How To Find The Perfect Podcast Guests

Introduction

How can you find the perfect podcast guest? That’s a question I get asked a lot. It’s no secret that having the perfect guest will help you build your pod empire by having influential people help bring a new audience to your show.

I want to give you some insider tips on getting guests. 

These strategies have helped me build two podcasts and grow my audience to thousands of listeners and help others do the same. 

Having guests on your podcast can improve your reach and establish you as an authority in your niche. But, podcast guesting is tough — especially if you’re new or desire to connect only with high-profile guests.

Below are some tips and strategies you can use to find almost unlimited guests for your podcast.

And while virtual connections are a great way to build a list of potential guests, don’t neglect in-person networking. Where possible, attend events that interest you but also give you an opportunity to establish connections with future guests as well as potential sponsors.

Disclosure: Some links on this page contain affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links I may make a small commission. Thank you.

Ask friends and colleagues

Depending on your topic, those closest to you may be your best source of finding guests for your podcast.  

For example, a colleague who was my co-mentor for almost two years continually refers people from his community to be guests on my other podcast SoloMoms! Talk.

In addition, one of my guests was referred by my son. You never know where those guests will come from. So ask!

Ask past or current guests

Your guests can be a significant source of referrals. 

Try to connect with guests outside the interview timeframe. For example, at the very least, chat with them before or after the interview. Even if I didn’t have the time to connect with them prior to the interview, talking to them after provides an opportunity to create a connection beyond the interview.

Source Your Perfect Podcast Guest From Your Audience

Maybe members of your audience would make ideal guests. You can ask them by placing a quick request on your podcast, via email, or through your blog posts. You have a blog for your podcast, right?

It’s a good idea to create a pitch in your intro, make a pre-roll or mid-roll ad, or ask in your outro. Podcast hosts Captivate and Buzzsprout dynamic content feature allows the inserting of announcements or ads at various spots in one or more podcast episodes.

Connect with experts online for the perfect podcast guest 

Who are you dying to interview on your podcast?

It could be someone you already follow on social media. Don’t give up if they do not respond or if they say no. But don’t pester them either.

Give value by interacting with their content. 

For example, follow a potential guest on Instagram. Read their posts and leave meaningful comments. Interact with them and their followers. Again, if you have the resources, your social media virtual assistant can do this for you. If you can’t afford one full-time hire them per job from Fiverr.

This is not a quick and easy strategy to get guests. But in the long term, it could get you the guest of your dreams at best and create a pipeline of guests that will fill up your guest roster for the foreseeable future. This could also be a way to propel your podcast to the next level especially if the guests you’re pursuing promote your show to their audience.

Patience and consistency will help you reach your goal to get that perfect podcast guest.

Join podcast groups  for the perfect podcast guest

If you have the time, hang out on platforms like Facebook, Reddit, and Quora in groups that cater to your niche or your ideal guest. Your social media virtual assistant can do this for you. Under your guidance of course.

This is not a quick and easy strategy either. But by visiting each group and taking part regularly in discussions, you can garner the attention of members and group admins.  

Example: For SoloMoms! Talk I joined several single mom groups on Facebook. I didn’t ask for a guest for a long time after I joined. But I treated the groups as if I belonged. Because I do.  

Eventually, I asked the admins if I could post a request for guests. None of them refused my request. 

I’ve gotten many guests this way. So much that I usually have 4-6 months’ worth of interviews in the pipeline. But again. It takes patience and dedication.  

This is also a brilliant strategy to see what your audience is talking about. What are their needs and wants? What are their challenges? Use these insights to develop future content for your show.

In addition, podcasting groups on Facebook usually allow you to post requests for guests from your fellow podcasters. 

Remember these groups have rules on when you can post specific content. Follow the rules. Make meaningful connections. And you should be well on your way to establishing connections with the perfect guests for your show.

Join a podcast guest platform and find your perfect podcast guest

One of the fastest ways to get guests is to join a podcast platform such as Matchmaker.fm, PodcastGuest.com, and PodMatch.com.  

As an added bonus, you can earn money when join and source your guests from PodMatch.

Also, join the PodPro Community where you can meet even more guests as well as other podcast hosts looking for guests in this vibrant and rewarding community.

Again, depending on your topic you can get guests contacting you the same day you set up your profile.  

Example: In my first month on PodMatch I got nine guests who were perfect for my show. I could have had more except that I had limited availability for interviews. And remember I get paid by PodMatch to interview some of these guests.

Create a Facebook or MeetUp group 

If community engagement is your thing, create your own Facebook group and invite your audience to participate. Share meaningful content with them and encourage them to get involved.  

Maybe you can get ideas from your group members for future topics and guests. You never know how rewarding creating a Facebook group can be until you try.  

I didn’t find this strategy helpful for me because I didn’t have the time to commit to nurturing a community on Facebook. But if you are successful you will have a captive audience for the perfect podcast guest using this method.

However, I’m building a MeetUp group which I find is more rewarding for me.

BONUS: If Clubhouse is your jam, start a room and invite potential guests. 

Add a booking tool link to your podcast player 

Hosts such as Captivate.fm allow you to place links on your podcast player. You can place a link to your booking tool where potential guests can click that link and book an interview with your show. Use a free tool like Calendly to start to help your perfect podcast guest to book an interview with you.

If you use Captivate.fm as your podcast host, you will have access to their dashboard booking tool. I was ecstatic when they added this feature and canceled my $29 per-month calendar tool immediately! When coupled with PodMatch, guest matching platform Captivate.fm creates a powerful partnership to ensure you find the perfect podcast guest, they have a direct link to your booking tool, they have immediate access to your guest release, and all your guest contact information is stored in your Captivate.fm dashboard. How cool is that?

You can give your unique booking link to all potential guests and place it on guest network platforms such as PodMatch.com.

Of course, there are more methods guests can use to schedule an interview on your podcast but this is a way to show potential guests you are looking for them.

Ask other Podcasters

Besides doing episode swaps as explained above, your perfect podcast guest could come by simply ask other podcasters to be guests on your show.  This is just one more way to amass a pool of expert guests that will help you keep your content fresh. 

If you think that their content is beneficial to your audience, this may be a great way to network with other hosts.  

One added benefit is that you could expand your audience by leveraging other podcasters’ audiences. Just be sure to ask them to share the episode with their listeners. Just don’t insist on it!

Conclusion

One of the most brilliant things about having guests on your podcast is how much you as a host will learn from them. You will find that most of your interviews are like one-on-one coaching sessions with these experts. It’s amazingly brilliant!

And with a little creativity and hard work, you’re likely to be able to line up several guests for a batch of episodes. 

Is it going to be easy? Probably not—but that’s the beauty of putting yourself out there as a podcast host. You never know where your next connection will come from. 

Remember not all of your guests have to be relevant to your niche or podcast. It’s more about creating a conversation with someone who has valuable insight to share that will benefit your listeners. 

Once you’ve got some ideal guests lined up, all you have to do is make sure you have a reliable tool like Riverside.fm to record your interview. Then press record and let the magic happen.

Remember that if your podcast is interesting, you won’t have to worry about getting guests—your perfect podcast guest will come to you.

Need help starting your podcast? Information overload have you confused?  

Join my MeetUp group New West Podcasters Club where you can get answers to your questions about podcasting.

Or check out Tools of the Podcast Trade podcast for expert tips.