The news: A report from DoubleVerify unveiled insights on the state of the digital ad landscape as audiences and brands go digital-first. More than three-quarters (77%) say short-form vertical videos (think Reels) perform better than marketers’ campaign baselines, while 75% say the same for social media feeds, 69% for connected TV (CTV), 67% for commerce media networks, and 58% for audio and podcasts. Our take: As time spent with digital grows, advertisers are pushed to invest—but with ad blockers and brand safety remaining concerns, advertisers must rethink how they earn attention and invest in meaningful, trustworthy, and well-placed experiences.

The news: The battle for streaming dominance is heating up between Netflix and YouTube, as both look to assert themselves in an increasingly crowded field. The platforms accounted for 20% of all TV viewing time in May, per Nielsen data. Our take: YouTube’s appeal as a (mostly) free platform means it’ll likely continue its dominance—but all hope isn’t lost for Netflix, which continues to lead in paid streaming offerings. YouTube’s ad-supported free model reinforces its lead against Netflix—but Netflix can compete better if it can justify its premium price with exclusive content and an improved user experience.

The news: Spotify is expanding its automated podcast buying capabilities, giving advertisers the opportunity to reach podcast listeners through two automated buying channels. Spotify Ads Manager is evolving to give advertisers in several regions “direct access to premium podcast inventory,” including content from original and licensed podcasts.. Our take: The updates could enable Spotify to increase its share of ad dollars, attracting advertisers looking for more opportunities to reach engaged audiences representing key demographics. But to continue attracting spending, Spotify will need to shift some focus to drawing in more listeners to keep its podcast offerings attractive.

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.

The news: Podcasts are becoming a popular way for brands to reach engaged audiences, with viewership mounting and new platforms throwing their hats in the ring. Podcast viewership is thriving, reaching over 140 million US listeners in 2025, according to our forecast. Listeners will surpass 150 million by 2027. Our take: Podcasts are shaping up to become a strong contender in media consumption, with nearly 70% of US adults ages 18 to 24 listening at least one per month, per our forecast. As platforms battle to be the leading home for podcasts, advertisers need to pay attention and tailor strategies.

“There are lots of shiny new pennies in marketing, so it's very easy to get distracted,” said Nicklaus Hasselberg, VP of growth marketing and ecommerce at Every Man Jack, at The Lead Summit in New York City last week. “It’s about ‘What do we reasonably believe will have the biggest impact on our business?' And let’s do it as well as we can."

Netflix and BBC team up for new podcast: While Netflix teases video podcasts on its own platform, work needs to be done to win over audiences.

Amazon Music’s AI push is promising but fumbles the execution: Explore brings deeper fan engagement, but a clunky interface may keep it from stealing share from Spotify or YouTube Music.

Dozens of ads with AI voices found marketing illegal drugs on Spotify: The incident highlights the struggle to keep up with AI’s rapid development.

YouTube introduces new offerings for ads, podcasts: The platform aims to highlight its ability to reach audiences with unmatched versatile content options.

US mobile audio app listeners spend an average of 32.3 hours with Spotify a month, compared with 3.5 hours with Amazon Music, and 0.9 hours with Apple Music, according to January data from Comscore Media Metrix Multi-Platform.

Nearly three-fourths of Gen Zers discover new media content on social media (72%) and on YouTube (71%), according to December 2024 data from Toluna, Coraly Partners, and Halford Media Advisory.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how ready Netflix is for a potential recession, if video podcasts and content creators fit nicely into its offering, and whether AI can help improve search for the streaming giant. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Ross Benes, and Vice President of Content Paul Verna. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

US adults spend over 32.3 hours monthly on the Spotify app, compared with 3.5 hours on Amazon Music and less than an hour on Apple Music, according to a January 2025 Comscore study.

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

Sports remains a profitable ad opportunity: Two-thirds of Americans are sports fans and over half have made a purchase based on audio ads.

Netflix, Patreon explore podcast potential: As competition in the podcast space heats up, brands are looking for unique value propositions to draw audiences.