America believed Whitney Leavitt was a frontrunner for the Mirrorball Trophy during the 2025 Dancing with the Stars season.

Despite being a controversial figure coming from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, it was undeniable that Whitney was a talented dancer. So it is safe to say that the viewers and social media were shocked when she was eliminated before even making it to the finale. No finale for Whitney meant no exciting freestyle dance… Right?

Wrong. Enter Alex Cooper, entrepreneur and host of the record-smashing podcast, Call Her Daddy. Only a week after the semi-finals aired, Call Her Daddy dropped a “final dance” teaser on Instagram, generating 6.7 million views.

Alex Cooper’s podcast gave Whitney Leavitt and pro partner Mark Ballas the opportunity to do something never done before. And the internet ate it up.

It is well-known that the world of podcasts has taken on a life of its own. It is estimated that by 2026, 619.2 million people will be listening to podcasts. But what exactly is keeping us all hooked?

The most successful podcasts are backed by influential podcast marketing. Here are 5 ways that podcast marketing on social media ropes viewers in to want more.

Controversy Creates Conversation 

Circling back to Alex Cooper, the Call Her Daddy podcast is notorious for snatching guests up to spill the tea there first before anywhere else. Following the 2025 drama-filled Love Island USA season, Alex Cooper immediately sat down with Huda Mustafa, a polarizing lead on the show.

Even if audiences hate to admit it, it’s true. We want to know the behind-the-scenes, the “what really happened”, the drama of it all. Podcast marketing teases guests like these with cliffhanger social media clips that leave viewers begging for more.

Podcasts like Call Her Daddy are even now being used to announce other big entertainment news. In a shocking reveal, Taylor Frankie Paul was announced as the next Bachelorette star on the podcast. This was the first time in history that the announcement was not made by the network itself.

Changes like this show that grabbing attention via podcasts is here to stay.

The Girl Next Door 

In a world of overconsumption and highlight reels, listeners may turn to podcasts for a feeling of authenticity. Some audiences want to feel like they are having a conversation with a friend. This is where podcast marketing feeling relatable draws attention.

This is where we look to the “girls-next-door” of the Internet. Some people prefer not to see a fancy podcast set, but rather a genuine person talking about their real life. Seeing a social media clip of Emma Chamberlain recording Anything Goes in her room, or Madeline Argy’s Pretty Lonesome in her car, gives listeners a sense of normalcy.

In Her Wellness Era

Wellness. It is said amongst friends, posted about in TikToks, and sold at every corner. Whether it be physical wellness like health and fitness, emotional wellness like therapy and nervous system regulation, or spiritual wellness like meditation and breathwork, everyone is looking to be “well”.

Spotify data found that in 2025, interest in wellness and spirituality content grew a stark 30% from 2024. Short-form educational clips on Instagram and TikTok are a great use of podcast marketing. They get listeners to want to hear more about how they can level up their lives.​

In 2023, author and podcaster Mel Robbins released a TikTok about her coined “Let Them” theory. Here she explains the importance of letting go of your control over others and focusing on yourself. A short clip of the longer podcast episode clearly resonated with viewers on TikTok, as the video currently stands at 21.3M views.

Celebrities Being Normal? 

Every person has a celebrity that they wish they could hang out with for a day. Whether you think they are funny or intelligent or just straight up cool, every one of us wonders, “What is that person really like?”

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Scandals aside, a lot of podcasts will bring special guests on simply because they are a good time! They give a glimpse into what these stars are like when they’re not acting in a role or singing on a stage.​

Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang won the first-ever Golden Globe for Best Podcast in 2026. The podcast is known for bringing on celebrities to have casual conversations and laughs. On the podcast’s Instagram, clips of guests being their most authentic selves are shared. This way of podcast marketing makes audiences feel like maybe we are all a bit the same at the end of the day.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Sometimes, podcast listeners aren’t looking to hear the latest gossip or create a healthy habit. Sometimes listeners just want to unplug and have a laugh.

There are plenty of weekly podcasts that will give you your pop culture news with a side of giggles. These fun conversations are staples of podcasts like Giggly Squad, hosted by Paige DeSorbo and Hannah Berner. The two best friends were always having silly side conversations on Bravo’s hit TV show Summer House, where one of their co-stars named them the “Giggly Squad.” And so a podcast was born.

This has ended up working well for the duo because they have created an audience that just wants to giggle. The podcast ranks consistently in the top 50 podcasts on Spotify and Apple Podcast charts. For their podcast marketing, Giggly Squad usually captures their audience on social media by showing two best friends cracking up.

Every podcast listener has a different reason for what podcasts mean to them. But at the end of the day, it comes down to being entertained or taught in a relatable way. In recent years, consumers have seen a massive shift toward wanting everything to be “authentic.”

How is Podcast Marketing Capturing You?

Podcasts allow humans to be real and raw figures. Podcast marketing works by evoking these feelings of authenticity and reeling in audiences that are searching for a space to connect. Whether it be through down-to-earth conversations or the backstories of viral drama, podcasts use social media to grab our attention. 

Podcasts continue to thrive on basic human needs of happiness, community and curiosity. Next time you come across a podcast clip on your feed, ask yourself which of these ways got you hooked!

🪽 Written by Daniella Reyes