From MomTok to 1.25M subs

Satirical. Aloof. Ironically bored. 

Bobbi Althoff has evolved from a MomTok creator to a celebrity podcast host in less than two years. With guests like Drake, Lill Yachty, Mark Cuban and Jimmy Kimmel, The Really Good Podcast has amassed over 1.25 million subscribers on YouTube. 

So what was the magic sauce that led to her growth? And what can we learn from it? 

Hey, Paige here! Back with another creator deep dive.

People love or hate her dry humor and aloof personality — but Bobbi Althoff makes it clear this front is not really who Bobbi is. But instead, it’s a character she’s created for her content.

“The character that I’ve created is made up of my biggest insecurities. I’ve always been so embarrassed about being socially awkward. Now, I’ve exaggerated that and made it even worse for this character. It’s a fun way to take control of this thing that’s been horrible for me my whole life.”

The best thing about Bobbi’s podcast personality is that it’s so solid that people believe it’s truly her. 

But how do we scale this characterization to a company? And more importantly — should we? 

Short answer — yes.

Long answer — yes, if it fits your strategy and goals. 

You don’t have to commit to becoming a Gen Z queen or a comedian (though, you can. Check out Corporate Bro and Corporate Natalie for some killer examples of how to do it right.)

Instead, consider what you want to be known for.

Ask yourself: What do we want to be known for and how can we best connect that purpose with our audience?

When you scroll YouTube or LinkedIn, you can point out exactly who a company is borrowing from. Many will borrow styles from successful creators like Mr. Beast (take a look at thumbnails) or Alex Hormozi (queue iconic video captions). 

these plays are now far from unique and borrowing them fails to recognize the real potential your content has when filtered through a lens unique to your own voice and style. 

Ready to dive into creating a truly unique character for your business’s content? There are a few plays you can choose from. 

All of these characters have one thing in common: 

They create “alter egos” the brand can rely on. Each character allows their brand to personify their value props and showcase differentiators. 

And most of all, by creating a character,  they’re ramping up memorability (this is especially important if you’re new to the game and need some help with recognizability). 

Bobbi went with satire and leaned into awkwardness – that resonates, makes people laugh, and grabs attention. What kind of character would embody your brand? 

The takeaway: By creating a character or mascot to champion your content, you can ramp up recognition and develop an alter ego who becomes the most memorable person in the room, setting you apart in the great sea of sameness. 

That’s it, ya’ll! Happy creating!

Paige Peterson
Newsletter Aficionado, Sweet Fish