eMarketer principal analysts Mark Dolliver, Sara M. Watson, and Nicole Perrin, along with junior analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch, discuss the latest government lawsuits against Google, Twitter's new "Spaces" audio feature, 2021 Super Bowl commercials, the reception to Apple's new privacy labels, The Walt Disney Co. throwing its weight behind streaming, what all "Friends" episodes have in common, and more.

Clubhouse has buzz, but social audio isn’t as simple as it looks. The most promising marketing use cases are for thought leadership, virtual events, and influencer marketing.

By the end of our forecast period in 2025, podcasts will represent more than one-third of all digital audio services ad dollars. Another way to view this trend is that over just a handful of years, the share of digital audio services ad revenues going to podcasts will more than double. For the first time, we have a company-specific podcast ad revenue forecast.

On today's episode, we discuss some digital audio developments from Spotify and iHeartMedia, how podcast advertising can add value, in-car audio entertainment, and what the first flavor of advertising on social audio platforms will look like. We then talk about what to expect from this years' Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Podcast Upfronts, how people are approaching podcast moderation, and the market for podcasts created for children. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Peter Vahle.

The excitement over social audio is palpable, judging by the number of companies building out apps or features to support it, and by the number of news reports and opinion columns covering it (our own “Clubhouse and Social Audio 2021” report included). But any marketer that’s active in social media should weigh the drawbacks of entering social audio right now. Here are some key issues to consider before jumping on board.

Driving the update: Podcast advertising in H2 2020 recovered faster than anticipated, audience numbers continued to climb, and digital audio is now a staple in many people’s media diets. Podcasting has also benefited from companies like Spotify, Amazon, iHeartMedia, and others buying and publicizing content studios and ad tech companies alike.

This report reviews our final 2020 numbers and new 2021 forecast for US time spent with media, highlighting pre- and post-pandemic estimates and expectations. Special attention is paid to TV, connected TV, OTT, digital audio, and social media.

Digital audio has undoubtedly benefited from the UK lockdowns. Even with reduced commuting likely eating into their time spent with mobile audio, UK listeners still tuned in to digital audio elsewhere and will continue doing so.

In yesterday's live podcast (broadcast on Clubhouse), we discussed the audio social network movement: the advantages, disadvantages, key players, and what marketers should consider. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analysts Debra Aho Williamson and Jeremy Goldman, and forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Peter Vahle.

Digital Audio Listeners. Digital audio has benefited from the UK lockdowns. Even with the reduced commuting time likely eating into mobile audio listening, UK listeners still tuned in to digital audio elsewhere and will continue doing so.

Facebook lays out its social audio plan: The tech giant is taking on Clubhouse, but with the space getting more crowded and the buzz dying down, it may be difficult to succeed.