76% of Brands Surveyed Running Podcast Campaigns
Advertiser interest in podcast advertising has reached its highest level in twelve years of tracking, according to the latest Podcast Download – Spring 2026 Report from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights.
The report combines two complementary studies: an Advertiser Perceptions survey of 300 marketers and media agencies conducted in June 2026 and a survey of 600 weekly podcast consumers completed in April 2026. Together, the findings show advertiser discussion, consideration, and spending intent all at twelve-year highs, with three in four brands already running podcast campaigns.
Over a Decade of Steady Growth
The Advertiser Perceptions study found strong results across every stage of the buying process.
Today, 93% of marketers and media agencies say they have discussed podcast advertising as a potential media investment. Another 75% say they would consider advertising in podcasts over the next six months, while 74% expect to advertise during that period. And 76% report they are already advertising in podcasts.
Those figures measure different things. Consideration and spending intent both ask about the next six months. Current usage asks what advertisers are doing right now. That is why usage can sit above intent without contradicting it.
Looking at the twelve-year trend tells an even bigger story. When Advertiser Perceptions first measured podcast advertising sentiment in 2015, just 10% of brands and agencies expected to advertise in podcasts within the following six months. Today, that figure stands at 74%. During the same period, discussion around podcast advertising has increased from 41% to 93%, consideration has grown from 18% to 75%, and current usage has climbed from 15% to 76%, roughly a fivefold increase.
Rather than reflecting a single strong year, the research shows advertiser interest has climbed consistently since tracking began.
One number moved the other way. Current usage came in at 76%, down from 78% in 2025. It is the only one of the four measures that is not at a twelve-year high.
Consumer Engagement Remains Strong
The companion consumer study provides additional context behind those advertiser trends.
Weekly podcast consumers now represent 45% of Americans age 12 and older, according to Edison Research's The Infinite Dial 2026, cited in the report. Those consumers take in an average of 12.5 hours of podcasts each week across 6.4 episodes and 4.3 different shows. Nearly eight in ten (79%) qualify as heavy podcast consumers, meaning they spend six or more hours a week with podcasts.
New listeners ramp up fast. As the report puts it, once you're in, you're in. Consumers who began listening within the past year already average 3.9 different podcast shows each week, close to the 4.6 among those listening four years or longer.
Hosts Beat Influencers, 2 to 1
The report also examined whose recommendations carry the greatest influence with podcast audiences.
Podcast hosts are twice as influential as social media creators. More than half (52%) of weekly podcast consumers said podcast hosts have the greatest influence on them, compared with 24% who selected social media influencers, 15% who chose television or movie celebrities, and 10% who pointed to AM/FM radio hosts.
Listeners also act fast. More than four in five weekly podcast consumers (82%) say they typically listen to new podcast episodes within 24 hours of release, reflecting the regular listening habits many shows have built with their audiences.
Both Sides of the Market Are Growing
Taken together, the advertiser and consumer research point to a medium that continues to mature. Twelve years into tracking podcast advertising sentiment, the latest Podcast Download – Spring 2026 Report shows brands and agencies are more engaged with podcast advertising than ever before, while podcast audiences continue to demonstrate the listening habits and engagement that have helped define the medium's growth.
Sherry Del Rizzo
Sherry leads editorial at ADOPTER Media, translating the agency's campaign experience and podcast advertising expertise into education for the industry. Her job, in short: take what ADOPTER learns from running real campaigns and turn it into something worth reading.
