In this year’s Key Digital Trends report, we identify what changes are coming to the digital media and technology landscape in 2020 and why they matter to marketers.

Next year, the average US adult will spend more time listening to digital audio—whether that’s streaming radio or podcasts—than traditional radio, according to our estimates. As adoption continues to grow, so does advertiser investment.

More people than ever in the US are spending time with digital audio, leading to growing advertising opportunities. To properly communicate with audiences, advertisers should make sure the right creatives are used with the right audio formats. Otherwise, they run the risk of annoying or alienating their audiences.

eMarketer principal analysts Nicole Perrin and Mark Dolliver join vice president of content studio Paul Verna to chat about YouTube’s announcement that it will stop targeting ads toward kids, whether podcasts are the future of radio, the significance of Facebook’s new ‘Off-Facebook Activity’ feature and more.

US consumers dig digital audio, and as listenership heats up, so does advertiser investment. For direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, podcasts are top-of-mind as they provide engaging and influential ad opportunities.

eMarketer’s very own gamers, corporate account manager Brandon Galindo and sales executive Michael Bruckenthal, explain what happened at the Fortnite World Cup. What did the esports competition look like, how much did competitors win and how do parents feel about their kids participating? Then vice president of content studio Paul Verna, discusses updates to Spotify’s new Ad Studio, Walmart’s latest driverless delivery partnership and why DoorDash bought Caviar.

Whether it’s podcasts or streaming radio and music, the US population is spending more of its time with digital audio.

Digital audio content—and advertising—is gaining momentum.. How are marketers approaching streaming audio, podcast and smart speaker advertising? Read on.

The podcasting industry continues to explode with potential for advertisers, and the numbers show it: Marketers spent $479 million on podcast ads in 2018, and podcast advertising revenues are projected to surpass $1 billion by 2021, according to figures from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PwC.

Podcasts still have a ways to go before catching up with traditional radio. As marketers try to reach the growing audience of digital audio listeners, podcasts stand out in a few key ways.

This report features eMarketer’s December 2018 update to our B2B US digital ad spending forecast. It also explores the trends that are driving (and preventing) increased spend in 2019 and beyond.

Fragmented and rudimentary measurements prevent more brands from buying in to podcasts. However, some of these issues may improve as ad standards emerge.

Direct-to-consumer brands are growing fast and disrupting the retail industry. How are these brands successfully reaching and converting customers, earning their loyalty, and capturing more of their online and offline spending?

Podcast ads are a rising format for B2Bs, and some are finding success by using podcasts as a driver of direct buyers.

For KFC, acknowledging the distracting nature of digital ads and making the experience more enjoyable is key. "That may manifest itself in an 8-hour interactive live stream of a room full of kittens playing with a Colonel-shaped cat climber," said Steve Kelly, director of media and digital at the fast-food chain.

Most digital display ads are now purchased programmatically in the US, but what’s next? We explore why digital audio, out-of-home and television are prime targets for programmatic buyers.

The US often leads the pack in terms of digital advertising adoption and innovation. But that’s not the case with programmatic audio.

The podcast ad market is taking off as people increasingly tune in. But large brand advertisers still want better measurement and analytics before they really buy in.

Daily time spent with digital media will surpass traditional media in 2018. Increased time with digital video, which will reach 1 hour, 26 minutes, is a main driver of the increase of time spent with digital media.

More than one-fifth of the US population will listen to a podcast at least monthly in 2018. Even though the medium can be a powerful vehicle for advertisers to reach a so-called “unreachable” audience, most major brands have yet to take advantage of the opportunity.