Adelicious is the UK’s largest home-grown podcast network and, last year, became part of Audioboom, a global leader in podcasting.
NDA recently spoke to Andrew Goldsmith, President, UK, of Adelicious from Audioboom, about the evolution of the podcast marketplace and its appeal to advertisers in a fragmented media landscape…
Tell me how your professional background has led to your current role.
I’ve spent my entire career in commercial media, starting in magazines in the early 2000s, then moving into radio. Most recently at The Guardian, my role became increasingly focused on audio and podcasts, including the launch of Today in Focus. That’s where I became deeply involved in podcast strategy and where my focus on audio really crystallised.
I was introduced to the two co-founders of Adelicious and joined initially as Managing Director, with a clear vision: to build the UK’s largest independent podcast network, putting creators absolutely first. We had a very clear set of goals and values. Creators came first -always. That was something both podcasters and the advertising market quickly understood.
The ad market recognised the role we were playing. We were competing, of course, but also working alongside established players, all doing great work. That clarity helped us grow very quickly.
What is Adelicious’s relationship with Audioboom?
We were incredibly excited to join Audioboom mid-July of last year and immediately began fully integrating the businesses – today we operate, sell, and deliver as one business. Adelicious exists as part of Audioboom, which allows us to do better work for the partners we represent.
The alignment was immediate: creator-first values, a focus on premium content, and strong, trusted relationships with talent. What we’ve brought together is that creator-led ethos with global scale, sophisticated ad tech, and a rapidly growing video capability.
According to Podscribe, Audioboom ended 2025 as the number one video podcast publisher in the world, delivering 325 million video views and placing 13 shows in YouTube’s Top 100 Podcast ranker.
How has the podcast marketplace developed since the boom during the pandemic lockdown years?
Lockdown was a critical inflection point. Podcasts moved from being the domain of a tech-savvy, early-adopter audience to the mainstream.What podcasts didn’t do was replace other media. Instead, they created entirely new media moments, such as commuting, running, walking the dog, or cooking. They’ve become ingrained in people’s lives, and that’s why growth has continued. It’s about choice, convenience, and relevance across all demographics.
Given its roots as an audio-led format, has the growth of video podcasting been a surprise?
I don’t think the growth of video podcasting is a surprise at all. It’s a natural progression as the industry has professionalised. Video podcasts have always existed, but as production quality improved, it was inevitable that visual elements would play a bigger role.
What we see consistently is that loyal audiences follow their hosts across platforms, whether it be audio, video, social, or even live events. Video also dramatically improves discoverability, often bringing entirely new audiences to a podcast.
Are advertisers tuning in to the opportunities associated with advertising on podcasts?
There has absolutely been a scaling up of investment. We’re seeing more brands come into the space, and crucially, they’re investing more.
The evidence that podcast advertising works keeps getting stronger. Research shows that over 70% of audiences exposed to campaigns across audio and video take action. That kind of performance blows a lot of other media channels out of the water.
What genres of podcast are likely to be most popular in 2026?
The major genres, namely true crime, current affairs, politics, entertainment, wellbeing and sport, will continue to be the bedrock of podcast listening.
Within entertainment, comedy podcasts are seeing huge audience growth. They offer escapism at a time when people really need it. Comedians are phenomenal storytellers, and when they find the right niche, they make exceptional podcasters.
What advice could you offer advertisers on their approach to the podcast marketplace in 2026?
We are audience-first in everything we do. We start by understanding who a brand is trying to reach and what content aligns best with that audience.
Although we are audio-first, we are not audio-only. Video is our fastest-growing revenue stream, and a multi-platform approach delivers stronger results.
The best campaigns happen when brands trust the host. Let go a little. Give them creative freedom—they know their audience better than anyone. Listeners can tell when a host truly believes in a campaign. That’s where the magic lies.
