How B2B podcast sponsorship works in Australia: formats, what a campaign costs, how to pick shows and measure results, with published Day One rates.
If you sell to Australian founders, operators or investors, podcast sponsorship puts your message inside a conversation they chose to hear. That is the case for it. The harder questions are practical: which format, which shows, what it should cost, and how you will know it worked.
This guide answers those for B2B sponsors in Australia. W2D1 Media runs sponsorship for the Day One® Network, so we use our own published rates as the worked example and say so where we do.
How B2B podcast sponsorship works
You pay a show, or a network of shows, to carry your message across a set number of episodes. The episodes go out on the podcast feed and, for video shows, on YouTube. Your message travels with every play, including people who find the episode months later.
For a B2B sponsor, the value is the match between the show's audience and your buyers. A small show that your exact customers listen to is worth more than a large one they do not.
The four formats
Host-read sponsorships. The host reads your message in their own words, inside the episode. This is the most common format because the host's credibility carries over to you. On Day One shows a host read runs 30 to 60 seconds, with a custom tracking link.
Branded segments. You own a recurring part of one show, for example a short segment that runs every week. On Day One these run for 6 to 12 episodes.
A custom series. A show of your own, produced for you and distributed through the network.
Network bundles. Placements across several shows at once, for reach across different parts of the same audience.
Most sponsors also get placements around the episode: your brand on campaign artwork, your message in show notes, YouTube descriptions and web pages, and mentions in social posts and newsletters.
What podcast sponsorship costs in Australia
Podcast sponsorship is priced in two common ways:
Per episode or per campaign. A flat price for a set number of placements. This is how most host-read B2B sponsorship is sold, because the audience is small and specific.
Per thousand plays (CPM). Common for large shows and for ads inserted by software into many shows at once. It suits reach campaigns more than targeted B2B ones.
For reference, these are Day One's published rates, in AUD and excluding GST:
| Package | What it covers | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Six episodes on one show, priced from $2,500 per delivered episode | $12,000 to $18,000 |
| Growth | Placements across two or more shows, or a longer run on one | $20,000 to $30,000 |
| Bespoke | Four shows across six months, our largest network campaigns | $120,000 to $160,000 |
There is a three-month minimum, and prices are confirmed on a call once the show mix is agreed. See the full sponsorship packages.
When you compare quotes from different shows or networks, check three things: how many episodes the price covers, whether the read is by the host or a voiceover, and what placements come with it outside the episode.
How to choose the right shows
Start with your buyer, not the download count. Ask who listens: their role, their stage of company, where they are. A founder show and an investor show reach different buyers, even inside one network.
Listen to three episodes before you buy. You are buying the host's voice and the guests they attract. If you would not want your brand next to that conversation, do not buy it.
Prefer a run over a one-off. One episode rarely changes anything. Six episodes on the right show gives the audience time to hear you more than once.
Check the show is still in production. A back catalogue keeps earning plays, but new episodes are where your read lands first.
How to measure a podcast sponsorship
Podcast listening does not leave the same trail as a click on a search ad, so plan measurement before the campaign starts:
A custom tracking link or promo code for each show, so you can see which one sent people.
A dedicated landing page that matches the read, rather than your homepage.
A "how did you hear about us?" question on your sign-up or demo form. Many listeners type your name into a search engine instead of clicking a link, and this is the only place that shows up.
A look at branded search and direct traffic during the campaign, compared with the weeks before it.
On Day One campaigns, reporting covers lift and attribution, so you can do more of what works and cut the rest.
How long a campaign takes to launch
A Day One campaign goes from brief to broadcast in about four weeks:
Week 1, brief. A 30-minute call about your ideal customer, your category and what success looks like.
Week 2, plan. A placement plan across the network, with scripts, promo codes and landing pages.
Weeks 3 and 4, launch. Hosts record and the episodes ship. You approve the copy first.
Reporting. Results come back so you can decide what to repeat.
Sponsoring the Day One® Network
Day One is a network of 24 shows for the people building and backing Australian and New Zealand startups, with 12 in active production. The shows cover the startup journey, investment and funding, technology and AI, strategy, fintech and climate, and the local ecosystem.
Companies that have sponsored Day One shows are listed on the Day One sponsors page, along with what past campaigns produced.
If you are weighing up a podcast campaign, book a call and we will tell you which shows fit your buyers, and whether a podcast is the right channel at all.
