What does your podcast actually clear?
Pre + mid + post-roll, host-read vs programmatic fill, ad load risk — blended into the monthly number a show your size really earns.
Host-read = full fill. Programmatic uses fill rate.
Monthly ad revenue
$2,676
$669 / episode × 4 eps
Annual run-rate
$32,118
Effective fill 82% across slots
Blended CPM
$102
Pre $20 + 2× mid $35 + post $12
Effective RPM
$83.64
Per 1,000 downloads delivered
Conservative
$1,874
Realistic
$2,676
Aggressive
$3,747
Bands swing on seasonality (Q4 strong, Q1 weak), category exclusivity premiums, and 1–2 anchor sponsors carrying mid-roll revenue.
Strong effective RPM. Niche premium is working — sponsors are happy to renew at these rates.
Inventory is healthy. Stack a 3rd anchor sponsor or upsell category exclusivity to lift effective CPM 20–30%.
- Blended CPM = pre + (mid × mid slots) + post
- Effective fill = host-read % + (1 − host-read %) × programmatic fill %
- Revenue / episode = blended CPM × (downloads ÷ 1000) × effective fill
- Monthly revenue = revenue / episode × episodes per month
- Effective RPM = (revenue / episode ÷ downloads) × 1000
Common questions
What CPM should I expect for a podcast?▾
IAB averages: pre-roll $15–$25, mid-roll $25–$40, post-roll $10–$20. Niche B2B/finance shows can clear $50+ mid-roll. Host-read consistently 2–4× programmatic.
Host-read vs programmatic — which pays more?▾
Host-read 2–4× programmatic CPM. Programmatic fills inventory faster but pays lower. Most growing shows hybrid: host-read mid-roll + programmatic pre/post.
How many ad slots can I run per episode?▾
Standard load is 1 pre + 1–2 mids + 1 post. More than 3 mid-rolls in a 30-min episode tanks listener retention.
Do downloads or listens count for ads?▾
Downloads are the billable unit (IAB v2). A download = unique IP + 60s+ playback within 24h.
What's a realistic fill rate?▾
Programmatic fill rates run 40–70% for indie shows, 80–95% for shows on a top network. Host-read is 100% by definition — you only count what sold.