Podcast advertising has its own lingo and if you’re a D2C brand looking to make waves, it helps to know your baked-in from your mid-roll. Whether you’re chatting with your media team or reviewing a campaign report, this glossary breaks it all down in plain English, with real examples. Think cheat sheet, not textbook. Here we go!
Ad Inventory
The total number of ad spots a podcast (or network) has available for sale. Think of it like real estate: some shows have more square footage (episodes) than others. Example: A weekly podcast with four ad breaks per episode has about 16 spots/month to sell.
Ad Position
Where the ad appears in the episode.
- Pre-roll: Right at the beginning. Great for high-impact intros.
- Mid-roll: In the middle of the episode, usually where listeners are most engaged. Often the highest-performing.
- Post-roll: At the end. Typically cheaper, with lower engagement but could still be useful for branding. We are not huge fans.
Announcer-Read Ad
A scripted ad voiced by someone other than the host. Consistent and polished minus the personal endorsement vibe. Conversationally, this is what “programmatic ads” mostly refer to.
Attribution
The process of figuring out which channel deserves credit for a conversion. In podcasting, this often means using pixel attribution (see below) to show that a website visit, sign-up, or purchase came from a podcast listener rather than, say, your latest search or social campaign.
Attribution Pixel (aka Tracking Pixel)
A snippet of code on your site that helps track podcast listeners as they turn into visitors, and (hopefully) customers. Tiny but mighty. Essential for measuring longer purchase journeys. (P.S. We work with every major attribution partner so you can pick which pixel you want to use in your campaign!)
Back Catalogue
Older podcast episodes that are still pulling in listeners and still open for business. With Dynamic Ad Insertion (see below), you can run fresh ads on past episodes, giving your campaign extra reach and longer shelf life without needing brand-new content. Example: Listener discovers a new podcast and goes back to the first episode – they can still hear your current ad regardless of how old the actual episode is.
Baked-In Ads
Ads that are permanently part of the episode. Timeless, authentic, and great for evergreen offers or brand awareness. Example: A 60-second host-read brand endorsement placed mid-episode, recorded directly into the content, meaning it stays there forever and cannot be deleted or replaced (unlike dynamically inserted ads).
Brand Awareness Ads
Ads designed to build general recognition and keep your brand top-of-mind. No promo codes, no limited-time offers, just pure presence. Ideal for companies looking to introduce themselves or stay relevant, especially in upper funnel campaigns.
Conversions
The action someone takes after hearing your ad, like visiting your website, signing up, or buying something. The clearest signals that your message resonated and moved listeners to act.
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
Cost per 1,000 impressions (aka listeners). It’s the standard way ads are priced in podcasting. Example:
- Host-read ad CPM = ~$25-35.
- Programmatic ad CPM = ~$5-15
This is the price you pay to reach 1,000 listeners. Remember, mille is not a million!
Your actual rate depends on the show’s size, niche, and engagement. Example: If you run host-read ads on a weekly podcast with 50,000 unique listeners for a 3-month campaign at $30CPM, the campaign will cost you $18,000.
CTA (Call to Action)
The part of your ad that tells listeners what to do next, whether it’s visiting your site, using a promo code, or booking a demo. A clear, punchy CTA is what turns listeners into leads.
Direct Response (DR) Ads
Ads designed to get people to take immediate action: click, sign up, buy. Usually paired with promo codes, urgency, and lots of verbs. The opposite of Brand Awareness Ads.
Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI)
Tech that lets ads be swapped in/out even after an episode is live because the ad is stitched into the episode at the moment of download. Ideal for keeping your messaging timely and running ads across both new episodes and the back catalogue. Most podcast ads today are DAI host-read ads.
Evergreen Ad
An ad that’s not tied to any specific time or promo. Great for baked-in placements and back catalogue monetization. Example: A brand spot that simply tells your story or highlights your mission, like a Coca-Cola ad focusing on brand values rather than a seasonal sale.
Flight Dates
The start and end dates for your campaign. Think of it as your podcast ad’s boarding pass.
Frequency
How often someone hears your ad. Sweet spot: 5–8 ads. Too few and they’ll forget you. Too many and they might get twitchy (which you can solve by simply spicing up the ad copy!).
Host-Read Ad
An ad read by the podcast host, in their own style and voice. Feels organic, like a friend’s recommendation. Bonus: they tend to perform better than announcer-read ads.
IAB Compliance
Standards from the Interactive Advertising Bureau to ensure metrics like downloads and impressions are measured consistently across platforms. Not sexy, but super important.
Impression
One play of your ad by one listener. If 10,000 people hear your ad once, that’s 10,000 impressions.
Insertion Order (IO)
The formal document that outlines your podcast ad buy. Usually includes spend, targeting, dates, deliverables etc. Think of it as a mini contract. (Btw, we handle all the IOs for you!)
Lift
The uptick in site traffic, brand searches, or purchases after your campaign goes live. The good kind of spike. If your brand starts showing up in people’s Google searches post-ad – yep, that’s lift.
Makegood
A replacement ad or extra spots given if something didn’t run correctly (or underperformed). Basically: a second shot, on the house.
Mid-Funnel
Where consideration happens. Listeners have heard of you, now they’re weighing options. Your ad should nudge them further down the path, for example to your website.
Native Ad
An ad that blends into the content. Usually host-read, conversational, and on-brand with the show.
Programmatic Ads
Announcer-read, automated ad placements inserted based on listener data or behavior. Different listeners may hear different ads depending on their location or demographics. Great for scale and targeting, but lower engagement compared to host-reads.
Promo Code
A special discount just for listeners. Makes attribution tracking easier and gives your campaign a conversion boost. Example: Use promo code PODCASTNAME20 to get 20% off your purchase.
Reach
How many unique listeners heard your ad. Total ears, not total plays.
Read Length
The duration of the ad. Common formats: 30s, 60s, or longer if the host goes off-script (which honestly can be gold).
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
How much revenue your ad generated compared to what you spent. Example: Spend $10K, make $40K in new purchases. That’s a 4x ROAS (or 400% ROAS).
Sponsorship
You’re not just running an ad, you’re partnering. Think: episode mentions, social shoutouts, seasonal sponsorships or even logo placement on the show page. Creativity has no limits!
Upper Funnel
Awareness campaigns. Less about clicks, more about getting your brand on the radar.
Vanity URL (aka Tracking Link)
A unique URL (often with a vanity slug) used to measure traffic from a podcast ad. Example: Go to podcast.com/jenny to sign up for the product launch.
Curious how all this plays out in a real campaign?
We’ll show you exactly how these terms translate into results with a free podcast ad campaign plan tailored to your brand. Get Your Free Podcast Ad Campaign Plan