Podcast ad spending in the U.S. 2010-2020

Podcast advertising spending is increasing year-on-year, with 2018 figures estimated at over 320 million U.S. dollars. By 2020, these expenditures are forecast to surpass half a billion dollars. The growing advertising investments are most probably a response to the potential customer exposure posed by this medium, as podcasts reach more and more listeners in the United States each year.

What are the common views on podcast advertising?

  In 2017 there were 67 million podcast listeners in the U.S., a number which is expected to increase by 20 million in 2019 and double by the end of 2022. The majority of these audiences spend between one and five hours per week listening to their choice of podcasts, which in turn translates to high probability of reaching prospective customers with advertising. In fact, the popular opinion among U.S. adults is that, as well as being entertaining, ads in podcasts are among the best targeted ones. For these reasons, avid podcasts fans would not mind a few more ads if it meant that their favorite show would be allowed to continue. All in all, the general receptivity to advertising during podcasts is positive, and audiences tend to see it as engaging, likable, relevant and memorable.