Education

Advertising on Radiolab: Attribution Setup, CPM Rates & ROI Guide

Everything you need to know about running ads on Radiolab and actually proving the ROI — audience profile, typical costs, and how to set up attribution that captures all your conversions.

Hosted by

Lulu Miller & Latif Nasser

Average downloads

900,000+ per episode

Typical CPM

$25–$45 CPM

Who listens to Radiolab

Science-curious adults 25–55, educated, public media supporters

Best product fit

Science-backed productsBooksEducation techNon-profits

Conversion profile

Deeply engaged audience that invests in causes and products that align with their intellectual values. Longer conversion windows are common. Post-purchase survey performs very well.

How to set up attribution for Radiolab ads

30–45 day window. Radiolab's audience is reflective — survey attribution is high quality here. Use a mission-aligned CTA that frames the product in the context of the show's themes.

The four attribution signals to use

🔗 Tracking link

A unique link for your Radiolab campaign in show notes. Captures listeners who click through directly.

🌐 Vanity URL: yourbrand.com/radiolab

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 Radiolab 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 Radiolab listeners who searched your brand directly.

Ready to track your Radiolab campaign?

Set up four-signal attribution for your Radiolab ad in under 30 minutes. Free to start, no credit card required.

Start free — no credit card

Common questions

How much does it cost to advertise on Radiolab?

Radiolab typically charges $25–$45 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 Radiolab podcast ads?

Use four attribution signals: a unique tracking link in show notes, a host-read vanity URL (e.g. yourbrand.com/radiolab), 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 Radiolab?

Deeply engaged audience that invests in causes and products that align with their intellectual values. Longer conversion windows are common. Post-purchase survey performs very well.

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