Henrik Isaksson.
In recent years, podcasts and social media platforms have transformed from niche interests into dominant forces in the media landscape. They’ve evolved into powerful tools for storytelling, marketing and community-building, offering unprecedented access to engaged audiences. In this article, Acast’s Managing Director Henrik Isaksson explores how podcasts and social audiences have gained such influence and why they are crucial to the future of media and marketing.
The Rise of Podcasting
Podcasting has exploded in popularity over the past decade, with millions of podcasts available on platforms like Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube and more. What started as a relatively obscure medium for niche discussions has blossomed into a mainstream form of entertainment, education and personal connection.
At the heart of podcasting's success is its ability to foster intimate, one-on-one connections between hosts and listeners, with 1 in 2 people saying they trust recommendations from podcast hosts. Unlike other forms of media, podcasts are often consumed individually —whether during commutes, workouts or while doing chores—which means that listeners are highly focused on the content. This level of engagement is far more intense than other forms of media consumption, like TV or radio. Hosts can build trust and rapport with their audiences, leading to a loyal fanbase.
Podcasts also cater to a wide array of interests, from true crime and politics to personal development and comedy. This diversity of content allows listeners to find niche communities that align with their values and interests: 64% of audiences agree that podcasts cover topics not typically covered by traditional media and 60% agree that podcasts feature voices and perspectives not typically found in traditional media. For brands and creators, this means an incredible opportunity to target highly specific audiences who are ready to take action, whether through purchases, social shares or other forms of engagement.
The Power of Social Audiences
Parallel to the rise of podcasting, social media has become an omnipresent part of modern life. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook host billions of users, providing creators, brands and influencers with direct access to vast, global audiences. The key difference between traditional media and social media is interactivity: social platforms enable two-way communication, giving audiences a voice in the conversation.
The ability to interact directly with creators and fellow followers has transformed the concept of “audience” into something much more dynamic. Social media communities are often highly active, engaging not only with the content but also with each other. This creates a sense of belonging and collective identity, where followers are more than passive consumers—they are participants in the ongoing creation and evolution of the content itself.
For marketers and creators, social audiences offer a unique opportunity to build brand loyalty and drive engagement. Through comments, likes, shares and direct messages, fans can contribute to the conversation, offer feedback and even create content themselves. This level of engagement fosters a sense of community, turning casual followers into passionate advocates.
In addition, the viral nature of social media amplifies this influence. A post, video or podcast episode that resonates with an audience can quickly spread across networks, leading to exponential growth in reach and visibility. This viral potential gives creators and brands the ability to scale their influence in ways that were once unimaginable.
The Synergy Between Podcasts and Social Media
Today, podcasters are no longer just voices behind a microphone. Content creators are meeting their audience across video, social media, live events and more, with 64% of audiences following a podcast host on social media and 4 in 5 people following media personalities across multiple platforms. Podcasters use social media to promote new episodes, engage with fans and share additional content. In turn, social media can drive traffic to the podcast itself, attracting new listeners who are drawn to the creator’s voice, personality or expertise.
Social media platforms offer a wealth of tools to facilitate deeper audience engagement. Creators can host live Q&A sessions, share behind-the-scenes content or even create exclusive groups where fans can interact more intimately. Podcasters can also use their social platforms to gather real-time feedback, whether it’s through polls, surveys or direct engagement in comment sections. This engagement helps foster loyalty and build communities that extend beyond the podcast itself, creating a more sustainable fanbase.
From a marketing perspective, combining podcasts and social media allows brands to create multi-faceted campaigns that target audiences through different touchpoints. Acast, in collaboration with essencemediacom, recently joined forces with KFC to deliver a podcast-first omnichannel campaign, leveraging the immense popularity of two of Australia’s top comedy podcasts: The Toni and Ryan Podcast and We Mean Well. Alongside vast download numbers for their podcasts, Toni and Ryan have a combined fanbase of 4.2 million followers across social media and We Mean Well hosts Luisa and Jack have 1.9 million (Pictured right: fans responding to the KFC campaign on Toni Lodge's Instagram account). Both podcasts showed a natural alignment with the KFC brand and campaign objectives, weaving in-show mentions into existing storylines alongside paid ads. In addition to audio, KFC ran their campaign across the podcasters’ TikTok and Instagram channels, amplifying the campaign further and leading to positive post-campaign metrics across the board.
The Power of Influence and Community
A defining feature of both podcasting and social media is the level of influence they offer to creators. Podcasts, in particular, allow hosts to position themselves as thought leaders, providing expert opinions, advice or storytelling that resonates with audiences. With the intimate, long-form nature of podcasting, hosts can go deep into subjects, building trust and credibility over time.
The authenticity and trust built through podcasting seamlessly carries over to engagement on other platforms. Creators can showcase their personalities, values and passions on social media, which in turn attracts like-minded individuals who share those same beliefs. This builds a strong, engaged audience that is not only loyal to the creator but also invested in the community that is being formed around the content.
Together, a podcast-first omnichannel campaign offers an unprecedented level of influence for creators and brands: 84% of people have taken action after seeing or hearing brands promoted in podcast-first omnichannel campaign.
Conclusion
The power of podcast and social audiences is undeniable. Podcasts offer an intimate, engaging platform for creators to connect with listeners, while social media provides the tools for ongoing interaction and community-building. By leveraging the strengths of both, creators, influencers and brands can foster deep relationships with highly engaged audiences, driving loyalty and influence. As these digital spaces continue to evolve, their ability to shape culture, influence purchasing decisions and create lasting connections will only grow. Brands and advertisers now need to shift their perception of a podcast’s audience away from just ‘listeners’, and harness entire podcasting ecosystems through omnichannel campaigns - investing in podcasts first, but not only.
For the latest research into podcast audiences and omnichannel campaigns, download Acast’s Podcast Pulse report for free: https://podcastpulse2024.acast.com/
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