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Thought Leadership Why Brands Aren't Spending That Extra $1B on Podcasts (Yet)

Why Brands Aren’t Spending That Extra $1B on Podcasts (Yet)

Advertisers want to spend an extra $1B in podcasting, but they’re holding back until we address the industry’s most significant issues.

This week on The Media Roundtable, we’ve assembled a powerhouse of CAOs to talk about the findings of our 2025 “What Brands Want” report.

At this summer’s CAO Summit, we learned that podcasting could be one billion dollars bigger… if brands had what they need today. After polling brand leaders on their hurdles and needs, the results are in.

Dan Granger (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) breaks down the findings with:

The team is talking: Closing the Measurement Gap, Beating the Clutter, Minding the Macro, and more. Let’s dig in:

“Any sort of improvement that we can make on the measurement side to prove the efficacy of our ad dollars is going to only enable us to put more and more budget into the channel.” – Justin Fitzpatrick (Head of Performance Marketing, Found)

Close the Measurement Gap – The industry’s most significant hurdle to unlocking the next billion? The lack of standardized measurement, especially between RSS and YouTube impressions. We’re pushing for the big players to give CAOs standardized tracking, but until then, we recommend a two-step HDYHAU to capture performance by channel AND show. Bonus: listeners actually want to give credit to their favorite hosts; we just need to make sure there’s a way for them to do so.

Beat the Clutter – Podcasts thrive on breakthrough authenticity. Rising ad loads and undisclosed AI voice clones threaten podcasting’s golden goose. CAOs want to protect that authentic connection between the brand and host, while maintaining an authentic host/audience connection. Creators and publishers take note: brands want to spend more for results. You can grow more with fewer, customized, and authentic ads than with skippable ad blocks. CAOs, keep asking questions about ad loads and checking the Oxford Clock.

Mind the Macro – If measurement is the first blocker for expanding budgets, then macro environment concerns (e.g. tariffs) are the second. How can CAOs and creators respond? Resonant creative messaging. Our panel doubles down on understanding their audience and how their products can help current issues. Authentic partnerships with hosts and solid measurement practices (see above) give you the certainty you need to increase budgets in uncertain times.

Want more know-how on the industry’s hurdles and solutions? Grab the full “What Brands Want” report here. And for in-depth insights, check out the full episode below:

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Words like Concrete – Studies show people remember concrete phrases (“white horse”) 4 times more than intangible ones (“subtle fault”). Look over your copy. If you want it to stick in people’s minds, skip the floating abstract words and firm up the copy with sturdy, concrete words and phrases.

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Protecting Human Connection: Audio’s ROI, AI Slop, & Netflix Moves

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Netflix’s $8M Question – Netflix is offering 50+ podcasts to leave YouTube for $8M. If Netflix thinks podcasts are just cheaper TV, this move makes sense. But most podcasters don’t think about themselves that way. They build audience connection in a wildly powerful and efficient way. Leaving open platforms for closed ones diminishes that power. Todd’s hot take: Podcasters looking for a fast payday should take the exit and leave the others to grow their audiences.

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Protecting Human Connection – Ashley Carman’s Podcast Business Summit encapsulated the fight for the soul of podcasting. Inception Point boasts +200k AI episodes (all without QC). Netflix hopes to entice shows to take the sure money, and creators want to stay in control and help build brands (their own and their partners). While there’s money to be made in all directions, trying to protect the heart of podcasting, the authentic human connection, is only possible from some paths. CAOs: Uncertainty creates opportunity–for your shows that work, start conversations that can deepen your partnerships. If you value the connection between your creators and their audiences, continue to invest in them, and they’ll continue to invest in you.

 

Want more insights from the forces shaping the industry? Tune in to the full episode by clicking the link below.

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