As a marketer, one of the most important things you can do for your career is to never stop learning. But with so many skills to master and new platforms emerging all the time, it can feel overwhelming to keep up. That‘s where podcasts come in.
Audio is an incredibly powerful format for learning, whether you‘re driving, working out, or cooking dinner. Podcasts allow you to absorb new ideas and insights from marketing experts, no matter how busy your schedule is. Data shows podcast listening continues to grow year-over-year – in 2024, it‘s projected there will be over 160 million podcast listeners in the U.S. alone, a 17% increase from 2022. And globally, 32% of internet users ages 16-64 listen to podcasts each month (eMarketer).
Podcasts offer unique advantages as a learning medium:
- You can listen and learn while doing other activities
- It‘s a more intimate, conversational format compared to reading blog posts or watching videos
- Podcasts can expose you to a wider range of diverse voices and thought leaders
For these reasons and more, podcasts have become an essential resource for marketers at all levels to stay inspired and accelerate their professional growth. Whether you‘re looking for high-level strategy or platform-specific tactics, podcasts deliver the goods.
But with thousands of marketing podcasts to choose from, where should you start? To help you cut through the noise, we‘ve rounded up the 35 best marketing podcasts every marketer should listen to in 2024, broken down by category. These shows consistently deliver valuable, actionable insights you can put into practice right away. Let‘s get listening!
General Marketing Strategy & Trends
Podcasts in this category take a high-level view of the marketing landscape and discuss emerging trends, big ideas, and the evolution of the field.
1. HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review
- Hosted by Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch, senior editors at HBR
- Features weekly interviews with leading thinkers in business and management
- Discusses high-level marketing strategy through a business lens
- Notable episode: "Saying No to Social Media" with Cal Newport on the power of focus in a distracted digital age
2. Marketing Over Coffee
- Hosted by John J. Wall and Christopher S. Penn, veteran marketing speakers and consultants
- Covers both classic and cutting-edge marketing topics in a casual, conversational style
- Discusses what‘s changing and what‘s next across all areas of marketing
- Notable episode: "How AI is Revolutionizing Marketing" on the impact and ethics of AI tools like ChatGPT
3. Marketing School
- Hosted by Neil Patel and Eric Siu, founders of successful digital marketing agencies
- Delivers bite-sized daily episodes with tactical tips to boost traffic, conversions and sales
- Focuses on the latest trends and algorithm updates in SEO, content marketing, social media and beyond
- Notable episode: "The Top 3 SEO Strategies for 2024" on recent Google updates and how to adapt
These podcasts are a great starting point for any marketer looking to stay up-to-date on high-level trends and shifts in the industry. Tune in regularly to get a pulse on where marketing is headed.
Content Marketing
Content remains king in 2024, but the strategies and formats that work are always evolving. These podcasts are must-listens for any content creator or strategist.
1. The HubSpot Podcast Network
- A collection of marketing podcasts covering every facet of digital marketing, all under the HubSpot brand
- Includes shows like The Growth Show, Success Story, Hustle and Gather, and My First Million
- Features a mix of HubSpot thought leaders and expert guests across industries
- Notable episode: "Content Marketing Secrets to Set You Up for 2025" on trends shaping the future of content
2. Content Inc. with Joe Pulizzi
- Hosted by Joe Pulizzi, founder of The Tilt and the Content Marketing Institute
- Focuses on how to build a business around creating valuable, compelling content
- Discusses content entrepreneurship and how to monetize your content in creative ways
- Notable episode: "The 7 Pillars of a $10M Content Business" breaking down an actionable content business model
3. Copyblogger FM
- Hosted by Tim Stoddart, CEO of Copyblogger and veteran content marketer
- Delivers "short-ish" episodes with tips on copywriting, content marketing, email, conversion and more
- Shares real-world examples and case studies of successful content strategies
- Notable episode: "What Marketers Need to Understand About Web3" on the impact of blockchain and NFTs on content
Content marketing continues to be a core pillar of any successful marketing strategy. These podcasts will help you stay on top of the latest content trends and hone your skills as a content creator.
Social Media Marketing
Social media never stops evolving, with new features and even entirely new platforms shaking things up all the time. Stay in the loop with these social media marketing pods.
1. The Science of Social Media by Buffer
- Hosted by Heather-Mae Pusztai and features experts from the Buffer team
- Uses data and insights to share proven social media strategies for businesses
- Covers the latest feature releases and algorithm updates on major social platforms
- Notable episode: "Instagram Stories: 10 Tips for Engagement from Brands Getting It Right"
2. Hashtagged by Jordan Powers
- Hosted by social media veteran Jordan Powers featuring guests from top global brands
- Focuses on the high-level leadership and strategic aspects of social media marketing
- Discusses the future of the social media industry and what social leaders are thinking about
- Notable episode: "Disney‘s VP of Social Media Shares How They Make Magic Online"
3. Social Pros Podcast
- Hosted by Adam Brown of Salesforce and Jay Baer of Convince & Convert
- Features real-life stories and behind-the-scenes tactics from top social media professionals
- Discusses the strategic, operational and tactical aspects of social media for large companies
- Notable episode: "How Wendy‘s Wins Big on Social: An Interview with their VP of Advertising"
Mastering social media is both an art and a science. By blending big picture strategy and platform-specific tactics, these podcasts will help you up your social game.
Digital Marketing & Advertising
The digital marketing landscape is vast, spanning search, email, advertising, and more. Go deep into specific areas of digital with these niche shows.
1. Perpetual Traffic by DigitalMarketer
- Hosted by Ralph Burns and Amanda Powell, ad strategy experts at DigitalMarketer
- Focuses on the latest tactics for running high-converting paid traffic campaigns
- Shares quick, actionable tips for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google Ads
- Notable episode: "Scaling Facebook Ads to 7+ Figures/Month Spend (While Maintaining Profitability)"
2. PPC Rockstars
- Hosted by David Szetela, owner of agency FMB Media and former Apple Search Ads AM
- Focuses on tips, techniques and strategies for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing
- Discusses Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, YouTube Ads, Amazon Ads and ad platforms
- Notable episode: "iOS 14: How the Apple Update Reshaped Facebook and Instagram Ads"
3. The Inbound Success Podcast
- Hosted by Kathleen Booth, VP of Marketing at clean energy firm Attila Security
- Focuses on inbound marketing strategies for driving brand awareness and leads
- Discusses topics like SEO, content strategy, conversion optimization, analytics and more
- Notable episode: "HubSpot‘s CMO Shares the Content Trends that Drive Inbound Marketing"
As digital platforms continue to multiply, it‘s crucial to zoom in on the channels and tactics that matter most to your business. These podcasts provide the nitty-gritty details you need to succeed.
The Business of Marketing
Marketing doesn‘t exist in a silo – it‘s directly tied to overall business strategy, revenue and growth. Go beyond tactics with these big picture business and leadership pods.
1. Akimbo by Seth Godin
- Hosted by Seth Godin, bestselling author and renowned marketing expert
- Takes a philosophical, societal view of marketing and "our culture and how we can change it"
- Discusses essential skills for modern leaders like empathy, creativity, resilience and adaptability
- Notable episode: "Creating Creative Work in Difficult Times: A Conversation with Agency Leaders"
2. The CMO Podcast
- Hosted by Jim Stengel, former Global Marketing Officer at P&G turned business consultant
- Features interviews with CMOs from leading organizations like HBO, GE, Spotify, Google and more
- Discusses high-level marketing strategy, leadership, creativity and business growth
- Notable episode: "Redefining Marketing‘s Role in Driving Business Growth" with the CMO of LinkedIn
3. Mixergy
- Hosted by Andrew Warner, veteran startup founder and business journalist
- Features in-depth interviews with successful startup founders across industries
- Focuses on the reality of building and marketing a business, with actionable lessons learned
- Notable episode: "Behind the $100M Crowdfunding Platform You‘ve Never Heard Of" with founder of Gelt
These big picture business podcasts provide invaluable perspective for marketers at all levels. After all, marketing exists to drive real business results. Tuning into these will sharpen your strategic thinking and position you for leadership.
Getting the Most Out of Podcast Learning
These 35 marketing podcasts are a tiny fraction of the thousands of shows out there. So how can you find the most relevant pods for your specific role, industry and goals? And how can you maximize the value you get from each listen? A few tips:
- Focus on a growth area. Pick a marketing skill or discipline you want to improve and find 2-3 niche podcasts that go deep in that area.
- Follow the hosts. Pay attention to who‘s hosting your favorite shows. They often maintain newsletters, blogs or courses with additional content.
- Join the community. Many top marketing podcasts have dedicated online communities where you can ask questions and connect with other listeners.
- Put it into practice. After each listen, capture a few key takeaways you learned and think about how to apply them in your work. Taking action is key!
- Reach out. Have a burning question for a podcast host or guest? Reach out to them on social media, via email, or through their website. The worst they can say is no.
Marketing never stops evolving, and neither should you. Podcasts are an incredibly rich resource for picking up new skills, discovering rising trends, and learning from diverse experts in every corner of marketing.
Whether you‘re just starting your podcast journey or looking to fill some gaps in your playlist, the 35 pods featured here will expose you to a range of voices, ideas and perspectives to level up your marketing game. The key is to make podcast listening an intentional habit – one that challenges you to question your assumptions and inspires you to take action.
Ready to sharpen your marketing mind and refine your skills to become the marketer you‘ve always wanted to be? Just press play.
