Advertising on How I Built This: Attribution Setup, CPM Rates & ROI Guide
Everything you need to know about running ads on How I Built This and actually proving the ROI — audience profile, typical costs, and how to set up attribution that captures all your conversions.
Hosted by
Guy Raz
Average downloads
700,000+ per episode
Typical CPM
$30–$55 CPM
Who listens to How I Built This
Aspiring entrepreneurs, DTC brand enthusiasts, and general business audience
Best product fit
Conversion profile
Broad audience with high brand affinity. Lower immediate conversion rate than niche shows but strong brand lift and repeat visit signals. Use a 30-day attribution window minimum.
How to set up attribution for How I Built This ads
The four attribution signals to use
🔗 Tracking link
A unique link for your How I Built This campaign in show notes. Captures listeners who click through directly.
🌐 Vanity URL: yourbrand.com/how-i-built-this
Host reads your URL on air. First-party detection captures visitors who type it directly with no redirect needed.
🏷️ Unique promo code
A code exclusive to your How I Built This placement. Captures listeners who come back days later without clicking anything.
💬 Post-purchase survey
"How did you hear about us?" on your confirmation page. Catches How I Built This listeners who searched your brand directly.
Ready to track your How I Built This campaign?
Set up four-signal attribution for your How I Built This ad in under 30 minutes. Free to start, no credit card required.
Start free — no credit cardCommon questions
How much does it cost to advertise on How I Built This?
How I Built This typically charges $30–$55 CPM CPM for host-read ads. The exact rate depends on ad placement (pre-roll vs. mid-roll), episode frequency, and whether you are buying directly or through a network.
How do you track conversions from How I Built This podcast ads?
Use four attribution signals: a unique tracking link in show notes, a host-read vanity URL (e.g. yourbrand.com/how-i-built-this), a unique promo code, and a post-purchase survey. This four-signal approach captures 2–3x more conversions than link tracking alone.
What attribution window should I use for How I Built This?
Broad audience with high brand affinity. Lower immediate conversion rate than niche shows but strong brand lift and repeat visit signals. Use a 30-day attribution window minimum.