Podcasting has never been more culturally relevant. Listeners are engaged, loyal, and attentive — yet the channel continues to punch below its weight when it comes to marketing budgets. Despite commanding millions of daily listeners and deep audience trust, podcast advertising still accounts for a small fraction of total media spend.

So what’s holding it back? And what will it take for audio to claim its rightful share of the marketing pie?

In this episode of The MarTech Matrix, host Sean Simon sits down with Pete Jimison, CEO and Founder of Frequency, to discuss the evolution of podcast advertising, the workflow barriers slowing its growth, and how Frequency’s new platform — Automated Direct — is reshaping the way brands plan, execute, and measure audio campaigns.

Tune into this episode…

Takeaways

1. 90% of podcast revenue is still direct, not programmatic.
2. Host-read ads are key but challenging to scale.
3. Frequency offers automated direct solutions for audio ads.
4. AI is used for quality assurance in ad reads.
5. Dynamic creative optimization is expanding in audio.
6. Location-based data is crucial for ad personalization.
7. Brands should test various audio strategies for best results.
8. Listening to podcasts helps brands understand the space.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Pete Jimison
2. 03:00 The Rise of Podcasting
3. 09:00 Challenges in Audio Advertising
4. 15:00 Innovative Solutions by Frequency
5. 21:00 The Role of AI in Audio
6. 27:00 Future of Audio Advertising