042 Where to Find Podcast Guests 🔍
Here are some clever strategies for finding podcast guests who actually make sense for your audience, not just anyone with a mic and an internet connection 😉
Ideas Discussed This Episode + Episode Timecodes:
00:00 - Guesting meets Hunger Games? Almost.
00:15 - A quick recap: Do you even need guests?
00:44 - Knowing your audience before picking your guests.
01:51 - Where to find potential guests (VIC Podcasters groups, Podchaser, and more).
04:02 - How to pitch like a pro (and what not to say).
05:43 - Final tips: Build a wishlist, always be listening.
Where to Find Podcast Guests 🔍
Struggling to find podcast guests who truly fit your vibe? Find where to look, how to pitch, and how to stand out without sounding spammy and turning off your loyal fans 🤢
Guest hunting isn’t about scoring a celebrity (even if the TikTok algorithms make it feel that way). It’s about finding people your audience actually care about. Folks who share your niche, your vibe, or even your community. Think collaborators not competition 👑 Start by knowing your listeners/watchers inside out, then use communities like VIC Podcasters to connect with voices that match. Not everyone is the right fit, but you can find the ones that are.
Generic callouts get ignored by most, so your podcast pitch game needs to be strong. Think specific, focused, kind, and clear 💡 Who you are, what your podcast is about, what’s in it for your combined audiences, and what’s in it for the guest. Personalised pitches (even if you use a template for most of it still) make all the difference. Some templates can help, but they need your unique flair to really land.
📚 Episodes You’ll Love:
EP22 Admitting You Ghosted Them
A candid chat on what to do when a guest doesn’t show, or you pull a disappearing act. And how to handle it with integrity and planning
EP24 Winning Back Your Listeners (Without Begging)
While focusing on audience engagement, this episode also highlights how reconnecting with past guests can revive your show and strengthen your community .
EP38 Unusual Ways to Monetise Your Sound
Explores creative income streams, like live events and partnerships. That often involve collaborators or guest appearances, offering fresh angles for your guest strategy
Finallly, treat your guest wish list like a vision board. Keep your ears open across LinkedIn, podcast directories, and even radio, anywhere someone’s sharing ideas your people will love. Ready to pitch but need a hand? Reach out to Zoë Wood of the Video Confidence Coach the host of VIC Podcasters. Head to vcc.training to find tools that can help you pitch your podcasts.
TIME FOR A QUICK QUIZ 🤓
What’s a must-include when pitching a guest?
A) Your favourite emoji
B) Random fun facts
C) Why it benefits them
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Answer: C) Why it benefits them - We’re all in it for ourselves. Appeal to that and you’re in ;😉
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[00:00:00:00 - 00:00:02:05]
Let the hunting of the guests begin.
[00:00:04:20 - 00:00:07:08]
I've never actually seen Hunger Games. I imagine that's how it works.
[00:00:15:13 - 00:00:39:23]
You're listening to the Victorian Podcasters podcast. Your bite size slice of podcasting know how. We're all about connecting Victorian podcasters, newbies, pros and the "I'm gonna" crowd. We'll put your money where your mouth is and join our emailing list and Facebook and LinkedIn groups for exclusive updates, resources and our community Q&A because podcasting doesn't have to be a solo gig. The Podcasters is proudly produced on Waterrung Land.
[00:00:44:03 - 00:01:50:00]
This is the third episode of a three episode series that we're doing about podcast guesting. Sorry about getting not necessarily you guesting, but you finding podcast guests for your podcast. Last time we talked about do you even need guests at all? And of course, the answer is depends because it always is. But today we're going to be talking about where to even find great guests. So you've made the decision to have guests in your podcast or maybe even be one of the people that you can be another guest on another podcast to help grow your community and grow your audience from like minded people and also people that are loving the same passions that you do in your podcasting. Let's start off with finding the right ones. So first of all, ultimately, you need to know your audience. You need to know who are your listeners and you need to know who they care about and why they care about these people or other people that they listen to in the sphere of interest that has to do with your podcast. What can any opportunities that you have to maybe get a guest on your podcast will have them perk up also can help your SEO and analytics. But ultimately, what are people that are in your sphere of inference
[00:01:51:01 - 00:03:59:05]
that are in your niche, but are not famous? Who are on your level or maybe just above your level that you can podcast guests with to help grow your influence? They don't need to be a celebrity, mind you. They can just be someone helpful. And also, hopefully someone who also has a podcast that definitely helps. And it's OK if the guest doesn't have a podcast either. They just need to know how to work around or work with a podcast. So first off, where to even begin looking for these people. So you can start off by checking out the VIC podcasters groups on Facebook or LinkedIn. Again, that's a little bit of a plug of mine, but making sure. But why not check out the community that's full of talent to begin with and then work from there? You can also use other LinkedIn and Facebook groups that are of varying different degrees that are, again, with niches that maybe have to do with podcasting and your niche, or maybe just podcasting in general and then doing posts for calling out for folks asking for either relevant connections or people who want to talk about a specific topic. Give some not necessarily just a general call out to people saying, hey, I want anyone to be a guest in my podcast. You already know what your audience wants or who your audience may want. So being able to put some guardrails in, especially when you're doing call outs in these groups will definitely help you get the right people on board. And what you can also do, you can also use tools like PodChaser to check out other podcasts that are in your genre, where the guests are there and are likely the right fit. And what you can also do is see what other people have guested on, saying multiple podcasts within that niche or within that genre. And then from there, you can see about asking them to be on your podcast. So maybe give you a little bit of a halo effect, as it were. And a halo effect being something that they bring you in under their guise of expertise and knowledge because you are associated with them. (Music) Vic Podcasters, I'm pausing your podcasting experience to let you know that I have my own podcast, The Unborring Your Brand Podcast. So if you have a personal brand or you are a small business owner who wants to leverage their personal brand without the boring stuff, follow me on Unborring Your Brand Podcast. Check out the one by the video confidence coach. Bye.
[00:04:02:08 - 00:05:39:12]
So now you found the groups, you found the platforms, you found these places where you can find great guests and you maybe even have a couple in mind. You may not get these guests, but you can get people like them. Now it's time to make the ask. Do make sure that you are clear, you are polite and you are concise with your messaging when pitching either people individually or doing call outs, asking for people to submit to you who you are and what your pod is and what's in for them. Who you are, what is your pod about and what's in it for the guest. Make sure you personalize your pitch, making sure that you actually shout out saying I loved these episodes that you were on or I loved your episode of your podcast instead of just saying like, hey, you're up the most generic text ever. You if you're unsure of what these messages could be, you can use templates but making sure that you tweak them for every single pitch or invite that you or blast that you ask of people. Oh, look at that. We already have a template that you could use straight away and start getting guests in your podcast or start guesting on other people's podcasts without Pitch Perfect guest email template pack. Make sure to check out the link in the show notes or check out the link in the description to download yours today. When it comes to finding guests, always be listening. Note that good voices and expertise and maybe thought leaders in your space may not be where you think they should be. They may be on LinkedIn or Facebook lives. They may be on the radio. Why not build a guest wish list? So you're able to help think of the people that may be the right fit for you. And if you get an opportunity to bring them onto your podcast or for you to be on their podcast as a guest, you'll be able to have the list ready to go.
[00:05:43:17 - 00:06:17:02]
That's it for this week's episode. Tune in next week for more tips, updates and the occasional pun. Good ideas, buzzing? Excellent. Head to the show notes in this episode for details that you'll need to dive deeper into Victoria's podcasting community. The VIG podcasters would like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Watarung people of the Kulin nation, the traditional custodians on the land on which we work, live and play. We pay our respects to our elders past and present. We stand with the traditional custodians in these lands and working towards a more equal future. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land. And hey, don't forget, podcasting is better with mates.
The above episode description and transcript were generated with human knowledge + ai.
Photograph of 4 members of VIC Podcasters who met up in Geelong.
Who are VIC Podcasters?
VIC Podcasters—where Victorian podcasters connect, collaborate, and grow!
Podcasting doesn’t have to be a solo gig, and that’s why VIC Podcasters exists. Whether you're a seasoned pro, a hobbyist, or still planning your first episode, our community is here to support you. Join us for free on Facebook, LinkedIn, and our mailing list for exclusive opportunities, industry updates, and a place to swap ideas with fellow podcasters.
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Zoë Wood of the Video Confidence Coach coaching a client on camera.
Who is your Host?
Feeling stuck trying to build a personal brand that actually turns heads? Women and non-binary super-stars deserve more than just a cookie-cutter approach to their worries. The Video Confidence Coach untangles your marketing mayhem, helping you own the camera, craft killer video strategies, and connect with your audience like never before. You’ll leave with the tools to show up, stand out, and smash your goals.
Find out more about how to grow your personal brand with the power of video right here on vcc.training
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