Listener Connection > Podcast Hosting Skills

Listener Connection > Podcast Hosting Skills

My wife did a photoshoot with a model from Los Angeles last week who had recently moved to Nashville. As they were setting up, I heard her say something I found shocking (but not surprising).

"I get more work in Nashville than I did in LA. It's very influencer-based in LA, and clients want somebody with a big Instagram following, which I don't have."

Podcasters are also finding that clients and sponsors are placing a higher value on social media followings and relationships with listeners than on podcast content or podcasting expertise. Sponsors want to invest in podcasters who have a built-in audience (and a relationship with that audience) they can tap into, leveraging that reach and connection for their own promotional gains.

Should you play this game? Not necessarily. But understand how it works.

Podcast sponsors are not just buying expertise; they’re investing in the existing loyalty and trust that the podcasters they hire for their campaigns have with listeners. These relationships, even if they’re parasocial, offer higher conversion rates and a more impactful return on investment than an “anonymous” voice.

You are selling connection and trust, not impressions.