The Podcast Guesting Playbook: Find, Pitch, and Book the Right Shows
The goal isn’t to appear on every show
Guesting can introduce your expertise to people who have never heard of your podcast or business. But more appearances don’t automatically mean more of the right listeners, more enquiries, or more opportunities.
The useful question is not, “How many shows can I pitch?” It is, “Which conversations are likely to put me in front of people I can genuinely help?”
A focused guesting plan helps you choose opportunities, make relevant pitches, prepare well, and follow up without turning the process into a second full-time job.
Step 1: Define what a good opportunity looks like
Before searching for shows, write down the audience you want to reach and the problem you can help them solve. Then decide what you want a guest appearance to support.
For example, a podcast consultant might want to reach independent podcasters who are struggling to turn attention into business opportunities. A relevant appearance could be on a show about creator businesses, audience development, or independent media.
Your goal might be qualified service enquiries, newsletter sign-ups, relationships with potential collaborators, or simply reaching a highly relevant new audience. Choose one primary goal for this campaign so you can judge opportunities against it.
Step 2: Build a prospect list
Create a list of shows that already speak to the audience you want to reach. Look beyond the size of the show. A smaller, focused audience may be more relevant than a larger audience with little connection to your work.
For each prospect, record the show’s topic, likely audience, recent episode themes, host name, pitch route, and why your perspective would fit. Listen to at least one recent episode before pitching. Look for a specific conversation you can contribute to, rather than offering a generic topic that could fit any show.
Use a simple score from 1 to 3 for each criterion: audience fit, topic fit, evidence the show features guests, and the value you could bring. The score is a sorting aid, not a prediction of acceptance or results.
Step 3: Write a pitch the host can evaluate quickly
(Upgrade to access the full post and to download your own worksheet.)