of new products and 47% say they are more likely to consider a brand after hearing a podcast ad.”
Working directly with a show (or group of shows) lets you tap into the host’s audience and credibility. Many hosts only promote products or services they genuinely believe in or that align with their show’s tone — similar to influencer marketing on social media. That authenticity can make a big difference. Even B2B brands (or niche offerings) can benefit: instead of a standard ad, a guest appearance or branded content could be a better fit for thought-leadership or credibility-building.
Some brands also go a step further and produce full branded-podcasts. This gives them control over content, tone, and messaging within a long-form format.
Dynamically inserted ads
Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI), sometimes called programmatic podcast advertising, is growing quickly. It works by inserting pre-produced ads at playback. This gives advertisers more flexibility and better targeting. It also makes campaigns easier to manage. This flexibility makes it easier to buy and scale podcast advertising. For many advertisers (especially those focused on direct response, conversions, or reaching specific demographics) DAI now offers a compelling alternative to traditional baked-in or host-read ads.
The Keys to Successful Podcast Advertising Success
As with any good media component, the strategy in how you use the vehicle is key. So how can you ensure your dollars are well spent in an effective way that actually drives results? We’ve identified a few keys to success:
1. Targeting is crucial
Whether you DIY or work with a network, you have to be sure that you are reaching the right audience. Podcast listeners are very loyal, remember ad messages and find them engaging — when they fit with the audience and the program. Identify whether the host and the listeners fit your desired demographic and whether the program makes sense for your product.
Particularly when using the host as an influencer, it can’t feel forced or it won’t have the desired effect. You don’t always have to go for the biggest podcasts. In fact, some of the smaller shows will provide even more customization and partnership opportunities, and you may find an even more loyal audience here.
Some big advertisers understand the importance of aligning targeting and content. For example, industry tracking shows sharp growth in podcast ad spending. Q4 2024 saw a 19% year-over-year increase, and new advertisers pushed into the top-spending group. Today, a wide range of industries — from retail and technology to financial services — make up a meaningful share of podcast ad revenue. That’s a clear sign that podcasts have become a solid option for many brands.
In short, podcast advertising in 2025 isn’t limited to a handful of players anymore. More advertisers are combining host-read and programmatic placements to connect with highly engaged audiences.
2. Trust the host
The host is the star of the show, and they are the reason for such a loyal group of listeners. Sometimes, brands should work directly and drop the script. Instead, provide actionable bullet points the host can use to craft a message he believes in. Not only is it more authentic, it tends to drive better results. Just understand you may have to sacrifice some element of brand safety, similar to any other form of influencer marketing.
“71% of listeners say they trust podcast hosts more than other media personalities.”
The podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is an example where he either makes fun of the advertiser or himself in some way. For example, he sometimes starts his ad segments with “Conan O’Brien Pays Off the Mortgage on His Beach House.” However, it’s good-natured fun and done in a way that makes the ad read more enjoyable — more like a segment than an interruption.
3. Test performance and refine approach
Dynamically inserted ads may lend themselves best to typical A/B tests. You can (and should) test your ad positions, audiences (maybe one group of listeners is more responsive than others), and messages. You can even test between host-read and dynamically inserted ads. Even with host-read messages, allow the host to make tweaks and try different things.
In order to effectively test, you need to ensure you have the measurement tools set up to capture data and make decisions. Promo codes, vanity URLs or checkout surveys are good ways to track offline conversions for a direct response campaign. For brand awareness, you want to work with your team to look at social media engagement, website visits and social traffic.
4. Consider the full funnel
Many third-party tools allow you to track results using pixel-based attribution. While this can help with measurement, it can also help move more potential consumers through your sales funnel. By using the pixel, you can develop a sequential messaging strategy by using display or video ads to retarget people (on social or online) with additional information.
5. Be patient
Because most podcasts are still downloaded (though streaming continues to grow), there can be a lag between the start of advertising and the realization of sales results. Be patient — it may be a slower build. But with a loyal and engaged audience, it’s likely to pay off in the long run.
Get Expert Help With Your Podcast Advertising
Want to find out if podcast advertising is right for your brand? Need more information about how to leverage podcasts to differentiate and enhance your media strategy? Contact us here or give us a call at 502-499-4209.
Updated: 12/11/2025
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