Podcasting in 2023: Five Emerging Trends You Can’t Ignore

Podcasting is one of the fastest-growing and most popular forms of media consumption in the world. According to Edison Research, there are over 70 million podcast episodes and over 5 million active shows available as of 2023. And roughly 78% of the US population is now familiar with podcasting¹.

But the podcast industry is not static. It is constantly evolving and changing, driven by new technologies, platforms, content, and consumer preferences. As a podcaster, marketer, or listener, you need to keep up with the latest trends and developments that are shaping the podcasting landscape.

In this article, we will explore some of the most important and interesting podcast trends to watch in 2023. These trends will help you understand where the podcasting industry is headed, and how you can leverage them to grow your audience, reach new markets, and create engaging content.

1. Podcast Advertising Picks Up Steam

Podcast advertising is one of the most effective and lucrative ways to monetize your podcast. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), podcast ad revenue is expected to grow to $2.2 billion in 2023². A survey by Nielsen found that out of 7,000 US consumers, 78% don’t mind ads or sponsorship messages in podcasts³. And about 62% of listeners consider new products and services after hearing about them through podcast advertising⁴.

But podcast advertising is not without its challenges. One of the main issues is the lack of transparency and standardization in podcast ads. Many podcasters and advertisers use different methods and tools to measure and track the performance and impact of their ads, such as tracking URLs, IP addresses, and analytics platforms. This makes it hard to compare and verify the results and effectiveness of podcast ads across different podcasts and platforms⁵.

To address this issue, some podcast platforms and apps are introducing new features and initiatives to improve the transparency and quality of podcast ads. For example, Spotify, the leading podcast platform, has launched its Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI) technology, which allows advertisers to insert and measure ads in real-time, based on the listener’s data, such as age, gender, location, and device⁶. Another example is Overcast, a popular podcast app, which allows listeners to view the services that podcasts are using to track and advertise to them.