How to Advertise in Podcasts
How to Advertise in Podcasts
Key Takeaways
Authenticity Wins: Host-read and sponsorship formats drive trust and purchase intent.
Targeting Flexibility: Podcasts allow brands to reach both niche and mass audiences, with programmatic offering new precision.
Expert Support: One Day Agency ensures your podcast campaigns are authentic, well-bought, and fully integrated with your wider media mix.
Podcasts have grown from niche passion projects into one of the most influential media channels of the last decade. With more than 21 million regular listeners in the UK and hundreds of millions globally, podcasts now offer brands an intimate and highly engaged environment for advertising. Unlike traditional broadcast media, podcasts deliver long-form, often personal storytelling, where ads can feel less like interruptions and more like trusted recommendations.
For marketers looking to connect with audiences in an authentic way, podcast advertising is one of the fastest-growing opportunities. In this article, we explore how to advertise in podcasts, the different ad formats available, targeting and buying models, and how to make campaigns effective.
1. Why Podcast Advertising Matters
Podcasts are uniquely positioned within the media mix because they combine on-demand choice with intimate, trusted relationships between hosts and listeners. Research consistently shows:
High Engagement: Podcast listeners are more likely to consume episodes in full, giving brands longer exposure.
Ad Recall: Host-read ads are remembered at far higher rates than traditional radio or digital display.
Purchase Intent: Listeners often see podcast ads as personal recommendations, making them more likely to act.
In the UK, podcast advertising revenues are projected to surpass £100m annually, with global growth continuing at double-digit rates.
2. Podcast Advertising Formats
Podcast ads come in several main types:
Pre-roll Ads
Placed at the start of an episode, these typically last 15–30 seconds and set the tone before the main content. They benefit from high listen-through rates.
Mid-roll Ads
Delivered partway through an episode, usually 30–60 seconds. These achieve the highest engagement, as listeners are already invested in the show and less likely to skip.
Post-roll Ads
Placed at the end of an episode. These are less expensive and lower engagement but still valuable for brand reinforcement.
Host-Read Endorsements
One of the most effective formats. The podcast host reads or improvises the ad copy, lending personal credibility and authenticity.
Programmatic / Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI)
Ads served dynamically, allowing targeting by geography, listener demographics, or behaviour. For example, two listeners of the same podcast might hear different ads depending on their location.
Branded Content and Sponsored Episodes
Some brands collaborate with podcast creators to produce sponsored episodes or mini-series, integrating the brand into the storytelling itself.
3. How Podcast Advertising is Bought
There are three main routes to podcast advertising:
Direct Buys with Podcast Networks or Shows
Brands negotiate directly with podcast creators or networks (such as Acast, Global, Wondery, or Spotify) for sponsorships or host-read ads.
Podcast Advertising Marketplaces
Platforms like Acast Marketplace, Spotify Ads, or Podcorn allow brands to browse inventory across multiple shows and audiences.
Programmatic Buying
Through DSPs (demand-side platforms), advertisers can buy podcast ad inventory dynamically, targeting listeners by geography, device, or behaviour.
Buying models typically include CPM (cost per mille impressions) for dynamically inserted ads, or flat fees for sponsorships of specific episodes or series.
4. Audience Targeting
Podcast audiences are often niche and highly engaged. Targeting can be based on:
Content / Genre: Aligning with relevant shows (finance, fitness, parenting, etc.).
Demographics: Based on listener data (age, gender, education).
Location: Targeting by city, region, or country.
Device and Platform: Ads served differently on mobile vs desktop.
Behavioural Data: Available in programmatic buys, such as interest in certain categories.
This flexibility allows brands to combine broad cultural reach (through top shows) with hyper-niche targeting (through specialist podcasts).
5. Costs and Pricing
Podcast advertising costs vary widely depending on format, audience size, and host popularity. Typical benchmarks:
CPMs: £15–£40 for dynamically inserted ads, depending on audience.
Host-Read Sponsorships: Can range from £500 per episode for smaller shows to £50,000+ for top-tier podcasts.
Branded Content: Bespoke series can run into six figures, but deliver deep storytelling and brand alignment.
Compared to TV or premium digital video, podcasts are cost-efficient and highly flexible.
6. Creative Considerations
To succeed in podcast advertising, creative should be:
Authentic: Listeners value honesty and personal connection. Host-read endorsements often outperform scripted spots.
Story-driven: Ads that tell a quick story or share a relatable problem-solution format resonate best.
Adapted by Format: Shorter ads for pre-roll, more detailed storytelling for mid-roll.
Call-to-Action Focused: Use promo codes, unique URLs, or QR codes to drive measurable response.
Importantly, creative should feel integrated into the podcast environment rather than overly polished or corporate.
7. Measurement and ROI
Podcast advertising has historically been harder to measure, but advances in technology are closing the gap. Key metrics include:
Downloads and Impressions: Number of listeners reached.
Completion Rates: Percentage of ads listened to in full.
Promo Code / URL Redemptions: Tracking sales uplift or conversions.
Brand Lift Studies: Measuring changes in awareness, consideration, and favourability.
Programmatic buys increasingly offer real-time reporting similar to digital display.
8. Challenges and Opportunities
Opportunities:
Deep listener engagement and authenticity.
Highly targeted and niche audiences.
Cost efficiency compared to traditional broadcast.
Strong ROI when using host-read or sponsorship formats.
Challenges:
Measurement is less standardised than in TV or digital video.
Creative must be carefully adapted to the medium.
Top shows are expensive and often oversubscribed.
Nonetheless, podcast advertising is one of the fastest-growing and most creative spaces in modern marketing.
How One Day Agency Can Help
At One Day Agency, we specialise in breaking down silos between creative, digital, and media buying. Podcasts sit at the crossroads of these worlds — requiring authentic creative, smart targeting, and efficient buying.
Our senior team helps brands:
Identify the right podcasts and networks, ensuring audience alignment.
Negotiate sponsorships and host-read ads, maximising authenticity and recall.
Build programmatic podcast campaigns, using data to target the right audiences efficiently.
Integrate podcasts into cross-channel strategies, linking audio with social, OOH, and performance marketing.
Measure ROI, using promo codes, attribution tracking, and brand lift studies to ensure investment delivers results.
Whether you want to sponsor a flagship podcast, run programmatic buys across niche audiences, or create branded audio content, One Day Agency can help you build effective, measurable campaigns.
