Top 5 Predictions for Podcast Advertising in 2025

Podcast advertising has been one of the fastest-growing channels in the marketing ecosystem, and 2025 is poised to be another pivotal year for the medium. In 2025, winning brands will seek innovative ways to engage audiences where they are and work around targeting challenges in other digital channels (like upcoming roadblocks for telehealth and fintech on Meta). Luckily, podcast advertising offers a unique mix of digital-style measurement via pixels, native/influencer-style content, top of funnel awareness, and bottom-funnel conversion. 

Whether you’re a podcast advertising guru or looking to diversify your paid marketing mix beyond the core search/social paradigm, understanding what’s next can help you stay ahead of the curve. Here are five predictions from Right Side Up’s experts in the medium that will shape the future of podcast advertising in 2025: 

1. One MMM Will Emerge as the Preferred Partner for Podcast Advertising

The number one conversation we have with brands looking to advertise on podcasts is “How do I measure this channel?” For years, the bread and butter of measurement has been to use vanity URLs/promo codes, paired with survey responses, to triangulate activity. Now, we work with extensive pixel-based solutions that emulate digital measurement. Still, advertisers are still looking for a more precise answer—especially about how this channel fits into the bigger picture. 

With podcast ad budgets climbing in 2025 and marketers demanding more precision, a standout Media Mix Modeling (MMM) partner will emerge, offering the most reliable, actionable data to measure podcast ad performance within the broader media ecosystem. This will not only validate the channel but elevate its role in omnichannel planning.

💡 You might also like: Chasing Dollars, Losing Sense: The Hidden Cost of Podcast Monetization for Listeners and Advertisers

2. Someone Will Nail the Word for Podcast/YouTube Simulcasts

Yes, this article is about our predictions for the podcast channel but, as marketers know, so many of podcast’s impressions are actually consumed on YouTube as a “simulcast,” a portmanteau of sorts we’ve used for years to describe the method of podcast audio being simultaneously available as a video. But is this media now technically a “video podcast” or a “podcast on YouTube”? Both are clunky. 

As podcast creators increasingly pair their audio content with video, YouTube has become an undeniable player in the podcasting world. A snappy, memorable name will emerge, solidifying this hybrid format in the industry lexicon, making it easier for advertisers to differentiate strategies for traditional audio podcasts versus these audio-visual hybrids.

‍3. More Granular YouTube Attribution for Podcasts (Our Blue Sky for 2025)

And with the increased consumption of the soon-to-be-named description of podcasts consumed on YouTube, we will need a better way to measure the channel. Unlike podcasts in RSS-based audio form that we measure via pixels with attribution partners like Podscribe and Magellan AI, we are unable to receive exposure data from in-content ads on YouTube. Instead, we can only infer based on audio-based conversion rates what responses we’re generating from YouTube beyond direct (click through URL/promo code) data.

Our attribution partners know that this is what we really want for the holidays this year. In 2025, we might finally see a breakthrough.

4. Podcast Advertisers Focused on Performance Rediscover Streaming Audio

Performance marketers have traditionally favored podcast advertising as their first step out of digital channels for acquisition—it is easy to launch with the right support (like from RSU’s Offline team) and doesn't require heavy lifting (or much money whatsoever) for creative development. 

In 2025, marketers will expand their view of audio to encompass both streaming audio and podcasts. As our advertisers have seen, they are complementary and can deliver powerful results when integrated into a holistic audio strategy. Marketers can leverage the unique capabilities of each platform, whether they need to reach a targeted, measurable audience or have more control over their ad spots. And with new creative audio tools like Wondercraft AI, the creative barriers are lower than they ever have been. 

5. A Research Partner Will Integrate Cross-Channel Reach and Frequency for Traditional Brands

One of the biggest barriers for more traditional brands exploring podcast advertising has been the lack of integration with broader demographic and psychographic research (like Neilsen, MRI). But 2025 could change that, with a research partner finding a way to map planned podcast reach and frequency (R/F) data. This would simplify cross-channel campaign planning, making it easier for brands to consider podcasts as part of their overall media strategy and take advantage of unduplicated reach.

Podcast advertising in 2025 will be defined by innovation and integration, as the channel matures and carves out its role in the marketing mix. From better measurement and attribution to the evolution of new formats and integrations, brands that lean into these trends will be better positioned to connect with highly engaged audiences. Podcast advertising should be in your growth marketing quiver for 2025, that much we know for sure. 

Whether you’re looking to expand your presence in podcast advertising or just getting started, our team at Right Side Up is here to help you make sense of the channel’s evolution. Let’s talk.