I have talked about podcasting in the past, and how this oft-overlooked marketing strategy is one that should not be ignored. Podcast guesting, however, is perhaps even less discussed, but can be an extremely valuable tool in your marketing arsenal.
Like guest blogging, and other tactics, podcast guesting is a great way to reach your target audience and someone else’s target audience, to increase the number of potential customers you are reaching. Think of it this way: when you see a new podcast episode pop up from a source that you love or trust, what is your immediate reaction? Excitement? Intrigue? Acting as a guest on podcasts allows you to take part in that spike of excitement, even as a stranger to the audience in question.
I have put together a definitive guide on how to begin your own podcast outreach efforts, how to identify your ideal customers and audience, and how to go about securing guest spots. First, though, let’s take a close look at what podcast guesting is, and why it is valuable.
What is Podcast Guesting?
Podcast guesting is appearing as a guest on someone else’s podcast to share your own expertise. This can be done between business owners, influencers, or even thought leaders, and can be a great way to expand reach and continually build authority. This is not the place to share your life story; instead, it is the place to tap into an established audience in your niche and demonstrate your value. This is why I refer to it as a type of influencer marketing: you are wielding your influence!
My own support and encouragement regarding guest podcasting comes from my experiences guesting on more than 100 podcasts following the launch of my book, The Age of Influence. During this time, I found that a guest interview was a great way to get my name and my work out there, while establishing my place as an authority in my field.
Benefits of Being a Podcast Guest
A guest appearance on a podcast is a great way to increase your reach, as I’ve discussed, but there are some key benefits of being a guest on a podcast. I have put together the most significant benefits below, to demonstrate why you, too, may want to consider reaching out to be a potential guest on your favorite or most respected podcasts.
Expand Your Reach and Grow Your Audience
By going onto another person’s podcast, you are leveraging that podcast’s existing listener base. This allows you to increase your reach and expose your work to new potential followers, subscribers, and customers, while relying on “borrowed credibility,” or an association with a respected or valued podcast. Podcasts can function as evergreen content that can continue to bring in new listeners over time, and subsequently bring in new customers.
Establish Your Authority and Credibility
Podcast interview guests do best to establish their authority and credibility by actively showcasing their expertise on relevant topics within their niche. To make sure that you are not merely another noise in the crowd, position yourself as a thought leader in your industry, and build trust with the podcast’s audience. Any good podcast guesting strategy involves establishing your credentials or experience, so make sure you include those in your notes.
Guesting can also help you gain social proof. When your host brings you in as a potential podcast guest, they are essentially endorsing you and your views. Listener feedback and host endorsements can go a long way in establishing your credibility in your industry.
Drive Traffic and Conversions
Podcasts can also be great to effectively drive traffic and conversions by promoting your website or your products and services during the episode. Lead magnets and exclusive resources can help compel your ideal audience to actually seek you out and convert to future customers. You can also forge authentic connections on podcasts by encouraging listeners to connect with you on social media. You can encourage via calls-to-action, or challenges, but however you go about it, make sure you are clearly guiding listeners to your offerings–and make sure your host has everything they need to do the same.
How to Find the Right Podcasts to Guest On
I have stressed the value of including podcast guesting in your marketing efforts, but I would be remiss to not also mention how to go about finding podcasts that will align well with your goals and growth needs. 3 simple steps can be used to find the best podcasts for you.
Research Relevant Podcasts in Your Industry
Research as best you can! use podcast directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you want to gain more insight, use a podcast directory rankings aggregator like Chartable (a service I highly recommend). As you search for podcasts, focus on keywords related to your niche or involving your expertise.
Once you have found a list of podcasts with those keywords, analyze the podcast descriptions, titles of previous episodes, and different guest lineups they have brought on in the past. Note rankings, ratings, and reviews to effectively gauge popularity and determine how useful the podcast will be for your unique podcast guesting strategy.
Evaluate Podcast Quality and Relevance
There are millions of podcasts out there, but once you have narrowed down your search, you can listen to a few episodes to evaluate the audio quality and production value. Podcasts that are filled with static, or lag behind or are unevenly mixed can be more distracting than useful, and actually prove detrimental.
As you listen for quality, make sure that the content also aligns with your brand and message. Check the publishing frequently and consistency, as there are many podcasts that are dormant but still rank highly. Finally, evaluate audience engagement by combing through comments and social media channels.
Prioritize Podcasts with Engaged Audiences
Your ideal audience is an engaged one. Select podcasts that have active listener communities, whether that comes in the form of reviews, comments, or social media engagement. An engaged audience is far more likely to answer your calls to action after your guest episode has concluded, so make sure you prioritize podcasts with a strong social media presence.
You can determine whether or not the podcast has a strong social media presence by looking at their engagement and whether they are publishing shortform videos across their social media platforms (like i am), and taking advantage of email lists.
Crafting Your Podcast Pitch
You know the why and the basics of your search–now let’s go over how to create the perfect initial pitch to reach out to your preferred podcasts and make a splash. To do this, focus on personalizing your outreach, highlighting your value proposition, and providing markers of your social proof and credibility.
Personalize Your Outreach
Personalize your outreach by first addressing the host by name, and referring back to their podcast through an episode, a topic, or even through successes. Make it clear that you are familiar with their content and their audience, and highlight any mutual connections you may have, or any shared interests linking the two of you. Tailor your pitch to align with the podcast’s theme and style to stand out in a crowd of potential guests.
Highlight Your Unique Value Proposition
Your value proposition is a unique one, so make sure that you are approaching your pitches that way. Clearly identify what makes you an expert in your field, and suggest specific topic ideas that may resonate with the host’s listeners. Emphasize the value and different insights you can bring to their audience, and include any accomplishments, accolades, or social proof you have that is relevant to the podcast itself, or the host.
Provide Social Proof and Credibility Markers
Social proof can come in the form of previous podcast appearances and speaking engagements. Sharing links to your website, your blog, and any published work can further solidify your credibility. Include testimonials and endorsements you may have received from industry leaders, and make sure you link to and highlight your social media following and levels of engagement you experience.
Further Reading: A Complete Guide to Creating a Great Podcast Website
Preparing for Your Podcast Interview
Congratulations: you’ve secured your interviews! As you prepare, make sure you have the basics in place; namely, a proper external microphone and video camera to maintain a high quality of both audio and visual connection. I, personally, recommend the Shure MV-7 microphone and Logitech Brio camera, and use it for my podcast set up.
Once you have your basic set up put together, research your host, define your talking points, and gather any supporting materials and resources you may need. I will go into greater detail regarding each of these below.
Research the Podcast and Host
Listen to several episodes to make sure you understand the style and format of the podcast. Take notes on your host’s approach to interviewing, and the most common questions they use. Try to identify any recurring themes or topics covered in previous episodes, and familiarize yourself with the host’s background and expertise to navigate the conversation with ease.
Further Reading: 19 Best Podcast Tips for Launching and Growing Your Show
Define Your Key Talking Points
Define your key talking points by identifying the main messages you want to cover and convey during your interview. After you have determined the questions you are anticipating, prepare concise and compelling answers to those questions, along with engaging stories and examples to help illustrate both your points and the questions being asked of you.
Finally, don’t be afraid to practice delivering your key messages. Speaking with clarity and confidence can be difficult; having some practice under your belt can help you feel more sure of yourself as you navigate your guest interview.
Gather Supporting Materials and Resources
Once you have your talking points, make sure you support them with any relevant statistics, case studies, and research you need to back up your claims. Prepare a list of key takeaways and action steps, along with the resources to take action. A lead magnet and exclusive resource can also be included in this section, along with links to your website, social media profiles, and any resources you mentioned in your interview.
Further Reading: The 27 Leading Podcasting Tools to Help You Launch or Grow Your Podcast
Delivering a Memorable Podcast Interview
You have your guest pitch, and your guest podcast lined up. Now comes the challenge: the interview itself. The ideal guest follows the basic formula I have laid out below:
Start Strong and Engage the Audience
Your interview is a reflection of your host, so make sure you open with a compelling hook or story to capture attention and demonstrate your value. Express gratitude to and excitement for the host, illustrating how much you have been looking forward to the conversation. From there, introduce yourself! Give your background, unique perspective, and expertise clearly, without leaving any wiggle room for confusion or interpretation. Set the stage for the conversation, including the value and insights you’ll be sharing.
Provide Actionable Insights and Value
In your interview, share practical tips, strategies, and real-world examples. You are on the podcast to demonstrate your value and help your audience, so break down any complex topics into bite-sized, digestible pieces. Play both sides, as well, to circumvent any challenges: offer a unique perspective and then follow up with contrarian views and responses. Emphasize your key takeaways and deliver action steps for your listeners.
Engage in Natural Conversation
A podcast interview is an interview, but it is also a conversation, with the same give and take required of a normal conversation. Listen actively throughout, and build upon the host’s questions and comments as you move through your own takeaways. Embrace moments of humor or lightheartedness as you talk, and don’t be afraid to laugh! People like to hear that you are human, even as you speak with authority.
Allow for organic flow as you speak. While it is wise to have a series of bullet points you want to go over, avoid sounding scripted or stilted; your notes should be a jumping-off point or reference, rather than a rigid script to follow to the letter.
Promoting Your Podcast Appearance
Now that your guest slot has been finished and recorded, it is time to promote your work! Your host is likely to promote your guest episode on their social channels, but it is important to make sure that you are promoting your work, as well! The following promotion efforts should be adequate to get the word out about your guest episode.
Share Across Your Social Media Channels
Your social channels are a great place to share your episode title and the bulk of what you discuss. Announce the upcoming episode across your social media profiles, along with engaging visuals or audiograms to help generate interest. Tag the podcast itself and its host in your posts, and encourage your followers to both listen in and share their thoughts.
Further Reading: 21 Marketing Podcasts to Inspire You in 2024
Leverage Your Email List and Newsletter
Your email list and newsletter are also great ways to get your podcast guest booking out there. Notify all of your email subscribers about your podcast appearance, whether that means slipping it into an existing scheduled email, or sending out an email of its own. Include a direct link to the episode for easy access, and the date and time of its debut.
You can convey far more in an email than you can in a social post, so feel free to highlight the key topics covered in the episode and why your audience will find the episode valuable. Encourage your subscribers to provide feedback for the episode, and pose any follow-up questions they may have after tuning in.
Maximizing the Long-term Impact of Podcast Guesting
It may seem like a short-term marketing strategy, but podcasts are frequently evergreen content machines, with people going back and references previous episodes on a regular basis. you can maximize the long-term impact of guesting on a podcast, by repurposing interview content and seeking out any additional podcast opportunities–especially if you connected with your host and audience well enough to go back for a second interview!
Repurpose Your Interview Content
Take special care to always ask the podcast host if repurposing content is appropriate or acceptable, if repurposing has not been discussed beforehand. Some hosts, like myself, send the original videos to guests and encourage them to repurpose, but others do not, so always make sure you and your host are on the same page before repurposing content.
Once you are sure you are free to do so, transcribe the podcast audio and create a blog post or article with the interview, taking time to extract key quotes and soundbites to either use within those long-form pieces or as part of your social media strategy.
Infographics and other visual aids can further break down the contents of your interview, and go over the topics discussed. Video versions can also be posted on YouTube and other visual platforms to offer something for everyone; after all, some people prefer visuals to simple listening.
Further Reading: 15 Free Podcast Transcript Generators to Use for Your Next Episode
Seek Out Additional Podcast Opportunities
Leverage your successful podcast appearance to pitch a guest spot to other relevant podcasts. If you are able, consider asking for a referral or introduction from the host to other podcast hosts within your shared network. This can significantly lessen the amount of legwork required to set up a string of podcasts on which to appear.
As you continue moving through podcasting appearances, research and pursue new podcast guesting opportunities, with the ultimate goal of establishing yourself as a sought-after expert and valuable guest. While you do want to benefit from your conversation with the podcast host, you want your host to also experience a bump in engagement or interest, an increase in influence or authority, and the possibility of increased followers.
Next Steps
Podcast guesting can be a truly valuable part of your marketing strategy, but accurate research is key. Begin your podcast guesting journey by thoroughly researching podcasts in your niche, and reaching out to potential podcasters for an interview or a guest spot. If they are an expert or published author in a niche involving digital marketing in any form, let them know that they should also consider guesting on my own Your Digital Marketing Coach podcast!
Have you appeared as a guest on a podcast? Let me know your experiences in the comments!
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