The signal that’s fueling a surge in digital audio is getting clearer. US podcasts are set to capture close to an additional $1 billion per year by 2029, according to EMARKETER’s December 2025 forecast.

Podcast listeners are sought out by marketers for high engagement, and listenership is only set to grow.

Podcast hosts are the most influential creators among weekly listeners, with 56% saying hosts have the greatest impact, per a Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights report. Recognizing the unique ability of podcast hosts to drive outcomes compared with other influencer types is critical—but as the podcast space becomes more saturated, brands need to seek hosts with specific attributes.

Podcasts are emerging as the most credible, persuasive arm of the creator economy. According to Acast, 84% of listeners have changed their mind because of a podcaster, yet 75% don’t view them as influencers—proof that credibility, not celebrity, fuels podcast influence. Two-thirds of listeners say they’ve purchased something a host recommended. Despite the rise of video, most podcast engagement remains audio-first, underscoring the medium’s intimacy and staying power. For advertisers, podcasts offer a rare trifecta—attention, authenticity, and conversion—at a time when influencer fatigue and algorithmic feeds erode audience trust elsewhere.

The news: Podcast ads are turning passive listeners into active consumers and driving measurable outcomes for brands, per a Nielsen study. Podcast campaigns led to a 10-point boost in brand awareness; an 8-point increase in information-seeking; and a 6-point increase in recommendation and purchase intent. Our take: Podcasting’s high engagement and success for brands makes it an increasingly critical investment—but key considerations must be kept in mind. Host-read ads perform best. Brands are most likely to thrive with podcast ads when the host is an actual user of the products advertised and comes across as authentic.

The news: Podcast ad spending intention will reach an 11-year high in 2025, and more advertisers are investing in the medium than ever, per a Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights report. Podcast ad spend intention reached 69% among agencies and advertisers surveyed, the highest in the eleven years tracked by Cumulus and Signal Hill. 78% are already investing in podcast advertising, five times higher than the amount investing in 2015. Our take: As listenership spikes, podcasts will continue being a key investment for savvy advertisers—and those who know how to maximize the medium’s potential will come out on top.

The rest of the year is top-of-mind for leaders in marketing and retail, which they expect to be challenging but riddled with opportunities to stand out from competition.

Spotify is scaling video podcast monetization fast: A YouTube-style model and creator tools are fueling the shift.

Podcast ad revenues surpassed $2 billion in 2024: As revenues maintain consistent growth, advertisers must tap in to meet audiences where they’re at.

Spotify keeps Bill Simmons on board: The Ringer founder extends his contract as Spotify pivots toward video podcasting and sustainable ad-driven content.

YouTube is the preferred platform for podcasts, and Netflix wants in: Marketers must recognize podcasts aren’t audio-only to effectively reach consumers.

GenAI is already transforming the way marketers and others are working. Here are some key ways EMARKETER is using the technology.

How SiriusXM plans to compete with Spotify: After a failed music streaming venture, the company is reinvesting in its car business.

AI’s role in Spotify Wrapped is slightly subdued: The platform’s yearly marketing event included AI, but stopped short of prominently featuring it.

The 2024 general election has been dubbed “the podcast election” due to candidates’ potentially game-changing appearances on some of the biggest podcasts in the US. These appearances illustrate the untapped potential of podcast advertising. “Podcasts may have played a big role in the US election, but they're still getting overlooked by advertisers,” wrote EMARKETER senior vice president of content and executive editor Vladimir Hanzlik on LinkedIn.

Contrary to popular belief, not every creator has a podcast. But those who do are a driving force behind the roughly $1.50 billion US creators will generate from digital audio distribution channels this year.

YouTube is the best platform for ad engagement, but others are rising: Our Industry KPI data found that YouTube, X, and podcasts delivered the strongest attention metrics.

Historically traditional channels are being digitized, theoretically opening the door to more robust measurement. At the same time, third-party identifiers are being ousted in favor of identity solutions that preserve consumers’ privacy.

It’s time for podcast advertising to mature with its audience: The format has reached mainstream success, but ad solutions are lagging behind.

The average US household was served the same podcast ad 4.76 times in Q2 2022. That quarter marked an unusual decrease in ad frequency, and as a result conversion rates went up, according to Podsights.