What is Post-Roll?
Post-roll ads play at the end of a podcast episode, after the main content concludes. While they have lower completion rates than pre-roll or mid-roll positions, post-rolls serve specific strategic purposes and come at lower CPM rates.
Post-Roll Characteristics
| Attribute | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 30-60 seconds |
| Position | After content ends |
| Listener attention | Lower |
| Completion rate | 30-60% |
| CPM rate | Lowest ($10-18) |
Post-Roll Structure
[Episode content]
├── Main content
├── Call-to-action (subscribe, review)
├── Post-roll ad 🎯
│ "Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed..."
└── Credits/outro
When Post-Rolls Make Sense
| Scenario | Why Post-Roll Works |
|---|---|
| Loyal audience | Dedicated fans listen through |
| Non-time-sensitive offers | Message can wait |
| Cross-promotion | Promoting your other shows |
| Lower-budget advertisers | Lower CPM is accessible |
| Evergreen content | Message doesn't date |
Maximizing Post-Roll Value
Strategies to improve completion:
- Keep post-roll content valuable
- Tease post-roll content in the episode ("Stay tuned for a special offer")
- Use compelling outros that naturally flow into post-roll
- Consider baked-in post-rolls for evergreen messages
Post-roll content types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Sponsor message | Standard ad read |
| Show promotion | Your other podcasts |
| Call-to-action | Review, subscribe, join community |
| Listener support | Patreon, membership |
| Credits | Production acknowledgments |
Why It Matters
Post-rolls are often undervalued, but they serve important functions—especially for loyal audiences and strategic content that doesn't require immediate attention.
Why post-rolls have value:
-
Loyal listeners: Your most dedicated fans listen through credits. These are your best customers.
-
Lower barrier: Lower CPM makes advertising accessible to more sponsors and podcasters.
-
Evergreen placement: Less time-sensitive content works well in post-roll.
-
Inventory utilization: Every ad position filled maximizes episode revenue.
Understanding post-roll economics:
| Comparison | Pre-Roll | Mid-Roll | Post-Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impressions | 95%+ | 70-85% | 30-60% |
| CPM | $18 | $28 | $12 |
| 10K downloads | $180 | $280 | $120 |
| Revenue/episode | Combined | = | $580 |
Post-rolls add incremental revenue even at lower rates.
Strategic post-roll uses:
| Use Case | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Patreon/membership | Loyal listeners most likely to support |
| Your other shows | Cross-promotion to engaged audience |
| Evergreen sponsors | Message stays relevant over time |
| Surplus inventory | Better than empty |
The dedicated listener segment: Listeners who stay through post-rolls are your most engaged segment. A 40% completion rate means 4,000 dedicated listeners per 10,000 downloads—a valuable audience.