Want to Grow Your Audience? Try Guesting on Other Podcasts

You’re a podcast host who produces quality episodes and books great guests, but is struggling to grow your audience. Our advice? Keep booking those great guests, but consider pitching yourself as one, too.

Guesting on other podcasts is a great way to connect with other podcast hosts and leverage one of the unique features podcasting has to offer: engaged communities.

An effective strategy for audience growth

It’s a strategy widely recommended by industry experts. Recently, there have been numerous webinars, panel discussions, and conference talks discussing cross-promotion and guesting on other shows as proven methods for audience growth.

In a recent survey by our partners at Sounds Profitable, 25% of respondents reported discovering new podcasts through recommendations from other podcast hosts. Tapping into existing audience bases is a great way to expand your podcast’s reach.

Think beyond your niche

But here’s a piece of advice I think more people in the industry should be discussing: Don’t confine yourself to shows that align exactly with your podcast’s theme.

This might go against recommendations you’ve heard that stress defining your niche and sticking to shows that share a similar target audience. But the truth is that this can limit your reach.

Let’s say your podcast focuses on politics—specifically, progressive voices in rural communities (shoutout to One Country Project’s Hot Dish, one of our clients). Your first instinct might be to pitch yourself to similar political shows, or maybe podcasts about rural life. Solid start! But don’t stop there.

Consider how your experiences might resonate with audiences outside of your niche.

Are you fluent in another language? Do you have lots to say about your family’s immigration experience? Consider reaching out to a show conducted in the additional language you speak, or the many podcasts that focus on immigrant experiences, bilingual family homes, or adjusting to life in a new country.

Don’t be afraid to have some fun with it! Are you an avid fly-fisher? A car enthusiast? A lifelong Trekkie? Find podcasts that align with these personal interests, and pitch yourself to those, too. 

While these shows might seem unrelated to yours, guesting on other podcasts such as these can open the door to connect with new audiences that can find value in your message.

Keep the audience in mind

Remember that when branching out to shows outside your niche, keeping the audience in mind is key. To effectively broaden your reach, your job will be identifying and articulating the value you offer this specific audience.

Do your research

When pitching yourself as a guest on a podcast, take time to thoroughly research the show. What’s the host’s approach? Is the tone thoughtful and somber or more relaxed and lighthearted? Familiarizing yourself with the show itself is crucial to being an effective podcast guest. 

Know the audience

Take time to learn about the show’s audience. Peruse their social media or ask the host directly who their listeners are. Then, consider potential areas of overlap. What value can you bring to this particular group of listeners?

Connect the dots

And at the end of most podcast interviews, you’ll have the opportunity to plug your own show. Use this as an opportunity to “connect the dots” for listeners. In other words, articulate why your show is relevant to this audience and how it aligns with their interests.

A real-world example

Let’s take a closer look at what this strategy can look like in action.

As a freelance podcast booking agent, I work with my clients to get them featured on podcasts to promote their business or services. One of my clients, Josh Mojica, founded GoodFavor, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting refugees.

Naturally, I began pitching him to podcasts that focused on nonprofits and refugees. While I was able to get him on some notable nonprofit-focused podcasts, many of the refugee-focused podcasts preferred to speak directly with refugees rather than people working with them.

Thinking more broadly

This didn’t slow us down. We pivoted our strategy, beginning with brainstorming other subjects that Josh could speak on and quickly landed on his extensive travel experience. Josh served as a flight attendant for nine years and has been to more than 90 countries.

I got to work pitching him to podcasts that focus on travel, and booked him as a guest on the UK-based Not Just Crew podcast, a top-rated and trusted podcast for aviation workers across the globe. In addition to discussing his favorite aircrafts and exchanging funny passenger stories, Josh spoke about how his travels allowed him to connect with refugees and ultimately inspired him to found GoodFavor.

The results

After the episode went live, we saw growth in GoodFavor’s social media following and an increase in donations, particularly from the UK, where Not Just Crew is based. Mission accomplished!

What made this work?

Pitching Josh as a guest to Not Just Crew proved to be an effective strategy for broadening GoodFavor’s reach. As a guest on the show, Josh was able to chat about his love for travel while also “connecting the dots” for the Not Just Crew audience. Listeners found value in Josh’s ability to communicate how his experience as a flight attendant informed commitment to supporting refugees and followed through with engagement and donations.

Takeaways

Guesting on podcasts—including those outside your niche—can be a smart (and fun!) way to reach new listeners and make the most out of the podcasting community. Think creatively about your experiences, interests, and expertise, and remember to consider what value you offer to the audience you’re addressing.  

Podcast experts at Voxtopica can work with you to identify effective audience growth strategies and pitch you as a podcast guest. Contact us to learn more!

Susanna Cassisa assisted with writing and editing this article.