When the coronavirus pandemic led to a significant economic slowdown, most advertising formats took a momentary hit as many companies cut their marketing budgets. Podcasts, however, have continued to receive more ad dollars throughout the pandemic. A growing number of listeners, combined with expanded advertising capabilities, will push US podcast ad spending past $1 billion for the first time this year, which means that podcasts are no longer experimental, but rather a key part of many marketers’ media plans.