Podcast Sponsorship Agreement and Insertion Order Template

ML Media List Editorial Team Nov 11, 2026 17 min read

Under the IAB and 4A's standard terms for digital ads, a buyer can cancel a flat-fee buy without penalty on 30 days' notice, but a CPA buy on just 7 days¹. Terms like that decide who pays when a podcast read goes wrong. Yet many direct podcast deals still run on a few friendly emails. When a read is missed, the code is wrong or a competitor airs in the same episode, those emails don't say what happens next.

An insertion order fixes that. This page explains what a podcast sponsorship agreement should include, gives you every field with an example, covers payment, proof of airing, makegoods, exclusivity and approval terms, and ends with a copy-ready template you can adapt for each show.

Facts and prices checked November 11, 2026. See something wrong? Tell us.

Key takeaways

An insertion order is a signed agreement between the seller and buyer that includes all campaign parameters, obligations and financial terms, as Sounds Profitable defines it.
Under the IAB and 4A's Standard Terms and Conditions version 3.0, the buyer pays 30 days from receipt of invoice unless the IO sets another schedule.
The same IAB and 4A's terms allow cancellation without penalty on 14 days' notice for guaranteed buys, 7 days for non-guaranteed buys such as CPA and 30 days for flat-fee or fixed-placement buys.
A makegood is compensation, in money or extra inventory, for a purchased ad that failed to meet the agreed terms.
The FTC says a company is ultimately responsible for what others do on its behalf, so a sponsorship agreement should require clear disclosure.

What a podcast insertion order is

Flow diagram from signed insertion order to talking points, recording, airing, report and invoice

An insertion order, or IO, is the signed order for an ad buy. Sounds Profitable defines it as a signed agreement between the seller and buyer that includes all campaign parameters, obligations and financial terms². Libsyn calls it the final step in the ad proposal process. Signing it commits the advertiser to the campaign³.

In podcasting, "sponsorship agreement," "sponsorship contract" and "IO" often mean the same thing. Networks send their own IO forms. Independent hosts often don't have one, so the brand sends it. That's a good thing. If you write the IO, your terms are the starting point.

What the standard terms require

The IAB and 4A's Standard Terms and Conditions for Internet Advertising, version 3.0, are the template many digital media contracts build on. They aren't written for podcasts, but they're useful. They say each IO should specify the type and amount of deliverables, the price, the maximum spend, the start and end dates, and any third-party ad server. They add that an IO may also cover reporting, scheduling and placement requirements¹.

A podcast IO adds the details that are special to audio. Which episodes, which slot, how long, who reads it, and how the read gets approved.

This template is a plain-language starting point, not legal advice. Adapt it to your business and the show.

Why a short agreement saves you money

Most podcast ad problems are small and fixable, as long as the fix was agreed before the ad ran. Without an IO, each one becomes a negotiation after the fact.

A real example of what can go wrong

Fum, a wellness brand, scaled host-read podcast ads across many shows. Before it automated checks, someone had to listen to every ad by hand, and noncompliant reads could slip through. Its ad verification vendor reports that real-time alerts for ad discrepancies, and for content that didn't meet FDA guidelines, saved Fum over $100,000 in ad errors⁴. The same case notes that only 20% to 30% of listeners used promo codes or vanity URLs⁴.

Two lessons for your agreement. First, put the must-say and must-not-say items in writing, and agree what happens when a read gets them wrong. Second, don't tie payment only to code redemptions, because codes undercount.

You're responsible for the read

The FTC is clear that your company "is ultimately responsible for what others do on your behalf," and that hiring an outside firm doesn't remove that responsibility⁵. If a host makes a false claim about your product in a paid read, it's your problem too. An IO with approval and disclosure terms is how you manage that.

The fields every podcast IO needs

Use this table as your checklist. Required fields should be in every IO. Optional fields depend on the deal.

Field	Example	Required	Notes
Parties	[Brand LLC] and [Show owner or network]	Yes	Use legal names and a contact for each side
Show and episodes	[Show Name], 4 new episodes	Yes	Name episodes or drop dates if you can
Flight dates	March 3 to May 12	Yes	The flight is the campaign's run time²
Placement	Mid-roll	Yes	Pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll, and position in the break
Length	60 seconds	Yes	Libsyn pegs 10, 30 and 60 seconds at about 23, 70 and 140 words⁶
Read type	Host-read, from talking points	Yes	Host-read, endorsed read or produced spot²
Insertion type	Integrated into the episode	Yes	Integrated ads stay in the file. Dynamic ads are placed per download²
Price and basis	$300 per episode, flat	Yes	Flat fee, CPM or CPA. For CPM, name the download window
Maximum spend	$1,200	Yes	The IAB and 4A's terms list the maximum spend as a core IO field¹
Payment terms	30 days from invoice	Yes	The standard terms default to 30 days from receipt of invoice¹
Call to action	Code [SHOW20], URL brand.com/show	Yes	Libsyn recommends a unique promo code per podcast⁶
Approval	Brand reviews within 2 business days	Yes	Who approves what, and how fast
Proof and reporting	Episode link and 30-day downloads	Yes	An aircheck is a timestamped recording and transcript of a read²
Makegoods	Replacement read in next episode	Yes	What happens if a read is missed or wrong
Exclusivity	No meal kit brands during flight	Optional	Define the category and dates²
Extras	Show notes link, one social post	Optional	Name the platform, format and rough reach⁷
Usage rights	Brand may share the episode link	Optional	Say if the brand can reuse the audio in its own ads
Cancellation	30 days' notice for flat-fee buys	Yes	See the cancellation terms below¹

Pricing and payment terms

Write the price so nobody can read it two ways.

Say what you're paying for

Flat fee. A set price per episode or per package. Simple, and common for small shows. State the number of reads and the total.
CPM. A price per 1,000 downloads or impressions². Name the counting window. Most podcast ads are priced on downloads within 7 to 30 days of release⁸. Also cap the total so a viral episode doesn't blow your budget.
CPA. A price per defined sale or sign-up². Define the conversion, the tracking method and the time window.

Worked example for a CPM clause. "Advertiser pays a $25 CPM on downloads in the first 30 days after release, for 4 episodes, up to a maximum of $1,500." If each episode gets 12,000 downloads in 30 days, the bill is 4 times 12, times $25, which is $1,200. If the show grows to 20,000, the bill stops at the $1,500 cap.

Set invoice and payment timing

The IAB and 4A's terms send the first invoice after the first month of delivery, or within 30 days of the IO's completion, whichever is earlier. The buyer then pays 30 days from receipt of invoice, unless the IO sets another schedule¹. Those terms also let the buyer ask for proof of performance for the invoiced period¹.

Independent shows may ask for some money up front. If you agree, tie the second payment to proof that the reads aired.

The bottleneck isn't the paperwork

You'll fill this out once per show, and it gets faster each time. The slow part comes earlier. Finding 10 to 20 shows that fit and reaching the person who can sign. Many independent shows don't list a booking email, and directories rarely say who runs sponsors.

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Delivery, proof of airing and reporting

Stats from the IAB and 4A's standard terms, 30 day payment, 14 and 30 day cancellation notice and a 10% measurement gap

Your IO should say exactly how you'll know the ad ran and how it did.

Proof of airing

A link to each episode with the timestamp of the read.
Or an aircheck, which Sounds Profitable defines as a recording with timestamp and transcript that proves an ad read².
For dynamic ads, delivery reports from the ad server with impressions by date.

Reporting

Downloads per episode at 7 and 30 days after release.
For dynamic ads, impressions delivered against the agreed number.
The source of the numbers, such as the hosting dashboard.

Ask for reports at 30 days, not just at the end. Libsyn suggests reviewing results after 30 days⁶. Magellan notes podcast conversions usually take at least two weeks and can take up to five weeks to arrive⁹. A 30-day report lets you judge the first episodes while there's still time to change the script or the slot.

Measurement gaps

Your own tracking will never match the host's count exactly. The IAB and 4A's terms set a 10% threshold before the gap is reconciled¹. For a direct deal, simply name whose numbers count, usually the host's dashboard.

Makegoods and cancellation

A makegood is compensation, in money or extra inventory, for a purchased ad that failed to meet the terms². It's the most useful clause in a podcast IO, because missed or broken reads do happen.

What standard terms say

Under the IAB and 4A's terms, the seller should warn the buyer about likely under-delivery as soon as possible, and no later than 14 days before the IO end date. Both sides then try to agree on a makegood flight. If they can't, the buyer may take a credit for the under-delivered part. And the seller can't extend ads past the IO dates without the buyer's written consent¹. For CPA, CPL and CPC deliverables, the terms say guaranteed delivery and makegoods aren't available¹.

Makegood triggers to name

A read didn't air in the agreed episode.
The wrong promo code or URL was used.
The read ran in the wrong slot or was much shorter than agreed.
A must-say item, like an offer term or disclosure, was left out.
For CPM buys, downloads fell short of the agreed total.

Cancellation

The same terms let the advertiser cancel without penalty on 14 days' written notice for guaranteed deliverables like CPM buys, 7 days for non-guaranteed ones like CPA, and 30 days for flat-fee or fixed-placement buys, unless the IO marks the buy non-cancelable¹. Write your own notice periods into the IO, and say what happens to work already done, like a recorded read.

Exclusivity

Exclusivity keeps competitors off the show during your campaign. Sounds Profitable defines category exclusivity as exclusivity from other brands in the same IAB content category across the podcast, possibly for a set time after the campaign².

Write it with four parts.

The category. Narrow is better. "Project management software" is clearer than "software."
The scope. The full show, or only your episodes.
The dates. The flight, plus any tail after it.
The remedy. For example, a makegood read or a credit if a competitor airs.

Magellan notes some producers space out competing sponsors and some block same-industry advertisers by default⁹. If the show already does that, write the existing policy into the IO instead of paying more for it.

Exclusivity costs the host real revenue, so expect to pay for it or trade for it. Our guide on how to negotiate podcast ad rates covers how to trade exclusivity, flight length and placement.

Approval, talking points and disclosure

This section decides how the read sounds, and who signs off. Spell it out.

Talking points or a script

Libsyn describes talking points as a few bullet points about your product that the host turns into the read³. Host reads work best this way. Magellan suggests unscripted reads built from talking points that still cover required items such as disclaimers, URLs, coupon codes and offer terms⁹. List those must-say items in the IO, and add a short list of must-not-say claims.

Two common approval models

Sponsor-approved. The host writes and records the read from talking points, and the brand approves it before it airs. Best for regulated products or tight claims.
Talking points only. The host reads live from the brand's points with no pre-approval. Faster, more natural, more risk.

Either way, set a review deadline for the brand, such as two business days, so you don't hold up the episode.

Disclosure

The FTC says advertisers need reasonable programs to train and monitor the people who promote them, including telling them how to disclose the connection⁵. For talk shows, its FAQ says disclosures should come at the beginning of the segment and when specific products are endorsed⁵. Put a disclosure line in your talking points, for example "This episode is sponsored by [Brand]," and require it in every read.

For a ready-made format, see our podcast ad script and talking points template.

Copy-ready podcast sponsorship agreement template

Comparison of CPM, flat fee and CPA podcast deals by payment basis, cancellation notice and makegoods

Copy this into a document, fill in the brackets and send it to the show. Both sides sign. Change any clause to fit your deal.

Section	Fill in	Sample wording
1. Parties	[Brand legal name], [Show owner legal name], contacts	This insertion order is between [Brand] (Advertiser) and [Owner] (Publisher).
2. Show and flight	[Show Name], [number] episodes, [start date] to [end date]	Publisher will run the ads below in new episodes of [Show Name] released during the flight.
3. Ad units	Placement, length, read type, insertion type	[Number] host-read mid-rolls of about [60] seconds, integrated into each episode.
4. Price	Flat fee or CPM, maximum spend	Advertiser will pay [$ amount] per episode, up to a total of [$ maximum].
5. Payment	Invoice timing and due date	Publisher invoices after each [month or episode]. Advertiser pays within [30] days of receipt.
6. Call to action	Code, URL, offer terms	Each read will include code [CODE] and URL [brand.com/show] and the offer [terms].
7. Creative and approval	Talking points, must-say items, review time	Publisher will follow the talking points. Advertiser will approve or comment within [2] business days.
8. Disclosure	Disclosure wording	Each read will clearly state that [Brand] sponsors the episode.
9. Proof and reporting	Links, timestamps, download reports	Publisher will send each episode link and read timestamp within [2] days of release and 30-day downloads within [35] days.
10. Makegoods	Triggers and remedy	If a read is missed or wrong, Publisher will run a replacement read in the next available episode, or credit the fee.
11. Exclusivity	Category, scope, dates	No [category] advertisers in [Show Name] from [date] to [date].
12. Cancellation	Notice period, work already done	Either party may cancel future episodes with [30] days' written notice. Recorded reads are paid.
13. Usage	Rights to share or reuse the read	Advertiser may share episode links. Reuse of audio in paid ads needs written consent.
14. Renewal	Option to renew and price hold	Advertiser may renew the same slot for [one quarter] at the same rate if it confirms by [date].
15. Signatures	Names, titles, dates	Signed by both parties on the dates below.

The renewal clause matters more than it looks. Libsyn recommends treating the first buy as a test and reordering a larger buy the second time, often for a quarter or half year⁶. Writing the option in now protects your slot if the test works.

Check these before you sign

Run through this list for every show.

The download count and window in the price match what the show reported in its media kit.
There's a maximum spend for any CPM deal.
Every read has its own code and URL for this show.
Must-say and must-not-say items are written down.
Disclosure wording is in the talking points.
Proof of airing and a 30-day report are required.
Makegood triggers and the remedy are named.
Exclusivity, if any, has a category, scope and dates.
Cancellation notice and payment terms are clear.
The renewal option has a decision date before the last episode.

Common mistakes

No cap on CPM deals. Downloads can spike.
Paying only on codes. In the Fum case, codes and vanity URLs were used by just 20% to 30% of listeners⁴.
Vague extras. "Social support" means nothing. Name the platform, format and rough reach⁷.
No review deadline. A slow approval can push your read out of the episode.
Forgetting the back catalog. Integrated ads stay in the episode file for good². Decide if that's fine, or if the read should come out after a date.

The IO is one step in a larger process. Our podcast advertising guide covers the rest, and the influencer contract template for YouTube sponsorships covers creator deals.

Find the podcasts, then send the IO

An IO is only useful once a show says yes. Media List helps you get to that yes faster.

Find shows that fit. Search 1.2 million podcasts with contact emails by category, country and language.
See who to contact. Each show lists the host or booking contact. Emails unlock from your plan's allowance, no bot checks.
Save a shortlist. Keep every show in your test in one saved list.
Send outreach and follow-ups. Ask for rates and dates, from the built-in email campaigns on Professional, then send the IO to the shows that reply. Our podcast sponsorship email template has the first email.

Media List doesn't sell ad slots, set rates or hold contracts. It gets you to the person who signs.

Basic at $99 a month covers search, saved lists and exports. Built-in email campaigns come with Professional at $399 a month. Start a 3-day trial, $0 today, and cancel anytime. See plans on the pricing page.

Buy direct, skip the middleman

Start your podcast sponsorship list now

Search 1.2 million podcasts with contact emails, save a shortlist and ask for rates.

Filter by category, country and language
Unlock contact emails and save shortlists, from $99 a month
Send outreach from built-in campaigns on Professional ($399 a month)
3-day trial, $0 today, cancel anytime

Start your 3-day trial → Pay on this page. Cancel anytime.

Questions, answered

What is a podcast insertion order?

It's the signed order for a podcast ad buy. Sounds Profitable defines an IO as a signed agreement between seller and buyer that covers all campaign parameters, obligations and financial terms. It lists the show, episodes, dates, slot, length, price and payment terms.

What should a podcast sponsorship contract include?

The parties, show and episodes, flight dates, placement, length, read type, price and maximum spend, payment terms, call to action, approval and disclosure terms, proof of airing, makegoods, exclusivity, cancellation and renewal. The table and template on this page cover each one.

Is a podcast sponsorship agreement the same as an IO?

In practice, usually yes. Networks call it an IO, and independent hosts may call it a sponsorship agreement or contract. What matters is that it's signed and lists every term.

What are standard payment terms for podcast ads?

The IAB and 4A's standard terms for digital ads set payment at 30 days from receipt of invoice unless the IO says otherwise. Independent shows sometimes ask for part up front, so tie later payments to proof that reads aired.

What is a makegood in a podcast contract?

It's compensation, in money or extra inventory, when an ad doesn't run as agreed. Name the triggers, like a missed read or wrong code, and the remedy, like a replacement read in the next episode or a credit.

In a sponsor-approved setup, the brand reviews the recorded read before it airs. With talking points only, the host reads from the brand's points without review. Approval adds control, and talking points only adds speed.

Do podcast ads need a sponsorship disclosure?

Yes, paid endorsements should be disclosed. The FTC says the advertiser is ultimately responsible for what others do on its behalf. Put a clear line like This episode is sponsored by Brand in every read.

Sources

IAB and 4A's, Standard Terms and Conditions for Internet Advertising, Version 3.0, checked 2026-11-11
Sounds Profitable, Podcast Industry Glossary, checked 2026-11-11
Libsyn Ads, Podcast Advertising Glossary, checked 2026-11-11
Podscribe, Fum case study, checked 2026-11-11
FTC, FTC's Endorsement Guides, What People Are Asking, checked 2026-11-11
Libsyn Ads, Learn how to run a successful podcast advertising campaign, checked 2026-11-11
The Podcast Consultant, Podcast Media Kit, What to Include and How to Use It (updated Oct 30, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
Influencer Marketing Hub, How to Buy Podcast Ads in 2026 (May 27, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
Magellan AI, Podcast advertising, how to find profitable podcast sponsorships, checked 2026-11-11

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