How to Get on Podcasts (That People Actually Listen To)

So, you wanna be on a podcast? Good for you!

In a world drowning in AI noise, a real human voice can go a long way in building trust.

The good news is that getting on most podcasts is easy. The bad news is that most podcasts suck and won’t reach or engage your target audience.

But don’t worry, I’ve got 6 tips to help you land on great podcasts that actually move the needle.

I’ve been producing and marketing podcasts for over ten years now. I’ve worked on leading healthcare podcasts including CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. and Amazon’s Health Innovation Podcast, to name a few.

Over the years, I’ve read thousands of pitches, so believe me, I know what works and what doesn’t. But enough about me, let’s get into it!

1. Perfect Your Podcast Pitch Letter

Getting on podcasts starts with a strong pitch letter. Producers are constantly bombarded with pitches…and most go directly in the trash. Here’s what makes a strong pitch letter that actually gets read:

Keep it Short & Sweet

The most common mistake I see PR and marketing folks make is sending long, dramatic pitches that take forever to read. You’re pitching a podcast guest, not writing the sequel to War and Peace. If it looks bloated, it’s likely headed straight for the trash.

Most pitches waste words framing a problem or building an argument when they don’t need to. If you want urgency, bake it into the topic itself. For example: “Why 60% of Americans don’t trust their doctors and how providers can win it back.”

Urgent, compelling, and to the point.

Highlight Your Guest and Their Credibility

Introduce your guest in two sentences or less, including their name, role, and what their company does. Back this up with proof points, like past roles, notable achievements, books they’ve written or the size of their social media following.

Showcase Media Experience

Call out 2 or 3 notable media appearances from your guest to show producers they’re experienced. Make sure you share these examples as plain text - not links or attachments, otherwise you’ll risk getting flagged as spam.

Always Propose 3 Topics That the Guest Can Speak To

All the topics should clearly align with the show’s audience and themes. Don’t make them self-promotional. No one needs to hear about how your company tripled its revenue by slapping “AI-powered” on your website.

2. Maintain a Social Media Presence

Podcasts want guests that will not only engage their listeners, but attract new ones. Now let’s be honest, if you’re reading this, you’re probably not a household name…but you’ve got good taste and I appreciate your eyeballs!

Anyway, if you or your company aren’t widely known or maybe your topics aren’t exactly groundbreaking, a strong social media presence can be an edge. Whenever I’m on the fence about a guest, I check if they’re active on social media, because that tells me they’ll actually promote the episode and help bring in new listeners.

Some of the best performing episodes I’ve produced featured lesser known guests who crushed it on promotion. So, if a guest’s LinkedIn is dead, I assume the episode will be, too.

3. Don't Automate Your Outreach

There are two things that annoy me in life: people who back into parking spaces and automated outreach.

Whether you use AI or copy and paste email templates, this is a sure fire way to land yourself on the blacklist. I couldn’t possibly count the number of times I received emails that reads something like this:

“Dear [Host Name], I am a big fan of [Podcast Name] and would like to suggest [Client Name] as a guest on the show.”

Ignored, blocked, and reported.

If you want to pitch a podcast guest, the least you can do is put some effort into the outreach.

4. Beware of Podcast Bookers

Most of the guests I work with come through PR firms or internal comms and marketing teams. Almost none come from podcast bookers.

Podcast bookers are people or agencies that claim to specialize in getting you on podcasts.

That sounds useful on paper, but in reality, podcast bookers are a grey area between communications and the telemarketer who always calls during dinner. Their business is a numbers game: they take on anyone, from any industry, and spray as much outreach as possible. Because of this, they inevitably sacrifice quality for quantity.

I couldn't possibly exaggerate how many times I’ve received sloppy, automated, franken-emails sent to my personal inbox. Emails that got my name, the podcast name and even the guest name wrong. And you know what happens when I get these emails?

Ignored, blocked, and reported.

If you’re already paying a PR agency or you have a comms or marketing team in-house, you’re better off turning to them instead.

But if you really want to wing it with a podcast booker, do your due diligence on them. Make sure they specialize in your industry and have a proven rolodex of credible connections, not just ChatGPT and Phantombuster.

5. Always Use the Preferred Method of Contact

Most podcasts tell you exactly how to reach them in their show notes or on their website.

Please check both before trying to get in touch guerilla style.

Trust me - you’ll have a much better chance of getting on podcasts by following instructions than sliding into a host’s DMs on LinkedIn. Besides, no one checks LinkedIn DM’s anymore anyway.

6. Get Referrals From Past Guests of the Show

I always say nothing beats the conversion rate of a good referral. If you know someone who’s been a guest on a podcast you want to land, ask them to send a quick intro to you to the show-runner.

A referral guarantees your pitch gets read - and if your pitch is solid, your chances of landing the show are strong.

Best case scenario, you land the spot. Worst case, you’ve opened the door for a future opportunity.

Use These Tips to Get on Better Podcasts

And there you have it - 6 easy tips to help you get on better podcasts!

All this stuff sounds basic, yet most people get it wrong. But you? You’re better than that, which is why you’re here!

While I can’t guarantee you’ll get on any podcast, I can guarantee that by following these tips, you’ll definitely improve your chances.

So give it a shot, try them out, and let me know how it works for you.