Why all the influencers have podcasts now

Yo, Gen Z. Spotify wants you.

Yo, Gen Z. Spotify wants you.

You might have noticed recently that your favourite influencers have been branching out into podcasts.

There are a lot of reasons for this. Mainly, it’s that the algorithm is a capricious god, and relying on just one medium or platform is not a viable long-term strategy.

But it’s also to better connect with their audience and try out longer-form content with less risk.

To find out exactly why, we spoke to three of Australia’s most popular influencers-turned-podcasters.

Maddy MacRae, best known for her relatable videos around dating, recently launched a podcast called Sometimes that expands on the content she makes for TikTok. For her, it was a great opportunity to further engage with her audience after deciding YouTube wasn’t right for her. “I'm really happy with how TikTok's going. But that's shorter form, I don't think many of my sketches are more than one minute. So, the podcast was about offering something a little bit longer for my followers, because they enjoy my energy and what I have to say. It's about creating something longer form for them to enjoy.”

@maddy_macrae_

Here comes trouble #comedy #sketch #skit #funny #relatable #drinking #drunk #hungover #tequila #tequilashots #aussie #australia

♬ original sound - Maddy

Michael Theo, best known as Mr A+ from Love On The Spectrum, also enjoys that it gives him an outlet for his interests and an opportunity to create a positive atmosphere. “[Podcasts are] an alternate way for people to connect with audiences and share more about their lives and discuss their own views on certain things like philosophies of life and your interests. It’s also a great way to interview people as well.”

Theo sees his podcast as a place his listeners can escape to.

“I decided that with this podcast, I'm going to make this a very safe platform where opinions are welcome and nobody will ever be judged and people will have an escape from reality and something nice to listen to. Because I decided a long time ago that if I'm ever going to see any good happen in the world, if people are ever going to be happy again, sometimes you’ve got to take action yourself.”

Hugely popular Australian TikTok star Millie Ford says that it’s vital for creators to not put all their eggs in one platform’s basket.

“If you're only investing into one platform, you're playing a bit of a risky game because you don't know what's going to happen to that platform," Ford said.

"This kind of social space is just constantly changing. Remember that different platforms offer different things. You need to constantly look for new ways to connect with your audience.”

@millie

not the pacer with the tube of leds 😅 #stationery #school

♬ original sound - Millie Ford

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it’s another revenue stream in an industry ruled by apps that can make or break you at any time by suddenly changing format (looking at you, Instagram).

There are a few different ways to make money from podcasting.

The rarest, yet most securely profitable way is to start out by being so successful that a platform pays you to exclusively make content for them, like Ford and Spotify.

The more traditional way is Theo’s weekly ad reads, and is why so many shows about grizzly murders have to be interrupted halfway through to remind you to make a website on Squarespace or order from a meal delivery service. The other way is to just start with blind faith and hope the money comes later, like MacRae, though most podcasters don’t start with the listener base McRae has behind her.

However, there is an art-to-ad reading and a risk that sponsorship will put off listeners and viewers. Although MacRae has yet to start doing ads on her podcast, she’s always anxious when doing sponsored content on TikTok.

“I always get nervous about posting sponsored posts because I don't want them to think that I'm a sell-out. But my opinion is, if my followers don’t like that, and I have spoken to some before, if you want me to keep making the content that you love, the content that I make for you for free, then I need to just do one ad every couple of weeks.”

Ford’s podcast, Out Of Character, is one of 13 Australian Spotify exclusive podcasts commissioned by the platform since 2020.

Spotify, recognising that podcasts are the next frontier for influencers, is now on the hunt for the next great Gen Z podcaster.

Back in June Spotify’s advertising arm revealed that podcast listenership amongst Gen Z Spotify users grew by 40% between 2021 and 2022, with mental health the top podcast genre for that age group. Spotify, recognising that podcasts are the next frontier for influencers and advertisers, is now on the hunt for the next great Gen Z podcaster, providing tips for hopeful hosts and advertisers wanting to connect with audiences..

However, for all the medium offers creators, it does require hosts to open up a bit more.

Both MacRae and Ford find the podcast medium more vulnerable because it doesn’t allow them to hide behind a character.

“You’d think on a platform like TikTok where 100s of thousands, if not millions of people are watching my content every day, that would be the one that automatically scares me the most,” Ford said. “I often feel like when you’re acting or being in character, you can slide into that role, and in a way I feel that people have fallen in love with my characters, not me. So, I haven’t felt like I’ve been too vulnerable [on TikTok] aside from exposing a few relatable moments of mine. With the podcast, I’m sharing personal stories and that scares me a little bit more because you’re opening yourself up for criticism a bit more, and everyone has something to say.”

Podcasts are also a way for creators to find audiences who might be sceptical about the appeal of social media or reality TV stars, but still want to be entertained. “In reality shows, you’re only restricted to that one basis, but in podcasts you’re able to talk about whatever you please. As the host, you decide which topics you do and don’t want to talk about,” Theo said.

Whatever the reason why these influencers are crossing over into podcasts, it provides a good opportunity for their listeners to get to know them better.

Millie Ford’s podcast, Out Of Character, is available exclusively on Spotify.

Maddy MacRae’s podcast Sometimes Funny, Always Awkward and;

Michael Theo’s Mr A+ are all available on Apple, Spotify, and all other good podcasting platforms.