Send the host your product, then give them the facts, one offer and a code, and let them say it in their own words. A word-for-word podcast ad script turns a host listeners trust into one more ad they skip.
Our podcast advertising page covers how we plan and buy audio. This post is the brief we send a host before they record a word.
Do the homework first
Before we brief anyone, we listen. Open Triton Digital's Australian Podcast Ranker, find the top 10 shows in your category and score their ads, from boring through to "I loved how she talked about that". The full scale is in host-read or produced podcast ads.
Then note what the best reads did. How long before the offer? Was there a story? How often did the code come up? That list will shape your brief more than your brand deck.
Send the product before the brief
A host read works when the host would genuinely rate what they are talking about. So send the product early, give them time to use it, then ask what they noticed. Their answer often makes a better opening line than your messaging.
If they do not like it, you have found out cheaply. What we typically see in 2026 is $65 to $80 CPM for a host read, and listeners can tell when a host would not use the thing they are reading about.
Give the host facts and let them talk
Hosts know their listeners better than you do. Give them what they need to be accurate and leave the voice and tone to them:
The facts. What the product is, who it is for, and a few points they can say with confidence.
The offer. One offer, with exactly what the listener gets.
The code. One code, easy to say and easy to spell.
Everything beyond the brand name, the offer, the code and the web address belongs to the host.
Let the host show up in their genre
Every genre has its own register, and the read has to sit inside it. When a read is not authentic, you really notice it. Unless it is genuinely funny, we would not run it.
Sport. Tie it to training, recovery or game day.
Politics. Keep it plain and factual. The read should sound like the same sharp, honest voice listeners came for.
Fashion. Let them wear it, style it and say what they would pair it with. Detail beats adjectives.
Finance. Give them the numbers: what it costs, what it saves, and any catch. Hype sounds wrong on a money show.
Write for the back catalogue
Baked in. The read is recorded into the episode, so you are in that show week after week for as long as the deal runs. Anyone who finds that episode later can still hear it, so ask what happens when the deal ends.
Inserted. A network places your ad into whichever episodes are downloaded that week, back catalogue included.
Either way, write evergreen. No "in today's episode", no dates, nothing tied to the week's news. Keep the offer and code live for as long as the read can play.
One code and one landing page per show
Codes are the clearest way to see what a host read did. Give every show its own, so you can tell which host sold and which only filled time.
Pair each code with a landing page for that show and the same offer. We treat landing pages as essential, and they catch listeners who forget the code. Set it all up before the first read goes out.
What a good brief contains
Two or three lines on what the product is and who it is for.
Confirmation the product was sent, with time to use it.
A few facts the host can say with confidence.
One offer, with the exact terms and how long it runs.
One code unique to that show, easy to say aloud.
A short web address for that show's landing page.
How to pronounce the brand name.
Whether the read is baked in or inserted.
What to leave out
A word-for-word script.
Your tagline and brand values copy.
More than one offer.
Claims you cannot back up.
Anything dated or tied to this week.
Codes that are hard to spell out.
FAQ
Should I write a podcast ad script for a host read?
Write talking points instead: the facts, the offer and the code. A full script suits a produced ad, where you control every word.
How do I track a host read ad?
Give every show its own code and landing page, and watch your brand search while the reads run.
Should the wording change for baked-in and inserted ads?
Keep both evergreen. A baked-in read stays in the episode, and inserted ads play in older episodes too, so leave out dates and short-lived offers.
Next step
Want the shows chosen and the host briefs written for you? See how we plan podcast advertising, or get in touch.
Book a free Growth Plan. Thirty minutes with the person who would do the work. No deck, no pitch.