Home Login RADIO ONLINE RSS Facebook
Advertisement

Podcast Ad Spend Grows 21% Year-Over-Year in Q1 2025


Magellan AI
Magellan AI

Podcast advertising continued its growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2025, with total ad spend rising 21% compared to the same period last year, according to Magellan AI's latest Podcast Advertising Benchmark Report.

Magellan AI analyzed nearly 93,000 podcast episodes to produce the report, which highlights several notable shifts in advertiser behavior, genre trends, and industry growth.

Key takeaways:

  • Ad Spend Up, But Down From Q4: While Q1 ad spend was 21% higher than Q1 2024, it was 6% below the Q4 2024 level, reflecting expected seasonal trends.

  • Top Advertisers Spent $107 Million: BetterHelp led all advertisers with $14.9 million in spend, followed by T-Mobile and DraftKings. HelloFresh and LinkedIn entered the top 10 for the first time this quarter.

  • Recruiting Leads Industry Growth: Advertising spend in the recruiting sector surged 72% quarter-over-quarter, with Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn driving the increase. Other growing industries included quick-service restaurants ( 53%) and VPN services ( 42%).

  • New Brands Invest More Heavily: Over 1,000 brands advertised on podcasts for the first time in Q1, with an average spend of $42,000-double the amount from a year ago.

  • Ad Load Decreases Slightly: Total ad load dipped to 8.01% of episode content, down from 8.22% in Q4 and 8.73% in Q1 of the previous year.

  • Sports Most Popular Genre for New Advertisers: About 1 in 5 new brands placed ads on Sports podcasts, followed closely by News and Comedy.

Podcasts in the top 500 ranked by popularity captured nearly half of all podcast ad revenue, with advertisers spending an average of $300,000 per month on these shows. Episodes 501-3000 averaged $33,000 monthly. Meanwhile, shorter True Crime episodes under 15 minutes had the highest ad load, averaging 42% of content.

Magellan AI also found that 5% of all Q1 episodes were dominated by a single advertiser, most commonly in Business, Technology, and Education genres.

Looking ahead: Magellan AI highlighted six brands to watch in Q2, including bet365, Thumbtack, and Delta Airlines, each having dramatically increased their podcast ad budgets compared to Q2 last year.

Advertisement

Latest Radio Stories

Zoellner Media Group to Acquire CMG Tulsa Radio Stations
Zoellner Media Group
Zoellner Media Group
Tulsa-based Zoellner Media Group has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase all of Cox Media Group's radio outlets in Tulsa, marking the company's first major foray into local broadcasting. Terms were not immediately disclosed. Upon completion of the transaction, Zoellner Media Group will acquire More

SBS Reports 71% Surge in Adjusted OIBDA for 2024
Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS)
Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS)
Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) has announced strong financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024, highlighted by a 71% increase in Adjusted Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization (OIBDA), which reached $40.4 million compared to More

AM/FM Radio Streaming Tops Spotify, Pandora in New Study
Cumulus Media and Westwood One
Cumulus Media and Westwood One
A new analysis from Edison Research's Q1 2025 "Share of Ear" study reveals significant gains for AM/FM radio streaming, which now surpasses both Spotify and Pandora in ad-supported audio share. The findings, published by Cumulus Media | Westwood One's Audio Active Group, highlight five key takeaways that More
Advertisement

Broadcasters Foundation Sets June 18 for NYC Media Mixer
Broadcasters Foundation of America
Broadcasters Foundation of America
The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) has announced the next installment of its popular Media Mixer series, set for Wednesday, June 18, from 5:30 to 7:30pm ET at iHeartMedia's New York City studios at 125 West 55th Street, 12th Floor. The event, created to connect More

MacDonald Saginaw Names Bob Lawrence as MM
Bob Lawrence
Bob Lawrence
Bob Lawrence is appointed Market Manager for MacDonald Broadcasting's radio cluster and digital properties in Saginaw, MI. He most recently served as General Manager and Market Manager for Seven Mountains Media's cluster in Parkersburg-Marietta. Lawrence joined Seven Mountains Media in May 2024 after serving More

Kim Fitz Joins Christian FM Media's TCM Network
Kim Fitz
Kim Fitz
Christian FM Media Group has announced the addition of veteran Christian radio host Kim Fitz to its syndicated "Today's Christian Music" network. Fitz will anchor the midday slot across the network's 167 affiliated stations, bringing her signature style of warmth, clarity, and uplifting content to audiences More

Return to Menu

Advertisement

Subscribe to our Newsletter
Radio news and headlines delivered right to your e-mail box -- and it's free.

Advertisement

Advertisement