Last updated: October 28, 2025
The creator economy in 2025 is accelerating. Creators are core media channels, budgets are rising, and AI is reshaping discovery, briefs, and measurement. The fastest way to stay sharp? The right podcasts.
We reviewed 100+ episodes (~100 hours) and curated five that are the most relevant and hands‑on—clear frameworks, concrete playbooks, and practical advice. Time is scarce; quality matters. Use the takeaways and "Try this" actions to get value in minutes.
1. How to Succeed in Influencer Marketing in 2025
Show: Social Media Marketing Podcast — Hosted by Michael Stelzner with guest Justin Moore
Release: March 13, 2025
Listen: Listen on Social Media Examiner
This episode has become a reference point for marketers refining their 2025 influencer strategies. Moore breaks down the ROI playbook behind creator partnerships — from pricing frameworks to contracts and UGC repurposing.
Key takeaway: Treat creators as business partners, not ad placements. The biggest wins come from long‑term collaborations that compound trust and performance.
Who it’s for: Brand leads and agencies refining pricing, briefing, and long‑term creator programs.
Practical takeaways:
- Anchor partnerships to business outcomes; plan multi‑flight, multi‑channel creator calendars.
- Use tiered pricing (deliverables, licensing, allowlisting) and define exclusivity windows.
- Repurpose UGC/IGC across paid, email, and PDPs; measure incremental lift, not only CPM.
- Operationalize contracts: rights, approval SLAs, performance guardrails.
Try this: Pilot a 3‑flight program with 5 creators; evaluate brand lift + assisted conversions using our measurement checklist and model hybrid CPM with the CPM Calculator.
2. The Truth About Influencer Marketing in 2025: 5 Myths Busted
Show: Influencer Marketing Talks by Cure Media
Release: April 2, 2025
Listen: Listen on Podbean
This myth‑busting episode quickly became one of Cure Media’s most downloaded. The hosts dismantle persistent misconceptions — like the belief that “UGC creators and influencers are the same,” or that “reach beats authenticity.”
Key takeaway: The 2025 wave of influencer success lies in community‑driven storytelling and data‑literate campaign measurement, not follower count.
Who it’s for: CMOs and DTC leaders challenging assumptions about reach, authenticity, and UGC vs IGC.
Practical takeaways:
- Separate UGC (CRO/ads) from IGC (reach/trust) with distinct KPIs and budgets.
- Prioritize creator‑audience fit and community resonance over raw follower counts.
- Track creative quality scores and post‑exposure brand lift.
- Codify briefs with examples, must‑say/must‑avoid, and usage windows.
Try this: Split‑test UGC vs IGC using the same hook; compare assisted ROAS and save‑rates. For budgeting, see rates benchmarks.
3. Trends in 2025 with GRIN CEO Ryan Debenham and Scarlette Tidy
Show: Influence Global Podcast by Gordon Glenister
Release: December 2024
Listen: Listen on Apple Podcasts
Two major voices — GRIN’s CEO and agency strategist Scarlette Tidy — unpack the near‑future of creator marketing. They explore creator licensing, AI‑assisted briefing, and how “influence” is merging with affiliate and performance media.
Key takeaway: 2025 will blur the line between creator marketing and performance marketing, demanding unified attribution models.
Who it’s for: Performance marketers unifying affiliate, creator, and paid media.
Practical takeaways:
- Expect creator licensing + paid amplification to merge with performance media.
- Use AI‑assisted briefing to scale creative volume while preserving voice.
- Adopt unified attribution: coupon + link + view‑through + survey‑based lift.
- Negotiate renewals with performance tiers and usage rights baked‑in.
Try this: Stand up a shared dashboard for affiliate × creator; track hybrid CPM and outcome tiers. Start with a Shorts program: Short‑form strategy guide.
4. Whalar’s Alex North on Measurement and Evaluation
Show: The Influencer Marketing Lab hosted by Scott Guthrie
Release: 2024
Listen: Listen on Apple Podcasts
Measurement remains influencer marketing’s biggest challenge. In this episode, Whalar’s Alex North outlines how to move beyond vanity metrics toward actionable brand‑lift, recall, and ROI data.
Key takeaway: Successful 2025 influencer programs combine creative quality scores with hard performance data — proving influence isn’t “unmeasurable” anymore.
Who it’s for: Analytics and insights teams moving beyond vanity metrics to brand‑lift and ROI.
Practical takeaways:
- Combine creative quality scoring with outcomes (lift, recall, sales).
- Standardize UTMs, unique codes, and incrementality tests.
- Close the loop with post‑campaign debriefs feeding into briefs.
- Educate stakeholders on study design and triangulation (MMM vs MTA).
Try this: Run a geo‑holdout for your next creator burst; report brand lift + assisted conversions. See measurement section.
5. The Present and Future of B2B Influence Marketing
Show: Winfluence: The Influence Marketing Podcast — Hosted by Jason Falls, guest Rachel Miller
Release: 2024
Listen: Listen on JasonFalls.com
While most podcasts focus on consumer brands, this standout episode covers the B2B side of influence — where trust, expertise, and niche authority outperform flashy reach.
Key takeaway: B2B creator marketing is moving from “thought leadership” to true revenue attribution, mirroring the sophistication of B2C influencer ecosystems.
Who it’s for: B2B marketing leaders building expert networks and revenue‑tied influence.
Practical takeaways:
- Shift from awareness to pipeline and revenue attribution.
- Use LinkedIn influencer plays for targeted reach and credibility.
- Map SMEs to buying stages; co‑create POV content and webinars.
- Align incentives with partner revenue share and multi‑touch attribution.
Try this: Launch a 90‑day expert council; track sourced meetings and influenced revenue. Then compare to baseline CAC.
Why These Episodes Matter in 2025
Together, these episodes illustrate how influencer marketing matured from “collaboration hype” into a measurable, strategic media discipline. The shift from reach to relevance, and from vanity metrics to ROI data, defines this new era.
If you’re building a creator strategy, influencer platform, or sponsorship marketplace, these episodes will shortcut your learning curve — and keep you a year ahead of most marketers still catching up.
Further reading: Explore our Social Media Influencers: Complete Guide 2025 and YouTube Sponsorships 2025 for pricing, formats, and measurement frameworks.
Mini‑glossary
Creator licensing — Paid rights to reuse creator assets across your channels and ads; negotiate duration, geography, placements, and renewals.
Brand lift — Survey‑based or modeled change in awareness, recall, or intent after exposure to creator content.
Hybrid CPM — Compensation blending a base CPM (or flat fee) with bonuses for outcomes (sales, trials, signups).
UGC vs IGC — UGC: customer‑style content for CRO and paid; IGC: influencer‑led content for reach and trust. Plan both with distinct KPIs.
Allowlisting/whitelisting — Run paid ads from a creator’s handle under your ad account; requires explicit rights and spend caps.
MMM vs MTA — Media mix modeling (aggregate) vs multi‑touch attribution (user‑level). Use both for triangulation.
Key Takeaways
- 2025 merges creator marketing with performance media — license and amplify.
- Measure beyond ER: brand lift, recall, and modeled contribution.
- Plan UGC and IGC separately with clear roles and KPIs.
- Adopt hybrid CPM + outcome bonuses for aligned incentives.
- Use unified attribution across affiliate × creator × paid.
- B2B influence shifts from thought leadership to pipeline impact.
- Long‑term creator arcs compound trust and performance.
FAQs
What are the best influencer marketing podcasts for 2025?
Social Media Examiner, Cure Media’s Influencer Marketing Talks, Influence Global, The Influencer Marketing Lab, and Winfluence. They cover trends, pricing, measurement, and B2B impact.
How should brands measure creator ROI in 2025?
Pair creative quality scoring with brand‑lift studies and modeled contributions. Triangulate MMM with MTA and use geo‑holdouts to validate incrementality.
Is UGC replacing influencer content?
No. UGC and IGC serve different jobs. UGC powers CRO and paid performance; IGC drives reach, trust, and narrative. Budget for both.
What’s new in B2B influencer marketing?
Programs are evolving from awareness to pipeline and revenue attribution. Expect expert councils, co‑created POV content, and LinkedIn‑first distribution.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing in 2025 is a measurable, strategic channel. These episodes will help you align incentives (hybrid CPM), measure impact (brand lift, MMM vs MTA), and build durable creator programs. Bookmark this list, run one “Try this” per week, and review results monthly.