If your podcast isn't receiving the ad volume or revenue you were hoping for, there could be several reasons. This guide walks you through the most common factors and what you can do about them.

1. Improve Your Audience Size

Advertisers look for podcasts with an engaged listener base. Typically, a podcast needs at least 1,000 monthly downloads to be considered for advertising — the higher your download numbers, the more advertising opportunities may become available for your podcast.

If you're still growing your audience, keep creating great content and actively promote your podcast to boost your downloads and listener base. The more your audience grows, the more your podcast stands out to advertisers.

2. Consider Your Language and Target Market

Currently most advertising on the Ads Marketplace is focused on the US and other English-speaking markets. If your podcast is in a different language or primarily targets audiences outside these regions, there may be fewer ad opportunities available.

3. Check Your Content Safety Status

Advertisers take brand safety seriously. Podcasts that contain sensitive or explicit content may face restrictions. Additionally, when you enable ads for a podcast, the Ads Marketplace will perform a content safety scan on the podcast to ensure it complies with applicable rules.

If your podcast doesn't pass the scan, you'll see a notice on your Ads Marketplace dashboard and receive a notification email. If you have any concerns about the result, please contact us.

4. Watch for Abnormal Download Activity

Our advertising partners rely on accurate and authentic download data to measure ad effectiveness. Podcasts that show abnormal download patterns cannot be certified to run ads or earn ad revenue in the Ads Marketplace or with our partners.

If we detect unusual activity on your account, you'll see an alert on your Ads Marketplace dashboard and receive a notification email.