Are you looking to get booked as a podcast guest? If so, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide to getting booked on podcasts to amplify your digital pr efforts.

We’ll also share some insider tips and resources that will help you increase your chances of being selected as a guest.

What is Podcast Guesting?

Podcast guesting is when you are a guest on someone else’s podcast. This can be a great way to build exposure for your brand or business. When you are a guest on a podcast, you are able to share your expertise with a new audience. This can help you to attract new customers or clients.

Podcast guesting is a great way to build thought leadership and increase visibility for your brand. It allows you to share your story and expertise with a wide audience, and to connect with influencers in your industry. 

The key to success is to find the right podcasts to guest on and to prepare well for your interviews. When done correctly, podcast guesting can be a powerful way to reach new audiences and grow your business.

To truly study this digital pr technique, analyze podcast shows you listen to which have guests. I tend to enjoy cultural media content because of its engagement and often its marketing strategies are ahead of the tech industry.

Off The Record, Joe Rogan Experience, Trapital, and Million Dollars Worth of Games are four podcasts that I currently enjoy because they do a great job of blending culture, business, politics, and even religion.

Benefits of Podcast Guesting

Podcast guesting is a great way to generate leads and get in front of a new audience. It allows you to share your expertise with a wider audience, and to build relationships with other thought leaders in your industry. If you do it right, you can come away with new leads, new business opportunities, and a better understanding of your industry.

Developing the Mindset of a Top Content Creator

Ok! By now you’re probably convinced… If you want to be a top podcast guest, you need to develop the mindset of a top content creator.

This means thinking about your audience first and foremost and creating content that is interesting and useful to them. It also means being consistent, and putting in the work to grow your audience and keep them engaged. 

Consistent & Persistent Grind:

Top content creators have a strong work ethic and are always looking for ways to improve their craft. They are also passionate about their topics and love sharing their knowledge with others. If you can develop this mindset, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a top content creator.

Here’s what the top content creator’s grind looks like:

• Podcasters: 3 Episodes that are 30+ minutes weekly 
• YouTubers: 3 weekly videos that are 10+ minutes each
• Twitch Streamers: 25+ hours of streaming per week
• TikTokers: 3 videos per day (repurposed on Instagram/YouTube shorts)
• Bloggers: Consistently writing 2,000 words per day 

You should seek to consistently do 8 podcast guest appearances (around 30 minutes each) per month.

Also, invest the time in learning to repurpose and distribute the content you are creating. Or you can hire an experienced marketing agency that focuses on your industry.

Learn From Other Industries

The tech startup scene often can feel like an echo chamber. Being a minority in tech (POC) often I like to study content creators of color in other industries.

We all should seek to take notes from content creators who’ve quickly scaled on video and audio platforms to see how we can integrate their strategies within our business.

In 2022 here are some content creators who have been consistently publishing content and seeing rapid growth.

• Media Personalities: DJ Akademiks, Alex Hormozi, Kai Cenat, Adin Ross, Dan Runcie,
• Rappers: Snoop Dogg, Tee Grizzly, NBA Young Boy, Travis Scott
• Streaming Clans: Faze Clan, AMP, OTF Gaming, Grizley Gang

I can only imagine if tech companies develop a media company mindset and invested in turning employees into influencers… Until then founders and creators who are building in public will continue crushing it!

Finding Your 1000 True Fans

Now that you have the right mindset and understand how to continue mastering your craft it’s time to determine how to measure your podcast guesting efforts. 

The idea of a “true fan” was first coined by Kevin Kelly, and it’s based on the idea that if you have a community of just 1000 passionate fans, you can make a living. This is because true fans are not just casual followers, but people who are deeply engaged with your content and will support you financially.

If you’re focused on creating content that is truly valuable to your audience, you will naturally attract a community of true fans. These are the people who will become your biggest advocates, and who will help you to continue creating great content. You want to develop a Slack or Discord channel for your 1,000 True Fans who are committed to creating user-generated content to help grow your startup. 

This will serve as your community-led growth strategy. Top content creators on YouTube/Twitch have been doing this and most recently Web3 companies have adopted this practice. Within startups community managers are in high demand… and for a good reason.

When doing podcast guesting, consistently promote your community and share your ungated resources within Slack or Discord. In many ways having a community can replace having a traditional email list.

So to sum it up track the ROI of your podcast guesting efforts by the growth of your community and digital pr mentions (often tracks by do-follow backlinks).

Ok! So now lets us dive into the step-by-step guide to getting booked as a podcast guest.

• Create a Podcast Guest One Sheet

A podcast guest sheet is a one-page document that includes:

•  A brief bio that’s 500-1,000 words written in 3rd person
• A professional headshot and a portfolio of images for graphics
• Social media links along with follower count and engagement metrics
• Links to your past press (podcast guest appearances, guest posts, webinar presentations)
• List 10 topics you’re comfortable discussing

It’s a valuable tool for podcasters who want to make sure they’re prepared for their interviews and that their guests are comfortable and well-informed.

There are a number of different ways to create a guest sheet. Some hosts prefer a simple, straightforward form, while others like to include a more detailed questionnaire. There is no right or wrong way to do it, as long as the guest sheet is helpful to you in preparing for the interview.

If you want to save yourself time, simply invest in a professional podcast guest one sheet template.

• Create a Targeted List of Podcasts

When you’re ready to begin looking for podcasts to target, it’s a good idea to check out podcast directories so you can find ones that are a good fit for you and your message. This will help you narrow down your search so you’re not wasting your time on podcasts that aren’t relevant to your brand. 

Here are the top 3 podcast directories I would recommend:

• ListenNotes
• PodMatch
• MatchMarker.fm

If you are in the tech startup space, Leadhackrs maintains a digital pr directory based on our own digital pr efforts. To gain access simply join our Slack channel.

Podcast Outreach CRMs

If you want to be a successful podcaster, you need to invest in a good podcast guest CRM. This will help you keep track of your guests and make sure you’re always reaching out to new and interesting people. I highly recommend you set up a CRM using Notion, AirTable, or Google Sheets. Once you have a good CRM in place, it’s time to start doing podcast outreach. 

Here are key fields to include within your podcast outreach CRM:

• Email Address
• Podcast Host Name
• Podcast Website URL
• Size of Audience
• Production Quality
• Social Media Handles
• Topics Podcast Covers
• Podcast Interview Status

Building Your Podcast Guesting Outreach List

As you create your list of potential podcasts to target, there are a few key factors to keep in mind. First, consider the size of the audience. A large audience is not always better – you want to make sure that the podcast has listeners who are likely to be interested in your brand. 

Second, assess the quality of the production. A high-quality podcast will have good audio quality and interesting content. Finally, make sure there is a good fit with your brand. The podcast should be relevant to your industry and target audience.

This means finding and contacting potential guests who you think would be a good fit for your show. It’s important to be proactive and persistent when doing outreach, as it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the process. 

But if you stick with it, you’ll be able to build up a strong roster of guests that will help make your show a success.

There are a lot of podcasts out there, but not all of them are a good fit for your brand. Be sure to target only those that align with your brand. This will help you create a more targeted list of potential listeners, and you’ll be more likely to get your message across.

• Craft Your Podcast Outreach Scripts

When you reach out to podcast hosts, you want to make sure you include all the important information so they can make a decision. In your introduction, be sure to include your website and a link to your podcast guest one sheet. 

Your goal with a podcast email outreach script is to get the attention of the person you’re trying to reach and to get them interested in what you have to say. The best way to do this is to keep your script short, sweet, and to the point. You want to make sure you’re getting your point across without rambling or sounding like you’re trying to sell something. 

It can be difficult to get a response from a busy person, but following up a week after your initial contact can show that you’re really interested in having them on your show.

A personal email or message can go a long way in getting a response, and it may be the extra push that they need to say yes.

The more you can connect with the podcast host and audience, the more likely you are to get booked. So don’t be afraid to be yourself, and let your enthusiasm for the topic shine through.

Here’s a podcast email outreach example from Erik Jacobson who’ve gotten content creators on shows like the Joe Rogan Experience, and Tim Ferriss Podcast.

• Preparing For Your Podcast Guest Interviews

When you’re a guest on a podcast, you want to make sure you’re delivering content that the target audience will enjoy. To do that, you need to find out what the target audience of the podcast is, and what type of content they enjoy. 

You can do this by doing some research on the podcast and its host, and by listening to a few episodes to get a feel for the tone and content. Once you know what the target audience is looking for, you can tailor your content to fit their needs.

If you’re serious about podcasting, you need to invest in professional podcast audio equipment. This doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune, but it does mean getting a quality microphone, audio interface, and headphones. This will ensure that your audio is clear and professional sounding, which is important if you want to grow your audience.

• Helping Promote Podcast Episode

Podcast distribution is often done via RSS, which makes them syndicated and easy to promote across social media channels. 

Most podcasts will also promote their episodes across social media channels. This helps to spread the word and get more people to listen. 

At the bare minimum, you should retweet and share their social posts. This shows your support and helps to get the word out there.  

You can also share your thoughts on the episode in a review or on social media. This helps to create buzz and gets people talking about the show.

Ready to Scale Your Digital PR Efforts?

It’s important to follow up with podcast hosts after your appearance to thank them for having you on the show. Always ask for a do-follow backlink in show notes to help with digital pr. By doing this, you’re ensuring that you’re getting the most out of your appearance and that your digital pr efforts are paying off.

It comes down to time vs. money. If you’re seeking to scale but strapped for time consider hiring.

Here are four options

• Option 1: If you’re strapped for cash you can do the DIY method and use free and cheap tools.
• Option 2: A podcast booking agency’s average cost up to $500 per booked episode.
• Option 3: A recommended alternative is developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and using remote freelancers located abroad.
• Option 4: Partner with a marketplace such as Leadhackrs, that has vetted freelancers and documented SOPs for productized services.

Let’s chat if you want to get in 8+ podcast guest appearances per month, with our guaranteed results we remove all of the risks.

By following the steps in this guide and utilizing the resources we’ve shared, you’ll be well on your way to getting booked as a podcast guest.