Podcasts are an increasingly popular medium, and one that can be a gateway to reach your target audience in dynamic new ways. As a guest on a popular podcast, you could have the opportunity to explain your area of expertise, broadcast a specific message, and ultimately win new fans and followers. The more popular the podcast, the more people will hear you – and the better your results will be.
The question is, how do you get featured as a guest in an interview on major podcasts?
The Power of Podcasts
There are more than 120 million regular podcast listeners in the United States, and that number keeps growing. In a single episode of a single podcast, you could conceivably reach tens of thousands of people – and build new professional relationships in the process. Many podcasts are also long form, giving you plenty of time to explain who you are, what your business is, and what your vision for the future is.
Whether you’re interested in persuading people or just generating more visibility for your brand, it’s arguably a top channel for entrepreneurs and marketers to use.
How to Get Interviewed on Popular Podcasts
There are many different strategies you can use to get interviewed on popular podcasts.
- Use a dedicated service. New services like Podcast Virtuoso make it easier than ever to land a role as a featured guest on podcasts of your choice. In exchange for a subscription fee, you can gain access to a network of more than 750,000 podcasts – and get multiple interview opportunities every month. It streamlines the process of finding podcasts on your own and guarantees interview opportunities, assuming you’re willing to pay for the exposure. Since it’s typically cheaper than traditional advertising and provides better exposure, most business owners benefit from the deal.
- Start networking. If a subscription service doesn’t suit you, start networking. Most podcasters actively seek out new guests to interview within their professional networks; the bigger your network is, the more likely you’ll be to land a spot as a podcast guest. Don’t worry about reaching out to specific podcasters right away. Instead, focus on building a strong network of professionals. Once you have more connections and more influence, you can start building relationships with known podcasters in your community – and scale up your efforts from there. This is a reliable strategy, but it takes a lot of time and effort to make it happen.
- Focus on an area of specialty. Podcasters don’t pick random strangers to talk about their lives. They want niche experts who can provide unique viewpoints, knowledge, and perspectives. Accordingly, you can make yourself a more attractive podcast guest by focusing on an area of specialty. What do you want to be known for? What differentiates you from other professionals?
- Build a social following. It’s also helpful to generate your own content and build a social following. Podcasters love to interview guests who have massive followings because it represents an opportunity for cross-promotion; you get exposure on their platform and they get exposure on yours. Again, the downside here is that it takes a lot of time and effort to build this following.
- Start a podcast of your own. Want to dive even deeper into the podcasting experience? Consider starting a podcast of your own. You can earn respect in podcasting communities, gain interview experience, and meet new people who can potentially connect you to other podcasters. Invite more people on your show and they’ll probably return the favor!
- Give first. Social psychology explains the embedded social norm of reciprocity, which inspires people to return favors, gifts, and gestures in equal measure; do a favor for a neighbor, and they’ll probably respond in kind. We’re hardwired to do it. You can use this to your advantage by giving first – sending gifts, doing favors, and even complimenting podcast hosts could be a way to get your foot in the door. This isn’t an attempt at manipulation; instead, it’s about forging a stronger relationship with people who could conceivably help you in the future. Sow enough seeds, and eventually, multiple podcast hosts will be willing to bring you on.
- Build momentum. When you first start out, you may only find interview spots on small and up-and-coming podcasts but keep going. The more your reputation grows and the more your network expands, the better interview opportunities you’ll find.
You can mix and match these strategies to achieve your goals or go the simple route and use a subscription to find new interview opportunities. Either way, it’s important to target your podcasts intelligently; focus on podcasts whose audiences align with your own. With some experience under your belt, you’ll eventually become a better interviewee, you’ll connect with more podcasters, and your circle of influence will grow.
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This article, “How to Get Interviewed on Popular Podcasts” was first published on Small Business Trends
