Most brands are playing it too safe when it comes to podcast advertising.
They’re sticking to the same handful of business-safe shows. Running the same 30-second polished, pre-recorded ads. Crossing their fingers that familiarity will lead to ROI. And sure, it sometimes works.
But if that’s your idea of success, you’re missing out on some high-impact opportunities.
In my experience, the shows that look “too niche,” “too weird,” or “too off-brand” are often the ones that deliver the best results.
Why? Because they don’t sound like ads. They sound like recommendations, jokes, personal stories, or friendly advice — and that’s what sticks with people and makes them act.
In other words, it’s time to think bigger (and smarter) about where your podcast ad dollars go.
So, whether you’re already using podcast ads or just starting to build your strategy, this guide is your call to break out of the echo chamber. We’re diving into the podcast ad opportunities brands are still sleeping on.
Let’s explore what’s out there — and how your brand can get there first.
TL;DR: The podcast advertising opportunities brands are overlooking
- Comedy podcasts: The unscripted and offbeat ad delivery in comedy shows isn’t just entertaining — it makes ads feel like part of the show, creating genuine audience engagement.
- Video podcasting: With fans switching between YouTube, Smart TVs, and listening apps, audio and video formats amplify your message across platforms—no need for separate ad campaigns or assets.
- Emerging global markets: With soaring listener engagement and high purchase intent, global podcasts are ready for brand partnerships, especially through local creators and culturally relevant content.
- Younger generations: Kid-friendly podcasts are a rare opportunity to connect with both young listeners and their parents at once, building early brand affinity that can last a lifetime.
- Niche podcasts: Hyper-focused shows with fewer ads and loyal listeners often outperform big-name buys on recall and conversions, because it’s not about volume, it’s about relevance.
Types of podcast ads
Podcast advertising isn’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s a quick breakdown of the main types of podcast ads and what they’re good for:
Host-read
These are delivered by the podcast host in their own voice, often in the same tone and style as the show itself. Because they come from someone the audience already trusts, they tend to feel more organic and less like traditional advertising. And it pays off, research shows that:
- Host-read ads have a 71% brand recall, compared to 62% for non-host-read ads
- Host-read ads increase purchase intent by 50% compared to other ad types
- 80% of listeners say they would consider a product/service promoted by their favorite host
Baked in
Baked-in ads are exactly what they sound like: they’re permanently part of the episode. They’re recorded at the same time as the episode itself, usually during a natural break in the conversation or content.
Since they live in the episode forever, baked-in ads are ideal for long-term brand association or products that aren’t time-sensitive. The downside? They can’t be updated or swapped out down the line, so they’re not ideal for time-limited offers or changing campaigns.
You can see this play out in The Mile Higher Podcast at 11:25.
Pre-recorded
These are still host-read but recorded separately from the episode content, then inserted during post-production. This allows for more flexibility—you can reuse the same read across multiple episodes or even across different shows if the hosts are on board.
Pre-recorded host reads are a great middle ground between authenticity and efficiency, especially for campaigns that need some consistency without sounding overly corporate.
For example, check out this pre-recorded host-read ad in this episode of Giggly Squad at 20:50.
Brand produced
This format gives the brand more control—over the script, the voice, the pacing, and the overall sound. Instead of relying on a host to deliver the message, brand-produced ads are created entirely by the brand or agency. That means more polish, more scale, and more consistency across placements.
Pre-recorded
These are your classic audio ads: short, punchy, and professionally produced. Because they’re not tied to a specific host or episode, they’re easy to scale across multiple shows or even entire podcast networks. They’re great for building brand awareness or running targeted, high-frequency campaigns. Just keep in mind: they can sometimes feel more interruptive than host-read spots, especially if the tone doesn’t align well with the show’s audience.
You can see an example of a pre-recorded ad at the start of this Giggly Squad episode.
Where and how ads show up in podcasts
Here are the primary ways podcast ads are brought to you:
- Baked-in Ads: These are permanently stitched into the episode. Everyone hears the same ad, whether they listen today or in five years.
- Dynamic Ad Insertion: Ads are inserted based on targeting rules (like geography or show category). This makes it easy to swap ads in and out — even retroactively — across a podcast’s entire back catalog.
And depending on where in the episode they appear, you’ll hear:
- Pre-rolls: Ads right at the start. For example, at the very start of the first episode of Scamanda, we hear an ad for Tinder.
- Mid-rolls: The sweet spot. Listeners are engaged and doing something, so they’re less likely to skip. Midway through this episode of The Jordan Harbinger Show at 24:55, there’s an ad for Chewy.
- Post-rolls: Ads at the end. Useful if you want a lower-cost impression. For example, this episode of The Girl’s Bathroom (1:20:19) ends with an ad for NatWest.
Podcast advertising opportunities brands are overlooking
1. Comedy podcasts
Most brand advertisers still gravitate toward safe, polished shows — the kind you’d play on speaker in an office. But in doing so, they’re missing out on one of the most loyal, engaged audiences in podcasting: comedy listeners.
For a long time, comedy podcasts were considered risky — too unpredictable, too off-script, too much personality. But that’s exactly what makes them work. It’s a format built on trust and connection. Hosts aren’t just reading ad copy — they’re riffing on it, bending it, sometimes roasting it, but always making it feel like a genuine part of the show. That kind of integration is nearly impossible to replicate in traditional ad channels. Haven’t you heard that there’s no bad press?
One of the earliest and most memorable examples comes from none other than Bill Burr. Back in 2013, Bill Burr, known for his unapologetically blunt style, delivered an ad for Shari’s Berries on his Monday Morning Podcast. What followed was a hilariously profane tirade — part rant, part improv. And it worked. Listeners talked about it, the brand got attention, and the moment became an unofficial case study in how comedy podcast ads hit differently.
Fast forward to today, and that moment feels less like an outlier and more like a blueprint. Shows like Your Mom’s House, Bad Friends, and 2 Bears 1 Cave have built huge audiences around unfiltered conversations, and when a product makes it into those conversations, it resonates.
2. The video + audio opportunity
For years, podcast advertising has been synonymous with audio. And while audio is still the backbone of the medium (and always will be), advertisers can’t ignore the rise of video podcasts and the opportunities it presents.
Video adds a new dimension to podcasting — literally. It’s not just about hearing the host anymore; it’s about seeing their expressions, their setup, even the products they’re casually showcasing during an episode.
But here’s where it gets really interesting: recent data from The Advertising Landscape report shows how audiences are now consuming podcasts across both audio and video, often interchangeably.
On top shows like New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, 38% of fans primarily watch via video, 33% listen via audio, and 29% split their time between the two.
In other words, the same podcast is being consumed in multiple formats by the same audience. It’s not either/or — it’s both.
This is a big deal for advertisers.
Instead of having to run siloed campaigns across disconnected media channels, video podcasting allows your brand message to follow the consumer across platforms — whether they’re watching on YouTube at lunch or listening on Apple Podcasts during their commute. That kind of cross-platform reinforcement doesn’t just boost awareness — it makes your spend work harder.
Even more telling: YouTube Premium users — the folks who pay to avoid traditional ads — are still receptive to host-read sponsorships within podcasts. That’s because these integrations aren’t perceived as interruptions. They’re part of the show, delivered by a trusted voice.
So while it might feel tempting to keep video and audio buys separate, podcasting gives you a unique opportunity: one format, one partnership, multiple consumer touchpoints. The ability to meet listeners and viewers where they are, without having to create separate campaigns or assets, is what makes podcasting one of the most adaptable mediums in modern advertising.
3. Emerging global markets
As podcasting becomes an increasingly mainstream media channel worldwide, a powerful global opportunity is emerging for brands that want to connect with highly engaged audiences.
A new international listener study from Acast highlights just how expansive and impactful this opportunity is. More than 50% of listeners in emerging markets—and nearly 40% in established ones—plan to spend even more time with podcasts in the coming months. Plus, they found that podcast listeners are not passive consumers. They’re highly attentive, with over half of podcast audiences in India and Indonesia reporting they’re highly engaged.
And the best part is that this engagement leads to action. Acast’s research found that more than half of daily podcast listeners globally have made a purchase because of a podcast ad.
In India alone, nearly 70% of podcast audiences have been influenced to buy based on an ad they heard. For marketers, this means podcast ads don’t just build awareness — they drive real, measurable ROI.
Ultimately, tapping into these global markets isn’t just about expanding reach — it’s about meeting highly engaged audiences where they already are. In emerging regions, podcasting is growing rapidly, but the ad space is still relatively untapped, giving early movers a competitive edge.
Brands looking to scale internationally can start by partnering with creators who have loyal followings in their home countries, leveraging host-read ads and local language content to build trust. With the right cultural insights and platform tools, podcast advertising becomes a strategic gateway to authentic global brand affinity.
4. Reach younger generations
Generation Alpha may be young — born after 2010 and still in their preteen years — but they’re already making a noticeable impact on family purchasing decisions. And while most advertisers are still focused on Gen Z and Millennials, Gen Alpha is quietly emerging as a key influence on what households buy.
According to a recent study by Razorfish, over 75% of Gen Alpha kids say they help choose what their family eats, and 61% say they influenced their household’s car purchase.
Even more surprising? Their tastes are already aspirational. Nearly 70% of Gen Alpha kids own a luxury item by age 10, and 35% aspire to own a luxury car someday. Their growing obsession with personal care is also telling: three out of four are interested in beauty content on social media, and many already follow multi-step skincare routines, including nearly half of Gen Alpha boys.
Yet despite their influence and engagement, very few brands are targeting this generation where they actually spend time: on podcasts.
Unlike TV, which has splintered into individual screens and fragmented viewing, podcasts offer a shared experience between parents and children. Families tune in together — during school drop-offs, grocery runs, bedtime routines—and advertisers have a rare opportunity to speak to both generations at once.
Kid-focused podcast networks like Starglow Media are already seeing the results. With a 90% brand renewal rate and 10 million monthly listens, Starglow is proving that when you meet Gen Alpha (and their parents) where they are, the conversion follows.
5. Hone in on niche podcasts
Sure, sponsoring a top podcast like Huberman Lab or Diary of a CEO is flashy. The reach is massive, the brand names are familiar, and there’s definitely a level of prestige involved. But here’s what more advertisers are starting to realize: when it comes to real influence, smaller, niche podcasts are often where the magic happens.
These shows may not rack up millions of downloads, but their listeners are tuned in for a reason — and they’re listening closely. Niche audiences tend to be hyper-engaged, loyal, and trusting of their hosts. That trust is what turns a host-read ad into a genuine recommendation. And for brands, that’s where the ROI is.
At this year’s SXSW panel “Brand Podcast or Audio Ads: What’s Right for Your Company?”, hosted by Quill, AG1’s Senior Partnerships Manager, Margaux Natiello, shared that alongside big-name podcast buys, they’ve found surprising success in extremely specific communities, like podcasts about birdwatching. It’s not about the download count. It’s about connection. When a host speaks directly to a passionate audience, the results follow.
And the data backs it up. According to Acast, podcast ads on niche shows drive stronger ad recall and better conversion rates. Why? A few key reasons:
- More signal, less noise: Niche shows typically have fewer ads per episode, and ad slots are less competitive, giving your brand more time to shine.
- The crossover effect: These audiences often listen to mainstream shows too, giving your campaign added reach.
- Stronger alignment: When your brand values match the values of a niche community, the messaging hits deeper and lasts longer.
It’s not just about reaching more people. It’s about reaching the right people in the right context. And increasingly, niche podcasts are proving to be one of the most effective ways to do just that.
Podcast advertising FAQs
1. Do I need a huge budget to advertise on podcasts?
Not necessarily. While top-tier shows can command premium rates, there are thousands of niche podcasts with highly engaged audiences that offer more affordable — and often more effective — sponsorship opportunities.
2. How are podcast ad rates typically priced?
Most ads are priced on a CPM (cost per mille) basis, meaning cost per 1,000 downloads. Rates can range anywhere from $18–$50+ CPM, depending on the show's audience size, engagement, and niche.
3. How do I measure ROI from podcast ads?
Common methods include promo codes, vanity URLs, and listener surveys. Advanced advertisers also use pixel-based attribution tools to track conversions and listener behavior across devices. Check out our complete guide to podcast attribution to learn more.
Podcast ads for smart brands
Most brands are still crowding into the same podcast spaces, aiming for scale and familiarity. But the smartest marketers are starting to ask a different question: where can we be relevant, not just present?
The most valuable opportunities often aren’t the biggest or flashiest. They’re the shows with a loyal, highly engaged audience. The ones that speak directly to a niche your brand aligns with, even if it’s not on the media plan’s usual rotation.
As podcasting continues to evolve, so should your strategy. Explore new genres. Take a second look at YouTube-first podcasts. Revisit language and format assumptions. There’s room to experiment — and more importantly, room to stand out.
For more podcast insights like these, subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Tuned In!
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