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Limited availability aside, let’s dive in! 🚀

7 Ad Sales Predictions for 2026

‘Tis the season to be jolly. And make ad sales predictions. Without further ado, in no particular order. Here we go!

1. 📈 Creator Economy Ad Spend Go Brr

Creator ad spend will hit $43.9B in 2026, up from $37B this year. That's 18% growth and roughly 4x faster than the media industry overall.

Nearly half (48%) of ad buyers now consider creators a "must buy" channel, ranking only behind social media and paid search. The IAB's data shows creator advertising has more than doubled since 2021 ($13.9B to $29.5B in 2024).

Translation: If you're not treating creators as a legitimate media channel by now, you're already behind.

2. 🏷️ "New Media" Gets Official

The line between creators, newsletters, podcasts, influencers, and media companies is blurrier than ever. We need better terminology.

"New media" is emerging as the catch-all phrase that actually works. It captures the newsletter and podcast side of the creator economy without forcing everyone into the "creator" box that doesn't quite fit established media businesses.

If "creator" feels like wearing someone else's jacket, you're probably new media.

3. 📧 Newsletter Ad Market Grows Selectively

Newsletter supply will keep rising, but at a slower clip than the gold rush of 2023-2024 (when Beehiiv alone saw 700% growth in newsletters on their platform).

Advertisers seeing strong ROAS will increase spend. Those who don't will bounce. This concentrates ad dollars on newsletters that actually perform, coming from brands for which the economics of newsletter sponsorships make sense.

4. 🤖 AI/B2B SaaS Splurge (With Bubble Risk)

AI marketing spend is projected to hit $107.5B by 2028, growing at 36.6% CAGR. B2B SaaS companies will continue to splash the cash in paid channels.

With a silly amount of funding and only so much market share to gobble up, these people need to grow/spend.

The bubble-sayers will grow louder, both in terms of stock markets and ad spend. Real AI productivity gains and revenue will tell us if it’s a BOOM or a BUBBLE.

5. 🎙️ Podcast CPMs Drop Despite Growth

Podcast ad spend will keep climbing. Projected to reach $2.5B+ by 2026, up 12% from 2024. BUT, with over 5 million shows globally now, CPMs are softening.

Average 60-second mid-roll spots are around $23, down ~11% from late 2022 highs. More inventory = more competition = downward pressure on rates.

Good news for advertisers. Tougher environment for podcasters banking on premium rates.

6. ⚡ Performing-Properties Win

The media properties that obsess over campaign performance and renewals will thrive. Those that don't, won't.

With the space potentially consolidating and maturing, ad budgets will have increased scrutiny on CAC and ROAS.

Businesses that achieve acceptable renewal rates, will grow, while keeping their sanity

7. 🎯 Best Newsletter Niche: AI for X

If you're launching a newsletter in 2026, "AI for [specific audience]" is the play. AI for founders. AI for developers. AI for marketers. AI for finance teams. You get the picture.

Why? The AI boom/bubble is still in full swing. But by niching down you can differentiate yourself from the 6billion AI newsletters. It combines B2B SaaS ad spend growth (#4) with a newsletter advertising model that performs (#3).

The best niches are specific enough to build a USP but broad enough to scale.

2026 won't be a repeat of 2025. Creator budgets keep rising, but newsletter and podcast markets are maturing fast. AI/SaaS money is everywhere (for now), and performance-driven ‘new media’ companies will grow quicker.

P.S. Need help selling more sponsorships? My agency Ad Sales as a Service helps media companies do just that.