You had previously mentioned that “almost 80% of podcast consumers switch back and forth between audio and video.” Does the audio experience of podcasting continue to lose out as video podcasting becomes the preferred option?
No, one of the reasons that I think that stat that we put out is so interesting is because it demonstrates that, whether it’s audio or video, what matters is the relationship that the consumers of a given podcast have with that podcast host and the relationship that those consumers attach to that podcast content that’s being created.
It really depends on whatever your use case is at that moment in the day. If it makes sense and you like the idea of seeing the faces of the people talking as they’re doing so, you might fire it up in video form. When you can’t really be looking at the screen, then you’ll just switch back to audio.
With listeners switching between audio and video, how should brands adapt their storytelling strategies?
One of the things that is being talked about so much in the industry, and I think this is a big part of what you’re going to hear at the Upfront itself, is how do brands figure out the best way to tell the stories they want to tell now that podcasting is a much more 360-degree experience?
You’re seeing a lot of cutdowns happen on social media. You’re seeing a lot of important clips being shared on Instagram and TikTok. The question becomes: How will brands effectively activate across audio and video? [That] is going to be the biggest topic in some ways in 2026.
How are advertisers rethinking performance metrics as podcasts expand across formats?
Right now, there are still some questions on the part of advertisers about exactly how they assign a relative value to what they might regard as a traditional audio-based RSS dynamically inserted ad on the audio side and a baked-in ad on the video side, which is how a lot of that advertising is happening on the video side now.
Increasingly, you’re going to start to see sponsorships for the video side of the coin, but we’re going to be working a lot next year on figuring out how to harmonize the measurement, the effectiveness, and the outcomes that you’re getting on both the audio and the video side of the podcast events.
What creative or technical innovations showcased at the Upfront should advertisers be paying most attention to?
One of the innovations I think you can look for is a granular, detailed measurement that goes down to the episode and show level, making it easier for advertisers to understand their outcomes.
That might be one of the biggest innovations. Another innovation that you’ll hear about, again, is how podcast creators are finding ways to interact with, engage with, and electrify their audiences in the multiple formats that podcasting is now spread across. So my guess is you’ll hear some people talking about innovative brand partnerships that are 360-degree in nature.