Don’t Sleep On Podcasts in 2025.
The Podcast Takeover.
Podcasts. They’re everywhere. And in 2025? They’re not slowing down. With 584 million listeners worldwide – a figure increasing by 6.83% year-on-year – podcasts aren’t just surviving; they’re thriving.
In the UK alone, 42% of adults listen to podcasts monthly and 30% tune in at least weekly. That’s a lot of ears.
Platforms like YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts are still battling it out for top spot, each doubling down on exclusive content, better algorithms, and new monetisation options.
Some research even shows that podcasts were more influential in the most recent US election than traditional news outlets.
I’m part of the 30% who listen weekly. At the gym, where I soundtrack upper body sessions to the soothing tones of true crime. Or cleaning the house, because scrubbing the sink is way better with celeb scandal deep-dives in your ears. Like many, I’m a multi-genre listener, everything from Call Her Daddy to Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster.
But it’s not just active listeners tuning in. Short podcast clips are increasingly making their way onto TikTok and Reels, infiltrating pop culture faster than ever and opening up plenty of new social media marketing opportunities for those brands willing to think beyond traditional ads.
The Podcast Problem(s).
Whilst podcasts are very much still rising in popularity, there’s been some chat around misinformation, regulation (or lack thereof), and podcast quality going downhill.
Take Steven Bartlett, for example – the self-made podcast king. A 2024 BBC investigation found that his chart-topping Diary of a CEO podcast had amplified harmful health misinformation and many listeners became skeptical of his potential bias in guest selection due to his investments in health brands Huel and Zoe. Not exactly what you want when positioning yourself as a trusted voice in the business world.
Still – even while popularity and credibility fluctuates across individual pods – the medium seems bulletproof.
And because people keep listening, brands keep investing.
The Battle of the Pod Platforms.
The rivalry between Spotify and YouTube is hotting up, with Spotify going all in on merging audio and video podcasts to claw back some of YouTube’s dominance. Why? Because video podcasts are exploding. And that means more opportunities for creators, more advertising slots and more brand sponsorships (deals that dictate the furniture featured on the recording, or even the drinks the creators consume on-screen).
For brands, this is great news. Podcasts offer an excellent way to build brand authority, connect with engaged audiences and learn from industry pros. Whether you’re starting a podcast or sponsoring one, it’s a golden opportunity to reach highly engaged listeners (80% of whom actually listen to the whole episode – unheard of for most media formats).
The Ad Opportunity Lowdown.
As an integrated marketing agency, we’re experts at helping brands connect with high-relevancy podcasts through a number of different formats. Let’s explain the three most popular types:
1. Host-Read Ads
The podcast host personally reads the ad, making it feel more natural and trustworthy to the audience. As all creators will need final approval on the ads from the brand, creators are often selective in only working with brands they believe in and align with their values and lifestyle.
2. Dynamically Inserted Ads
These ads are automatically inserted into a number of different podcast episodes using ad technology, rather than being recorded into one episode itself. That means you and a friend can be listening to the same ep, but get totally different ads – tailored to you.
Ads can also change depending on factors like the weather or time of day to ensure high-tailored messaging. You can run up to eight different variations of the same ad for this reason!
3. Branded Content (Sponsored Episodes)
The entire episode is created around the sponsor’s topic, product, or service. The whole episode is essentially an extended ad, but usually blended into engaging content. Naturally this is the most expensive option!
Many brands even start their own podcasts as part of their marketing strategy – a nice tactic for businesses with specific niches. Great examples are Wix’s Now What? a podcast designed for small businesses, Zoe Science & Nutrition and Dish from Waitrose (Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett are a co-host collab made in heaven).
What’s Next For Podcasts?
Podcasting is certainly here to stay and more platforms are rolling out enterprise-level solutions to help podcast networks sell their audiences directly, while still cashing in on bigger programmatic ad buys.
Expect platforms to start creating their own sales exchanges, where they control all deals, removing old-school open tech in favour of closed ad networks. Translation: if you’re in the podcast advertising game or have paid media budget behind your brand, now’s the time to get smart about where and how you invest.
So, when faced with so many different marketing channels, why should you choose podcasting? Because the research shows that podcast advertising delivers a 60% higher return-on-investment than any other marketing channel (Analect, 2021*). Why? It’s down to the nuanced targeting options and longer-form advertising options available, as well as the strong trust built between podcast creators and their audience – essential for swaying consumer behaviour.
Ready to tap into the power of podcasts? Contact us today to explore how strategic podcast advertising can take your brand to the next level in 2025.
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