The business of being Giggly Squad
Oct 15, 2025 [[read-time]] minute read
It's the digital equivalent of a late-night FaceTime with your funniest friends, and for hosts Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, it’s a formula that has turned their podcast, “Giggly Squad,” into a media force. With over 182,000 YouTube subscribers, their army of "Gigglers" tunes in weekly for unfiltered takes on pop culture, fashion, and dating. We spoke with the duo about their highly successful pivot to video and the no-nonsense philosophy fueling their massive growth.
“Giggly Squad” started as an audio-only podcast over 5 years ago. What was the turning point that made you decide to launch your YouTube channel and include video?
Hannah: Honestly, we always knew there needed to be a visual element. I was talking to podcast networks about providing video clips back in 2017, and they basically thought I was crazy! When we found out people were watching full episodes of podcasts on YouTube, it was a game changer. It’s just another form of getting attention — which we love.
Paige: I was the one who was like, “Who is going to watch a podcast on YouTube?” It felt archaic. But because we come from reality TV, we’re used to people having an intimate relationship with us. Our pod being on YouTube made it feel like you were right there in the room with us.
You launched your series, “Hannah and Paige Try New Things,” in May. What inspired it and why did you decide to share it on YouTube?
Paige: That was all Hannah's idea! We were already traveling for our live shows, and she said, "Let's film what we do in these different cities." After being on reality TV, it’s actually stressful for us to watch. We longed for reality TV to be nice and sweet, with no fighting. So we literally just made our own. It’s an easy watch—something calming you can put on when you’re getting ready for bed.
How did your channel grow after releasing the series? Did you learn anything new as creators from the process?
Hannah: So far this year, we’ve gained almost 100K new subscribers, and the majority of that growth happened while we were releasing episodes of the series. I learned the power of consistency on YouTube — when you promise, "Hey, we have a series coming out every Monday at 6pm," people show up. We also loved using the Live Chat feature as episodes were dropping. The chat always started with our core Gigglers, and when new viewers came in, they saw this thriving community full of inside jokes, which I think made them want to stick around.
Paige: In a world where no one has an attention span, I think YouTube is the perfect place. It fills that space between a short, viral video and a two-hour movie. You do have an attention span for things you like — you just have to find it.
What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to aspiring podcasters looking to make the leap to YouTube?
Paige: It’s all about chemistry and consistency. I’ve seen podcasts with great chemistry fail because they take too much time off. And I’ve listened to consistent podcasts where the hosts hate each other, and it's awkward. If I wanted to listen to two people be awkward with each other, I’d call a family member.
Hannah: We’ve found that having a weekly episode with someone you have great chemistry with is the key, instead of the ups and downs of a guest-based show. It’s why our pod has grown so consistently. And women collaborating with other women is really powerful!
Paige: Clock it — quote it!
If you had all the time in the world and a blank check, what’s the next big series you would bring to your channel?
Paige: Makeovers! I feel like we have so many Gigglers who would love one. I’d handle the fashion and the “outside work,” and Hannah can do the “inside work.” If they start crying, that’s when Hannah comes in!
Hannah: Aside from doing the “inside work,” I love those videos where creators share what’s in their bag or they try to determine “Is this cheap wine or expensive wine?” I could see us going through all of these popular YouTube trends — don’t tempt us.
What’s next for your channel? Anything exciting on the horizon?
Paige: We actually are bringing on a very special guest for an upcoming “Hannah and Paige Try New Things” — someone we recently took a liking to. It doesn't happen often, but we think this person will be huge. You’ll have to stay tuned to find out who it is!