Podcast Advertising: The Ultimate Guide [2026]
Everything you need to know about reaching the world's most engaged audiences through podcasting.
If you're reading this, you're probably curious about podcast advertising. Good instinct. It's one of the most effective ways to reach people who are paying attention, building trust, and driving real results for brands of every size.
Acast is the global authority on podcasting. We power the commercial ecosystem for over 140,000 shows and work with thousands of advertisers worldwide. This guide is where we share what we know, so you can make smarter decisions about your next campaign.
Whether you're exploring podcasting for the first time or looking to scale what's already working, this is your go-to resource for understanding how podcast advertising works in 2026, and how to get the most out of it.
What is podcast advertising?
Podcast advertising is paid marketing that lives within, around, or alongside podcast content. That can mean a short pre-recorded audio spot, a host-read sponsorship where the creator talks about your product in their own voice, or longer-form branded content like dedicated segments or entire series.
But here's what's changed. In 2026, a podcast isn't just an audio file delivered via RSS. It's a storytelling engine. A conversation that starts in a studio, becomes an audio feed, then might live as a full video episode on YouTube, get clipped into short-form content for TikTok and Instagram, travel to a live tour, or extend into newsletters and social channels.
For advertisers, that means podcast advertising is no longer audio-only. It's audio-first, with influence that extends everywhere. And with over 3.2 million podcasts covering every interest and passion imaginable, there's a relevant audience for every brand.
Why podcast advertising works
Podcast advertising doesn't just compete with other channels. In many cases, it outperforms them. Here's why.
Attention that other channels can't match
Acast partnered with research agency Differentology to compare how much attention people give to different types of media. Podcasts came out on top. 64% of people say they give podcasts their full attention, compared to 49% for music streaming and 44% for radio.
That attention carries over to the ads. According to our Podcast Pulse report, 44% of listeners say they pay more attention to podcast ads than ads they see or hear elsewhere. And a study by Dentsu found podcast ads deliver more attentive seconds than any other media channel, including TV and social.
On average, podcast ads receive 10.6 seconds of active attention. Compare that to 6.1 seconds for online video, 4.0 for social media, and just 1.4 seconds for display ads. When you're fighting for attention, that gap matters.
Full-funnel effectiveness
Podcast ads move people through the entire decision-making journey. It starts with discovery: 69% of listeners say they've heard about a new brand on a podcast. That's more than two-thirds of your audience learning about something for the first time just by tuning in.
Over half of listeners (51%) go on to talk about those brands with friends, family, or colleagues, making podcast advertising one of the most powerful forms of word-of-mouth. When it comes to consideration, 59% of listeners say they think more positively about a brand after hearing about it on a podcast. And 57% go on to visit the brand's website.
Then there's action. 41% of podcast listeners have made a purchase after hearing a podcast ad. Another 40% have used a promo code from a podcast. That's trackable, measurable return on investment.
The highest return on ad spend across media
Research from Acast and Omnicom shows that podcast advertising delivers the highest return on ad spend across all media, whether you're optimizing for performance or long-term brand equity.
An econometric study from Acast and Annalect put a number on it: podcast ads generate a 4.2x return on investment. That's higher than social media at 3.6x, online display at 3.2x, video at 3.0x, and search at 2.2x.
Incremental reach
Incremental reach refers to the unique audience you can reach with podcast ads on top of what you're already reaching through other channels like TV and radio. This is critical for growth marketing: if you need to scale conversions, you need to replenish the top of your funnel with new customers.
Research from Sounds Profitable found that among 25- to 54-year-olds, podcasting extends the reach of weekly radio listeners by 12% and television viewers by 15%. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, it reaches 18% of those who don't listen to radio and 19% who don't watch broadcast TV.
If you're targeting younger audiences that are retreating from traditional broadcast media, podcast advertising avoids duplicative audience buying and helps maximize budget efficiency.
A marketing multiplier
Adding podcasts to your media mix doesn't mean dropping other channels. In fact, it makes them work harder.
Acast surveyed marketers and found that most say adding podcasts improves campaign effectiveness by 21 to 40% when combined with other media. Research from The Guardian showed that the response of "it tells me something new about the brand" increased by 34% when podcasts were added alongside radio. Combined with digital display, trust levels increased from 45% to 63%.
Trust built on real relationships
This is the big one. 75% of podcast fans say they find podcast hosts more influential than social media influencers or TV and film celebrities.
That trust changes everything. When a host recommends a product, it doesn't feel like an ad. It feels like a personal tip from someone you genuinely know and respect. In Acast's research with Nielsen, 63% of respondents said the hosts of the podcasts they listen to are trustworthy, and 80% said they trust recommendations from hosts they currently listen to.
Podcast hosts are almost as trusted as family (85%) and friends (84%) for recommendations. For brands, that means your message isn't just getting heard. It's being taken seriously.
Reaching audiences away from their screens
Unlike most digital advertising, podcasts reach people when they're not scrolling. Commuting, exercising, cooking, walking the dog. These are moments when traditional digital ads would miss the mark, but podcast ads connect.
Through Acast, you're able to reach listeners no matter which app they use, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and many more. We support the open ecosystem of podcasting, so ads reach audiences across every listening platform.
Why advertise on podcasts?
Who can benefit from podcast ads?
You don't need to be a household name to advertise on podcasts. As the medium has grown, podcast ads have become accessible to all types of businesses, organizations, and individuals.
Brands of all sizes and industries
For startups, podcast advertising is a way to reach niche audiences that align with your product, without needing a massive budget. Campaigns on Acast's ad platform start from $250. For larger enterprises, podcasting offers extensive reach across audience segments, whether you're driving brand awareness for a new product launch or conversions for a SaaS platform.
Media agencies
Podcast advertising puts your clients at the heart of the conversation. With millions of listeners across over 100,000 shows, there's a perfect audience for every brief. Advanced targeting, programmatic buying through major DSPs, and robust measurement from pixel-based attribution to brand studies make podcast advertising a serious, scalable channel for agency planning.
Podcasters and content creators
If you're a podcaster, advertising on other shows is one of the smartest ways to grow your audience. And for influencers and content creators more broadly, podcast ads connect you with a devoted, engaged audience that shares your interests, which can lead to more brand partnerships and increased engagement across your platforms.
Podcast advertising formats explained
One of the strengths of podcast advertising is flexibility. Whether you want to build broad awareness, tap into the influence of trusted hosts, or create something entirely bespoke, there's a format to match your objective.
Pre-recorded ads (pre-produced or announcer-read ads)
Short, punchy audio spots, usually 15 to 30 seconds long, crafted by the advertiser. Also referred to as "announcer-read" ads. These are dynamically inserted into podcast episodes, meaning they can be precisely targeted and updated over time. They're perfect for brands looking for consistency, scalability, and granular targeting.
Advertisers can supply their own audio or work with Acast's in-house creative team to produce something that cuts through.
Host-read sponsorships
These are ads read by the podcast host or producer, delivered in their own voice and style. Usually 60 to 120 seconds long. Because they come from someone listeners trust, they feel personal and authentic. Host-reads can also be dynamically inserted, giving you the flexibility to scale while maintaining that personal touch.
If authenticity and engagement are at the core of your strategy, host-read sponsorships are where it's at. The relationship the host has with their audience transfers to your brand, creating a powerful halo effect.
Sponsorship Plus
This format is unique to Acast. It takes the power of a host-read ad and extends it beyond a single show. It lets advertisers run 20- to 30-second host-read style ads across Acast's wider network. It's a smart way to combine trust and reach with the same targeting capabilities as pre-recorded ads.
Sponsored stories
Another Acast innovation. Think of these as longer-form host-reads, usually between two and five minutes. They offer space for storytelling, deeper product context, or narrative-driven brand messaging, all delivered in the host's familiar voice.
Branded content
For brands looking to make a bigger impact, branded content goes a step further. This could be a segment within an existing show, a branded episode, or even an entire podcast series created with the advertiser. It's designed to be informative, engaging, and entertaining, seamlessly blending promotional messages with the podcast experience.
There are also opportunities to extend branded content beyond the podcast itself through events, social promotion, and activations across the creator's wider ecosystem.
Video podcast advertising
In 2026, podcasting is audio-first but not audio-only. Many of the biggest podcasts now publish video versions on YouTube and social platforms. For advertisers, that opens up a new dimension: you can now buy advertising within the video format of podcasts, reaching audiences across both audio and video simultaneously.
Video podcast ads can include visual elements alongside the audio message, or take the form of host-read sponsorships captured on camera for an even more personal connection. With Acast, you can run campaigns that span audio episodes and their video counterparts, keeping your brand consistent across every format.
Omnichannel campaigns
The most sophisticated approach in 2026 is omnichannel: deep creator partnerships and activations that span a creator's entire ecosystem. That means your campaign might include host-read sponsorships in the audio feed, branded segments in the video episode, social clips on TikTok and Instagram, live event integrations, newsletter mentions, and more.
Acast enables brands to run these full-scale omnichannel campaigns from a single point of entry, combining human expertise with smart technology to reach listeners wherever they are, in whatever format they prefer.
How podcast ads are inserted
When it comes to ad placement, there are two methods used to fill the ad slots in an episode - ads can either be “baked-in” or automatically inserted using a technology called Dynamic Ad Insertion:
Dynamic ad insertion
Dynamic ad insertion (DAI) places ads into podcast episodes in real time. Instead of being permanently part of the audio file, the ads are slotted in based on who's listening, when they're listening, and even where they are. This keeps things current: a listener tuning into an episode from six months ago can still hear a relevant ad for today.
At Acast, our campaigns are focused on dynamic ad insertion so we can maximize effectiveness and provide a better listening experience. DAI also allows podcasters to keep the advertising on their shows fresh and monetize their back catalogs.
Baked-in ads
Baked-in ads are part of the original audio file, recorded and edited in as the episode is produced. Every listener hears the same ad, no matter when or where they press play. These are often chosen for brand messages that are timeless or closely tied to the episode content.
In short: baked-in ads bring permanence, while dynamic insertion offers precision and scale.
Where are podcast ads placed in episodes?
With dynamic ad insertion, ads can be placed in three spots within an episode.
Pre-roll podcast ads
These play at the start or early in the episode. Pre-rolls are effective because listeners are still close to their device after hitting play and are likely to let the ad run as it leads into the content. Good for broad brand discovery.
Mid-roll podcast ads
Placed during the episode, often at a natural break between segments. This is the most valuable ad spot. By this point, listeners are engaged in an activity like working out or commuting, which makes them less likely to skip.
Post-roll podcasts ads
These play toward the end of the episode. While some listeners stop before they reach this point, those who stay are the most engaged and the most inclined to take action. Well-positioned for direct response campaigns.
The podcaster decides where in the episode the ad placements sit and how many slots there should be within each placement, ensuring a smooth listening experience.
One important note: Acast's dynamic ads are delivered across all major open podcast platforms. Even if someone uses an ad-free streaming service like Spotify Premium, they'll still hear podcast ads through Acast, because the ads are part of the episode stream, not the platform.
What podcast ads can you buy with Acast?
How to buy podcast advertising
Once you've decided to invest in podcast advertising, there are a few routes to get started.
Acast's ad platform
This is the most accessible way to buy podcast advertising, and Acast offers the most complete podcast advertising platform available. You can run pre-recorded ad campaigns and host-read sponsorship campaigns from the same platform. Set up a campaign across multiple shows with targeting by gender, age, location, audience attributes, and podcast categories.
Unlike working with sales reps or individual podcasters, Acast's ad platform is fully self-service and available at any budget level. However, you will get access to a podcast advertising expert who'll help you set up your campaign for success.
A word of advice: advertisers are often tempted to buy show-by-show, focusing on a small pool of top-ranked shows. In the US, about 44% of ad spend goes to the top 500 shows, but those only reach 12% of the total podcast audience. That means you're missing 88% of listeners. We recommend buying based on the audience you want to reach rather than individual shows. Mid-sized and smaller podcasts with niche audiences often deliver the reach you need at more affordable pricing.
Getting started with Acast's ad platform
Through Acast's sales team
Working directly with Acast's sales team gives you access to bespoke campaigns with a custom selection of shows, a combination of ad formats including sponsorships, pre-recorded ads, and branded content, and full-scale omnichannel activations across audio, video, social, and beyond. You'll also receive a post-campaign analysis (PCA) reporting on results and impact. These campaigns typically require minimum budgets of $10,000 to $15,000, although this varies.
Programmatically
Acast works with all major demand-side platforms (DSPs), so if your agency already buys programmatically, podcast advertising fits into your existing workflow.
Directly through podcasters
Smaller and mid-sized podcasters are often open to working directly with advertisers. If a show isn't part of a network, you'll usually be limited to host-read sponsorships, and these are often baked-in rather than dynamically inserted. The challenge is finding the right fit among millions of shows, and there's usually less infrastructure for reporting and optimization.
How much does podcast advertising cost?
Understanding CPM
Most podcast advertising is sold on a CPM (cost per mille) basis, meaning you pay a set price per 1,000 impressions. So if you buy a campaign with 100,000 impressions at a $25 CPM, that'll cost you $2,500.
The actual cost depends on the type of ad, audience size, and how specific your targeting is. As a guide:
Pre-recorded ads (up to 30 seconds): $15 to $30 CPMHost-read sponsorships: $25 to $40 CPM
What can you expect from a $10,000 campaign?
Using industry benchmark data from Podscribe, here's what a $10,000 budget could deliver depending on CPM:
At $15 CPM: 666,667 total impressions, approximately 1,267 estimated site visitors (0.19%), approximately 72 estimated purchases from attributed visitors (5.7%), $139 cost per conversion.
At $25 CPM: 400,000 total impressions, approximately 760 estimated site visitors (0.19%), approximately 43 estimated purchases from attributed visitors (5.7%), $233 cost per conversion.
These are broad industry benchmarks across all campaign types, industries, and businesses. Your actual results will vary depending on audience targeting, ad creative, and the product or service you're promoting. Use your own landing page conversion rate for more accurate estimates.
Other cost models
CPA (cost per action)
With a CPA model, you pay only when listeners take specific actions like sign-ups or purchases. This is often used with affiliate and direct response campaigns where unique promo codes track conversions accurately.
Flat rate
A fixed fee for a specified duration or number of episodes. This is uncommon for established shows and usually applies to smaller, niche podcasts with a limited but dedicated subscriber base.
How to measure podcast advertising
Podcast ads live in an audio-first environment, so the measurement approach is different from paid search or social media. The audience is listening, not scrolling or clicking. But there are plenty of ways to track performance.
Reach and impressions
Start with reach: the number of unique people who listened to your ad at least once, including streams and downloads. This metric is especially important for brand awareness campaigns. Always look for IAB-valid reach, like the one provided by Acast.
Impressions count the number of times an ad is actually delivered to a listener. Acast also tracks unique impressions, the number of unique listeners who've heard an ad even if they heard it more than once, which helps define your actual campaign reach.
For an impression to count, the download must be valid in line with IAB 2.2 standards, and the ad must be within the portion of the episode actually requested by the app. Acast is fully IAB 2.2 certified, the gold standard for podcast measurement.
Promo codes and vanity URLs
A tried-and-true method. Use unique promo codes or custom vanity URLs in your ads, and you'll get a clear signal when a listener takes action. You can assign different codes to different shows, formats, or audiences, helping you compare performance across the campaign.
Pixel-based attribution
For more advanced tracking, pixel-based attribution measures conversions like purchases or sign-ups, even without a direct click. You set up pixel tracking on your website, and when someone streams or downloads an episode with your ad, their device is identified by IP address. That data is matched with conversion events, allowing you to calculate conversion rates, return on ad spend, and overall campaign effectiveness.
At Acast, this is available through our preferred partner Podscribe, fully integrated at no additional cost to advertisers.
Brand lift studies
For a deeper look at how your message is landing, brand lift studies measure the difference in brand perception between listeners who heard your ad and those who didn't. These capture metrics like brand awareness, preference, purchase intent, and willingness to recommend.
Whether you're running a direct response campaign or focused on longer-term brand building, brand lift studies fill in the full picture.
What conversion rates should you expect?
According to Podscribe, the average conversion rate for podcast ads to website visits is about 1.32% across industries. Compare that to an average click-through rate of 0.90% for Facebook and Instagram ads. Podcast listeners are less distracted and more engaged, making them a more receptive audience for advertising.
According to the Edison Super Listeners report, podcast ads are the most recalled type of ad at 86%, ahead of social media at 80% and websites at 79%.
Creative best practices
Great podcast ads aren't about being loud or flashy. They're about being smart, authentic, and putting the listener first.
Six tips for better podcast ad creative
Less is more
Repeating your brand too often can actually reduce impact. Ads with five or more brand mentions saw lower likelihood of search or action.
Use music
Music makes ads more enjoyable and memorable. It helps set tone and emotion, especially when paired with clear messaging.
Keep it casual
A conversational tone drives higher engagement. Listeners respond better to ads that sound natural, not overly serious or scripted.
Match length to your objective
For awareness, both 15-second and 60-second ads perform equally well in driving brand recall. For deeper engagement, 60-second creatives help listeners better understand product features, making them more effective for lower-funnel goals. For sponsorships, even shorter reads between 30 and 45 seconds perform just as well for purchase intent.
Brief sponsorships well
Trust the talent. Creators know their audience better than anyone. Keep the brief focused on one key message, share useful context and talking points, but let the host choose what resonates. Clarify any legal language or no-go zones from the start. A great brief empowers the creator without scripting them.
Prioritize your call to action
Since the audience is hearing your ad, a clear and memorable call to action is essential if you want to bring them into your marketing funnel. Make sure your URL, promo code, or next step is easy to both pronounce and remember.
What about ad skipping?
Ad skipping happens, but much less so in podcasting than other media categories. Research shows that nearly one in three listeners listen to all podcast ads they encounter, a higher share than radio, TV, and online video. Lower ad skipping is likely a result of lower ad load compared to other media. When consumers are asked which media has the least ad clutter, podcasting comes out best alongside outdoor advertising.
Start podcast advertising with Acast
Podcast advertising works. At every stage of the funnel, across every type of business, and now across audio, video, social, and beyond.
Whether you're looking to run your first campaign or scale an existing strategy with omnichannel creator partnerships, Acast gives you a single, safe, and scalable way to reach the world's most engaged audiences.
Head to ac to get started. Explore our ad platform, browse the shows on our network and their listener demographics, or get in touch with our team for a bespoke campaign.
Everything you need to know about reaching the world's most engaged audiences through podcasting.
If you're reading this, you're probably curious about podcast advertising. Good instinct. It's one of the most effective ways to reach people who are paying attention, building trust, and driving real results for brands of every size.
Acast is the global authority on podcasting. We power the commercial ecosystem for over 140,000 shows and work with thousands of advertisers worldwide. This guide is where we share what we know, so you can make smarter decisions about your next campaign.
Whether you're exploring podcasting for the first time or looking to scale what's already working, this is your go-to resource for understanding how podcast advertising works in 2026, and how to get the most out of it.
What is podcast advertising?
Podcast advertising is paid marketing that lives within, around, or alongside podcast content. That can mean a short pre-recorded audio spot, a host-read sponsorship where the creator talks about your product in their own voice, or longer-form branded content like dedicated segments or entire series.
But here's what's changed. In 2026, a podcast isn't just an audio file delivered via RSS. It's a storytelling engine. A conversation that starts in a studio, becomes an audio feed, then might live as a full video episode on YouTube, get clipped into short-form content for TikTok and Instagram, travel to a live tour, or extend into newsletters and social channels.
For advertisers, that means podcast advertising is no longer audio-only. It's audio-first, with influence that extends everywhere. And with over 3.2 million podcasts covering every interest and passion imaginable, there's a relevant audience for every brand.
Why podcast advertising works
Podcast advertising doesn't just compete with other channels. In many cases, it outperforms them. Here's why.
Attention that other channels can't match
Acast partnered with research agency Differentology to compare how much attention people give to different types of media. Podcasts came out on top. 64% of people say they give podcasts their full attention, compared to 49% for music streaming and 44% for radio.
That attention carries over to the ads. According to our Podcast Pulse report, 44% of listeners say they pay more attention to podcast ads than ads they see or hear elsewhere. And a study by Dentsu found podcast ads deliver more attentive seconds than any other media channel, including TV and social.
On average, podcast ads receive 10.6 seconds of active attention. Compare that to 6.1 seconds for online video, 4.0 for social media, and just 1.4 seconds for display ads. When you're fighting for attention, that gap matters.
Full-funnel effectiveness
Podcast ads move people through the entire decision-making journey. It starts with discovery: 69% of listeners say they've heard about a new brand on a podcast. That's more than two-thirds of your audience learning about something for the first time just by tuning in.
Over half of listeners (51%) go on to talk about those brands with friends, family, or colleagues, making podcast advertising one of the most powerful forms of word-of-mouth. When it comes to consideration, 59% of listeners say they think more positively about a brand after hearing about it on a podcast. And 57% go on to visit the brand's website.
Then there's action. 41% of podcast listeners have made a purchase after hearing a podcast ad. Another 40% have used a promo code from a podcast. That's trackable, measurable return on investment.
The highest return on ad spend across media
Research from Acast and Omnicom shows that podcast advertising delivers the highest return on ad spend across all media, whether you're optimizing for performance or long-term brand equity.
An econometric study from Acast and Annalect put a number on it: podcast ads generate a 4.2x return on investment. That's higher than social media at 3.6x, online display at 3.2x, video at 3.0x, and search at 2.2x.
Incremental reach
Incremental reach refers to the unique audience you can reach with podcast ads on top of what you're already reaching through other channels like TV and radio. This is critical for growth marketing: if you need to scale conversions, you need to replenish the top of your funnel with new customers.
Research from Sounds Profitable found that among 25- to 54-year-olds, podcasting extends the reach of weekly radio listeners by 12% and television viewers by 15%. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, it reaches 18% of those who don't listen to radio and 19% who don't watch broadcast TV.
If you're targeting younger audiences that are retreating from traditional broadcast media, podcast advertising avoids duplicative audience buying and helps maximize budget efficiency.
A marketing multiplier
Adding podcasts to your media mix doesn't mean dropping other channels. In fact, it makes them work harder.
Acast surveyed marketers and found that most say adding podcasts improves campaign effectiveness by 21 to 40% when combined with other media. Research from The Guardian showed that the response of "it tells me something new about the brand" increased by 34% when podcasts were added alongside radio. Combined with digital display, trust levels increased from 45% to 63%.
Trust built on real relationships
This is the big one. 75% of podcast fans say they find podcast hosts more influential than social media influencers or TV and film celebrities.
That trust changes everything. When a host recommends a product, it doesn't feel like an ad. It feels like a personal tip from someone you genuinely know and respect. In Acast's research with Nielsen, 63% of respondents said the hosts of the podcasts they listen to are trustworthy, and 80% said they trust recommendations from hosts they currently listen to.
Podcast hosts are almost as trusted as family (85%) and friends (84%) for recommendations. For brands, that means your message isn't just getting heard. It's being taken seriously.
Reaching audiences away from their screens
Unlike most digital advertising, podcasts reach people when they're not scrolling. Commuting, exercising, cooking, walking the dog. These are moments when traditional digital ads would miss the mark, but podcast ads connect.
Through Acast, you're able to reach listeners no matter which app they use, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and many more. We support the open ecosystem of podcasting, so ads reach audiences across every listening platform.
Why advertise on podcasts?
Who can benefit from podcast ads?
You don't need to be a household name to advertise on podcasts. As the medium has grown, podcast ads have become accessible to all types of businesses, organizations, and individuals.
Brands of all sizes and industries
For startups, podcast advertising is a way to reach niche audiences that align with your product, without needing a massive budget. Campaigns on Acast's ad platform start from $250. For larger enterprises, podcasting offers extensive reach across audience segments, whether you're driving brand awareness for a new product launch or conversions for a SaaS platform.
Media agencies
Podcast advertising puts your clients at the heart of the conversation. With millions of listeners across over 100,000 shows, there's a perfect audience for every brief. Advanced targeting, programmatic buying through major DSPs, and robust measurement from pixel-based attribution to brand studies make podcast advertising a serious, scalable channel for agency planning.
Podcasters and content creators
If you're a podcaster, advertising on other shows is one of the smartest ways to grow your audience. And for influencers and content creators more broadly, podcast ads connect you with a devoted, engaged audience that shares your interests, which can lead to more brand partnerships and increased engagement across your platforms.
Podcast advertising formats explained
One of the strengths of podcast advertising is flexibility. Whether you want to build broad awareness, tap into the influence of trusted hosts, or create something entirely bespoke, there's a format to match your objective.
Pre-recorded ads (pre-produced or announcer-read ads)
Short, punchy audio spots, usually 15 to 30 seconds long, crafted by the advertiser. Also referred to as "announcer-read" ads. These are dynamically inserted into podcast episodes, meaning they can be precisely targeted and updated over time. They're perfect for brands looking for consistency, scalability, and granular targeting.
Advertisers can supply their own audio or work with Acast's in-house creative team to produce something that cuts through.
Host-read sponsorships
These are ads read by the podcast host or producer, delivered in their own voice and style. Usually 60 to 120 seconds long. Because they come from someone listeners trust, they feel personal and authentic. Host-reads can also be dynamically inserted, giving you the flexibility to scale while maintaining that personal touch.
If authenticity and engagement are at the core of your strategy, host-read sponsorships are where it's at. The relationship the host has with their audience transfers to your brand, creating a powerful halo effect.
Sponsorship Plus
This format is unique to Acast. It takes the power of a host-read ad and extends it beyond a single show. It lets advertisers run 20- to 30-second host-read style ads across Acast's wider network. It's a smart way to combine trust and reach with the same targeting capabilities as pre-recorded ads.
Sponsored stories
Another Acast innovation. Think of these as longer-form host-reads, usually between two and five minutes. They offer space for storytelling, deeper product context, or narrative-driven brand messaging, all delivered in the host's familiar voice.
Branded content
For brands looking to make a bigger impact, branded content goes a step further. This could be a segment within an existing show, a branded episode, or even an entire podcast series created with the advertiser. It's designed to be informative, engaging, and entertaining, seamlessly blending promotional messages with the podcast experience.
There are also opportunities to extend branded content beyond the podcast itself through events, social promotion, and activations across the creator's wider ecosystem.
Video podcast advertising
In 2026, podcasting is audio-first but not audio-only. Many of the biggest podcasts now publish video versions on YouTube and social platforms. For advertisers, that opens up a new dimension: you can now buy advertising within the video format of podcasts, reaching audiences across both audio and video simultaneously.
Video podcast ads can include visual elements alongside the audio message, or take the form of host-read sponsorships captured on camera for an even more personal connection. With Acast, you can run campaigns that span audio episodes and their video counterparts, keeping your brand consistent across every format.
Omnichannel campaigns
The most sophisticated approach in 2026 is omnichannel: deep creator partnerships and activations that span a creator's entire ecosystem. That means your campaign might include host-read sponsorships in the audio feed, branded segments in the video episode, social clips on TikTok and Instagram, live event integrations, newsletter mentions, and more.
Acast enables brands to run these full-scale omnichannel campaigns from a single point of entry, combining human expertise with smart technology to reach listeners wherever they are, in whatever format they prefer.
How podcast ads are inserted
When it comes to ad placement, there are two methods used to fill the ad slots in an episode - ads can either be “baked-in” or automatically inserted using a technology called Dynamic Ad Insertion:
Dynamic ad insertion
Dynamic ad insertion (DAI) places ads into podcast episodes in real time. Instead of being permanently part of the audio file, the ads are slotted in based on who's listening, when they're listening, and even where they are. This keeps things current: a listener tuning into an episode from six months ago can still hear a relevant ad for today.
At Acast, our campaigns are focused on dynamic ad insertion so we can maximize effectiveness and provide a better listening experience. DAI also allows podcasters to keep the advertising on their shows fresh and monetize their back catalogs.
Baked-in ads
Baked-in ads are part of the original audio file, recorded and edited in as the episode is produced. Every listener hears the same ad, no matter when or where they press play. These are often chosen for brand messages that are timeless or closely tied to the episode content.
In short: baked-in ads bring permanence, while dynamic insertion offers precision and scale.
Where are podcast ads placed in episodes?
With dynamic ad insertion, ads can be placed in three spots within an episode.
Pre-roll podcast ads
These play at the start or early in the episode. Pre-rolls are effective because listeners are still close to their device after hitting play and are likely to let the ad run as it leads into the content. Good for broad brand discovery.
Mid-roll podcast ads
Placed during the episode, often at a natural break between segments. This is the most valuable ad spot. By this point, listeners are engaged in an activity like working out or commuting, which makes them less likely to skip.
Post-roll podcasts ads
These play toward the end of the episode. While some listeners stop before they reach this point, those who stay are the most engaged and the most inclined to take action. Well-positioned for direct response campaigns.
The podcaster decides where in the episode the ad placements sit and how many slots there should be within each placement, ensuring a smooth listening experience.
One important note: Acast's dynamic ads are delivered across all major open podcast platforms. Even if someone uses an ad-free streaming service like Spotify Premium, they'll still hear podcast ads through Acast, because the ads are part of the episode stream, not the platform.
What podcast ads can you buy with Acast?
How to buy podcast advertising
Once you've decided to invest in podcast advertising, there are a few routes to get started.
Acast's ad platform
This is the most accessible way to buy podcast advertising, and Acast offers the most complete podcast advertising platform available. You can run pre-recorded ad campaigns and host-read sponsorship campaigns from the same platform. Set up a campaign across multiple shows with targeting by gender, age, location, audience attributes, and podcast categories.
Unlike working with sales reps or individual podcasters, Acast's ad platform is fully self-service and available at any budget level. However, you will get access to a podcast advertising expert who'll help you set up your campaign for success.
A word of advice: advertisers are often tempted to buy show-by-show, focusing on a small pool of top-ranked shows. In the US, about 44% of ad spend goes to the top 500 shows, but those only reach 12% of the total podcast audience. That means you're missing 88% of listeners. We recommend buying based on the audience you want to reach rather than individual shows. Mid-sized and smaller podcasts with niche audiences often deliver the reach you need at more affordable pricing.
Getting started with Acast's ad platform
Through Acast's sales team
Working directly with Acast's sales team gives you access to bespoke campaigns with a custom selection of shows, a combination of ad formats including sponsorships, pre-recorded ads, and branded content, and full-scale omnichannel activations across audio, video, social, and beyond. You'll also receive a post-campaign analysis (PCA) reporting on results and impact. These campaigns typically require minimum budgets of $10,000 to $15,000, although this varies.
Programmatically
Acast works with all major demand-side platforms (DSPs), so if your agency already buys programmatically, podcast advertising fits into your existing workflow.
Directly through podcasters
Smaller and mid-sized podcasters are often open to working directly with advertisers. If a show isn't part of a network, you'll usually be limited to host-read sponsorships, and these are often baked-in rather than dynamically inserted. The challenge is finding the right fit among millions of shows, and there's usually less infrastructure for reporting and optimization.
How much does podcast advertising cost?
Understanding CPM
Most podcast advertising is sold on a CPM (cost per mille) basis, meaning you pay a set price per 1,000 impressions. So if you buy a campaign with 100,000 impressions at a $25 CPM, that'll cost you $2,500.
The actual cost depends on the type of ad, audience size, and how specific your targeting is. As a guide:
Pre-recorded ads (up to 30 seconds): $15 to $30 CPMHost-read sponsorships: $25 to $40 CPM
What can you expect from a $10,000 campaign?
Using industry benchmark data from Podscribe, here's what a $10,000 budget could deliver depending on CPM:
At $15 CPM: 666,667 total impressions, approximately 1,267 estimated site visitors (0.19%), approximately 72 estimated purchases from attributed visitors (5.7%), $139 cost per conversion.
At $25 CPM: 400,000 total impressions, approximately 760 estimated site visitors (0.19%), approximately 43 estimated purchases from attributed visitors (5.7%), $233 cost per conversion.
These are broad industry benchmarks across all campaign types, industries, and businesses. Your actual results will vary depending on audience targeting, ad creative, and the product or service you're promoting. Use your own landing page conversion rate for more accurate estimates.
Other cost models
CPA (cost per action)
With a CPA model, you pay only when listeners take specific actions like sign-ups or purchases. This is often used with affiliate and direct response campaigns where unique promo codes track conversions accurately.
Flat rate
A fixed fee for a specified duration or number of episodes. This is uncommon for established shows and usually applies to smaller, niche podcasts with a limited but dedicated subscriber base.
How to measure podcast advertising
Podcast ads live in an audio-first environment, so the measurement approach is different from paid search or social media. The audience is listening, not scrolling or clicking. But there are plenty of ways to track performance.
Reach and impressions
Start with reach: the number of unique people who listened to your ad at least once, including streams and downloads. This metric is especially important for brand awareness campaigns. Always look for IAB-valid reach, like the one provided by Acast.
Impressions count the number of times an ad is actually delivered to a listener. Acast also tracks unique impressions, the number of unique listeners who've heard an ad even if they heard it more than once, which helps define your actual campaign reach.
For an impression to count, the download must be valid in line with IAB 2.2 standards, and the ad must be within the portion of the episode actually requested by the app. Acast is fully IAB 2.2 certified, the gold standard for podcast measurement.
Promo codes and vanity URLs
A tried-and-true method. Use unique promo codes or custom vanity URLs in your ads, and you'll get a clear signal when a listener takes action. You can assign different codes to different shows, formats, or audiences, helping you compare performance across the campaign.
Pixel-based attribution
For more advanced tracking, pixel-based attribution measures conversions like purchases or sign-ups, even without a direct click. You set up pixel tracking on your website, and when someone streams or downloads an episode with your ad, their device is identified by IP address. That data is matched with conversion events, allowing you to calculate conversion rates, return on ad spend, and overall campaign effectiveness.
At Acast, this is available through our preferred partner Podscribe, fully integrated at no additional cost to advertisers.
Brand lift studies
For a deeper look at how your message is landing, brand lift studies measure the difference in brand perception between listeners who heard your ad and those who didn't. These capture metrics like brand awareness, preference, purchase intent, and willingness to recommend.
Whether you're running a direct response campaign or focused on longer-term brand building, brand lift studies fill in the full picture.
What conversion rates should you expect?
According to Podscribe, the average conversion rate for podcast ads to website visits is about 1.32% across industries. Compare that to an average click-through rate of 0.90% for Facebook and Instagram ads. Podcast listeners are less distracted and more engaged, making them a more receptive audience for advertising.
According to the Edison Super Listeners report, podcast ads are the most recalled type of ad at 86%, ahead of social media at 80% and websites at 79%.
Creative best practices
Great podcast ads aren't about being loud or flashy. They're about being smart, authentic, and putting the listener first.
Six tips for better podcast ad creative
Less is more
Repeating your brand too often can actually reduce impact. Ads with five or more brand mentions saw lower likelihood of search or action.
Use music
Music makes ads more enjoyable and memorable. It helps set tone and emotion, especially when paired with clear messaging.
Keep it casual
A conversational tone drives higher engagement. Listeners respond better to ads that sound natural, not overly serious or scripted.
Match length to your objective
For awareness, both 15-second and 60-second ads perform equally well in driving brand recall. For deeper engagement, 60-second creatives help listeners better understand product features, making them more effective for lower-funnel goals. For sponsorships, even shorter reads between 30 and 45 seconds perform just as well for purchase intent.
Brief sponsorships well
Trust the talent. Creators know their audience better than anyone. Keep the brief focused on one key message, share useful context and talking points, but let the host choose what resonates. Clarify any legal language or no-go zones from the start. A great brief empowers the creator without scripting them.
Prioritize your call to action
Since the audience is hearing your ad, a clear and memorable call to action is essential if you want to bring them into your marketing funnel. Make sure your URL, promo code, or next step is easy to both pronounce and remember.
What about ad skipping?
Ad skipping happens, but much less so in podcasting than other media categories. Research shows that nearly one in three listeners listen to all podcast ads they encounter, a higher share than radio, TV, and online video. Lower ad skipping is likely a result of lower ad load compared to other media. When consumers are asked which media has the least ad clutter, podcasting comes out best alongside outdoor advertising.
Start podcast advertising with Acast
Podcast advertising works. At every stage of the funnel, across every type of business, and now across audio, video, social, and beyond.
Whether you're looking to run your first campaign or scale an existing strategy with omnichannel creator partnerships, Acast gives you a single, safe, and scalable way to reach the world's most engaged audiences.
Head to ac to get started. Explore our ad platform, browse the shows on our network and their listener demographics, or get in touch with our team for a bespoke campaign.
