Ad fatigue could be killing your ROI. Enter podcasts.
We know, we know, “Everyone’s got a podcast.” According to Priori Data, there are over 5 million podcasts worldwide with more than 75 million episodes available as of 2024. With about 103 million downloads each month, an average episode length of 20-40 minutes, and the average listener spending about 7 hours a week listening, podcasts boast one of the most engaged and valuable audiences of any form of media. So why does this matter? Because in addition to being awesome, podcasts are perfect for getting your message directly to your ideal audience.
Would you like to target your ads based on podcast content? You can do that. What about targeting based on listener interests? Or online brand engagement? Or location? Or demographic info? Or, hold on to your hat, ALL of those things at once?! You can do that. With options like pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads to find the right engagement and timing options, host read or pre-produced audio, and custom urls and ad codes to track performance, these ads can be incredibly effective while remaining relatively unobtrusive. There’s something for everyone in the world of podcasts, which means you can advertise directly to niches and audiences that are incredibly relevant and likely interested in what you have to say. So let’s talk about how to say it.
1. Work with an agency
One of the easiest ways to get in on the podcast action is to find an agency (that part is easy; you found us!) that can help you place your ads programmatically to deliver your ads to your audience across a large inventory. They will work with you to build your ideal audience, establish a budget, and understand results based on goals you’ve created in collaboration. If you are running a B2C ecommerce brand, this might be your best bet for fast, scalable results.
2. Endemic ads
In endemic advertising, you can go directly to podcast hosts or networks to tailor ads specifically to a particular podcast or podcast network. A popular choice with this method is to have the host(s) read your ad on the podcast in their tone and from their perspective, making it more organic, conversational, and engaging. The tradeoff in control over the copy is worth it to some brands to gain the advantage of the listener being more comfortable and less likely to skip the ad. Agencies can help develop and manage these relationships, but it is also relatively easy to find contact information for the host(s) by using tools like pod.link. If your product or service is niche or high-end, you might consider endemic ads over a programmatic approach.
3. Start your own podcast
Yes, you too can have a podcast! All of the necessary tools such as mics, editing software, and hosting services are readily accessible and affordable, making the barrier to entry lower than ever. Hosting your own podcast is an excellent way to become more discoverable, speak directly to your audience in a way they understand, and establish yourself as an expert in your space. Talk about the challenges in your industry, trends you’re observing, the cool stuff you’re working on, or even interview other professionals or customers. You can make it weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, whatever schedule works for you, but reliability and consistency is key. Making sure your audience knows where and when they can expect a new episode is one of the key factors in gaining a regular listener base. By creating interesting and useful content, you can establish trust and find customers at the same time. This approach is especially productive in B2B spaces.
Whether it’s comedy, true crime, history, news, or anything in between, podcast content is reaching more people than ever. Since most listeners understand that they are supporting their favorite podcasters directly, ads are seen as an acceptable—and sometimes enjoyable—part of the experience. Whether you already have a content strategy, already work with some creators that could be a perfect fit for this approach, or you’re looking to add some fresh ideas to the portfolio, the beauty of podcast advertising is that it slots in seamlessly. Podcasts are the secret weapon in your marketing plan for 2025, so don’t miss out!
