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Channel
Streaming audio & podcasts benchmarks
Spotify, iHeart, podcast networks, satellite radio. High completion, high attention, low CPM. Host-read podcasts outperform programmatic 2.5x on lift.
Share of digital ad spend: ~2% of US digital ad spend (2026)
Channel snapshot
Avg CPM $15–45. Completion 95%+. Host-read brand recall +24 ppt vs programmatic +9 ppt.
How to operate this channel
Operator playbook
- Host-read podcast ads outperform programmatic 2.5:1 on brand-lift.
- Use unique promo codes or vanity URLs for podcast attribution.
- Layer streaming audio (Spotify) for retargeting, podcasts for new-audience acquisition.
- Test 3–5 host-read scripts simultaneously — script-fit drives 60%+ of variance.
- Audio is brand-building first; conversion measurement requires holdouts.
Platforms in this channel
How to read these benchmarks
Treat these Streaming audio & podcasts figures as a diagnostic range, not a goal. a result inside the range usually means the constraint is elsewhere - offer, landing experience, or measurement - while a result well outside it points straight at targeting, creative, or bid strategy. Compare like with like - same funnel stage, same objective, same season - because a top-of-funnel number judged against a bottom-of-funnel benchmark will always mislead.
How to use this page. Find the funnel stage you are buying, read the range, and calculate the gap to your live numbers. Model the revenue impact of closing that gap with the break-even ROAS and CAC payback calculators, then pressure-test the plan against the full 2026 benchmarks compendium.
Sourcing. Ranges are RGM's 2026 synthesis of platform-reported figures and aggregated account data, expressed as medians and typical spreads rather than single points. They move with season, auction pressure, and creative quality, so re-check them each quarter.