Mid-sized podcasts now outperform celebrity shows for many advertisers, delivering a 22% lower cost per action, according to Audacy’s new report, “State of Audio: The New Rules of Podcast Advertising.”
The study says the old playbook of buying the biggest names for reach is giving way to a focus on influence. Listeners are 27% more likely to be swayed by topic experts than by well-known celebrities, Audacy found.
Trust, expertise, and community, the report argues, have become the real currency of podcast ads.
Audience composition is shifting with that change. Sixty-four percent of Gen Z now consume podcasts monthly, putting the generation on track to become the medium’s largest audience. At the same time, 57% of Americans both watch and listen to podcasts, a sign that audio and video creator ecosystems are merging.
Advertisers still find scale in marquee shows, but Audacy’s findings suggest efficiency often lives one tier down, where hosts have tighter subject-matter credibility and more engaged communities. Listeners, the report adds, accept AI for behind-the-scenes production work but remain wary of AI replacing the human voice and connection that define podcasting.
The takeaway for brands: buy influence, not just impressions. Shows built around expertise and community may convert more cheaply than celebrity platforms even when they reach fewer people.