Ah! The magical world of podcasting. It is a place of information, entertainment, and opportunity. Podcasting gives you the chance to have your voice heard by millions across the world. And one way of achieving this, without starting your own podcast, is by becoming a podcast guest.
As a podcast guest, you have the opportunity to grow your brand; reach more people within your niche and grow your audience; generate free publicity; and interact with fellow industry professionals.
Whatever your motive, being a podcast guest is filled with the potential of achieving your goals. But first, you need to know exactly how to go about it.
Well, everything you need to know for becoming a podcast guest can be found right here! So get ready for that big interview as we lay down the 5 essentials for landing yourself a spot as a podcast guest.
Related read: 10 Tips for Landing Guest Spots on Popular Podcasts.
Step 1. Make a List
The first thing you’ll need to do in your efforts to land your first podcast guest spot is to find the podcasts you would like to feature on. Make sure that your initial list is as big as possible as it’s easier to narrow down a big list than having to add to a smaller one.
The important thing to remember here is to search for podcasts that speak to your target audience and are aligned with your niche. Firstly, you will have more knowledge of the themes explored so you can be a guest that adds value to the podcast you are on. Secondly, it will allow you to speak to others who are already interested in your field, maximizing the chances of growing your audience.
Podcast Directories
So, now that you know the type of podcasts you are looking for, the next step is to actually find them. The best way to do this is by searching through podcast directories. They have made finding the right podcast easy as you can search according to the genre or topic that you are interested in.
Once you find the podcasts that speak to you, and, most importantly, would speak to your audience, you can add them to your list and move on to the next directory, repeating the same process.
Ask Google
You can also ask Google for podcast suggestions. Do this by typing in “Top podcasts for [your industry/genre/target audience]” or “[Your industry/genre/target audience] podcasts”. You may have to sieve through blog posts and other articles, but eventually you’ll find the podcast’s page that you are looking for.
People Also Listened to This
A great way to find podcasts is by using the “people also listened to this” feature, typically found on Apple Podcasts.
You will be able to explore podcasts within your topics of interest (as you’ve provided to the platform) that other users have listened to. This is a very useful way of finding podcasts within your niche. And, if people are already listening to them, then they already have the ‘cred’ you are looking for.
Spotify’s version of this is “fans also like”. But just be aware that some of the results you get may be music and not podcasts.
Try Podcast Guest Booking Service
Before we get into the pitch, there is another great way of getting booked as a guest on a podcast. This is through a podcast guest booking service.
A podcast guest booking service is a platform that connects podcast hosts with willing guests. You can sign up to be a guest and podcasts looking for guests can easily find you.
You will either have to pay a premium to be on the service or the platform will ask for a fee once a connection has been made.
Here’s a list of some top podcast guest booking services:
Step 2. Narrow Down Your List
It’s great! You now have a huge list of potential podcasts on which you would like to feature. But not all of them will be best suited for you and your brand. You’ll need to narrow down your list to find the top podcast contenders that will help you to achieve your goals.
The best way to go about filtering your list is by coming up with another list of requirements. This will be everything that the intended podcast will need to have/achieve in order for your appearance to be valuable to you.
It’s all well and good to find podcasts that you personally love or hosts you admire, but would a guest appearance on their show actually benefit you? That question can be answered by having a simple checklist and ascertaining if the intended podcast lives up to that list.
Qualifying Criteria
Here are some potential questions to ask yourself when finding a podcast that can help you achieve the goals of your first guest appearance:
- Does this podcast have good reviews? Knowing how the general public perceives a podcast will give you an indication of whether your guest appearance will be helpful or damaging to your image and reputation.
- How many episodes does this podcast have? It may actually be more beneficial to you to be a guest on a small or new podcast. But first, you’ll need to know how long they’ve been in the game.
- How often do they publish their episodes? You may want to sync your guest appearance with the topics explored on your own podcast (if you have one). Or maybe you’d want your marketing campaign to align with when you are a guest on a podcast. Knowing how often they publish their episode will help you make the right choice for you.
- How influential is this podcast in the industry? The more influential that podcast is in the industry, the higher the chances of your guest appearance being coveted by their followers.
- What is the caliber of previous guests? This will help you find out if you match up or if you’d rather not be associated with other guests that have been on the show.
- Is the podcast professional and high in quality? You want to work with quality podcasts that hold themselves up to a professional standard. Remember, you want to be associated with the podcasts that complement your brand image, not tarnish it.
- Do they have a large social media following? Are their audience members active and engaged on social media?
- How long are the episodes? If your target audience has a specific preference for a podcast’s run-time, then knowing how long each episode is will be crucial when making your final decision.
- What does your audience think? Whichever field/industry you are in, your audience can help you in deciding on which podcast to feature. After all, you are doing it for them, so let them have a say and guide you to a decision.
- Who is their audience? We touched on the importance of this earlier. But to reiterate, a successful podcast guest appearance should be one that also serves to grow your audience!
Checklist, Checked
Once you have the answers to these questions, you’ll be able to create a shortlist of all the podcasts that meet your criteria. After this, the focus shifts and you’ll now have to turn yourself into a worthy podcast guest.
Step 3. Do the Research
By now you should have your final list of potential podcasts and the time for approaching them is getting closer. But before you can make your pitch (we’ll get to that later), you’ll first need to set yourself up as a worthy guest. And to make the right pitch, you first need to know who you are pitching to.
Do extensive research on the podcasts that you would like to be a guest on. Listen to as many episodes of that podcast as you can. Read through their show notes and blog posts (if they have a blog). Gather information on previous guests that they had on their show. Scour their social media pages and get a feel for their content and audience.
If you have a good knowledge of the show you want to be a guest on, then you’ll be able to show your worth in a way that they understand and can relate to. They’ll see your understanding of their podcast and its themes as valuable to their own undertakings. This should set you one step closer to being invited onto their show as a guest.
Step 4. The Pitch
Okay! Here it is! The final step…the pitch! This is where you plan out everything you need to say when approaching potential podcasts to be a guest.
Firstly, you must have something to say. There is no point in wanting to be a guest on a show without knowing what you want to say. Have a clear vision of the topics you would like to discuss and your reasons behind it, then make some suggestions.
The second point follows closely from the first and that is to show the value you will be adding to the intended podcast. How extensive is your knowledge on the topic? Do you have professional credentials to back you up? Have you won any awards for the proposed topic? All this will help to prove your caliber as a worthy guest.
Help Me, Help You
The next thing to mention in your pitch is how you can help the podcast you are pitching to. Do you have a large social media following and active participants? Is your email list extensive? How will you help promote the intended podcast through your own channels? Is there a potential for hosts to be guests on your podcast (if you have one)? How will your guest appearance be valuable to their audience? Give the podcasts you’re pitching to the answers to these questions and you’ll have one foot in the door.
After you have shown why you’d be a great guest and what you can do to grow the intended podcast, ask about the next steps. You do not want to come across as desperate or arrogant. Rather be confident in a tone that says: “I’m ready when you are.”
Decorum
Lastly, make sure that you give a little thanks. Even if you do not get asked to be on their show, at least they read your pitch, and that effort alone warrants some gratitude.
Being polite throughout your entire pitch will also count in your favor. My grandmother always tells me: “There is more respect in a teaspoon of honey than there is in a barrel of vinegar.”
One thing to remember is to keep your pitch short and to the point. Even the most avid of readers prefer reading something that is straightforward, clear, and to the point.
In any event, make sure that your method of approach is accepted by that particular podcast. Every podcast is different in the way that they get guests on their show. You could reach out directly on their website, maybe they’d prefer an email, or maybe they work exclusively through a podcast guest booking agency. Whatever the case, just make sure that you’re not stepping on any toes.
A Guest to Remember
And that’s it! You now have all you need to get your first booking as a guest on a podcast.
Once you have been booked on a podcast, you’d do well to prepare as best you can. To do this, have a listen to this episode of our Ask We Edit Show “How Can I be a Good Podcast Guest?” It will give you all you need to know in no more than 2 minutes!
And there you have it! A step-by-step guide for landing your first podcast guest spot! So give yourself the chance to grow your own brand and audience or take a shot at the ultimate fan goal by becoming a guest on a winning podcast.
