In a turbulent year where the advertising ecosystem is being reshaped by tariffs, AI, and economic uncertainty, podcast marketing is flourishing.

A new report from INCRMNTAL, based on $3 billion in verified ad spend across 100+ brands in their client base, found that podcast ad spending tripled from H2 2024 to H1 2025, rising from from $2 million to $6 million.

• That trend was "fueled by privacy-safe, opt-in environments that offered both reach and intent while attracting the most desirable demographics," according to INCRMNTAL's analysis.
• Total US podcast ad spending is expected to reach $2.53 billion according to our July forecast.

"Marketers used to see podcasting as a niche or experimental channel," said Maor Sadra, CEO and co-founder of INCRMNTAL. "That thinking is outdated. In 2025, it became a core part of media plans, especially for DTC, fintech, and SaaS brands trying to scale without sacrificing efficiency or privacy compliance. Podcasting isn’t a side bet anymore, it’s part of the performance mix.”

Over half (56%) of US adults listen to podcasts at least once a month, according to an April survey from Attest, with 15% listening daily.

• Almost 4 in 10 (38%) of US adults aged 18-34 listen to podcasts, per April data from Crowd React Media.
• And listenership is growing among older generations. Some 27% of US adults 55 and up watched or listened to a podcast in the past week, an eight-point rise from 19% in 2024, according to Edison Research.

In the years since podcasting has cemented its place in the larger media landscape, advertisers have grown increasingly comfortable with the medium. And for many, that comfort has grown into reliance.

• Almost 80% (78%) of US agency and brand-side advertisers are now actively advertising in podcasting, according to a June report from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights.

Podcast advertising has proven its worth to marketers this year in a number of ways. INCRMNTAL's report champions the channel's opt-in engagement, contextual relevance, measurable outcomes, and popularity among younger demographics.

"What changed is that brands finally have the tools to prove it works," said Sadra. "With incrementality-based measurement, advertisers can see that podcasting isn’t just brand-safe, it’s performance-capable."

Marketing interest has been further buoyed by publishers and partnerships. In Spotify's Q1 2025 earnings report, the audio giant revealed that it had paid out over $100 million to podcasters and publishers worldwide since January.

"It was the bigger budget, high profile sponsorships that drove the best results, despite these typically being seen simply as brand building plays," Sadra said.

INCRMNTAL's report, which tracked growth outside of Meta and Google's industry dominance, identified other bright spots in this tumultuous year, including Unity Ads, affiliate marketing, and Digital Turbine. However, for Sadra, podcasting is the channel that has made the deepest mark on the year so far.

“Podcasting was the quiet breakout channel of 2025," he said. "And it wasn’t driven by hype—it was driven by results. In a world where user-level tracking is falling apart, podcasting offers what marketers actually need: Contextual relevance, and access to acutely engaged, high-value audiences."