The influencer marketplace and creator economy have experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years. Between 2021 and 2024, average revenue in this space tripled, reflecting an explosion in content creation and brand partnerships. The rapid expansion, however, has also led to new challenges: the marketplace feels saturated, influencers struggle to stand out, and consumers are increasingly skeptical of branded content. In a world where audiences crave authenticity, traditional influencer marketing is facing diminishing returns.

Enter creator marketing—a strategic shift that prioritizes individual creativity and authority over sheer influence. As described by Inc., "Oversaturation in influencer marketing paved the way for the current shift to creator marketing. Instead of solely relying on an influencer's brand recognition, creator marketing puts the onus on the individual to play to their creative strengths, building on the trust and credibility they made for themselves." 

The creator marketing model allows brands to capitalize on the authenticity, trust, and engagement these creators have with their audiences while connecting with specialized audience segments that are well-aligned with brand ideals and campaign goals. 

At ARM, we leverage our wealth of industry connections to not just capitalize on the power of creator marketing but also match brands to the niche markets and creators that drive influence, creditability, and campaign results. Niche audio creator marketing powers ROI, and there are many reasons why savvy marketers are making it a centerpiece of their campaigns. 

The Power of Niche

A niche market is a specialized segment of consumers who share specific characteristics, preferences, or interests. Top niche markets include pet owners, health enthusiasts, and gamers, but new niches are emerging all the time. Take, for example, ”conscious consumers,” a growing niche comprised of people concerned with eco-friendly, sustainable, and/or cruelty-free products and practices. Another growing niche is “digital nomads,” travelers who work remotely around the globe. 

Podcast creators all work within niches—and they have gotten increasingly granular as the podscape has expanded. Creators within a given niche reach audiences that are very engaged with the topics they cover and establish themselves as authorities in that particular area. 

At ARM, we see niche as the new mass, allowing brands to tap into deeply engaged audiences, cultivating trust while upping conversion. In the past, many brands bristled at the idea of niche marketing, thinking it would limit their reach. Today, thanks in part to better user data and targeting technology, niche marketing can achieve necessary reach while delivering significantly higher quality engagements. It can also give brands a leg up on their competition, delivering higher SOV than would otherwise be possible in mainstream channels. 

Niche marketing is increasingly vital in an era of media fragmentation. In fact, what’s considered "mainstream" is becoming harder than ever to define as nearly half (46%) of adults report they don’t typically follow mainstream culture. Further complicating the media landscape is the reality that 36% of listeners prefer music and audio content from other countries. The data points underscore a fundamental shift in how audiences engage with content—they seek out highly specific, often unconventional communities where they feel a deep sense of belonging.

For brands, this shift signals an opportunity. By advertising to niche audiences, they amplify podcast advertising’s already high engagement rates and benefit further from increased relevance and a greater share of voice.  

Audio Connects Listeners to Something Bigger—and Smaller at the Same Time

Audio is the preeminent path to connecting with niche audiences. And the statistics back this phenomenon: 

  • 44% of listeners believe that audio makes them feel more connected to people like them, their community, or the hosts they follow.
  • Searches for very specific themes like "ADHD podcast" have surged by 367% over the past five years, signaling increased interest in highly focused content.
  • Very niche shows like Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet, where hosts humorously read real one-star reviews from Yelp and Google, have built a dedicated following with over 5,000 reviews and 300+ episodes.

Historically, brands cared a lot about follower count when it came to classifying and identifying influencers to work with—but the conventional wisdom that smaller creators are good for driving sales while those with larger audiences are better for brand awareness no longer flies. This is a cycle we’ve seen before when brands started to sit up and pay attention to “micro influencers,” who had smaller audiences, but higher levels of authenticity, deeper loyalty, and stronger engagement. These small audiences can drive outsized brand results. 

Thanks to algorithmic-driven feeds across the social media landscape and in audio, follower counts matter a lot less, and niche creators have a lot more power to connect with their audience. 

Growing Niches in Audio Content

Several niche categories within audio are seeing significant growth, presenting valuable opportunities for brands to align with highly engaged audiences:

Edutainment

Eighty-eight percent of listeners say they tune into podcasts to learn something new. Shows that blend education with entertainment have a strong appeal, covering specific topics from history, science, and technology in engaging and fun ways. Using storytelling and humor, these shows make education accessible and appealing while covering diverse topics. 

Some popular examples include: 

  • Gastropod: History presented with a food angle, currently boasting more than 3k reviews and 200 episodes. 
  • Twenty Thousand Hertz: A show covering the history of the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds—from audio logos to videogame soundtracks, with nearly 4k reviews. There are 217 episodes and counting. 

Personal Finance

Financial literacy is gaining traction, with podcasts breaking down complex topics like investing, budgeting, and economic trends in an accessible manner. With the global rise in cryptocurrencies and everything associated with them, finance with a side of tech is a particularly compelling area. 

Some popular shows include: 

  • Invest Like the Best:  A simple Q&A format that brings business leaders to the studio to explore their investment ideas, methods, and stories. The show has garnered 2k reviews and has more than 500 episodes in the catalog. 
  • The Bad Crypto Podcast: Technologists unpack bitcoin, blockchain, and more—and how they all fit into the broader economic landscape. 1k+ reviews and more than 700 episodes indicate this niche podcast has staying power. 

Mental Health

More consumers are turning to audio content to support their well-being, from mindfulness meditations to expert-led discussions on mental health topics. With rising diagnoses of anxiety and ADHD among other mental health concerns, these shows are helping educate the public about such conditions. 

  • The Hilarious World of Depression: Funny, casual conversations from individuals who have navigated depression. The show has delivered hundreds of episodes and gained more than 4k reviews. 
  • ADHD Experts Podcast: Experts in neurodivergence answer user submitted questions over the course of more than 500 episodes so far, receiving 1k+ reviews. 

Cultural Topics

With globalization and increased cross-cultural interest, audiences are seeking content that explores different perspectives and ideas about design, art, pop culture and more—all through the unique approaches of niche podcasts. 

  • The Ride: A podcast about theme parks with a side of nostalgia? That’s what the popular show The Ride is about, garnering 2k reviews throughout more than 400 episodes. 
  • Raiders of the Lost Podcast: A humorous take on all things film and tv, hosted by a set of identical twins. The show is at 167 episodes and counting, with more than 2k reviews. 

Find Your Niche

The future of marketing isn’t about reaching the masses—it’s about finding the right audiences in the right spaces. 

By embracing niche content and creator marketing, brands can foster deeper connections, enhance trust, and drive meaningful engagement in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. In short, by thinking small, brands can achieve big results. 

But how do brands find their niche? And how do they connect with creators they trust? Specialist agencies like ARM have relationships with creators across the content spectrum (and with every follower count). Working with agencies that know their niches and how to make them work for brands is crucial to driving results. 

Ready to find your audience? We’d love to help.