Podcast Industry Makes Case For Bigger Budgets, Broader Buys At IAB Upfront.

Podcasting’s place in the media mix is no longer up for debate. But as the industry gathered at the IAB Podcast Upfront 2025 this week, a consistent message rang out from agencies and publishers alike. For advertisers to fully capitalize on the channel’s potential, they were urged to invest beyond the obvious shows, and embrace measurement models that prove audio can compete head-to-head with other media.

For planners juggling multiple clients and channels, workflow is often the bottleneck. VaynerMedia VP of Analytics Prashant Nayar recalled the early days of Nielsen’s Media Impact platform and how it allowed planners to compare overlap between television, social platforms, and digital video. The addition of podcast data into buying systems in recent years has been welcome, he said, but not enough.

“Podcast is such a growing industry — it’s going to be a multi-billion-dollar industry,” Nayar told buyers. “But the media planners at the agencies are strapped for time, and they need help. It is critical to get the podcast data integrated. We need more podcast data in there if you want to convince advertisers and media planners to get more advertising dollars flowing into this medium.”

His argument underscored a theme of Podcast Upfront: if agencies are to treat podcasts as a primary medium rather than a secondary test line, they need cross-platform planning tools that can quickly prove reach, frequency, and incremental lift.

The Price And Value Equation

Beyond planning tools, panelists said creative execution remains the hinge on which podcast campaigns succeed. Maria Tullin, Managing Director of Performance Audio at Horizon Media, told the audience that not all impressions are created equal. When response rate is the key metric, host reads tend to outperform. But when cost-per-order efficiency matters more, run-of-network or announcer reads can be the better fit.

“Just because something’s cheaper doesn’t make it better,” she said. “There’s a place for both of those things depending on what your goals are,” she said.

From the publisher side, Scott Davis, Senior VP of Sponsorships at NPR, agreed that matching the message to the environment is key. “The creative has to suit the environment and connect with the audience. That’s our primary guide,” he said. “Trust is a key part that drives success for us, regardless of how the campaign is measured.”

Measurement That Escapes The Silo

One of the strongest selling points of podcasting has long been its measurability, and that measurement is moving beyond audio-only attribution. Tullin described how Horizon Media’s proprietary Intersect model now integrates pixel data across podcasting, streaming, radio, and even CTV. “It’s giving us more opportunity to show that audio is either on par or doing better than those other channels,” she said.

Davis pointed to NPR’s recent campaign with Arm, which combined custom podcasts with radio and streaming. While all elements performed well, “the radio campaign was the thing that performed the best,” he admitted. The lesson, he said, is that buyers should think less in terms of platform silos and more in terms of “the medium audio in general” as listening converges on the same devices.

Beyond The Celebrity Factor

For many advertisers, podcasting’s gateway has been high-profile talent and celebrity-driven shows. Those programs are bringing new, brand-building clients into the space. But speakers warned that growth will depend on exploring mid-tier and niche shows where intimacy with the audience is strongest.

“With the more mid-tier shows, you’re listening more as like a friend, almost. So that kind of intimacy lends something to the recommendation that the host is giving,” Tullin explained. Horizon typically designs blended buys that combine larger, high-visibility shows with mid-tier programs and contextual networks, then flight them on and off depending on audience size and client goals.

Davis echoed that NPR often enters the conversation at the brand level, with buyers valuing NPR’s trust and audience relationship before drilling down to individual shows or formats. “Our brand is so powerful, and the relationship the audience has with the brand is the difference maker,” he said.

Extending Beyond RSS

Another opportunity lies in extending podcast partnerships beyond the audio feed. Tullin urged advertisers to consider creators’ full ecosystems — whether that means YouTube channels, TikTok accounts, or live events — once authenticity has been established. “It makes sense to engage with their full audience, regardless of where that’s going to show up,” she said. But Tullin also cautioned that extensions like live activations only work when a brand has already been woven naturally into the show.

The Road Ahead

One of the takeaways from podcasting’s annual pitch to the ad market is that podcasts today have the reach, influence, and data to justify bigger commitments. But unlocking the next wave of ad dollars will require agencies to integrate podcasts more fully into their planning systems, buyers to lean into the long tail of shows, and publishers to keep trust at the center of creative execution.

“It always comes back to the audience,” IAB’s Matt Shapo said.