Podcast Ads Lead U.S. Media in Ad Recall and Trust

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | 2:27pm CT

Sounds Profitable

Podcast advertising outperforms all other media platforms when it comes to ad recall and consumer trust, according to a new study released by Sounds Profitable, the podcasting trade association.

Entitled The Advertising Landscape: Trust and Attention, the study is the largest public analysis of podcast advertising to date, surveying more than 5,000 U.S. adults. Among key findings, the report reveals that 86% of daily podcast listeners -- or "prime" users -- can recall hearing an ad within the last week. That figure surpasses all other forms of ad-supported media, including TV, radio, and social platforms.

"Podcasting undoubtedly leads the U.S. media landscape in effective reach for media buyers," said Tom Webster, Partner at Sounds Profitable. "Not only does the medium lead in recall among the most active users, it also succeeds in breaking down gender barriers for advertisers -- which is unprecedented compared to most other media."

The study also highlights podcasting's strength across gender lines. Among prime users, 86% of men and 85% of women remembered hearing a podcast ad, making it the most gender-balanced ad medium in terms of recall. By contrast, AM/FM radio showed an 11-point gap (86% men, 75% women), while YouTube showed a five-point difference.

Podcasting also ranked highest in trust metrics. More than half of Black prime users (51%) said they trust podcast ads, along with 49% of Hispanic/Latino users and 46% of Asian users. The platform was rated the most trusted ad-supported media among adults over 55 and showed peak trust among listeners ages 35-54.

Listeners also view podcast advertising as more authentic. Half of prime podcast users said podcast ads feel natural and genuine -- outpacing all social media platforms by wide margins. Trust in podcast hosts further reinforces the platform's value, with 42% of prime users saying they trust the people delivering the ads -- again the highest across all measured media.

Despite reaching a smaller portion of the population monthly (31%), podcasts' combination of attention, trust, and balanced reach across demographics gives them an outsized role in effective advertising, the report concludes.

A follow-up edition of the Advertising Landscape study focused on performance and purchase behavior is slated for release in July.