Being a podcast guest has become an increasingly effective way to build your personal or company brand. If you’re looking for opportunities to join podcasts as a guest or interviewee, here are 15 tips to help you find the right podcasts, connect with hosts, and prep for episode interviews and conversations!
Find Podcasts that Fit Your Brand
You want to look for podcasts with audiences that are interested in what you have to offer. The more closely your expertise matches the needs of the audience, the more you’ll resonate with them. Some simple ways to find podcasts that match your brand include checking out podcasts in your industry, searching categories in podcast directories, seeing where competitors are appearing, and looking up podcast ratings and reviews.
Consider Using a Matchmaking Service
If you’re having trouble identifying the right podcast for guest opportunities, there are several matchmaking services that can help. Shows looking for guests will use services like MatchMaker, PodMatch, and PodcastGuests.com, so are great places to start. When creating your profile, highlight what makes you unique and interesting as a guest. This can help you stand out to podcast hosts as they search for potential matches.
Discover Your Unique Angle
Once you identify a podcast you want to be on, you need to determine what value you bring to the show. What new insights or information can you provide? Do you have experience or expertise that’s unlike that of previous guests? Are you an authority on a particular topic? Podcast hosts want new, unique content for their listeners, so anything novel and interesting you can provide makes you a more attractive podcast guest.
Get Host Contact Information
If you can find an email address for a host or a podcast, that’s usually the best way to pitch yourself as a podcast guest. It’s more professional and gives you plenty of space to state your case. If an email address isn’t available, try to reach out via social media. To promote their shows, podcast hosts are often active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms. They’re likely to see your message and get back to you.
Construct Your Podcast Pitch
Prove that you provide value to the host and the podcast. Consider how your offer aligns with the host’s vision and clearly communicate that connection. Think about what the host has talked about in the past and how you can improve upon it or expand the conversation. Use your pitch to convince the host that there’s something—whether authority, knowledge, experience, or stories—about a particular topic that only you can bring to the show.
Respond to Communication in a Timely Manner
When a podcast host reaches out to you, do your best to respond as soon as possible. Podcast guest booking can be difficult, especially if communication is inconsistent. If you quickly respond to a host’s inquiry expressing your interest and suggesting some dates you’re available, you’ll make the host’s job much easier and build a positive relationship. As the host sends you more information—such as a podcast outline or the location of the studio—continue to answer as soon as you can.
Do Your Homework
The better prepared you enter a podcast recording, the more comfortable you’ll feel and the more polished you’ll appear. Scope out the podcast’s social media and website beforehand to see what they’re interested in and talking about. If the host sends you questions or an outline ahead of time, put some serious thought into how you’ll respond. If you’re nervous, write down some talking points and bring them to the recording.
Listen to Previous Podcast Episodes
Listen to at least two or three of the podcast’s most recent episodes to get a sense of the podcast format, how the host operates, the type of questions they ask, how long the interview will be, and more. Some hosts ask their podcast guests similar questions, especially at the beginning and end of the episode, and being aware of this will help you prepare your answers. If you can, organically reference a recent episode during your appearance. You’ll likely surprise and thrill the host with your preparedness and interest in the show.
Know Your Audience
Tailor your message to match the podcast’s audience. Are they listening to the podcast for comedic value? Do they hope to learn valuable information? Are they looking for a new product or service to meet their needs? The more you understand the podcast’s listeners and their motivations, the better you can speak in a way that engages them. Check the podcast’s reviews and social mentions to see what fans enjoy about the show.
Offer Talking Points
A good podcast host will conduct research and have talking points and an outline prepared coming into the episode. If you want, you can help them out by suggesting certain things you think the audience might find interesting or tidbits they might not know about you. This helps the host develop more in-depth podcast questions and understand you better.
Invest in Quality Equipment
If you plan on being a frequent podcast guest, especially if you join remotely, it might be worth buying your own podcast microphones and other equipment. Designate a quiet, secluded room at home or in your office that will create good audio for your podcast guest appearances. Ensure your equipment is functioning properly by conducting a test run before the interview.
Bring Your Personality
Don’t be afraid to be you! Authenticity stands out to listeners, and one of the biggest mistakes podcast guests can make is trying to be someone they’re not. Being a guest on a podcast is a chance to create brand awareness, and you want to introduce listeners to the real you. Treat the interview like a casual conversation over coffee rather than a media appearance to calm your nerves and allow your true self to shine through.
Prepare a Call-to-Action
Ultimately, your goal as a podcast guest is to get listeners to engage in a certain activity: to buy your goods and services, to visit your establishment, to trust you as a thought leader in your field, or to be entertained by you. Communicate with the host before recording to develop a plan to let the listeners know where they can learn more about you. The host can promote your website, share your social media handles, and inform the audience how to find or purchase your products or services. If there’s a special deal you want to promote, create a unique landing page on your website, inform the host, and instruct listeners to visit that page.
Share the Episode with Your Audience
Once the episode is published, you’ll want to share it on your social channels, include it in your next email newsletter, and embed it on your website. This podcast is free publicity, so make the most of it! As a bonus, the more you share the podcast, the more downloads your episode is likely to get, increasing the odds that the host will invite you on again or recommend you as a podcast guest to other shows. Add the podcast link into your social media calendar to ensure you consistently get the message out.
Don’t Be Afraid to Say “No”
You should have a strong understanding of what fits your brand and what doesn’t. If you’re asked to come on a podcast you don’t believe is the right match, feel free to thank the host for their interest but politely decline. Be cordial and grateful for the opportunity. You want to keep the relationship on good terms in case the fit is better in the future.
Looking for a podcast to appear on as a guest? The Hurrdat Media Network has more than 40 podcasts that cover a wide range of topics from sports and comedy to crime and food—and everything in between! Sign up to be a guest on a Hurrdat Media podcast today!