No matter one's interests or obsessions, there’s likely a podcast to match—from Crime Junkie to The Daily to SmartLess.
Perhaps your brand has considered podcast advertising but remains unsure of the ROI. Recent survey data from Harris QuestDIY suggests that shifting some of your budget to podcast ads could indeed pay off.
We surveyed over 1,000 Americans and found that podcast listeners are highly engaged, deeply loyal, and ready to act on what they hear.
Let’s take a look at the data.
Most podcast listeners are tuning in during the afternoon to evening while exercising, cooking, relaxing, cleaning, or commuting. Listening to a podcast while doing chores or cooking is the “distraction” from the mundane task at hand. That’s a whole new attention level for advertising mediums that typically get scrolled past.
What types of podcasts are they listening to, and what platform are they streaming them from?
Podcast ads were deemed more trustworthy than radio, social media, TV, or online ads, with 74% of respondents viewing them as ‘Highly Trustworthy’ or ‘Somewhat Trustworthy’ (rising to 80% for 18–24 year olds) and just 9% considering them untrustworthy. That’s not just a vibe—it’s a measurable edge.
So if you’re wondering whether you should align with a podcast host to promote your next product launch, the answer is a resounding yes. With a highly loyal audience base that tunes in weekly, if not daily, podcast hosts are influencers with built-in authority.
And yes, there are different types of podcast ads. Many are pre-recorded and dynamically inserted; the host may not even know what brand is being advertised. These are cheaper, but often skipped.
But the holy grail of podcast marketing? The host-read ad—the ones where the host enthusiastically praises a new mattress, or meal kit, or protein-fueled energy drink, in their own voice.
27% of survey respondents find host-read ads effective, compared to more traditional pre-recorded spots (20% found those effective).
Host-read ads command a premium for a reason.
A 2023 rate analysis from AdvertiseCast found that host-read podcast ads can cost 50–100% more than standard pre-recorded ones, with CPMs often ranging from $25 to $40 for a 60-second read—compared to $15–$25 for pre-produced spots. Brands are paying for the intimacy, authenticity, and conversion potential of a host's voice.
Podcast advertising doesn’t just build brand awareness, it drives behavior. According to QuestDIY data, 49% of podcast listeners reported taking some action after hearing a podcast ad, whether that was researching a product, making a purchase, or recommending it to a friend.
Of that 49% who took an action based on a specific podcast ad:
Host-read ads were the most effective (39% of respondents said they took more action(s) after hearing an ad delivered by the host, as opposed to 17% who did the same after hearing a pre-recorded ad).
In short: podcast ads, especially ones read by the host, aren’t just aural wallpaper—they’re converting engaged listeners.
The hype isn’t just anecdotal. The U.S. podcast advertising market is booming, expected to hit $2.28 billion in 2024, according to eMarketer. That’s up nearly 16% year-over-year, and projections for 2025 put the number closer to $2.4 billion, per the IAB and PwC.
By contrast, traditional radio is a ~$15 billion market—so podcasting, which didn’t break $1 billion until 2021, is quickly claiming its slice of the audio ad pie.
And while podcast ads may have higher CPMs than DOOH or TV—around $18–$25 for 30–60 second spots versus $6 for a billboard or $15 for TV—those extra dollars buy a more attentive, targeted audience.
QuestDIY by the Harris Poll is a fast, reliable DIY survey solution that allows you to move at the speed of business. Using its AI-powered assistant and built-in audience targeting, we gathered this data within hours after deploying the survey.
If you’re a marketer or researcher looking to:
QuestDIY can help you move from idea to insights—fast.
