Getting dreamy guests for your podcast is tactical – no need to start manifesting, you’re going to use a strategy that you can put into practice right now. More specifically, this method is what I use for Apple podcasts, but you can apply it to any other platform you prefer! Let’s talk about how to get podcast guests that your audience will love.
Before you dive in, there are a few things to remember. Apple Podcasts, like most podcast streaming platforms, are a search engine. This means you can use their search bar to find anything using a few specific keywords – from topics, brand names, show titles, etc. – this is going to come in handy later.
Now, here’s how to get podcast guests that your audience will love (and why that’s important in the first place):
As always, you can listen to the related episode on Moms Who Podcast here:
4 Steps to Get Podcast Guests Your Audience Will Love Using Apple Podcasts
What better place to find podcast guests than through a podcasting platform? They already have the equipment, they’re already ready to talk, and they already have an audience interested in listening to a podcast.
Before we get into the steps for finding a podcast guest, I want to point out that you can use this method to find podcasts you would like to be a guest speaker on as well.
Now, follow these steps to find podcast guests your audience will love using Apple podcasts:
Step #1: Brainstorm Your Keywords
Remember when I mentioned that Apple podcasts are a search engine? This is where that information plays a huge role in finding podcast guests – you’re going to brainstorm keywords based on your podcast and audience interests that you can search to find similar podcasts (and potential guests).
So you’re going to ask yourself a few questions:
- What are some experts or people who would compliment what you share on your podcast?
- Can it be directly related to what I’m sharing?
- What could my audience benefit from? Who could my audience benefit from?
For example, my podcast is about starting and growing your podcast as a mom. What might interest my audience and complement what I’m sharing would be an SEO expert, a blogging expert, a Pinterest expert, and maybe a social media expert.
Some keywords based on the examples above that I could search would be: SEO, blogging, how to start a blog, Pinterest, Pinterest for podcasters, Pinterest for moms, social media tips, etc.
Step #2: Search & Vet Your Results
Now that you have your keywords to search, you’re going to search them! Plug them into the search bar and see what shows up. Keep in mind that there might be a few shows or there might be hundreds matching your keyword!
From your results, you’re going to do a light qualifying round – you’re going to look for shows that align with yours. Take a look at their covers and their show titles, what do they look like? Are they personable? Are they techy/formal? Find ones that match your brand style – they’ll be more likely to connect with you and your audience right off the bat.
If you don’t like their show title or cover art, skip them, they’re not a match for you! And don’t jump ahead just yet, there are a few more things to look out for before you start pitching a spot on your show.
Step #3: Research, Research, Research!
You’ve found a few shows that you’re interested in and relate to your audience, now it’s time to do a little more research! This is where you’ll dive down the rabbit hole to find out if they’re truly a good fit for you.
Here are a few things you should look out for when looking to see if the host will be a good podcast guest for your show:
- Have they published an episode recently? You can look back over the last month to see if any episodes have been published or if they started their podcast and decided it wasn’t a good fit for them (and if they did, it might not be a good fit for you).
- Are they consistent? Again, you can look monthly as some shows only plan to publish monthly. Consistency shows that they’re making time for their podcast, are staying active, and are making it a priority to show up. It’s important that they’re making time to podcast if they’re going to show up on yours.
- Does their show align with yours? Take a look at their podcast description and see if it aligns with your show and your values. Look at their titles and the guests they’ve had on.
Finally, listen to an episode (or a few) of their podcast to get to know them and their voice, this will come in handy when you’re reaching out for them to guest on yours.
Step #4: Pitch Your Podcast!
First, you need to connect with them! Follow their podcast, follow them on social media, take a minute to do more than just pitch them right off the bat. After you’ve made the connection, you’re going to send a voice note.
Voice notes are extremely valuable and personal and will help you stand out from others who are sending copy/paste emails and leaving random “DM ME” comments. You’re going to tell them that you loved their show and that you would love for them to be on yours. And make it personal, don’t repeat the same message to every guest you’re inviting to your show.
Now, if you’re not a voice note person and you have an email address for them, you’re going to follow this framework:
- Introduce yourself and your podcast and tell them how you found them and their show – if it was a keyword, say “I was looking up a podcast about ____ and yours popped up!”
- Tie it back to a key moment when you decided they were a good fit for your show, a moment in an episode or an episode title that made you think that they needed to share with your audience.
- Now, explain why you want them to be on your show and how they could give your audience value.
Bonus points if you make sure you have an email signature set up with ways to learn about you and what you do before you reach out!
And if you need any help at all with reaching out to potential guests for your podcast, send me a DM on Instagram or join my free community all about podcasting, Moms Who Podcast.
Pssst… Keep your eyes peeled for a new and exciting low-cost offer coming soon that will help you get the real-time support you need to grow your podcast!
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