The podcasting landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as platforms compete for creator-led businesses beyond traditional show hosting. Last month, SiriusXM signed a multi-year deal with creators Paige DeSorbo and Hannah Berner for their Giggly Squad podcast reportedly valued at $160 million. Weeks later, the duo sold out four different nights for a live podcast tour at Madison Square Garden, marking the first time a female-hosted podcast has headlined the venue.
From Networks to Verticalized Ecosystems
SiriusXM svp of podcast content Adam Sachs explained the shift from horizontal networks to verticalized approaches. “The power of the network was what mattered [back then]. We would have these horizontal networks with a bunch of different shows in the network that all shared a sensibility,” he explained. “Now the approach is way more verticalized. We’re working with specific talent as opposed to a specific network, and helping them build a vertical ecosystem where their fans can engage.” Building these vertical ecosystems can involve simple support like AV setup to far-reaching off-platform support that includes IRL events. “When we’re making these deals, we are increasingly thinking about a podcast as audio, video, social, and live. It’s those four legs of the stool, and we want to be a part of all of it,” said Sachs.
Live Events and Brand Partnerships
The success of Giggly Squad’s live shows demonstrates the growing value of creator-driven live events. Tickets that averaged in the mid-$100s sold out fast, with the deal leading Sirius to take a step back to “do a full reset in how we want to go to market with this asset,” according to Kelli Hurley, vp and head of content and podcast partnership at SiriusXM. Brands are increasingly looking to get involved at multiple points in a creator podcast’s presence, from branded equipment to distribution support to showing up at IRL events. “Now, more brands are heading into partnership talks wanting to ‘buy a creator,’ according to Hurley. They’re asking for exclusivity, but Sirius wants to give them more.”
Emerging Monetization Tools
Other platforms are offering varied ways for creators to connect with brands. Substack recently launched early access signups for dynamic ad insertion and plans for creators to leverage programmatic sponsorships in early 2027. Beehiiv just launched similar tools, dropping dynamic ad insertion, campaign management, and programmatic access just this past week. “It gives creators more flexibility: run their own sponsor campaigns, put current ads into older episodes, and open unsold spots to programmatic demand when there’s a match,” said Ainsley Rossitto, head of podcast at beehiiv. Since the mid-2020s, podcasts have aggressively pivoted to video, with Sounds Profitable reporting that now only 17% of Americans expect a podcast to be audio-only. By February 2025, 82% of Substack’s 350 highest revenue creators were using both audio and video, up from 50% in April 2024.
New Customer Influx
Despite podcast reach remaining flat since 2024, 8% of people who have consumed a podcast say they started in just the last 30 days, representing a steady influx of new customers. Platforms like Spotify, Apple, and SiriusXM are trying to court them. “It’s even caught us on our heels, honestly, the demand for Giggly,” said Kelli Hurley. “We were prepared, we were all hands on deck, but it has been just unprecedented in terms of what we’re seeing from the marketplace.”
Tom Webster, partner at trade association Sounds Profitable, noted that the top tier of podcasting is drawing live audiences at arena scale, with a distinct upper tier of creators emerging with significant separation from those coming up behind them. “We’re entering a new phase of podcasting where a distinct upper tier of creators is emerging, with significant separation from those coming up behind them,” he said.
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Originally reported by Digiday.