Podcast advertising: how it works and where to buy

The facts here come from the industry's own pages: IAB Tech Lab's Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines, Acast's own podcast advertising glossary and self-serve ad platform page, and AdvertiseCast's podcast advertising marketplace page. No company publishes a standard rate, so this guide does not quote one; where you see a figure below it is a measurement rule, not a price.

Host-read, produced and sponsored ads

A podcast ad can be voiced two ways. A host-read ad, which Acast's glossary describes as "also known as 'Sponsorships'. Ads read by the host or producer of the podcast and dynamically inserted into the content", is written as talking points rather than a script, so the host can deliver it in their own voice. AdvertiseCast, which sells ads across its show network, says "Our most popular type are host-read ads which are read by the host", and asks advertisers for talking points rather than a fixed script so the delivery still sounds like the show.

A produced ad is recorded separately from the show, by the advertiser or by the platform, and dropped into the episode as a finished audio file. Acast's self-serve platform offers this as "Targeted ads", where you "upload your pre-produced audio ad and run it across hundreds of relevant podcasts at the same time", plus tools to generate one from scratch or get one built by an in-house studio. A sponsorship, by contrast, leans on the host: Acast describes it as a message "woven naturally into their show with their own authentic voice."

Baked-in vs dynamically inserted

How an ad reaches a listener's device is a separate question from who voices it. Acast's glossary defines dynamic ad insertion (DAI) as "the process of 'stitching' ads into podcast content in real time, instead of the advert being 'baked' into the audio file permanently. The benefit is that the ads can be swapped for new creative or new advertisers at any time." A dynamically inserted ad can also be a pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll spot, placed at the start, middle or end of the episode.

A baked-in ad is recorded as part of the episode's single audio file and distributed with it, so it reaches every app that carries the show's RSS feed. That tradeoff matters when choosing where to buy: AdvertiseCast, which sells baked-in host-read spots, points out that "when you purchase an ad spot from Libsyn Ads, your ad will be heard on ALL major publishing platforms and podcast players including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Overcast, Pocket Casts, etc.", while warning that "some of our competitors will sell you dynamically inserted ads that can only be found on their platform and listening app." In short, ask any network or platform which apps and players an ad will actually play on before you buy.

Ways to buy podcast ads

There are three common routes, and businesses can mix them.

• Direct with a show. You contact a podcast's own ad or sponsorship contact and negotiate a host-read or sponsorship spot with that one show. There is no platform fee, but you handle outreach, scheduling and creative briefing yourself.
• Through a network or marketplace. A network sells inventory across many shows at once. AdvertiseCast's marketplace page describes the model as working with an advertiser to "research ad inventory in our online ad marketplace, then work with our industry leading sales team to place an order", reviewing show, host and audience information before booking, with campaigns either self-managed or handed to the network's sales team.
• Through a self-serve ad platform. Acast's self-serve platform lets an advertiser go live in three steps: "Build your campaign", "Find your audience" and "Launch and measure", targeting by demographics, location, interests or podcast category without a sales call. Spotify's Ads Manager works the same way for its own and partner podcasts; see our Spotify ads guide for how that self-serve flow, budgets and targeting work there.

A fourth term worth knowing is programmatic buying, which Acast's glossary defines as "the use of software to automatically purchase and insert ads in a particular medium, rather than the traditional process involving human negotiations and manual insertion orders." Programmatic podcast ads are dynamically inserted by definition, since the software needs to swap creative per listener or per request; they are usually bought through a self-serve platform or a programmatic marketplace rather than negotiated show by show.

Measuring a podcast ad campaign

Podcast measurement works differently from web or app advertising because there is no open connection to count against. IAB Tech Lab's Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines explain that "podcast episodes are downloaded for consumption and measurement is based on server logs", and that the guidelines exist to describe "the technical process for measuring: downloads, audience, and ad delivery" consistently across the industry. IAB Tech Lab also runs a compliance program, noting it "offers a compliance program for companies who wish to signal to buyers their adherence to these guidelines" — worth asking about when you compare networks or platforms.

Acast's glossary shows what that server-log counting looks like in practice: "A Listen/Download is valid according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) if it meets the following criteria:" at least 60 seconds of the episode downloaded, filtering out known bots and non-human traffic, and counting only one listen per listener per episode in a 24-hour window. An ad impression is counted only once the full ad file has been served, so a listener who stops partway through an episode before a mid-roll ad plays does not generate an impression for that ad. Ask any network, show or platform whether its download and impression counts follow this IAB methodology before comparing numbers between them.

Disclosure

A host-read or sponsored podcast ad is still a paid endorsement, so it needs the same clear disclosure as any other paid placement. See our influencer marketing disclosure guide for what counts as a material connection and how to disclose it.

For help planning where an ad budget should go, see our services.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a host-read and a produced podcast ad?

A host-read ad is voiced by the podcast's own host or producer, usually from talking points rather than a script. A produced ad is a finished audio file recorded separately, by the advertiser, an agency or the ad platform, and inserted into the episode without the host voicing it.

What is the difference between a baked-in and a dynamically inserted podcast ad?

A baked-in ad is recorded into the episode's single audio file and goes out with it everywhere that file is distributed. A dynamically inserted ad is stitched in by a server at the moment of download or playback, which lets the platform swap the ad or target it, but usually ties it to that platform's own listening apps.

Where can I buy podcast ads?

Directly from a show's own sponsorship contact, through a network or marketplace that sells inventory across many shows, or through a self-serve ad platform such as Acast's or Spotify's Ads Manager, which let you set up and target a campaign without a sales call.

How are podcast downloads and listens measured?

Podcast platforms count downloads and listens from server logs rather than a live connection, following IAB Tech Lab's Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines. What makes a listen valid under that methodology is set out in the measurement section above, as Acast's glossary describes it.

Do podcast ads need to be disclosed?

Yes. A paid host-read or sponsored ad is a material connection between the advertiser and the host, so it needs clear disclosure to listeners; see our influencer marketing disclosure guide for what that requires.