Trendcast: The Biggest Podcast Advertising Trends for Brands

Podcasting has erupted, attracting 135M monthly listeners and achieving +47% growth in the past five years. And it’s all thanks to the creators behind the mic who have catapulted the medium to new heights and driven growth and progress in all areas.

Creators are more than storytellers and entertainers, they’re changing the game by attracting diverse, net new audiences and breaking the mold for how brands can connect with their listeners. 

An Inside Look at the Power of Podcasting

To dive deeper into the power of podcasting, we connected with key players in the podcast industry to get meaningful insights from creators, producers, and thought leaders. Together, we explored the ways in which podcast creators are impacting more than just content, and examined how the changes they're driving influence the format for the better.

The result? A new podcast from SiriusXM Media: The Trendcast. It’s the perfect audio companion to our latest Podcast Trends Report, “Creators at the Core.” Tune in as we break down the five biggest trends in the industry, the ripple effects they’ve had, and the opportunities for brands.

Dive Into the Trends

The Mainhustle 

It’s a new era for podcasting, thanks to creators. From garage studios to the spotlight, the talented hosts behind the mic have prompted growth in the medium, expanding platforms, channels, and advertising opportunities for brands. Creators’ passion for the medium comes from countless hours of dedication to the platform. In fact, 60% of creators have been podcasting for 3+ years. And the audiences tuning in to their shows are bringing the same committed energy, with over half saying they can’t get enough and 62% saying they never miss an episode. But this hustle isn’t just profiting podcast creators, it’s making big waves for brands across the medium. We see a +33% incremental reach for brands when they add podcasting to their streaming audio campaigns.

The first episode in this series is all about “The Mainhustle.” Experts take a look at how creators have taken podcasting from a side gig to their main focus, like the two-thirds of Simplecast creators who say podcasting has become increasingly important to their content strategy.²

Meet the Experts:

The Binge

Binging TV shows is so 2000 and late. With creators dropping content miniseries or limit-series, podcast binge listening is surging more than ever before, and audiences are soaking it all up—especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Our Podsurvey User Study found that 60% of listeners say listening to a miniseries makes it easier to listen to an entire series. And two-thirds of them listen to or watch multiple episodes back to back in a single session. Binge listeners take note of the brands supporting the story. Did you know that one-third of podcast listeners appreciate when brands sponsor an entire seasonal or limited release because it shows they’re invested in the content?

In the second episode of this series, “The Binge,” hear how bingeable podcasts lead to audience connections and build trusting relationships for advertisers.

Meet the Experts:

The Shakeup 

Women and BIPOC creators have expanded podcasting into a diverse ecosystem where listeners can hear unique stories from any POV, and these creators draw in net-new and equally diverse audiences. In fact, 42% of podcasters are non-white, and 58% of multicultural podcast listeners say podcasts allow them to hear from diverse creators and storytellers. This shift has allowed audiences of every background to find inspirational stories that resonate with them, providing advertisers with a broad range of opportunities to connect and invest with multicultural audiences. Listeners want to hear deep, thought-provoking conversations that align with the hot topics that impact their communities. And they want brands to feel like a part of the conversation, too—57% of listeners want brands to partner with podcasts that focus on culturally relevant topics.

“The Shakeup” focuses on the diverse blend of voices, audiences, and stories, and how creators are redefining podcasting and shaking up opportunities for advertisers to connect with multicultural audiences. 

Meet the Experts:

The Feedback Loop

The podcaster-to-listener dynamic is special, with fans tuning in every week, if not multiple times a week. But podcasts bring more than just stories; they create communities for people to connect with hosts through email, social media, and even live events—meaning brands have the chance to do the same. On social media sites, a whopping 94% of creators promote their shows and engage with fans. These interactions make podcast listeners feel special, fostering personal connections. Nearly six in 10 listeners say they enjoy when hosts ask them for feedback or input. And these die-hard fans are just as enthusiastic about the brands their favorite shows partner with. In fact, one-third of podcast listeners go out of their way to support brands that support their favorite podcasts.

In the “Feedback Loop,” experts discuss how pulling back the curtain between creators and audiences breaks barriers for advertisers who want to connect with loyal, dedicated podcast fans. 

Meet the Experts:

The Collab

Podcast creators build genuine relationships with their audiences, gaining their trust and loyalty–which makes podcast hosts the perfect influencers for your campaigns. They’re taking brand partnerships to new levels by developing long-term and meaningful relationships with their sponsors, blurring the lines between content and ad placements. Hosts are eager to partner with brands, like the 79% of Simplecast creators who say they’re excited about monetizing their shows. And listeners are up for hearing ads on the shows they love, especially when they feel intentional. In fact, 67% of listeners prefer relevant ads to what they’re listening to. That’s because, thanks to the transparency and authenticity of hosts today, ad placements feel more like recommendations from a friend than a product push.

“The Collab” is all about the ways podcasters seamlessly work ad messaging into their shows and the influence they have on the listeners who trust them.

Meet the Experts:

Listen, Learn, and Work with Us

We’re passionate about the podcast space and championing powerful voices. We proudly partner with the biggest voices in podcasting, like Alex Cooper, Ashley Flowers, Conan O’Brien, and more. If you’re interested in weaving podcasts into your marketing strategy, let’s chat. 

For more insights on the trends ruling the podcast industry, download the Podcast Trends Report.