Podcast Ad Spend to Grow 8.6% in 2026
The IAB's 2026 Outlook Study just dropped. Podcast ad spend is projected to grow 8.6% this year, up from 7.9% in 2025. That puts podcasts ahead of several other digital channels and confirms what many brands have experienced: podcast sponsorships work.
According to the IAB study, 57% of marketers plan to increase their focus on creator and influencer partnerships in 2026, making it the top ad type for increased investment. Podcasts sit at the center of that shift.
Here's what the data reveals about where budgets are going and what's actually changing.
What the IAB Projects for Podcast Sponsorships
Podcast ad spend is growing 8.6% in 2026, up from 7.9% last year. That puts the channel ahead of digital audio excluding podcasts (+3.8%), gaming (+3.7%), and digital display (+5.2%).
The growth isn't just about reach. Podcasts reach people during high-attention moments, often through voices they already trust. When done right, podcast sponsorships feel like part of the content, not interruptions.
But there's pressure building. The IAB study shows media inflation jumped into the top five concerns for marketers this year. CPMs are rising. Budgets are tighter. That means the shows that deliver real engagement and measurable results will pull further ahead of the ones coasting on download numbers.
What's Driving Growth
Three forces are pushing brands toward podcast sponsorships:
Creator partnerships are the priority. According to the IAB, 57% of marketers expect to increase their focus on creator and influencer partnerships in 2026. That's up nearly 10 points from last year. Podcast sponsorships are a major part of that shift, driven by the connection between creators and their engaged audiences.
Signal loss is forcing adaptation. The IAB study reveals that 44% of marketers say adapting to evolving consumer behavior is their top challenge in 2026.
Traditional targeting is getting harder, and brands need channels where they're not fighting algorithm changes or trying to game search results. Podcast sponsorships solve that problem. You're reaching people through creators during high-attention moments. The relationship does the work.
The IAB data shows 72% of marketers are prioritizing cross-platform measurement, up from 64%. That shift favors channels where you can track behavior across the full journey.
The focus is shifting to retention alongside acquisition. According to the IAB, the priority on driving repeat purchases nearly doubled since 2024, jumping from 13% to 25%. Customer acquisition is still the top priority for most brands, but repeat purchases are gaining ground.
Podcasts fit that strategy. Listeners don't always convert immediately. But they remember the host who recommended the product. And they come back later. The channels that build long-term affinity become more valuable when you need both new customers and repeat buyers.
What This Means for Your 2026 Budget
If you're planning podcast campaigns for 2026, here's what matters:
- Focus on quality partnerships, not just scale. With 57% of marketers prioritizing creator partnerships, the industry is shifting away from reach-first strategies. What we've seen: strong placements with hosts who genuinely connect with your product consistently outperform high-volume campaigns.
- Build cross-platform measurement. The IAB study shows 72% of marketers are focusing on cross-platform measurement because single-signal attribution doesn't cut it anymore. You need to see how podcast sponsorships work together with search, social, and everything else.
- Track beyond the first click. Podcast listeners take time to convert. They come back for repeat purchases because they trust the host. If you're only measuring first-click attribution, you're missing most of the value.
- Test, learn, scale. The brands getting real results didn't get there in one quarter. They built the right measurement infrastructure, tested different shows and creative approaches, and scaled what actually worked.
The IAB 2026 Takeaway for Brands
The IAB's forecast shows podcast ad spend growing because the channel lets you reach people through trusted voices while signal loss reshapes how brands find customers. Brands are investing in creator partnerships, adapting their measurement approach, and focusing on efficiency over pure volume.
Planning 2026? Two questions matter: which shows deliver, and how do you track value beyond the first click?
Sherry Del Rizzo
Sherry leads ADOPTER Media’s inbound content marketing, SEO strategy, brand authority, and knowledge base development. Translation: she makes sure the agency’s expertise shows up in the right places from search rankings to industry conversations. For her, marketing isn’t just about promotion, it's about translating ideas into content people actually want to engage with.
