Acast’s net sales in Q4 2024 increased 17% to SEK $577.5 million, driven mainly by North America, where they grew by 33%. Net sales for the full year also increased 19% to SEK 1,943.7 million, according to the company’s latest financial report.
Average revenue per listen on the platform also increased 28% year-over-year. However, the number of listens decreased 8% to 1,064 million compared to the same period last year, primarily due to BBC’s exit from the Acast network in the quarter. The company also attributes the decline to Apple’s iOS17 update, which has affected the way episodes are automatically downloaded.
Apple’s iOS17 update began rolling out in September 2023 and has had an effect on listener measurement for podcasters, as the app no longer automatically downloads previous episodes or any that are more than seven days old.
“iOS17 has had a minor adverse effect, and we are looking forward to leaving this effect behind us as we progress through the first half of 2025,” said Acast CEO Ross Adams. “Our heightened focus on increasing monetizable listens persists, and we were pleased to welcome iconic content from the likes of TED Audio Collective and Casefile, as well as prominent video creators like Squeezie to our network in the fourth quarter. We will see the positive impact of these additions in the first quarter of 2025.”
Driven by the growing demand for podcast advertising, Acast says it has been focused on offering brands and creators tools and features that boost engagement with their audience. The strong results were due in part to its partnership with Amazon Music, which allowed Acast to launch a Canada-wide podcast program designed to amplify independent podcasters within its network. Under the partnership, selected Canadian independent creators are highlighted in a special collection on Amazon Music’s homepage, Acast music platform and social networks.
The agreement with TED Audio Collective for the exclusive sale, hosting and distribution of ads was also significant, as the partnership also includes the rights to monetize the video versions of TED podcasts. According to Acast, the TED Audio Collective – which hosts podcasts on business, technology, health and wellness – garners 176 million listens globally each year through titles such as TED Talks Daily, How to be a Better Human, and TED Business.
Additionally, the new partnership with Casefile to manage ad sales, hosting and distribution of its true crime podcasts, including ad sales rights for the video versions, boosted results. According to Acast, this partnership brings an additional 80 million annual listens to its network.
