How to Pitch a Podcast in 2024 [Podcast Pitch Examples + Template]

By Intelligent Relations Team

December 23, 2022

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Podcasts have hit the mainstream. Studies estimate that 464.7 million people globally were listening to podcasts by the end of 2023. That’s expected to hit half a billion in 2024.  

While not every podcast has the reach of the Joe Rogan Experience, there are many niche podcasts within every industry. And these podcasts have a huge influence on their audiences.

So, it’s not surprising that podcast guest appearances have become a key aspect of many brands’ and businesses’ PR and marketing strategies. 

But knowing how to pitch a podcast and actually get noticed is a bit tricky.

Well, the simple solution is to copy podcast pitch strategies that work and make adjustments to fit your circumstances.

And that’s what this article is about. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• How to Pitch a Podcast
• How to Write a Podcast Pitch
• Successful Podcast Pitch Examples
• Podcast Pitch Template
• Managing Podcast Outreach
• Podcast Trends 2024

How to Pitch a Podcast – The Approach

You’ve decide that you want to pitch a podcast. Fantastic! But what’s next?

Podcast pitching isn’t all that different from other types of media pitching, but there are some nuances.

So, knowing how to pitch a podcast is the important next step after deciding that your brand or business would benefit from being on a podcast.

Here are the key elements to keep in mind when deciding how to pitch a podcast:

1. Define Your Objectives – What are you trying to achieve?
2. Do Your Research – Who are you going to pitch and why?
3. Don’t Write a Sales Pitch – How can I turn my product into a narrative?
4. Set Realistic Goals – Which podcasts are low hanging fruit and which are aspirational?

Now that you know the basics of how to pitch a podcast, let’s go into more detail.

1. Define Your Objectives

What are you trying to achieve by getting yourself or others to appear as guests on podcasts?

This often falls into one or more of the following categories: 

• Promote a Product 
• Build Thought Leadership 
• Develop an Industry Narrative
• Increase Exposure 
• Earn Backlinks   
• Build Relationships with the Media

Let’s use Intelligent Relations as an example – the Chief Marketing Officer wants to build the CEO’s thought leadership credentials within the PR industry.

That’s a clear objective, enabling IR’s PR experts to write appropriate podcast pitches and target the right types of podcasts. For instance, we could write a pitch in which the CEO wants to discuss the impact of AI on the PR industry and how this will impact traditional PR agencies.

2. Do Your Research  

Before you start writing and emailing your podcast pitch to hosts, research the podcasts.

You’ll want to go by topic or industry.

Referring to our previous example, we would look for podcasts aimed at the PR industry.

This research serves several purposes. It’ll enable you to build a list of target podcasts, as well as give you an idea of the types of topics that these podcasts discuss, which you can find in the show notes.

Streaming platforms such as Spotify and iTunes are a good place to start.

Even better are specialist podcast search engines, such as Podchaser and Listen Notes.

Pro Tip: Look for podcasts that frequently mention guest names in their show notes, as opposed to those that rarely, if ever, mention guests.

3. Don’t Write a Sales Pitch

It’s not the job of a podcast to promote your product. Unless you’re paying for it. You don’t want to pitch your product directly, like you would a target customer. 

Knowing how to pitch a podcast is about knowing to create a broader narrative and talking points that the podcast’s audience will find interesting and entertaining. 

The key thing here is the concept of storytelling.

For example, let’s say you do want to talk about your product.

Then a good choice is to unpack the origin story of how your product or company came to be. Next, think about the hurdles or adversities you overcame. Think of what might be inspiring to other business owners or consumers.

Another great way to come at this is to reference something that’s in the news and offer yourself or the person you’re pitching as a thought leader on the subject. Someone who can provide a fresh perspective on the story. 

Referring again to our IR example, AI language models such as ChatGPT have generated huge amounts of media coverage. Using that as the basis for a podcast pitch, we offer our CEO as a thought leader who discusses how this will impact the PR industry.

Learn more about the power of thought leadership here: Unlocking the power of Thought Leadership Marketing (Benefits + Best Practices)

4. Set Realistic Goals

Appearing on a top-tier podcast with millions of listeners is just as hard as getting featured in a top-tier newspaper or TV show. Therefore set realistic goals for yourself or your boss.

If you don’t have much media coverage, then smaller podcasts that focus on your specific industry are a good place to start.

Pro Tip: Although small podcasts don’t have a huge reach, you’ll often find that their audiences are highly engaged. It’s the same concept as reaching out to micro-influencers. While their audiences are smaller, they are more targeted. Look for podcasts that reach your exact target audience.

How to Write a Podcast Pitch

When writing a podcast pitch, you’ll want to keep it under 200 words. Think of it as the trailer rather than the movie. Let’s start with the subject line.

Catchy and concise is the way to go with subject lines. Prominent podcasts are inundated with pitch emails every day. If your subject line is generic or too long, it may as well be invisible.

Make it crystal clear in the email subject line that you’re pitching for someone to appear as a guest on the podcast. 

Then include a short summary of what the person plans to talk about. We use this podcast pitch template at Intelligent Relations:

“Guest Rec: [Pitch title]”

Open the email with a short introduction saying how much you enjoy their podcast. If you’re only pitching to a small number of podcasts you could go one step further and personalize each email by calling out some recent episodes. 

Next, introduce the person you are pitching. Link to their LinkedIn profile and explain in one or two sentences why they would make a great guest.

Focus on their experience and expertise and how this relates to the podcast’s audience. 

Pro tip: Podcasts hosts and producers will want to hear how you or the person you’re pitching sounds. So, include links to any previous podcasts, webinars, YouTube videos, or any other relevant recordings you have.   

After the introduction, provide a list of the talking points you or the person you’re pitching can discuss on the podcast. These can be evergreen topics or things that are topical and currently in the news. 

Finally, provide social proof of the person you’re pitching.

Social proof is proof of an individual’s expertise. It includes things like links to previous media coverage, highlights of an impressive resume, or a large social media following.

Successful Podcast Pitch Examples

Podcast Pitch Example 1

Here’s a podcast pitch we wrote and sent to cybersecurity podcasts on behalf of a client. We honed in on a timely topic that generated a lot of news and offered our client up as an expert on the subject. 

Podcast Pitch Example 2

In this podcast pitch example, we pitched an evergreen topic to institutional investor podcasts, offering up our client to discuss a topic that’s of interest to many people in the industry. 

Podcast Pitch Template

Hi {first name},

I’ve recently come across the {{podcast name}} podcast and really enjoyed listening to your insights on [subject]. 

If interested, I have a guest suggestion for your podcast who I thought could be a really good fit. His/her/their name is [name] and [1 to 2 sentence bio]. 

[Name] would love to discuss [summary of overall topic]. Specifically, [name] can unpack the following talking points on your podcast:

• [Talking point 1]
• [Talking point 2]
• [Talking point 3]
• [Talking point 4]
• [Etc]

[Name] is an expert on [topic] and has recently been featured in [link to media coverage] and [link to media coverage]. Also, here’s a link to a recent podcast he/she/they appeared on so you can hear [name]’s presentation style. 

Let me know what you think. I’ll be happy to make an intro to [name] if you would like to have an informal chat.

Thanks for your time.

Best

Managing Podcast Outreach – The Final Steps of How to Pitch a Podcast

Once you’ve written your podcast pitch, you need to start sending it to target podcasts. The size of your target list will vary depending on the industry and objectives.

However, a useful yardstick is our podcast pitching success rate at Intelligent Relations, which is roughly one successful podcast pitch out of every 15-20 pitch emails.

In terms of what email addresses you should use, check each podcast website. Some will provide you with a specific email address to send pitches to, while others will just have a generic email address.

Pro tip: Always send a follow-up email if you don’t get a response to your original email. Send the follow-up email five to seven days later. But leave it at that and don’t send any further follow-ups. You don’t need to do a full drip campaign for a podcast pitch.

Once you start receiving positive replies, the usual next step is to have a discovery call with the podcast host. This isn’t the actual podcast recording, it’s just an informal chat so the host can get to know you and discuss your talking points.

If they like what they hear, then the final step will be to set up a date to record the episode.

Exploring Current Trends in Podcasts and Podcast Pitching

Podcasts are thriving as a versatile and engaging platform.

As of 2024, several noteworthy trends have emerged, reshaping the podcasting sphere and influencing the way content creators approach how to pitch a podcast.

1. Diversification of Genres

Podcasts are no longer confined to traditional genres. The industry has witnessed a surge in niche-specific content, catering to diverse interests and communities. 

A broad reach becomes less important as niche topics and sub-genres lead to more targeted audiences and higher listener engagement.

2. Interactive and Immersive Experiences

The demand for interactive and immersive podcast experiences is on the rise. Creators are experimenting with augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other interactive elements to enhance listener engagement. 

This trend signals a shift towards more dynamic and participatory content, which helps guests better convey valuable insights and connect with their audience.

3. Monetization Strategies

With the podcasting industry maturing, content creators are exploring innovative monetization strategies beyond traditional advertising. Subscription models, exclusive content behind paywalls, and direct listener support through platforms like Patreon are becoming preferred payment methods. 

The level of listener funding a podcast receives indicates listener engagement and loyalty, which is a helpful consideration when creating a podcast pitch.

4. Emergence of Short-form Content

Short-form podcasts, also known as microcasts or minicasts, are gaining traction. In response to listeners’ time constraints, creators are developing concise, focused episodes that deliver valuable content in a shorter time frame. 

If you’re short on time, or pitching a busy CEO, the under-five-minute format offers an effective platform for communicating condensed expertise. This trend aligns with the growing preference for quick, digestible information.

5. Global Collaboration and Cross-Promotion

Podcasters are recognizing the benefits of collaborating across borders and genres. Global collaboration and cross-promotion are fostering a sense of community within the podcasting world, enabling creators to tap into diverse audiences and broaden their reach.

6. Data-Driven Insights in Podcast Pitching

Podcast pitching has become more sophisticated with the integration of data-driven insights.

Creators and advertisers leverage analytics to understand listener behavior, demographics, and engagement patterns. This data-driven approach enhances the effectiveness of a podcast pitch and advertising strategies.

7. Inclusivity and Diversity

The industry is placing a stronger emphasis on inclusivity and diversity, both in content creation and representation. With roughly 4.3 million registered podcasts in the world, the industry has definitely grown to amplify underrepresented voices, share diverse stories, and create spaces that reflect the richness of global perspectives.

8. Technology Integration

Advancements in technology are reshaping podcast production and consumption. Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used for content discovery, personalized recommendations, and even automated transcription services, enhancing accessibility and user experience.

Pro Tip: As the podcasting landscape continues to evolve, emerging trends will inform your podcast pitch strategy. Whether you’re trying to reach a large audience or communicate niche industry insights, keeping your fingers on the pulse of podcasts is an essential ingredient in how to pitch a podcast.

Want to learn more about AI thought leadership? Check out our article: AI Thought Leadership: The Minds Shaping the Future [2024 Trends + Examples]

Key Takeaways 

The most important thing to remember when thinking about how to pitch a podcast is that you need to focus on telling a story in your podcast pitch. Don’t just pitch your product. Think about how you can educate, entertain, or inform a podcast’s audience. 

Be sure to demonstrate how you’ll do this in your podcast pitch, and you’ll be one step closer to securing guest appearances on your desired podcasts.

Struggling to come up with a podcast pitch idea? Not sure which podcasts to pitch? Let us help! Simply book a free consultation with us to get expert guidance on how to pitch a podcast and get results.