7 Ways to Book Amazing Guests onto Your Podcast

Landing the right guests can help launch your podcast into the stratosphere.

Some podcasts succeed solely by the charisma of their host(s). More often than not, however, a podcast only becomes noteworthy after it has featured guests that already have followings. Even successful podcasts continually rely on great guests to reach new audiences and keep their current fans engaged.

Of course, it’s one thing to know that your podcast needs interesting guests – actually landing these guests is another story entirely. In this article we’ll explore some of the most effective ways of bringing the best people onto your podcast.

1. Get Referrals from Friends

If you’re just starting out, you might feel as if there’s no one to turn to when seeking a good guest for your podcast. In truth, all it takes are a few friends to get the ball rolling. The concept of “six degrees of separation” suggests that people are far more connected than we might at first realize. Even if your immediate social circle is relatively small, you might have a friend who knows someone who in turn knows someone else who would be a perfect fit for your podcast. And the closer this potential guest is to your particular friend, the more likely they’ll be to come onto your show.

2. Ask Your Guests for Referrals, Too

Once you’ve started gathering guests for your podcasts, you can use each one to cultivate a broader network of future guests. If, for instance, you’re able to get an expert in the culinary arts for your foodie podcast, they might help you get a well-known chef or food critic on as a future interviewee. The key is to keep leveraging your connections to expand your reach and reputation.

3. Connect with People Online

The internet has made it easier than ever before to connect with like-minded people from all over the world. Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook (Meta),Twitter, and Instagram further facilitate these interactions with their messaging features and powerful algorithms. Properly utilizing these platforms is a must for any creator seeking relevant and interesting guests for their channels (as well as promote their work). Be sure to use hashtags and profile tags and regularly engage with others to stay involved in the online communities that mesh with your podcasting goals.

4. Prioritize People with Recent Releases

If you listen to podcasts on the regular, you’ll quickly notice that the vast majority of guests on a given show will spend some time (if not most of it) discussing their recent book, film, television production, product, etc. Podcasts are prime vessels for promotion, after all. As such, actively seeking creators who have recently released something will give you a leg up on grabbing some great guests and help you narrow your search. Those with extensive audiences might already be booked up for their promotional tour, but smaller creators are often more than happy to find any opportunity to get the word out.

5. Consider Cross-Promotion with Other Podcasts

The podcast market has become highly saturated in the past decade or so. While this saturation has greatly increased competition, it has also created countless opportunities for collaboration. No matter how specialized your podcast may be, chances are there are at least a handful of others out there. Instead of ignoring them, partner up with them! Ask another host if they’d like to promote their show on yours and vice versa – this will lead to a mutual boost of audiences.

6. Do Some In-Person Networking

Online connections are great to have, but there’s no replacement for human-to-human interactions. Meeting like-minded people in real life cultivates stronger and longer-lasting relationships that stand to benefit both parties. Do your best to attend events in your field to network with those who share your and your audience’s interests. Don’t feel obligated to ask anyone onto your podcast right away, either. Simply building these relationships will make it easier to get them on in the future. Simply putting a face to the name makes someone much more willing to be interviewed.

7. Use a Comprehensive Guest-Booking Service

Running a podcast can feel like being on an island if you’re trying to do everything by yourself. Keep in mind, however, that there are resources out there designed to handle certain aspects of your productions for you. While it’s great to land podcast guests on your own, there’s nothing wrong with getting some help from a professional guest-booking service like Ease of Mind. In addition to helping you book great guests on your podcast, we can help you get featured on other podcasts, too – this can significantly boost your reach.

Looking for Better Booking?

Landing the right guests can help launch your podcast into the stratosphere. Growing your professional and social networks is crucial to expanding your pool of candidates. Meanwhile, utilizing a dedicated guest-booking service like Ease of Mind can set you on the right path. If you have any more questions, or want our help finding great guests for your podcast, get in touch!