The adventures of starting a podcast include creating the title, thinking of your theme, investing in the right equipment, and deciding on the frequency of your podcast.
All of those items are important, but finding guest speakers is the most vital. And for most people who start a podcast, one of the top five things they think about before launching a show are who their guests will be.
Where do you start finding podcast guests?
In Ginni Saraswati’s recent article in Entrepreneur she discusses the 4 Tips for Landing More Guests on Your Podcast. What’s most important to her is that people learn how to land not just “A” guest, but the RIGHT guest.
How can you find the right guest for a podcast?
For every podcast, the right guest is going to be different. As the host, it is your responsibility to know your audience and recognize the value that your guests can provide.
You can start by doing a bit of research. Seek out bloggers, thought leaders, social media influencers who are creating content about your chosen subject.
Your guest might even be a relevant television or radio host. These individuals can bring your podcast more listeners because of their “star” power.
Subject matter experts are looking for guest spots on podcasts
Yes, speakers are also looking for a spot on your show!
Guest spots on podcasts can help people gain business, get their name out, network, and strengthen their authority within their industry.
How can you land the right podcast guest?
Ginni says, it’s easier to land the right guest once you’ve already got some recognition in their field:
“The more prominent you or your podcast are, the easier it will be to showcase the benefits of appearing as a guest interviewee on your podcast. For example, if you can outline analytics such as the number of episodes, downloads, awards or even other guests who have appeared on your podcast that a potential interviewee may be familiar with, the more likely it is that you will land an interview with the target guest in question.”
Finding the right guest will take effort. In the end, it’s key to remember that no matter who your guest is, you should always start with your content and the value that person will bring to your audience. No matter the niche, what podcasters and listeners are after is valuable content.