Smart radio operators have known it doesn’t have to be the biggest name on the dial, just the one the audience trusts. Now podcasts are discovering that mid-sized, expert-led shows convert for advertisers at lower costs than celebrity programs, much like local hosts.
Audacy Insights said the trend runs counter to an early assumption in podcast advertising, that a celebrity host with millions of listeners automatically delivers the best return. The company argued that reach and genuine audience influence are different measures, and that expert voices with loyal followings convert better than famous names.
The analysis points to what it calls the “midfluencer,” a host without celebrity status or a massive profile, but with an audience that has listened since the early episodes. Audacy Insights said those communities drive stronger conversions because a host recommendation lands more like a tip from a friend who actually tried the product.
According to Podscribe’s Benchmark Report, advertisers on mid-sized shows see an average of 22% lower cost-per-acquisition than advertisers on larger celebrity podcasts.
Engagement data tells a similar story. The industry has tracked attention metrics for years, beginning with Dentsu’s attention study and followed by the Bumper Score, which focuses on retention. Podscribe has now released second-generation engagement metrics that measure comments and ratings relative to episode consumption across audio and video. Audacy Insights called the metrics early, but said higher engagement indicates stronger campaign performance.
To illustrate, the analysis compares two shows in the same genre. Call Her Daddy, one of the largest podcasts in the country, scored in the 14th percentile on audio and the 5th percentile on video. Mid-sized Sofia with an F has fewer listeners but posted what Audacy Insights described as exceptional engagement scores.
The findings line up with radio research on personality-driven advertising. In April 2025, an Audacy study found talent-read ads lifted purchase intent by 67%. Separate Audacy research found radio listeners were 2.7 times more likely to notice host-read ads than standard spots.
