When Audio Took the Main Stage

The energy carried into Turning Up the Volume on Audio Ads, a panel featuring Will Doherty, SVP of Inventory Partnerships at The Trade Desk; Emma Vaughn, Global Head of Podcast Advertising and Business Development at Spotify; Mike Chevallier, VP of Advanced Audio and Data Revenue at iHeartMedia; and Steven Kritzman, SVP and Head of Sales at SiriusXM Media.

They discussed how audio connects during screenless moments like commuting, cooking, and working out—those everyday times when people are most tuned in. Steven Kritzman summed it up best: “Audio captures 25% of consumers’ media time, yet only 8% of ad spend.” The room went quiet. That gap has been there for years, but it finally feels like the industry is ready to close it.

As Steven described how audio moves with us throughout the day, from the first podcast over coffee to the playlist that carries us home, it hit me that no other medium stays this close. Audio feels personal. It is part of our rhythm. To keep growing, it needs what every other channel already has: transparency, automation, and proof of performance.

Where Automation Meets Imagination

Walking out of that session, it was clear that audio’s future depends on what happens next. The real opportunity lies in how technology can lift creativity instead of getting in its way.

We see that vision come to life every day through the work we do with our partners.

Our technology was part of a campaign recognized as a finalist for Best Use of Technology by an Agency at The 2025 AdExchanger Awards. A Middlesex County NJ campaign used AdsWizz’s AudioPixel, Second Screen retargeting, contextual podcast targeting, and programmatic host-read ads in NPR’s TED Radio Hour to reach decision-makers in autonomous tech, life sciences, and food innovation.

The campaign showed what’s possible when technology supports creative intent instead of dictating it. It offered a glimpse of where programmatic audio is heading.

We build technology that supports creativity. When data and imagination work together, audio moves beyond reach and frequency to create real resonance. The AdsWizz platform helps advertisers plan precisely, measure clearly, and deliver moments that connect.

Safety, Suitability, and Trust

Across adtech, brand safety has become one of the most important conversations. Advertisers want transparency and control across every environment where their messages appear. That focus aligns with the work we’ve done through brand safety for advertisers, which we’ve built in collaboration with partners like Barometer, ArtsAI, and Comscore.

We combine AI transcription with contextual analysis to help advertisers understand content before they buy it. Instead of blunt keyword blocking, our system reads the room. It interprets tone, sentiment, and relevance so brands show up where their message fits and where audiences are ready to listen.

That kind of precision cuts waste and improves efficiency. Every impression works harder. Every placement connects to purpose. Brands can reach the right people in the right context without losing sight of responsibility or creativity.

Safety used to mean just playing it safe. Now it means showing up in the moments that matter most.

A Medium Ready for Its Moment

Leaders from the Turning Up the Volume on Audio Ads panel all echoed the same idea: 2026 will be the year of audio. The numbers back it up. Edison Research’s The Infinite Dial 2025 reports that 76% of Americans ages 12 and up listen to digital audio monthly, the highest level ever recorded. According to Statista, global podcast advertising revenue is projected to reach US $3.56 billion in 2025, showing how audience growth is driving meaningful commercial momentum worldwide.

But numbers tell only part of the story. Growth won’t come from more tech alone. It will come from conviction. Marketers need to put audio at the center of their strategies. Buyers should expect the same rigor they demand from CTV or display. The technology is ready. The measurement is mature. What we need next is belief in the power of sound to move people.

At AdsWizz, we’re helping shape that future by advancing programmatic infrastructure, improving measurement, and building trust through transparency. Real progress in audio comes from efficiency, accountability, and imagination working together.

A Future Built on Sound

As I stepped out of the Marriott Marquis into the noise of Times Square, I kept thinking about how far this medium has evolved.

The future of audio advertising won’t be driven by louder messages. It will grow from sharper insights, stronger values, and more creative thinking. The industry is learning to listen.

Want to see what’s next in programmatic audio? Connect with the AdsWizz team.

by Garrison Dua, VP of Demand, North America

The post How Programmatic Audio Became the Star of Programmatic I/O 2025 New York appeared first on AdsWizz.

Although podcast audiences have grown significantly, monetization has not always kept up at the same pace. Many publishers continue to encounter challenges such as unsold inventory, underperforming campaigns, and less-than-optimal revenue streams.

In this guide, we’ll explore proven podcast monetization strategies and show how AdsWizz’s advanced adtech solutions can help publishers maximize their ad inventory and grow revenue faster.

Why Today’s Podcast Monetization Still Has Gaps

The podcast ad market is booming, but many publishers still experience unfilled ad slots and missed revenue opportunities. The root causes often include fragmented delivery systems and a lack of real-time forecasting and reporting.

To unlock full revenue potential, publishers need to evolve beyond static sales models and adopt smarter, data-driven podcast ad monetization tools.

Smarter Planning for Maximum Monetization

Effective monetization begins with accurate forecasting. AdsWizz’s advanced Inventory and campaign forecasting tools help publishers accurately predict opportunity availability by syncing with each show’s release schedule.

When episodes are delayed, canceled, or released, forecasts automatically update to reflect the latest publishing plan and listener trends.

Equipped with tailored forecasts based on a podcast’s unique release cadence and traffic trends, publishers can plan campaigns more effectively, allocate inventory with precision, and fully capitalize on their monetization potential.

At the campaign level, publishers can:

• Forecast delivery for draft and active campaigns
• Identify additional impressions to boost revenue
• Simulate and apply optimized targeting and pacing

From Planning to Precision Targeting

Once inventory is forecasted with confidence, the next step is delivering it to the right audiences. AdsWizz offers a powerful suite of targeting solutions that help publishers increase relevance, reduce waste, and drive better campaign results.

• Audience segmentation: Enables publishers to reach listeners based on detailed demographics, interests, and behaviors using precise segmentation tools.
• Privacy-friendly demographic modeling: Through partners like NumberEight, publishers can target audiences by age or gender without relying on cookies or first-party data.
• Contextual targeting: Allows ads to be served in the most relevant context by aligning with episode topics, listeners’ interests, or content affinity. This goes beyond basic genre or language classification. More than 60% of AdsWizz targeting dimensions are contextual, according to internal data, helping publishers improve relevance while maintaining listener trust.
• Predictive Audiences: Leverages Comscore-powered personas to reach hundreds of audience segments based on real-world behaviors such as TV viewing, shopping intent, or automotive interest. AI-driven contextual matching places ads within episodes most relevant to each listener. This approach expands reach, improves discoverability, and drives stronger monetization across the catalog.

Predictive Pacing Improves Revenue Efficiency

Podcasts generate more inventory when a new episode is released, but that inventory declines over time. These fluctuations are hard to detect with standard pacing methods, often resulting in under or over-delivery.

To address this, predictive pacing uses real-time and historical listener data to continuously adjust campaign delivery. It aligns ad spend with actual listening behavior and ensures consistent impression delivery.

How Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) and Dynamic Creatives Boost Podcast Revenue Year-Round

Optimized delivery is just one piece of the podcast monetization puzzle. To fully capitalize on every episode, tools like (DAI) and dynamic creatives enable scalable, personalized ad experiences. These technologies help publishers boost delivery, enhance listener relevance, and maximize revenue across their entire catalog.

(DAI) is a game-changer for monetizing both new and archived podcast episodes. Instead of permanently embedding ads, DAI inserts targeted creative at the time of download, keeping content fresh and revenue flowing.

Dynamic Creatives take personalization further by generating ad variations in real time. Messaging adjusts based on listener context, driving higher engagement and better results. 

For example, a listener in New York on a rainy morning might hear, “Don’t let the rain stop your run. Grab our waterproof sneakers, available now in NYC,” while someone in sunny Los Angeles hears, “Step into the sunshine with our lightweight running shoes, available now in LA.” These real-time adjustments make ads more relevant and boost listener response.

Automated Host-Read Ads Combine Personalization and Scale

Host-read ads are trusted, authentic, and consistently effective—often driving 25% more spend than standard formats, according to AdsWizz’s internal metrics. But managing these campaigns at scale can be difficult.

With automated host-read ads, publishers can produce and deliver campaigns across multiple shows with a single brief. Once the host records and the creative is approved, the campaign launches within minutes—complete with targeting, tracking, and real-time measurement. It’s the perfect blend of credibility and operational efficiency.

Actionable Steps to Improve Podcast Monetization

Ready to optimize your ad inventory and grow podcast revenue? Here’s what publishers can do right now:

• Audit underperforming campaigns and refine their settings and targeting for optimal delivery
• Leverage DAI, dynamic creatives, contextual targeting, and automation tools
• Expand monetization beyond audio to social platforms and smart devices
• Partner with an adtech provider that offers end-to-end monetization solutions

With AdsWizz, you can unlock the full potential of your podcast business. From smarter targeting to real-time forecasting, our platform is designed to help publishers scale their revenue and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.

Reach out today to learn how AdsWizz can help you monetize more, faster, and smarter.

by Nicoleta Vieru, Senior Staff Product Marketing Manager

The post How Publishers Can Maximize Podcast Revenue With Smarter Adtech appeared first on AdsWizz.

Since the early days of radio, audio has enabled brands to connect with audiences in a cost-effective and high-impact way. Today, that impact is growing quickly. According to The Infinite Dial 2025 by Edison Research, 79% of Americans aged 12 and older, an estimated 228 million people, now listen to online audio every month.

But just because audio is accessible does not mean it is simple. Brands still have a lot to figure out:

• Where is our audience?
• Are they into music, podcasts, or live radio?
• Which shows and genres do they follow?
• What platforms reach them best?
• Can we produce creative that cuts through the noise?
• How do we track and support the campaign across the funnel?

The good news is that today’s tools make this process easier and more effective. Thanks to automation and personalization, businesses of all sizes can now build smarter audio campaigns more efficiently. If you are ready to drive results and scale your brand, here is how to transform your audio advertising strategy.

Why Automation Is a Game-Changer for Audio Ads

Privacy laws are changing quickly, and digital platforms continue to evolve. For many brands—especially small and mid-sized businesses—keeping up can feel overwhelming.

Automation does more than help marketers just stay ahead. It gives them the ability to target specific audiences using secure, privacy-compliant data. Just as importantly, it simplifies and speeds up campaign execution.

By using anonymized first-party data and predictive audience modeling, automation delivers messages directly to the right people. No waste. No guesswork. Just smarter ad spend and better listener experiences.

Innovative Audio Adtech: Speed Meets Precision

Modern audio adtech takes this a step further by enabling real-time adjustments based on listener behavior. As audiences engage with content, automated tools analyze live data and serve the most relevant version of each ad. Every impression becomes more effective, helping you reach the right listener at the right moment.

Real-World Wins With Synthetic Voice Ads

Here is where Synthetic Voice Ads make a big impact. This technology lets you update your audio creative in minutes instead of days. No studio time, no rescheduling, and no delays. You stay agile and responsive.

Let’s say you are promoting an event, but your venue is not confirmed yet. A week later, the weather forces you to relocate. In the past, you would need to re-record your voiceover. That means extra time and cost.

With Synthetic Voice Ads, you can update details instantly and keep your campaign live. This flexibility matters for local businesses, too. A sports bar can promote watch parties before a playoff game, then switch to a championship celebration ad in minutes. Synthetic Voice Ads make it possible to react in real time without missing a beat.

Optimization That Adapts to the Moment

Reaching your ideal listener isn’t just about age or interests—it’s about the moment.

AudioMatic DSP, AdsWizz’s demand-side solution, uses real-time contextual signals such as time of day, device type, and content category to serve ads when listeners are most engaged. Whether someone is commuting, working out, or relaxing at home, AudioMatic ensures your message fits the moment.

Now, paired with Dynamic ad insertion (DAI), ads can be seamlessly delivered into audio content streams in real time. This makes sure each impression is relevant, timely, and aligned with listener behavior.

Personalization That Drives Engagement

Did you know that 70% of Americans age 12 and older have listened to a podcast? That kind of scale creates huge opportunities for meaningful, personalized engagement.

With AdsWizz’s dynamic creatives, brands can automatically tailor ads based on listener context—such as location, weather, device, or content type. A single creative can adjust to fit a listener in New York on a rainy afternoon or someone in Phoenix on a sunny morning.

But personalization alone is not enough. You also need to measure what is working and respond in real time. When your audio ad reflects someone’s real-world experience, it creates a moment of relevance.

That is where AudioPixel comes in. It connects ad impressions to real listener actions like website visits and purchases. This closed-loop attribution helps you continuously improve both your creative and your media strategy based on actual outcomes.

Your Next Step in Audio Advertising Starts Here

AdsWizz is leading the evolution of audio advertising by combining automation, personalization, and real-time data to help brands connect more effectively with their audiences. With over 16 billion targeted impressions delivered each month and deep insight into millions of podcast episodes, AdsWizz gives marketers the tools to build smarter, faster, and more responsive campaigns.

Ready to cut through the noise, amplify your reach, and spark real results? Let’s build a campaign that delivers. Contact us today.

by Ionuț Buhă, Staff Product Manager

The post Transform Your Audio Advertising With Automation and Personalization appeared first on AdsWizz.

That’s what made our recent webinar, Future-Ready Strategies for Podcast Growth, so timely. We’re moving beyond simply monetizing podcasts. We are now focused on building the tools to do it smarter, faster, and more sustainably. 

Below are a few highlights, but be sure to check out the full webinar here.

Global Podcast Ad Growth Is Accelerating

Let’s talk numbers. Global podcast ad spend is projected to hit 2.55 billion dollars by 2025, and there are now more than 500 million global podcast listeners and 4.4 million active podcasts worldwide. Podcast advertising is growing ten times faster than radio, which tells us everything we need to know about where audience attention and ad budgets are headed.

This growth is exciting, but it also adds pressure. Monetization can no longer be one-dimensional. We need tools that reflect how podcasts are consumed today across formats, channels, and platforms.

Creators Are Driving the Future of Podcast Monetization

Podcast creators today are building media ecosystems, not just shows. One example we highlighted is Team Coco, which has 5.4 million monthly podcast downloads, 8.9 million YouTube subscribers, and a dedicated SiriusXM channel. Another is Alex Cooper, one of the top cultural voices today. She is growing her Unwell empire – not only through her signature Call Her Daddy podcast, but also an entire media network focused on creating content and experiences for Gen Z audiences. 

These are multi-platform brands built on podcasting. And, as podcasting becomes a multi-format experience, we are focused on building the adtech solutions that empower creators to grow and monetize across it all.

Podcast Monetization Tools to Increase Revenue in 2025

At AdsWizz, we are helping publishers and creators evolve with the market. In the webinar, we focused on four areas that unlock smarter monetization at scale.

Advanced Podcast Targeting

We’ve combined Comscore’s audience personas with behavioral signals from data platform NumberEight, unlocking access to over 300 unique audience profiles. This integration enables privacy-compliant, hyper-relevant ad delivery at scale.

Smarter Inventory Forecasting

Our enhanced forecasting tools support manual adjustments, episode-level forecasting, competitive separation, and frequency capping. This gives publishers more visibility into and control over available inventory. 

Automated Host-Read Ads

Host-read ads have always been powerful, but now they are scalable. Our streamlined workflow simplifies approvals, automates production, and enables real-time reporting so campaigns launch faster without losing quality.

Predictive Pacing for Podcast Campaigns

Predictive Pacing dynamically adjusts campaign delivery using live and historical data. It helps reduce over-delivery and under-performance while ensuring goals are met more efficiently. It is one of our most publisher-friendly upgrades.

Looking (And Listening) Ahead

Podcasting is changing fast. It is becoming more visual, more interactive, and more connected to the broader media landscape. At AdsWizz, we are helping creators and publishers stay ahead with smarter monetization tools and a future-ready infrastructure.

We know that supporting our creators and scaling monetization require tools that go beyond long-form RSS feeds and host-read creative. As an industry, we need to support omnichannel podcasting. This means a deeper investment in what we already excel in – audio, targeting, forecasting, delivery & reporting. And also, an investment in new areas such as workflows and automation related to video and social, and recommendations around what content to publish and how best to monetize.

Whether you are refining your strategy or preparing to scale, our team is here to support your growth!

Watch the entire webinar for more information here.

by Molly Ponzo, Vice President, Ad Product

The post How to Scale Podcast Monetization in 2025 with AdsWizz appeared first on AdsWizz.