Podcast advertising means a brand pays to be part of a podcast – most often through ads read by the host, sponsorships of a whole show or season, or deeper partnerships where the brand is woven into the content. It works because listeners build a personal relationship with the people they listen to, week after week, so a recommendation from the host carries trust that a standard ad rarely gets. Heading into 2027, the brands that get the most out of podcast advertising will choose shows by audience fit rather than size alone, let hosts speak in their own words, plan for video podcasts, label every collaboration clearly and measure beyond promo codes.

The channel keeps growing. US podcast advertising revenue reached 2.86 billion dollars in 2025, up 17.6 percent, according to the IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report. In Sweden, advertisers’ investments in podcasts rose by about 13 percent to roughly 380 million kronor in 2024, according to figures from IRM presented by Mediemyndigheten. Here is how brands use podcast advertising – and what to think about before you book.

What types of podcast advertising are there?

Podcast advertising comes in several forms, and they suit different goals.

What is a host-read ad?

A host-read ad is a message read by the podcast’s own host, often in their own words and with personal experience of the product. It is the format most closely linked to podcasting’s strength: the listener hears a recommendation from someone they already know. Host-read ads can be recorded into a specific episode or inserted dynamically into many episodes at once.

What are produced and programmatic podcast ads?

Produced spots are ready-made ads, similar to radio, that are placed before, during or after an episode. They are often bought programmatically across many shows, which gives scale and precise targeting but less of the host’s personal credibility.

What is a podcast partnership or sponsorship?

A partnership goes further than a single ad. The brand can sponsor a season, a recurring segment or a live show, or work with the hosts across podcast, social media and events at the same time. This is where podcast advertising starts to look like influencer marketing: the hosts are personalities with audiences on several platforms, and the collaboration is built around them.

Why does podcast advertising work?

The short answer is the host. In The Podcast Study, a nationally representative survey of 1,205 US podcast consumers presented this year, 82 percent said the host is a major part of, or the only reason for, listening to their favourite podcast. The same study found that host endorsements make 57 percent of listeners more likely to remember a brand, 44 percent more likely to trust an ad and 41 percent more likely to consider buying the product.

Podcasts also hold attention in a different way from a feed. People listen while commuting, training or cooking, often for a long time and often to the same show every week. That repeated, long-form contact is what builds the relationship a brand can borrow – which is also why the brand has to fit the show, or the trust is quickly lost.

How big is podcast listening in Sweden?

According to IAB Sverige, based on data from Poddindex and Orvesto, 32 percent of the Swedish population listened to podcasts at least once a week in 2025 – the same level as in 2022, after many years of growth. Listening is highest among people aged 30 to 49, where 44 percent listen weekly, while it has dipped slightly to 35 percent among those aged 16 to 29. Listening has increased steadily among people aged 50 to 64.

For brands, this means podcasts are a strong channel for reaching working-age adults with time and attention to spare – a group that can be harder to reach on the most youth-oriented social platforms.

How do you choose the right podcast for your brand?

Start with the audience and the host rather than with download figures. Ask who listens, how loyal they are and whether the host can talk about your product credibly. A smaller show with a highly engaged audience in your category can beat a large general show.

Many of Sweden’s most popular podcasts are hosted by well-known personalities who also have large audiences on social media. Two examples among the talents Collabri works with are Wahlgren & Wistam, hosted by Pernilla Wahlgren and Sofia Wistam, and Gynning & Berg, hosted by Carolina Gynning and Carina Berg. When hosts like these take part in a brand collaboration, the relationship listeners have with them can carry over to social media and events. Collabri’s campaign for Ellos with Gynning & Berg at Tough Viking, for example, reached more than 756,000 views.

What does podcast advertising cost?

Prices vary widely, and published averages are rarely comparable. The main cost drivers are the size and loyalty of the audience, whether the ad is read by the host or produced, whether it is placed in one episode or spread dynamically across many, exclusivity in your category, and whether the deal includes social media, events or the right to use the hosts in your own channels. Host-read placements and partnerships with well-known personalities usually cost more than programmatic spots – but they also deliver the trust that makes the format worth buying.

How do you label podcast advertising in Sweden?

The same principle applies to podcasts as to all marketing: under the Swedish Marketing Act, it must be clear that something is advertising and who is behind it. Konsumentverket stresses that hidden marketing is prohibited and that advertising must be identifiable to the person who receives it. In a podcast, that means saying clearly – and early – that a segment is advertising or a paid collaboration, rather than letting it blend into the conversation.

The brand carries the main responsibility for the labelling, according to Konsumentverket. If the collaboration continues on social media, the same rules apply to every post.

How do you measure podcast advertising?

Promo codes and dedicated landing pages are the most common methods. In Influencer Marketing Hub’s latest Benchmark Report, promo and discount codes were the most used measurement tool in influencer marketing, chosen by 46 percent of those answering. But codes only capture part of the effect, because many listeners search for the brand later instead of using the code. Combine codes with brand lift studies, search trends and sales data to get a fuller picture.

What changes in podcast advertising toward 2027?

Four shifts are worth planning for already now:

• Podcasts become video. YouTube says more than one billion people watch podcast content on the platform every month, and Sounds Profitable research cited by Radio Ink suggests around 71 percent of US podcast creators now produce video versions of their shows. Host-read ads increasingly need to work on screen as well as in the ear.

• The line between podcasts and influencer marketing disappears. Hosts are creators with audiences on several platforms. Expect more deals that combine podcast, social media and events in one partnership.

• AI voices must be disclosed. In the EU, the AI Act’s transparency rules have applied since 2 August this year, with further requirements following on 2 February 2027. If an ad uses AI to recreate or change a host’s voice, plan for clear disclosure – and get the host’s consent.

• More rules on influencer marketing. The European Commission is expected to propose a Digital Fairness Act, which covers influencer marketing among other practices. Podcast collaborations with personalities are likely to be judged by the same standards.

Key takeaways

• Podcast advertising includes host-read ads, produced spots and deeper partnerships with hosts.

• Trust in the host is what makes it work – 82 percent of US podcast consumers say the host is a major reason they listen.

• In Sweden, 32 percent listen weekly, and listening is highest among people aged 30 to 49.

• Choose podcasts by audience fit and host credibility, label advertising clearly and measure beyond promo codes.

• Prepare for 2027: video podcasts, combined podcast and social deals, AI voice disclosure and new EU rules.

Frequently asked questions

Are host-read ads better than produced podcast ads?

They do different jobs. Host-read ads borrow the host’s credibility and usually create stronger trust and recall, while produced spots bought programmatically give scale and targeting. Many brands use both.

Does podcast advertising need to be labelled in Sweden?

Yes. Under the Marketing Act, it must be clear that something is advertising and who is behind it. Say it clearly and early in the segment. The brand has the main responsibility.

Who listens to podcasts in Sweden?

According to IAB Sverige, 32 percent of Swedes listen weekly. Listening is highest among people aged 30 to 49, at 44 percent, and has grown steadily among those aged 50 to 64.

Can podcast hosts be part of an influencer campaign?

Yes. Many hosts are well-known personalities with large social media audiences, so a collaboration can span podcast, social media, PR and events.

Want to work with well-known personalities whose audiences follow them across podcasts and social media? Contact Collabri at info@collabri.se. You can also browse our talents and client projects.

Read also

• B2B Influencer Marketing: How Business Brands Use Trusted Voices in 2027

• YouTube Influencer Marketing in 2027: Long-Form Content and Integrations

• Influencer Events: How to Plan a Brand Event With Creators and Celebrities in 2027

• What Is Influencer Marketing? A Complete Guide for 2027

Sources

• Radio Ink – IAB: Digital Audio Grew 10% In 2025 as Podcasts Near $3B (2026): https://radioink.com/2026/04/16/iab-digital-audio-grew-10-in-2025-as-podcasts-near-3b/

• Mediemyndigheten – Svensk marknad för radio och podd: Ägande, utbud och ekonomi 2025 (2025): https://mediemyndigheten.se/globalassets/rapporter-och-analyser/2025/svensk-marknad-for-radio-och-podd.pdf

• Inside Audio Marketing – The Podcast Study 2026 Highlights Power Of Hosts, Trust (2026): https://www.insideaudiomarketing.com/post/the-podcast-study-2026-highlights-power-of-hosts-trust

• IAB Sverige – Lyssning i siffror: https://iabsverige.se/arbetsomraden/audio-pod/lyssning-i-siffror/

• Konsumentverket – Dold marknadsföring i sociala medier – regler för företag: https://www.konsumentverket.se/marknadsratt-foretag/dold-marknadsforing-i-sociala-medier-regler-for-foretag/

• Konsumentverket – Influencers reklaminlägg – regler för företag: https://www.konsumentverket.se/marknadsratt-foretag/influencers-reklaminlagg-regler-for-foretag/

• Influencer Marketing Hub – Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2026 (2026): https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report/

• YouTube Blog – Drop the mic: Celebrating 1 billion monthly podcast users on YouTube (2025): https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/1-billion-monthly-podcast-users/

• Paul, Weiss – EU Finalises Transparency Rules for AI-Generated Content (2026): https://www.paulweiss.com/insights/client-memos/eu-finalises-transparency-rules-for-ai-generated-content

• European Parliament – Legislative Train: Digital Fairness Act: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-protecting-our-democracy-upholding-our-values/file-digital-fairness-act

This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by Collabri.