The Simplecast Blog

The 2020 Podcast Trends Report is Live!

Written by Caitlin Van Horn | Jan 7, 2021

If 2020 left you wondering “what just happened?” you're not alone. While we don't have all the answers, at least when it comes to podcasting, we hope we can shed some light. That’s why we built a comprehensive report on how the industry and individual podcasters changed through last year. In working with AdsWizz and through a combination of customer surveys and platform data, we were able to create a holistic look at what happened in podcast listening, creation, and monetization in 2020 from brands, publishers, and independent creators.

We answers some questions like:

  • How did your 2020 audience growth compare to other podcasters?
  • How can creators leverage ad industry trends for more profitable monetization?
  • What’s the industry outlook on podcasting in 2021?

And have some important takeaways like:

Podcast listening, creation, and advertising has increased. 2020 accelerated the industry’s predicted growth. Podcasts flourished with:

  • 51% increase in available inventory from active listeners
  • 53% increase in new podcasts
  • 81% increase in podcast ad impressions at different points throughout the year

Programmatic audio buying and selling are heating up.

  • 60% of advertisers are planning to start buying podcasts programmatically in the next 12 months
  • 64% of podcast publishers plan to start selling programmatically in the next 12 months

Want the full report? Get it here!