Integral Ad Science (IAS) has launched an episode-level pre-bid optimisation solution for programmatic podcast advertising on Spotify, delivered through The Trade Desk.
The new feature lets advertisers apply contextual controls at the individual episode level before bidding on inventory available through the Spotify Ad Exchange. IAS said the controls are built to help brands align their podcast placements with specific suitability preferences across both audio and video campaigns.
At the core of the solution are IAS Context Control segments, which give advertisers access to 33 contextual avoidance segments spanning 11 industry categories and three risk levels. The feature is currently live within The Trade Desk for private marketplace campaigns on the Spotify Ad Exchange, with plans to roll out to additional demand-side platforms over the coming months.
This launch extends IAS’s ongoing partnership with Spotify, which had previously introduced AI-driven brand safety and suitability tools for the Spotify Audience Network in 2025.
“Programmatic audio has always allowed brands to reach a large and growing audience, and now, with this launch, it also allows for greater control,” said IAS CEO Lisa Utzschneider, adding that the episode-level pre-bid optimisation strengthens advertisers’ ability to direct podcast spend in line with their own brand suitability standards.
The update arrives at a time of strong momentum for the format. IAS pointed to IAB figures showing that podcast advertising revenue in the US climbed 17.6% year-on-year in 2025, reaching $2.9 billion, underscoring the growing stakes for brand-safe, well-targeted podcast placements.
