Leveraging Podcasts for Brand Growth: A Methodical Approach

Finding podcast opportunities can be a strategic way to share your expertise, build your personal brand, and reach new audiences. To achieve the greatest outcome, you will be well served by using a very strategic process rather than a hit and miss approach.

Think of podcast interviews as a way to showcase yourself to potentially hundreds, even thousands of people eager to hear what you have to say.

If you're looking for ways to identify where your peers or competitors are appearing to help guide your own path, the following steps will provide a comprehensive process to achieve this goal.

Step 1: Identify Your Competitors/Peers

Start by identifying who your peers or competitors are in your space. These should be individuals who share a similar audience or market to your own. Make a list of these individuals for reference. Keep a running list of experts who have the same market as you. This one step is critical to successful implementing this next steps.

Step 2: Conduct a Web Search

A search on any of the popular search engines will give you ample information about the person(s). Enter their names followed by "podcast" to find podcasts they've appeared on. Browse through the search results and note down the podcast names.

Step 3: Look on Social Media

Social media platforms can be a treasure trove of information. Check the profiles of your competitors or peers. They often share their interviews or guest appearances. Platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook can be particularly useful for this. Again, as in the previous steps, jot down this information. To stay organized consider adding your findings to a spreadsheet.

Step 4: Explore their Websites

Visit the websites of the individuals you're researching. They often have a "Media" or "Press" section where they list their guest appearances. A well-developed media section will likely have a collection of articles, interviews, and other media coverage of the company or organization.

Step 5: Check on Podcast Platforms

You can also directly search on podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc. Use the search feature and type in the names of your peers or competitors. Add your findings to the spreadsheet.

Step 6: Use a Podcast Search Engine

Use podcast search engines like Listen Notes. These engines allow you to search for a specific person and show you all the podcasts where they've appeared.

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Podchaser and TuneIn are very popular. These podcast search engines offer a vast library of podcasts across various genres, including news, comedy, true crime, education, and more, making it easy for you to find and listen to your favorite shows.

Step 7: Compile Your List

Compile a list of all the podcasts where these individuals have appeared. Note down the name of the podcast, the host, and any contact information you can find. Check for duplicates to avoid doubling your efforts.

Step 8: Research Each Podcast

Look at each podcast individually. Consider their audience, the kind of topics they cover, and their overall tone and style. You want to ensure that it aligns with your message and your brand.

Step 9: Prioritize Your Opportunities

Prioritize your list based on which podcasts are the best fit for your message, reach the right audience, and have a high level of engagement.

Step 10: Craft Your Pitch

Once you have your list, it's time to start reaching out. Craft a compelling pitch that clearly communicates who you are, what you have to offer, and why you would be a great fit for their podcast. Included in your pitch could be a link to your expert one sheet. An expert one sheet is a one-page document that showcases an individual's expertise, credentials, and experience. A one-sheet conveys a level of professionalism that indicates to hosts that you take podcast interview opportunities seriously.

Step 11: Follow Up

If you don't hear back within a week or two, don't hesitate to follow up. It's possible your initial message got lost or overlooked. It's also possible your initial email may have gone into the spam or junk folder.

It's amazing how often I advise people to not let radio silence from a host indicate they don't want to hear from you. Again it could indicate they never received your initial message.

Remember, finding podcast opportunities is a process. It may take time, but by following these steps, you can effectively identify where your peers and competitors are appearing and use that information to guide your own podcast outreach.

Escalate Your Influence 

When you appear on podcast shows as a part of your overall visibility strategy, you escalate your visibility and influence. To achieve optimal results it takes more than one show appearance. This should be an ongoing process.

To go deeper into this process, get the Influencer Guide. CLICK HERE to access FREE.