Podcast Revenue Continues Its Steady Rise
The latest eMarketer projections, shared by INSIDERADIO, show steady podcast industry growth through 2029 driven not only by listener demand but by new streaming partnerships expanding where podcasts live.
Podcast revenue continues its steady rise. According to new eMarketer data, U.S. podcast ad spending is expected to climb from $2.69 billion in 2025 to $3.7 billion by 2029, a 37 percent increase over five years.
That growth will expand podcasting’s share of digital audio ad revenue from 35.6 percent in 2025 to 40.6 percent by 2029, putting podcasts on track to claim nearly half of the entire digital audio market. But revenue isn’t the only signal of progress; reach is expanding too, as podcasts make their way to the biggest screens in the house.
From Audio Streams to Streaming Screens
The definition of digital audio is changing. This fall, Spotify and Samsung TV Plus launched a new free, ad-supported video podcast channel featuring The Ringer’s most popular shows. It’s an always-on feed that delivers podcast content directly to connected TVs without the need for an app or subscription.
At the same time, Netflix and Spotify announced a new video podcast distribution deal that will bring The Bill Simmons Podcast, Dissect, The Rewatchables, and other major titles to both platforms in 2026. Together, these partnerships signal the next evolution for podcasting, transforming audio streams into multi-format entertainment properties that live alongside mainstream TV content.
Why Streaming Podcasts?
Streaming podcasts are not a trend; they’re a strategic move driven by audience behavior, advertiser demand, and platform economics.
Listeners are increasingly consuming podcasts in visual spaces such as YouTube, TikTok, and social feeds, where video storytelling drives discovery. Streaming platforms are simply meeting audiences where they already are…on screens.
Advertisers are also seeking unified, cross-screen strategies that allow for consistent creative, tracking, and targeting across podcast, YouTube, and connected TV environments. Integrating podcasts into streaming platforms creates an extension of existing ad campaigns, giving brands the ability to measure performance across multiple formats within one ecosystem.
For platforms, the motivation is clear. FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) and SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) services need premium, evergreen content that keeps audiences engaged without ballooning production budgets. Podcasts, particularly those with strong hosts and big back catalogs, fill that need with content that’s affordable, loyal, and endlessly watchable.
For audiences, it’s convenience. For platforms, it’s retention. For advertisers, it’s discovery and attribution.
Why Podcasts Continue to Outpace Digital Audio
According to eMarketer, podcasting’s sustained momentum is fueled by several overlapping trends. Dynamic ad technology and cross-platform measurement are making campaigns more accountable and scalable. Listener migration from traditional radio to on-demand ecosystems continues to grow. Branded content and host-read sponsorships maintain the authenticity that first made podcast ads effective.
And now, new streaming distribution models from companies like Samsung and Netflix are creating additional layers of monetization and reach. Podcasts have long since been a side category of digital audio: they’re a foundational part of a cross-channel media strategy.
What This Means for Brands
For brands, these shifts redefine how podcast sponsorships fit into a broader media plan and how success will increasingly depend on accountability, creativity, and measurable engagement.
Creative flexibility is becoming essential. The same host-led authenticity that works in an audio format can now be extended to visual storytelling, where brand moments feel natural rather than scripted.
Marketers who adapt their creative for both formats will gain stronger engagement and recall.
Measurement is evolving just as quickly. As podcasts appear across FAST, SVOD, and connected TV environments, advertisers can now tie conversions to both listens and views. Tools such as Podscribe and Fairing will become critical for understanding multi-platform attribution.
At the same time, marketers must look beyond surface-level metrics. As distribution expands, impression counts and view totals can become inflated by autoplay and passive viewing. True ROI depends on validating real engagement that is measured through verified impressions, completion rates, pixel tracking, and post-purchase data. The brands that invest in transparent tracking and attribution today will be the ones that build sustainable performance tomorrow.
Podcasting has outgrown the earbuds. It now lives on screens, in homes, and across formats. For brands, that means more ways to connect and more ways to prove those connections deliver real results
The Bottom Line
Podcasts are evolving into multi-format properties that thrive across audio, YouTube, and now major streaming platforms. For advertisers, that evolution translates into more touchpoints, better measurement, and a deeper relationship with audiences who watch, listen, and engage.
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.
