Tom Webster has been the leading voice of research in the podcasting space for 20 years, and in this lively and informative session, he will take attendees through the very latest cutting-edge research on how podcasting compares to other ad-supported media in 2025. Based on a brand-new study of over 5,000 consumers, this research will show where podcasting shines, and where it lags, compared to online video, display, social, and other vehicles for brand dollars.

Shaun joined on stage by Molly Brown (UM - AV Director) and Andy Maxwell (Co-Founder Earmax) to unpack the conundrum of brands not embracing True Crime and TC audience. Molly will provide insight from an agency perspective having repped brands such as Just Eat, Moneysupermarket & The Economist - Andy will provide a case study for Explore Worldwide who ran a successful TC campaign with AB in Q1. Shaun will speak TC titles across the AB network. The session will have an investigative feel where Andy and Molly will provide insights and compelling solutions for brands and the wider industry

Join IAB UK’s CSO James Chandler for an insightful discussion with experts from TikTok, Global & MG OMD, as we dive into how the increasing influence of creators and the rise of video-first podcasts are creating new opportunities for advertisers to connect with audiences, and shaping how podcasting will look in 2030 and beyond.

The Infinite Dial returns to the UK for the first time since 2021 with SiriusXM Media and AdsWizz. The Infinite Dial is the longest-running survey of digital media consumer behavior in America, and The Infinite Dial UK will mirror the US edition in covering a wide range of online digital media topics.
In this session, Edison Research and AdsWizz will deep dive into the most recent digital audio consumption habits with an emphasis on podcasting in the UK and discuss the increasing importance of digital audio’s role in media and marketing strategies for content creators, publishers, advertisers, and agencies to reach rapidly growing podcast audiences.

In this session attendees will:
Gain a deeper understanding of audio and podcast listenership in the UK.
Understand the rise in audio consumption and how it correlates with advancements in audio adtech.
Understand the benefits of digital audio and why it belongs in advertiser's current media plan.

Join us for an in-depth look at how Arm, a leading semiconductor technology company, is leveraging its brand podcast Tech Unheard to build its brand identity, thought leadership platform and executive visibility. This session will explore how Arm worked with the production team at National Public Media to create a podcast that has informed, engaged and built a loyal community of listeners across key audiences. From the initial concept and production to the ongoing evolution of the podcast, we’ll explore the key elements that have contributed to its success and how the teams at Arm and NPM are bringing Tech Unheard to life. 
 

Advertiser demand for podcasts is growing—but with that growth comes greater expectations. Buyers want scale, clarity, and real audience insight to justify their spend. So what’s working, what’s missing, and what will truly unlock the next wave of demand? This session explores how new tech—like keyword and emotion detection, podcast aggregation, and privacy-enhancing solutions—is helping advertisers better understand and engage podcast audiences. We'll hear what really matters for the demand side today, from scalable reach to smarter targeting and safer environments. 

Your bosses say you can’t measure digital audio effectively. Your clients think podcasts are a black box. You can prove them all wrong. DAX ID rewrites the rules of audio attribution. It’s the only tool on the market that connects campaign impact across every device, platform and podcast. It means that brands have a crystal-clear view of how digital audio really performs for their campaigns. 

In this session, you’ll get the science behind DAX ID in a nutshell from Global’s Kris Harris (DAX Strategy Manager) and Mat Harrison (DAX Business Development Manager). You’ll learn how it works, what it measures, and why it’s changing how advertisers see audio in the marketing mix. You'll discover how brands are using DAX ID to target audiences better and demonstrate the impact podcasts have on return on media investment.

Hear from the experts in this fireside chat featuring representatives from some of the world’s largest, most recognizable multimedia companies, podcast networks, and podcast hosting marketplaces. AdsWizz will facilitate a broader conversation on the rise in programmatic and how the time is now to scale podcast investment through programmatic buying. This session will cover the execution of podcast programmatic buying on 3p DSP and provide attendees with a set of best practices for media buying for podcasts. Brands that adopt programmatic technology as a scalable marketing solution will be at the forefront as digital audio continues to innovate and evolve.

Dive into the transformative world of perceptual research and discover how it can elevate your branded podcast to new heights. In this session, we will explore the importance of understanding target audience perceptions, preferences, and behaviors to create compelling and engaging content. Learn from industry experts and see real-world examples of how one of the world’s largest baby lifestyle brands utilized research to transform and optimize the strategic plan for its flourishing parenting advice podcast, the winner of 2024’s Best Branded Podcast at the Digiday Content Marketing Awards.

When diversity is mentioned in commissioning, the subtext can feel altruistic. However, underrepresented audiences can make a tangible difference to your bottom line. Gain insights from the panels report studies in the behaviour and spending power of our diverse listeners. They’ll share how brands, commissioners, and ad buyers can stay ahead of the curve in this rapidly evolving industry. This session promises actionable insights and strategic perspectives to amplify your impact in the audio world.

Join The Podcast Academy as they present 2 brand new prestigious awards:

International Governor's Award - Chosen by the Podcast Academy’s Board of Governors as a new iteration of the Awards for Excellence in Audio, better known as The Ambies, this honor recognizes a podcast or individual based outside of the United States for their compelling and influential impact on the industry.

International Impact Award - Chosen by the Podcast Academy’s Board of Governors as a new iteration of the Awards for Excellence in Audio, better known as The Ambies, this honor recognizes a podcast or individual based outside of the United States whose work has had a significant, positive effect on its listeners and the global podcasting community.

The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has an established programme researching audio behaviours in the UK and set up annual podcast and audio tracker surveys several years ago. In this presentation, Ofcom will provide some ‘stop press’ key takeaways from its just published research on podcast listening in the UK in early 2025, and how this fits into the wider audio space.

As podcast advertising rapidly grows, creators are exploring diverse monetization strategies that extend beyond traditional ads. This dynamic session brings together experts from hosting, advertising, and content creation to discuss how podcasts uniquely offer meaningful audience connections, unlocking revenue through brand collaborations and innovative monetization avenues. Learn why brands see podcasts as powerful storytelling platforms that build trust and loyalty, and explore practical ways creators can effectively monetize their content through various methods.

As the podcast market continues to mature globally, publishers are tapping into audiences far beyond their home markets. With international growth comes exciting new revenue streams—but also added complexity. Every region has its own dynamics, listener behavior, and advertising landscape. So how can publishers scale globally without losing local relevance?

In this session, learn how one publisher built a successful network of regional ad sales partners to unlock global revenue potential. Discover practical, real-world insights on cross-border ad sales strategy, navigating market differences, leveraging ad tech, and making every impression count—wherever in the world it comes from.

Join Magellan AI as we explore the latest shifts and strategies shaping podcast advertising in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, and Australia this year. Gain insights into global trends and data, including top advertisers, average ad loads, and ad frequency analysis from Magellan AI-sampled podcasts.

As podcast advertising continues to mature, brand suitability and contextual targeting have become both topics of concern and opportunity for revenue for advertisers looking to confidently grow their presence. In this session, Sharon Taylor, Executive Vice President of Podcast and Content Delivery will present insights and data from Sounder, the AI-powered audio intelligence platform, to provide attendees with practical tools and strategies for curating inventory across podcast campaigns with a particular focus on long-tail podcast scalability. The session will explore how technology platforms and tools are evolving to meet advertisers’ brand suitability requirements while maintaining the unique value proposition of podcast advertising. Through real-world examples and implementation strategies, attendees will gain actionable Insights into contextual targeting, curation, and content analysis tools to enable better podcast advertising at scale.

Podcasting has gone global. This presents a tremendous growth opportunity for UK brands looking to bring their buying power to US, Latin American, German, Asian and MENA podcast markets. But to do so necessitates greater understanding both about the potential value to be gained and how to navigate the nuances of each country's podcast market. In this panel, Oxford Road, the world's largest podcast agency, will moderate a discussion with leaders of podcast networks from major territories revealing the differences, capabilities and learnings unique to their home regions. Together, they will bridge the knowledge gap, allowing UK brands to successfully expand their efforts beyond their local podcasting market.

Women’s sports have never been so popular. We’re seeing record levels of viewership and engagement with related content, driven by a values-first mindset amongst this new group of fans.

So how do brands get involved? Why should they spend on podcasts? And what success can they expect?

Hear from athletes, brands and content makers on why brands are entering this space and how meaningful partnerships can create wins for all parties.

2024 heralded much chat about upcoming '360' campaigns at The Podcast Show - 12 months on, we look at outcomes, challenges and possibilities of integrated campaigns that go beyond podcast audio. 

Podcasting has evolved and so has the way it’s sold to brands and advertisers. The medium is no longer just audio. It is sold-out shows at The Royal Albert Hall, YouTube and Tik Tok channels, books and Instagram. Live events, social media content and video are now all part of many successful podcast outputs. This not only brings in new audiences and engagement but also opens up the opportunity for bigger sponsorship deals and integrated commercial activity beyond host reads and radio spots.

Last year, '360 selling' was a hot topic of future predictions. One year on, our panel of podcast creators, brands and agencies discuss real life examples of these campaigns - how it was executed and we examine if these campaigns delivered the promised audiences, generate a deeper connection between advertiser and audience, and strong results.

Join IAB UK for an insightful session exploring the power of podcast advertising through two standout case studies. Discover how OMG and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) used podcast sponsorship to authentically reach Black British communities and drive vital blood donations. Then, hear from Audioboom and their long-term partner NordVPN as they unpack their evolving podcast strategy, spotlighting the Saily brand’s use of host reads, video formats, and results from hit shows like No Such Thing As A Fish and The Cycling Podcast. A must-attend for anyone looking to see podcast campaigns at their most impactful.

 Podcasting is growing quickly, generating $7.4m in revenue according to some, but as the industry matures, what are the opportunities and challenges on the minds of global leaders? This session tackles current big questions of the podcast industry with leading industry figures focusing on global revenue trends, the challenge to increase investment to podcasting industry,  branded content, programmatic, AI, innovation and global revenue optimisation. 

The next era of brand building is here and it’s not about campaigns. It’s about creating worlds people want to be part of.

We’re past the point where more content equals more connection. In a sea of scroll-stopping posts and short-lived trends, the brands that stand out aren’t just seen, they’re felt. They don’t just publish content. They create meaning. They don’t just push products. They ignite action. They don’t just gather followers. They energise fandoms.

The brands winning today are building immersive worlds; worlds with story, symbolism and community baked in. Worlds that people choose to belong to. Worlds that turn passive audiences into active believers.

In this session, FlightStory Studio will break down what it really takes to build a brand world: how to create identity, spark obsession, and move at the speed of culture. You’ll learn why world-building is fast becoming the most valuable brand strategy and how to build one that becomes part of people’s lives, not just their feeds.