Want to become a guest on podcasts but don’t know what to do to get featured?

Being a guest on podcasts is a great way to share your knowledge, get exposure and tap into new audiences.

This article gives you practical steps and strategies for how to become a guest on podcasts.

Build Your Podcast Pitch

Before reaching out to potential podcast hosts build your podcast pitch. Building an effective podcast pitch starts with gaining clarity about your podcast goals and how being featured as a guest on podcasts help you achieve those goals. Once you’ve developed your podcast goals then identify topics to pitch to podcast hosts. Clarity around your topics provides a compelling reason why podcast hosts should have you on their show.

Develop Podcast Goals

Why do you want to become a guest on podcasts? To get exposure, tap into new audiences, develop confidence speaking publicly, or receive backlinks to your website to help improve SEO? Whatever your reason, knowing why you want to become a podcast guest helps determine the podcasts to reach out, the topics you’ll discuss, and any offers you’ll pitch to podcast hosts.

Let me give an example: I’m a business coach for therapists and coaches and podcast host of the Designer Practice Podcast, a podcast that provides tips and strategies for therapists and coaches who want to design a private practice that maximizes profitability while giving them time freedom so that they can more spend time outside of their business doing the things that they love. If my podcast goal is to tap into new audiences then I would reach out to podcasts with different listener demographics such as those for different therapy professions or podcasts for therapists in different countries. In addition, I would pitch various topics so that I could reach an array of demographics and my podcast offer would be a free lead magnet to entice listeners to join my email list.

Whereas, if my podcast goal is to get backlinks to improve my website’s search engine optimization then I would reach out to podcasts similar to mine and that have high website domain authority, a search engine ranking score. I would also discuss specific topics in areas where I want to grow my website authority and request that the podcast host link back to my website to their podcast.

Identify Episode Topics to Pitch

Next, identify episode topics to pitch to potential podcast hosts. When you provide specific episode topics with a brief description about how those topics help listeners, you increase your chances of being asked to become a guest on podcasts. A podcast hosts’ main objective is to provide valuable, engaging and/or practical content to their listeners. So, when you provide an explanation of how your content can help their listeners then you demonstrate that you share that same objective. Also, the episode topics you pitch should align with your overall podcast goals and be topics that you’re excited to talk about.

Once you know which topics you want to pitch then create 3-4 potential episode titles with a brief description of what you intend to discuss in each episode and how it relates to the podcast audience. When you provide episode titles and a brief description, it can help podcast hosts determine alignment with their podcast mission.

Let’s say that I wanted to pitch episode topics about building passive income in private practices, then I might pitch the following titles: How Passive Income Can Grow Your Therapy Practice, 5 Common Myths About Passive Income in Private Practice or 10 Steps to Launch Your Private Practice Podcast.

Find Podcasts to Become a Guest

Now, it’s time to find relevant podcasts so you can make your podcast guest request.

Search Relevant Podcasts on Major Podcasting Platform

The easiest way to find relevant podcasts is by searching for podcasts on major podcasting platforms like Apple Podcast or Spotify. Doing a quick search using specific keywords that relate to your proposed topics can give you massive results in the number of podcasts you can eventually make your podcast guest request. Major podcasting platforms list all of the information you’ll need to determine if the podcast is the right fit such as a description about the podcast, the host’s name, their ideal listener, the topics they talk about, the number of podcast episodes they’ve previously released, their podcast rating, and link to their website which usually has their contact information. Essentially, you can find everything you need to make your podcast guest pitch and become a guest on podcasts.

Join Online Communities

Another great way to become a guest on podcasts is to join online podcasting communities where podcast hosts are searching for guests. One of my favourite places to search for guests is in Facebook groups. I’ve found several of podcast guests for my podcast through a group called Podcast Guest Collaboration Community, a group for podcast hosts to find guests and for prospective guests to find podcasts. When you’re a part of online podcasting communities you can build connections quickly and improve your chances of becoming a podcast guest.

Reach out to Podcast Hosts

Now that you’ve built your pitch and found relevant podcasts, it’s time to reach out to podcast hosts and share your interest of becoming a guest on their podcast. When you reach out to podcast hosts explain who you are, what topics you’re proposing to discuss on their podcast and how those topics help their audience. At this stage, avoid sharing what you hope to get out of being a guest on the podcast and focus more on how the topics you’ll discuss will help listeners. Once you’re confirmed as a guest on the podcast then you’ll have an opportunity to ask if it would be okay for you to pitch your freebie or link back to your website. Usually, podcast hosts are happy for you to do so.

Follow-Up

If you don’t hear back from a podcast then follow-up. If you don’t receive a reply from a podcast host this doesn’t mean that they do not want to feature you as a guest. It just might mean they are really busy. Podcast hosts usually busy doing things inside and outside of their podcast so it’s easy to miss an email or forget to respond to one. I know I’m notorious for this! So, when someone follows up, I appreciate it and then remember to respond. But there is also follow-up etiquette.

A good timeframe to follow-up with podcast hosts is about one week from your initial email as this provides enough time for the host to respond but not too long that they forget about your initial email completely. Hopefully, this prompts a response from the podcast guest. If you still don’t hear back after following up then it’s best to move on and try other podcasts who may be more responsive to your email.

Also, if you receive an email declining your guest offer, don’t take it personally as there are many reasons why a podcast host may not feature you on their show. Some podcast hosts may not be accepting guest applications at that time or they may feel that your podcast pitch doesn’t align with their podcast’s intention or vision. But it doesn’t mean that your knowledge, skills or expertise is not worth sharing with world. You just need to find the right podcast for your skillset.

Being a Guest

Now, you’ve received an offer to become a guest on a podcast. Congratulations! But your job doesn’t end here. Once you’ve been accepted as a guest on a podcast, it is important to respond to any of the podcast host’s requests in a timely manner. Hosts spend a lot of time preparing for guest podcast episodes which includes but not limited to scheduling recording dates, writing scripts, and developing social media content. As a podcast host, it can be frustrating and time-consuming when guests do not provide the requested information on time. Each podcast host will have a different process but when you complete your tasks in a timely manner then everything else will go smoothly. And you might even get recommended to other podcasts in the podcast host’s network.

Conclusion

If your goal is to become a guest on podcasts then following these steps will be help you get there. Although every podcast host is unique and their process for featuring guests may differ, their end goal is always the same: to provide relevant, engaging and/or practical content to listeners. So, when you reach out to podcast hosts highlight how your podcast topics aligns with that of the podcast. The world needs to hear your message so don’t be afraid to take the leap and reach out to relevant podcasts because you might just be their next guest.