Podcast Guesting: Everything You Need to Know
Would it surprise you to learn that there are over 2 million podcasts in circulation with 1 billion listeners?
Here’s another fact: on average, most podcasts are 38 minutes long and most are audio based. Some, like my podcast Shop Talk, are both audio and video based. In fact, Shop Talk is a video podcast first and I’ll share with you why.
But first, let’s look at why podcasts are so popular:
- Podcasts allow for multitasking
- Podcasts are an easy way to catch up on the news
- Podcasts are entertaining
- And… they’re easy to consume
The Benefits Of Podcasts
As a podcast host, I’m curious. Have you ever considered being a podcast guest?
The first question you may have is… why? Why would you want to be a guest on a podcast?
Remember what you already learned… that podcasts are popular. And if you’re a small business owner, it’s fundamental that you embrace self promotion and marketing. Besides your clients, you are your own best brand ambassador. Therefore, the #1 reason to be on a podcast is to promote your business and your brand.
Being a podcast guest is an incredible, no-cost way to promote your business, and the benefits of sharing your story and your “why” back onto your own social media platforms and website are plenty, including:
- You’re getting the chance to introduce yourself in a genuine, non-salesy way.
- Listeners/viewers will now be able to relate to you on a whole new level.
- Your “trust factor” will go way up.
Before you Get Started
If your interest is piqued, what do you need to know before reaching out to a podcast host?
First, you need to have listened to or watched a few episodes of that podcast. Nothing turns off a podcast host more than to feel like their guests haven’t watched at least one episode.
Next, ask yourself these questions: do you like the host and their style? Does the podcast theme fit with your business or your industry? Can you see yourself being interviewed by that host? Do you like the questions they ask? Do you feel you can tell your story to this person?
If you’re answering yes, then take a bit of time to write your origin story. Writing it down makes all the difference. It will allow you to understand the journey of where you started and how it relates to what you’re doing now.
Once you’re comfortable with what you’ve written, reach out to a podcast show that you’d like to be on. Find out these three important factors before you set the date for the interview.
- Are you allowed to see the questions before the interview?
- Is the podcast edited? Can you start over if you mess up?
- Are you allowed to freely share the published podcast?
One thing to note is that you won’t be able to see or listen to the podcast before it’s published, just like a journalist won’t let you see their article before they publish. What’s comforting about podcast hosts is that most are not journalists. They’re entrepreneurs who want to show off their show and their guests in the best possible way. And most podcasts are highly edited.
Tips For Being A Great Podcast Guest
If you decide to go ahead and be a guest on a podcast, here are few tips to consider for the day of the podcast.
- Keep hydrated.
- Don’t drink too much caffeine.
- Breathe in through your nose and out your mouth if you’re nervous. This calms your nervous system.
- If it’s a video podcast, consider your background and make sure your laptop camera is at eye level. Make sure you have some natural light or artificial light in front of you, not behind.
- Dress appropriately, do your hair, your make up and definitely brush your teeth! Pretend this is all happening in person.
During the podcast:
- Smile.
- Don’t interrupt the host (alternately, they shouldn’t interrupt you).
- Listen to the questions, which you should already know, and answer genuinely.
- Take your time. If you mess up, simply ask to start over.
- Be yourself. Let your personality shine through.
Once you’ve been notified that your podcast episode is live, share it! Share it as much as you can.
- Add it to your Instagram stories and use the link feature. Share it to your LinkedIn page, Facebook page, and don’t forget to share it somewhere on your website.
- If you know how, edit snippets and post them to your social media platforms.
Lastly, a video podcast like Shop Talk is in video format for a reason. My reason is that I’m a video creator, so this is the medium I’m most comfortable working in. Also, one of my main goals is to promote small businesses and during each episode I show images or video clips that each guest provides that correlates to our conversation. That way, when my guests share their episode, it’s not just two people talking.
Viewers can see “what” we’re talking about. Guests can show their work, their stores, their products and even their services. Video podcasts are deeper that way. I know my audiences may prefer to listen to the podcast, so Shop Talk is also available on Spotify.
I hope this has inspired you to consider being a guest on a podcast. Podcasters are always looking for new people and businesses to interview.
Louanne Midgley
Founder + Creative Director
Tell Your Story Videos
tellyourstoryvideos.com
Shop Talk and a new sister series Shop Time are produced by Tell Your Story Videos. If you’d like to be considered as a guest for Shop Talk or if you’re a small business in the Tri-Cities and would like to have your business toured on Shop Time, email Louanne at louanne@tellyourstoryvideos.com