The Rise of Influencer Podcasts

By Harper Sabin

Edited by Taylor Morgan

In today’s media environment, countless influencers are battling for attention on our social media feeds. Over the years, different ways to stand out have emerged, one of which is podcasts. They have become so popular with influencers that there may even be too many at this point. However, they have certainly been a driving force in placing specific influencers at the forefront of social media familiarity. 

JAKE SHANE / @passthatpuss on Instagram

Jake Shane is a great example of this. His podcast is the perfect forum for both casual and deep conversations, and can really go in any direction that the guest wants. While there are some similarities between episodes on “Therapuss” since it mimics a therapy session, Jake allows for guests’ personalities to shine through, sharing personal stories and creating a casual environment. In what other interview format would viewers learn Lizzy McAlpine’s favorite Kacey Musgraves song? Jake draws almost random information from his podcast, ensuring that it is absolutely never boring. He’s had guests like Selena Gomez, Dylan O’Brien, Hailey Bieber and even his own college friend group on the show, getting equally interesting stories from each person that makes for an enjoyable watch.

Influencers like Brittany Broski and Amelia Dimoldenberg allow viewers to get to know their celebrity guests in unique ways as well. Although these platforms are more similar to series than a podcast, they still allow both the host and guest to see success in unique ways. Through “Chicken Shop Date,” Amelia Dimoldenberg gets to know celebrities in a dating format, making the internet fawn over shared chemistry and interests that they did not previously know about. Brittany Broski invites her guests onto “Royal Court” and has them dress up, draw pictures and listen to her exaggerated medieval accent, all while getting them to share stories and personal aspects of their lives. For fans of Harry Styles, for example, appearing on “Royal Court” after staying out of the public eye for so long was quite the shock. Fans remarked about how they forgot he was funny, and that listening to him talk on the show made them remember that he is a real person and not just their favorite singer. 

Hosting popular podcasts has allowed for other great opportunities for these influencers as well, like interviewing celebrities on red carpets and interviewing Miley Cyrus during her Hannah Montana Anniversary Special, in Alex Cooper’s case. These podcasts and talk shows are opening doors for all kinds of influencers and are only becoming more popular as celebrities open up to the idea of being interviewed in these casual ways. It is definitely an interesting space to watch and provides lots of entertainment, no matter the show or guest.