What Are Host-Read Sponsorships?
Host-read sponsorships are longer, editorialized commercial messages delivered by podcast hosts themselves. These organic-sounding ads typically range from 60 seconds to a couple of minutes in length, where hosts put your messaging brief into their own words and style.
Host-read sponsorships are inserted into podcasts for as long as your campaign lasts across all targeted shows' episodes. This means that even if listeners are exploring older content in a podcast's catalog, they'll still hear your relevant commercial message.
Benefits of Host-Read Sponsorships
Sponsorships leverage the host's credibility and relationship with their audience to deliver authentic and effective advertising messages. Listeners tend to trust the host's recommendations and perceive them as genuine endorsements.
Host-read sponsorships often include storytelling elements and personal experiences related to your product or service, making the ads feel more natural and engaging for listeners.
The Booking Process
Booking a host-read sponsorship with Acast typically takes 4-6 weeks and follows these steps:
Step 1: Select Shows to Sponsor
Visit the Sponsorships Marketplace in your Acast dashboard
Browse available podcasts using filters:
Target Market: Select the country where you want your ads to reach listeners
Categories: Choose podcast themes relevant to your target audience
Review podcast metrics including:
Weekly listens in your target market
Price per week: The estimated minimum spend for one week of sponsorship
Audience demographics and interests
Select podcasts that align with your brand and submit your proposal
Step 2: Submit Your Sponsorship Proposal
Before Acast can contact podcasts on your behalf, you'll need to provide information about your company and campaign. Podcasters approve every advertiser that wants to sponsor their show, so providing detailed information improves your chances of approval.
Include the following details:
Campaign name (recommended format: [What you're promoting] + [Start date])
Brand name
Campaign goals and description
Campaign timeline
Step 3: Podcaster Approval
After submitting your proposal:
You'll receive a draft media plan in your inbox outlining costs for each podcast, campaign duration options, and estimated total impressions
You can provide feedback on this plan, and Acast will adjust it to fit your budget and needs
Acast will contact the selected podcasters for brand approval
You'll receive an updated media plan showing which podcasts have approved your sponsorship
Step 4: Confirm the Booking
Once podcasters have reviewed your proposal:
Review the final media plan showing approved podcasts
Complete and sign the Initial Order (IO) contract
Process payment according to the payment terms
Step 5: Craft Your Script
After confirming your booking:
Provide a sponsorship briefing with 3 key points that need to be conveyed in the ad
Work with Acast's team to develop engaging script guidelines
Include call-to-action details (URLs, promo codes, etc.)
Specify any messaging do's and don'ts for hosts
Step 6: Review the Host-Read Audio
Before your sponsorship goes live:
Receive the recorded sponsorship reads from the podcasters
Review the content to ensure key messages are included
Approve the final recordings or request adjustments if needed
Step 7: Campaign Launch and Performance Tracking
Once your campaign goes live:
Your sponsorship reads will be dynamically inserted into podcast episodes
Access your campaign dashboard to track performance metrics
Receive performance reports from your Acast representative
Timeline Expectations
From proposal submission to campaign launch: 4-6 weeks
Podcaster review and approval: 1-2 weeks
Script development and recording: 1-2 weeks
Campaign performance reporting: Available in near real-time once live
Pricing Structure
The price per week for sponsorships takes into account the CPM (cost per thousand impressions) for each show in your chosen market and the estimated weekly impressions. Factors affecting pricing include:
Podcast popularity and audience size
Campaign duration
Tips for Successful Sponsorships
Be authentic: Allow hosts creative freedom to present your message in their own voice
Focus on storytelling: Encourage personal experiences with your product or service
Clear call-to-action: Provide easy-to-remember URLs or promo codes
Long-term partnerships: Consider recurring sponsorships to build audience recognition