Trust. Influence. Connection. These are the building blocks of great creator relationships. But marketers ultimately care about one thing: Does it drive results? 

To answer that, Audacy launched the Audio Creator Impact Study: a first-of-its-kind look at how creator-led Audio campaigns translate into real, measurable ROI. And the findings are clear:

Creators don’t just endorse brands. They accelerate them. Hosts deliver measurable lifts in awareness, consideration, and — most importantly — conversions.

This isn’t about vague “influence.” It’s about a conversion engine powered by the most trusted voices in radio and podcasting.

Radio’s superpower has always been connection. Listeners think of their favorite hosts as people they know — not media personalities. So when those local and national voices vouch for a product, it feels personal, authentic, and safe.

And that trust turns directly into action.

The bottom line is — Radio hosts don’t read ads. They drive decisions.

When a podcast host recommends a brand, it doesn’t sound like advertising — it sounds like advice from a friend. That’s the magic of podcasts: influence so trusted, it turns shout-outs into  shopping lists.

In fact, 76% of podcast listeners have purchased a brand after hearing an ad from their favorite creator.

But here’s where the study gets really interesting. It’s not just host-read ads. Every ad baked into the show is premium programming. And thanks to the trust that creators build, there’s a halo effect. That means even pre-produced, non-host-read ads perform better because they live in an environment built on intimacy and attention.

And for Audacy podcast listeners, that halo turns into purchase power. Audacy podcast listeners are 2X more likely to purchase products advertised on podcasts.

Podcasting isn’t just content consumption — it’s cultural participation. Fans trust their hosts, share their takes, and follow their recommendations.

Creators aren’t just entertainers — they’re community leaders. They shape conversations, drive discovery, and influence purchasing in real time. And unlike social media, where trust can feel shaky or transactional, Audio builds something deeper: loyalty, attention, and repeated engagement over time. For advertisers, that means creator-led audio is no longer just a “brand play” — it’s a performance strategy. 

The Audio Creator Impact Study showcases what many brands are already seeing in their campaign dashboards — when you put your message in the hands of trusted Audio creators, you get results you can measure.

If you’re looking for a channel that moves people from hear → feel → act, Audio creators are the conversion engine you’ve been waiting for.