Benefits of being a podcast guest (and what to do before you book)
Podcasting can offer incredible opportunities for small business owners looking to develop more authentic relationships with their current audience and get in front of new audiences.
It’s a low-cost medium with millions of engaged listeners, and is predicted to continue to grow.
Even if you don’t have the capacity to start your own podcast, you can still take advantage of these opportunities by being a guest, as long as the show is aligned with your business and exposure goals.
Here are some of the benefits of being a podcast guest, and a few things to consider before appearing as one.
Benefits of being a podcast guest
Expand your reach
Whenever you can collaborate with another creator or business owner to promote the work you do, you’re creating opportunities to get in front of new audiences (and potential new customers).
It’s why networking works so well, why companies work with influencers, and why I’ve also recommended guest blogging for greater exposure.
Whereas previously small businesses often struggled to be seen and heard because of the costs required to purchase ads or media coverage, the emergence of platforms like podcasting have made it easier than ever to expand your reach.
The median podcast has approximately 29 downloads per episode, with the top 1% garnering about 3,896 downloads per episode.
And when you can share your message with these listeners, you have the chance to transfer this audience to your own platforms, getting them interested in the services or products you offer.
Easily demonstrate your expertise
Podcasts are relatively low production, especially if you’re a guest.
It’s simply up to you to come ready to talk about yourself and your area of expertise; something I’m sure you could be ready to do with little to no preparation at all.
And while I’m not suggesting you don’t prepare, podcasting offers a relatively low-effort form of content, with a low barrier to entry.
Instead of feeling like you need to show up completely polished, or with the perfect lighting and background, you’re able to show up as you are and simply share what you’re passionate about.
By doing so, you’re able to demonstrate your expertise easily and effectively through casual conversation with the host in a way that will likely resonate more with the audience.
Build authenticity and intimacy
In a similar sense, because less production time and editing often goes into the making of a podcast, they build a sense of intimacy and authenticity that’s unlike many other popular platforms.
Writing, video production, and most forms of social media can come with the pressure to present a polished piece of content. And while this means there’s potential for a lot of value in what’s being shared in these carefully curated media forms, it also means that there’s often a disconnect.
The “highlight reel,” so to speak, is less relatable than simply showing up as you are and sharing the behind the scenes. Additionally, too much polish can be perceived as a way to disguise a lack of value.
Podcasting lifts this curtain. While you might cut out some awkward pauses or a sneeze here and there, in general the audience is getting to hear from the real you.
They get to be a fly on the wall, listening to a conversation that they hopefully relate to and can find themselves in.
And they get to listen to you wherever they go: at the gym, in the car, or while doing laundry, which makes podcasting even more intimate.
Why is this important? Authenticity and intimacy are incredibly important factors for developing the type of trust that will convert listeners into buyers.
Increase your credibility
Whenever you’re invited as a guest on a platform, you automatically gain some credibility with that audience.
Podcast listeners generally trust the host of the show they’re listening to which is why they keep coming back.
And when you’re invited on as a guest, the host is letting their audience know they trust you enough to share your message on their platform. So, the audience will be more receptive to what you have to say on the topic too.
Improve your website SEO
The goal with content marketing is to bring eyes back to your website; your home online.
Podcast episode notes are a great place to get links back your website, and any other places you’d like to direct traffic from the podcast. This allows potential customers to learn more about you, read more of your content, and more deeply involve themselves in your world (maybe joining your email list or following you on social media).
Plus, whenever you can get other (credible) websites to link back to yours, it gives your website a little boost of authority in the eyes of search engines, which can be helpful for continuing to improve your website SEO and organic traffic.
(I spoke more about this strategy in my post on guest blogging!)
Additional content opportunities
I often hear from small business owners that they simply don’t have enough content to post about.
And while I believe that’s a myth (I have a whole training on marketing mindset), I also understand the urge to want to continue to have new content to post about.
Guest podcasting gives you fresh content to share with your audience that you don't have to produce yourself.
You can simply reshare and repurpose the content to serve your own purposes, linking it back to your offerings, or simply providing additional opportunities for your audience to learn and gain value from you.
Additional media opportunities
Guest podcasting doesn’t just allow for increased credibility among the podcast listeners themselves, but can boost your authority when it comes to potentially being featured in other podcasts, and media outlets.
So, be sure to put any podcast appearances or interviews on a media page on your website!
Prove your credibility and expertise by making these features very visible for viewers.
Show that you have experience being interviewed and that people trust you as a guest and it will be much easier to get additional coverage in the future (which means even more reach, credibility, and networking opportunities).
Considerations:
I realize that I’ve just outlined 7 really compelling reasons to put yourself on a podcast tour as a guest to serve, add value, and share what you’re passionate about.
But that doesn’t mean you should take just any opportunity to be a podcast guest.
Like any form of content marketing, I believe there needs to be an intentional strategy around how and where you show up.
Here are 4 things to consider before you say yes to a guest interview.
1. The audience
Does the listening audience of the podcast match or sufficiently overlap with your target audience?
One of the main reasons to spend your valuable time showing up on other people’s platforms is because it exposes you to potential new customers or clients.
But if you’re appearing on podcasts that don’t align with your target audience, chances are either your content won’t resonate, or the people who reach out to you afterwards aren’t the type of people you want to be working with anyways.
2. The host
Do you have a sense of rapport with the host? Have you listened to their show before? Do you generally agree on the topic you’ll be discussing or the overall approach to the podcast?
While you can of course have a difference of opinion here and there, if your viewpoints are in complete opposition to the host, it will not only make the conversation more challenging, but you likely won’t be able to connect as well with the audience either.
It’s important to ensure you’re aligned with the content of the podcast you’re appearing on so that you can show up authentically, and so the conversation flows easier.
3. The goal
Will the format and purpose of the podcast give room for you to accomplish your own goals for marketing your business? Will there be an opportunity for you to share where people can find and connect with you? Is the conversation relevant to your current offerings?
These are all important questions to ask to ensure you’ll be able to reap the benefits of appearing as a guest and sharing your expertise.
4. The message
Will you be able to share enough depth of your expertise that you can potentially generate some interest in your work?
Consider asking for an outline of questions or an idea of where the conversation will be centered before you agree to record.
Ensure the questions will highlight what you love to share and teach, so you can really capitalize on the conversation as a lead generator.
If the general message being conveyed isn’t in alignment with your current or potential future offerings, it may not be worth your time.
Final thoughts and one small exception
Being a guest on a podcast is a great way to expand your reach and add value to new audiences, which are important goals in content marketing.
But, like any new marketing endeavor, this strategy will still take some time and effort (pitching yourself, connecting with the host, scheduling the interview, having the actual conversation and then promoting it afterwards).
So, before you start throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks, take some time to consider if this will truly be a beneficial way for you to grow your business.
If it is, great! Develop an intentional strategy around podcasting based on the time and resources you can commit to this.
If it’s not, there are a number of other platforms you can be showing up on and marketing strategies you can be testing. So don’t waste your energy on something that isn’t going to give you the response you want.
Here’s one wee exception for you: If you don’t want to start a podcast but you’d love to start making media appearances and want easy content to share with your audience, it may be worth it to jump in even if the audience isn’t full of your people. That’s the only exception and it’s entirely dependent on your goals.
Now, will you be putting yourself on a podcast tour? Let me know! I’m in the process of recording episodes of my own podcast, Small But Mighty Biz Stories, for the new year and would love to hear from you.