Podcast Advertising in 2026: Why Britain's Most Skipped Ads Are Still One of Marketing's Best Opportunities

Podcast advertising has grown rapidly over the last decade, but one question has remained surprisingly difficult to answer:

Does it actually work?

A new YouGov study has provided one of the clearest pictures yet of podcast advertising in Great Britain, revealing something that many advertisers may find surprising.

Yes, podcast adverts are frequently skipped.

But they're also trusted, memorable and capable of driving real consumer action.

For brands considering podcasts as part of their media mix, the findings reinforce what many advertisers are already discovering: podcast advertising isn't about forcing people to watch an advert, it's about reaching highly engaged audiences in environments where they are receptive to your message.

People Skip Podcast Ads... But They Don't Hate Them

One of the headline findings from the research is that 54% of podcast consumers usually skip or tune out adverts, while only 4% say they usually listen to every advert.

At first glance that may sound discouraging. However, context matters.

Today's consumers skip advertising almost everywhere they can. The more interesting finding is how people feel about podcast advertising compared with other media.

Only 26% of respondents described podcast adverts as annoying or disruptive.

Compare that with:

• 53% for YouTube adverts

• 50% for online display advertising

• 41% for social media advertising

In other words, podcast advertising is the least irritating advertising format measured against other digital marketing platforms.

For advertisers, this matters.

Advertising that doesn't frustrate audiences is far less likely to create negative brand associations.

Trust Still Matters

Consumers are becoming increasingly sceptical of digital advertising.

While television and radio continue to enjoy the highest levels of trust, podcast advertising performs significantly better than many online channels.

The Human Voice Makes the Difference

One particularly interesting insight is the performance of host-read advertising.

When listeners were asked which type of podcast advert they trusted most, host-read adverts comfortably outperformed traditional pre-recorded commercials.

This is hardly surprising.

Podcast hosts spend hours building relationships with their audiences. Recommendations delivered naturally by a trusted presenter feel less like interruption and more like genuine endorsement.

For brands, authenticity remains one of the most valuable assets in modern advertising.

Podcast Advertising Drives Action

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the report is that podcast advertising generates measurable consumer behaviour.

Across all consumers of audio media (radio, podcasts or streaming audio):

• 45% had taken some form of action after hearing an advert

• 26% searched online for the brand

• 23% visited the advertiser's website

• 11% made a purchase

These aren't simply awareness metrics—they represent real business outcomes.

Even more impressive, 52% of podcast consumers had taken some form of action after hearing an advert.

This is higher than both users of music streaming services (49%) and radio listeners (47%).

Even Skipped Podcast Ads Still Convert

One of the report's most fascinating findings challenges a common assumption.

Skipping a podcast advert does not mean the advertising has failed.

Nearly half (48%) of people who usually skip podcast adverts had still taken action after hearing one, including 11% who had made a purchase.

Among those who only sometimes skip adverts, conversion rises dramatically to 72%.

The lesson is clear:

Consumers don't always need to hear every second of an advert for it to influence later behaviour. Brand recognition, trust, repeated exposure and relevance still have a powerful effect.

Podcast Audiences Are Growing

Podcast consumption has firmly entered the mainstream.

More than half of the British population now listens to or watches podcasts, with younger audiences driving much of that growth.

Around 68% of both Gen Z and Millennials consume podcasts, compared with 55% of Gen X and 42% of Baby Boomers.

News and current affairs is the country's most popular podcast genre especially with Gen X and Baby Boomer consumers, but there is a good spread across the top 6 genres.

• News & Current Affairs: 42%

• Comedy: 36%

• Entertainment & Popular Culture: 31%

• Technology or Science: 22%

• Lifestyle: 22%

• Education or Self Improvement: 22%

This breadth of content gives advertisers opportunities to reach highly engaged audiences across almost every interest category.

Podcasts Reach People Throughout Their Day

Unlike many forms of media, podcasts accompany listeners throughout daily life.

The most common listening situations include:

• Household chores (44%)

• Commuting (33%)

• Walking (29%)

• Cooking (27%)

• Before sleep (27%)

Audio podcasts are especially effective for reaching consumers while they're away from screens—during commutes, walks and household tasks—moments when visual advertising simply isn't an option.

Audio or Video? The Answer May Be Both

Unlike some international markets, Britain continues to favour traditional audio podcasts.

The research found:

• 57% of Britons consume podcasts

• 46% prefer audio-only podcasts

• Only 28% prefer video podcasts

Heavy podcast users are also more likely to favour audio-only formats, suggesting audio remains the dominant medium for regular podcast listeners.

However, the popularity of video podcasts is growing, and consumers who prefer video formats actually recorded slightly higher conversion rates than audio-only listeners.

Importantly, the research also shows substantial overlap between the two audiences. Most video podcast consumers also listen to audio podcasts, meaning advertisers don't necessarily need separate strategies, they simply need the right mix of platforms and creative execution.

Only 9% of Britons can be reached by video podcast but not by an audio podcast.

Consumption Context Shapes Content Preferences

One of the more interesting themes running through the YouGov research is how the environment in which people consume podcasts appears to influence the type of content they choose.

The report shows that listeners who prefer video podcasts are significantly more likely to consume them while eating (29% compared with 14% for audio-only listeners). In contrast, people who favour audio podcasts are far more likely to listen while doing household chores, commuting or walking.

That makes intuitive sense. Video naturally lends itself to situations where people are relatively stationary and able to watch a screen, whereas audio excels when listeners are on the move or multitasking.

This may also help explain another finding from the report. Among podcast genres, video podcast fans are more likely to consume entertainment and pop culture content, while those preferring audio are more likely to choose comedy and news-focused programming.

Looking at the generational data adds another layer. Around one third of Gen Z podcast consumers listen or watch podcasts while eating, making them the generation most likely to consume podcasts in this context.

Taken together, the findings suggest that younger audiences are often engaging with podcasts as a form of screen-based entertainment during downtime, while audio-first listeners are incorporating podcasts into everyday routines such as commuting, walking and household tasks.

For advertisers, this reinforces the importance of matching creative style and messaging to the way the audience is actually consuming the content, not simply the platform itself.

Income May Also Influence Format Preference

The report also highlights that higher-income consumers are considerably more likely to prefer audio-only podcasts, with 59% of higher earners favouring audio compared with 46% of podcast consumers overall.

While the research doesn't directly explain why, the wider findings offer a plausible interpretation.

Video podcast consumption is more closely associated with younger audiences and with situations such as eating, where viewers are able to give attention to a screen. Audio-only podcasts, meanwhile, are most often consumed while commuting, walking or completing household chores.

As Gen Z and Millennials are typically earlier in their careers than Gen X and Baby Boomers, they are, on average, more likely to fall into lower income brackets. Older audiences, who generally have higher average earnings and are more likely to consume podcasts while carrying out other activities, naturally contribute to the stronger preference for audio-only formats seen among higher-income listeners.

Although these relationships are correlational rather than causal, they provide valuable planning insight.

Brands targeting affluent professionals may find audio-first podcast environments particularly effective, whereas campaigns aimed at younger consumers may benefit from incorporating video podcast inventory alongside broader social and online video activity.

What This Means for Advertisers

The YouGov findings reinforce an important point.

Podcast advertising shouldn't be judged solely on whether someone skips an advert.

Instead, advertisers should focus on what really matters:

• Brand trust

• Audience engagement

• Context

• Recall

• Consumer action

When delivered within the right content, podcasts offer something increasingly rare in today's fragmented media landscape: a trusted environment where audiences willingly spend extended periods of time.

For many brands, podcasts won't replace TV, radio or digital advertising.

But as part of an integrated media strategy, they offer an increasingly compelling way to build awareness, trust and measurable business results.

At TVADSWORK, we believe the strongest campaigns rarely rely on a single channel. Podcasts work best when they complement television, streaming, radio and digital advertising—creating multiple touch points that reinforce your message wherever your audience chooses to consume media.

The latest YouGov research suggests podcast advertising has earned its place in that mix.

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If you'd like to find out how to implement podcast advertising into your marketing plan, or set up your own podcast for your business, feel free to get in touch with us at hello@tvadswork.com