Influencer
BFFS Podcast: A Look at One of the Most Popular Friendship-Focused Podcasts on the Internet
Have you ever wished to be a fly on the wall during conversations between friends, to catch their unfiltered and raw opinions and commentary on various topics? Well, that is precisely what BFFs Podcast offers its audiences in bucket loads. With representation across platforms and generations, this podcast is all about real talk.
What is the BFF Podcast
Making the popular podcast list is Barstool Sports BFFs Podcast, which launched in 2020. The podcast’s team describes themselves as an ‘unlikely Trio’. Josh Richards, Dave Portnoy & Brianna Chickenfry are the 3 online personalities leading the podcast with their many discussions about celebrities, influencers, pop culture, and anything that gets their chins wagging regarding the world of TikTok. The show’s chemistry is derived from the melding of the older and younger audiences that follow the podcast’s Dave Portnoy (Old camp) and Josh Richards and Brianna LaPaglia (young camp), and their candid discussions about current topics related to social media.
Team Profile
Josh Richards
He is only 20, a mega influencer on TikTok alone, an entrepreneur, and a Canadian actor and model. Joshua Kenneth Richards has carved out a super successful career from social media influencing. He is also the CEO and co-founder of the production company CrossCheck Studios and TalentX, a TikTok management and production company, said to be the largest in the world. And if you thought that was impressive, there’s more, Josh is the co-founder of Ani Energy, a low-calorie and low-sugar energy drink, amongst other enterprises. Talk about diversifying his brand.
As a co-host on the BFFs podcast, Josh joins the podcast’s founder, Barstool Sports Dave Portnoy, and Brianna Chickenfry in discussions.
Joshua’s portfolio thus far shows evidence of intentional and planned success.
Dave Portnoy
Dave Portnoy is 45 years old, American, founder, and co-host of BFFs Podcast. The podcast was a result of Dave’s intrigue and fascination with internet theatrics. He forged a friendship with a young, yet successful influencer, entrepreneur, and entertainer, Josh Richards. This friendship became the foundation of the 1 ½ hour podcast.
Dave Portnoy’s initial bemusement with social media fame and all the drama that ensues was not the only contributor to his rise to internet fame. Before the podcast, he founded Barstool Sports, a sports and pop culture blog. David is a successful internet personality, sporting media figure, and entrepreneur. It is worth mentioning that in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dave donated $500,000 to the Barstool Fund. This fund was set up to assist small businesses affected by the pandemic. The success of this fund was phenomenal, having assisted almost 350 small businesses from its donor pool of 39 million dollars.
Brianna Chickenfry
Brianna LaPaglia, aka Brianna Chickenfry according to her TikTok, has 1,6 million followers on the platform. A social media influencer known for her highly relatable and funny content about life, Brianna is also a co-host of the BFFs Podcast. The 22-year-old joined the podcast after being headhunted by Barstool Sports.
Brianna launched her very own podcast in July 2020. The podcast is called PlanBri and is a partnership with Barstool. Brianna covers topics on “navigating your life in your early 20s.”
BFFs Podcast format and platforms (with examples)
BFFs podcast has incredible representation across platforms, making them accessible and positioning content where their audiences play.
YouTube
Their YouTube channel contains a list of lively videos of the trio discussing the topics of the day. They do not hold back, dishing out honest commentary and real responses to the topics being dissected. It is candid and funny, with each participant sharing opinions and perspectives. With 509k YouTube subscribers, their podcast is made of engaging stuff. The YouTube channel contains full episodes, as well as shorts, lives, and other types of content related to the podcast.
BFFs on Instagram: “Dave had a Deuxmoi story about him at the Apple Store Full episode link in bio”
BFFs Podcast uses Instagram, which is a photo-sharing platform, to post snippets of their podcast with links in their bios, to the full episodes. They successfully use Instagram to market their podcast on other platforms and redirect traffic to their full videos. It is almost like hooking the fish and once viewers bite, they reel them in. BFFs Podcasts boasts 177k followers on Instagram alone.
TikTok
With 1.1 million followers on TikTok, Dave Portnoy, Josh Richards, and Brianna Chickenfry are killing it on this platform. TikTok is famous for its short-form video format and BFFs podcasts are generally longer than the minute or so that TikTok videos would run for, but much like Instagram, the platform is used to pique viewers’ interest and redirect them to the rest of the conversation. Their performance on TikTok is notable.
🚨 new episode is out now 🚨 https://t.co/nHMrosJ7ok pic.twitter.com/cd0IYQnH6z
— BFFs (@BFFsPod) January 19, 2023
Maximizing their reach and engagement, the trio has left no platform unturned. Their Twitter page serves very much like their Instagram and TikTok channels do. It introduces viewers/users to their latest episodes, with links to their full episodes on YouTube. Their Twitter following is a mere 61,9 k in comparison to their following on other platforms. This is enough to maintain their relevance on the channel and boost their performance on YouTube.
Podcast Reach
BFFs podcasts instagram account has 179 k followers. Their Twitter page has 61,9K followers. The Facebook account has just over 5k followers. The podcast is killing it on TikTok with 1.1 million followers. The BFFs Podcast YouTube channel comes in with 513k subscribers, which is impressive.
With 116 episodes since October 2020, the podcast enjoys a decent listenership with TikTok being its largest platform. Approximately 76 % of listeners are from the USA. Apple podcast gives the show a 4.7 out of 5 star rating, with 11.3k ratings.
Why are BFF Podcasts so popular?
Real Talk (no filters)
BFFs Podcast’s popularity comes from their real and gritty talk about topics that are relevant to GenZ-ers with comments and opinions from older audiences slathered on for a spicy layer of debate, conjecture, and humor.
Chemistry
The chemistry that is churned out by the unusual blend of co-hosts is enough to sell the podcast, never mind using their contrasting opinions and comments to stir debates. Whether viewers agree with the panel or not, they keep tuning in for the chemistry the hosts’ share, expressed through banter, humor, and unfiltered discussions.
Meaningful engagement and Resonance
The BFF podcast has gained significant traction due to its ability to foster meaningful engagement among its audience. Rather than mere passive consumers of its content, viewers are actively involved in the discussions by either resonating with or challenging the opinions presented. Even those who simply watch the episodes and form their own perspectives are considered to be engaged. Furthermore, many viewers extend the conversation beyond the podcast by discussing the topics with their social circles, thus amplifying the engagement to a wider audience beyond the BFFs Podcast’s direct viewership.
Information equals interest
The BFF podcast has garnered a devoted following by delivering informative and engaging content that connects listeners with the latest trends and happenings in the world of influencers, brands, and gossip. Through thought-provoking discussions, the podcast actively promotes independent research by encouraging curious audiences to seek out more information on the personalities and topics being discussed. By sparking interest and generating ongoing engagement, the podcast has built a loyal and dedicated fan base.
