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YouTube has more users than Facebook, Netflix, or Spotify. But its advertising revenues do not match its vast reach. This report contextualizes the opportunities and scope for growth in various media spheres.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss whether Bluesky can sustain this user growth momentum, how much of a threat it is to X (Twitter), and if in fact it is Threads that is actually about to snatch the microblogging crown. Tune in to the discussion with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst Daniel Konstantinovic.

Retail media was the fastest-growing ad channel we tracked in the US in 2024. While that growth will slow slightly (from 20.4% to 20.2%) in 2025, it鈥檚 still primed for innovation鈥攁nd challenges. Here鈥檚 what our analysts and podcast guests had to say about retail media, with insights into what it means for 2025.

Spotify is doubling down on podcast engagement: New features arrive as listenership and advertiser demand both hit record highs.

鈥淭here are lots of shiny new pennies in marketing, so it's very easy to get distracted,鈥� said Nicklaus Hasselberg, VP of growth marketing and ecommerce at Every Man Jack, at The Lead Summit in New York City last week. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about 鈥榃hat do we reasonably believe will have the biggest impact on our business?' And let鈥檚 do it as well as we can."

These predictions, made across two episodes of our 鈥淏ehind the Numbers鈥� podcast, may seem far-fetched, but they're grounded in current market trends, offering a look into how tech companies and retailers are strategizing for the years ahead. Prediction: GenAI will more than double the digital audio ad market by 2029.

AI is transforming B2B content marketing, but trust and differentiation remain critical. Buyers seek authenticity from peers, influencers, and industry experts. Marketers must balance AI, human expertise, and bold strategies to drive engagement and growth in 2025.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss the potential of Amazon鈥檚 new Buy for Me feature, which of its new CTV ads will make the biggest impact, and how much tariffs might slow down the online shopping giant. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Ad budgets are slowly migrating from terrestrial radio to digital platforms, but the shift is stymied by slow platform subscriber growth and by YouTube.

Despite its Q2 guidance miss, Spotify鈥檚 stock remains up over 100% YoY, fueled by cost-cutting, a pivot away from costly podcast exclusives, and stronger focus on profitability. With advertising still underleveraged relative to its audience scale, Spotify鈥檚 ability to expand non-subscription revenues remains a key area to watch in 2025.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what happened to Spotify鈥檚 subscriber growth after it raised prices, how it plans to take on YouTube, and what has led to the audio giant inching closer to profitability. Tune in to the discussion with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson and Analyst Daniel Konstantinovic.

High audio listenership and time spent this year means limited growth. Subscription revenues will be healthy, as most listeners pay to limit ads. And Spotify will lead in nearly every metric, though several platforms are doing well.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what鈥檚 behind Google鈥檚 recent ad revenue growth, how OpenAI fusing SearchGPT to ChatGPT will affect them, and where we鈥檙e at with the search giant鈥檚 two major antitrust cases. Tune in to the discussion with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson and Senior Analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how Mint Mobile was able to stand out before a celebrity like Ryan Reynolds joined the team, how he helped them break the marketing mold, and lessons learned along the way to becoming a billion-dollar valued company. Tune in to the conversation with Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, our Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, Vice President Suzy Davidkhanian, and Strategic Advisor to Mint Mobile Aron North. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what will happen if either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris win the US election and how that will affect inflation, high growth digital advertising channels, and regulatory priorities. Tune in to the discussion with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Senior Analyst Zak Stambor.

If it feels like podcasts have more ads, that鈥檚 because they do, according to data from our exclusive KPI partnerships. Podcast ad spend is increasing, and with it podcast ad load is on the rise. This year, US podcast ad spend will reach $2.28 billion, per our forecast. That鈥檚 a growth of 15.9% over 2023.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what makes Sam鈥檚 Club stand out against Costco and BJ鈥檚, why its retail media offering is unique, and where it might be falling short. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano and Senior Analyst Zak Stambor.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss whether search, social, connected TV, or retail media has been driving growth the most this year, how much non-cyclical ad growth has been fueling this year's numbers, and what to expect from ad spend in 2025. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson and our analyst Ross Benes.

After more than a decade of healthy, double-digit compound annual growth, ad spending on digital audio services slowed dramatically in 2023, downshifting the space into a new era

Our latest forecast for 14 countries and three regions shows sustained healthy growth for podcast listenership in most markets, even as the boom years are winding down.

The news: Podcast ad spending intention will reach an 11-year high in 2025, and more advertisers are investing in the medium than ever, per a Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights report. Podcast ad spend intention reached 69% among agencies and advertisers surveyed, the highest in the eleven years tracked by Cumulus and Signal Hill. 78% are already investing in podcast advertising, five times higher than the amount investing in 2015. Our take: As listenership spikes, podcasts will continue being a key investment for savvy advertisers鈥攁nd those who know how to maximize the medium鈥檚 potential will come out on top.