You’ve considered blogging. You’ve somewhat started thinking about SEO. You might have even started your own podcast…

But there’s one visibility tool you might be ignoring—one that puts you in front of warm audiences, builds your authority instantly, and creates networking opportunities that don’t feel like a cold DM.

It’s podcast guesting.

Let’s break down how to use podcast guesting as a strategic growth tool—how to pitch yourself, choose the right speaking topics, and actually find aligned shows to guest on (without being spammy or awkward).

Hi! This post is a guest post by Candace Dudley. Candace is a podcast guesting coach and the host of the Podcasting Mentor: Better Brave podcast. She helps entrepreneurs grow their visbility and authority through strategic podcast guesting that aligns with their offers and energy!

(psst….podcast guesting is a great way to build better backlinks, increase your domain authority, and improve your overall SEO—which is why I invited her to write this post. Hope this helps!)

Why Podcast Guesting Works (and Why It’s So Overlooked)

Here’s the thing: showing up on someone else’s podcast gives you built-in trust. Listeners are already warm—they trust the host, and by extension, they trust you.

Benefits of guesting include:

• Instant credibility and authority
  
• An audience that’s already engaged and listening
  
• Warm leads without the constant grind of cold outreach
  
• Long-form content that keeps working for you
  
• High-quality networking that often leads to referrals and collaborations
  

And unlike social media or even your blog, podcast interviews live forever—new listeners find them months or years down the line.

Step 1: Choose Speaking Topics That Work for You

Before you pitch anyone, you need to know what you want to talk about—and it has to connect to your offers.

Start by asking yourself:

If I had to guest on a show tomorrow with zero prep, what could I talk about confidently and with passion?

Now reverse engineer from your goals:

• What freebie or offer do you want to guide people toward?
  
• What topics naturally relate to that offer?
  
• What do your dream clients need to hear before they’re ready to take the next step with you?
  

Once you’ve brainstormed a few, write them up as podcast-style titles. 

That helps the host immediately visualize where you’d fit on their show—and shows you’ve done the work.

Step 2: Pitch the Right Way (No Spam, No Scripts)

Let’s get this straight: mass emailing podcast hosts doesn’t work (just like it doesn’t work for guest blog posts, too). Hosts are overwhelmed with generic copy-paste emails—and most are sending those straight to junk.

Here’s a better approach:

• DM the host on Instagram or Threads (wherever they’re active)
  
• If you’re bold, send a voice note—this stands out in a sea of text and shows you’re real
  
• Make sure you’ve listened to their show and point out something specific that aligns with your mission or values
  
• Most Important: Lead with VALUE—what transformation or clarity will their audience walk away with?

And always include your 2–3 speaking topics written as podcast titles.

Step 3: How to Actually Find Aligned Shows

There are two ways to do this: organic and structured.

Organic Approach:

• Post your speaking topics on Threads (it’s the best platform for finding podcast hosts right now)
  
• Use search terms like “podcast guesting,” “podcast thread,” or “podcaster” to find relevant conversations
  
• Engage, comment, and connect in the replies
  
• Let people know you’re open for guesting and what your areas of expertise are

You cannot guest on podcasts if no one knows you want to guest on podcasts. 

Structured Approach:

• Start listening to smaller shows you genuinely like
  
• Look up guests they’ve had—many are also hosts
  
• Use this as a jumping-off point to find new aligned shows
  
• Use a tracker (like a simple spreadsheet) to log:
  
  • Host’s name
    
  • Show name
    
  • Contact info
    
  • Episode notes
    
  • What felt aligned or relevant

Then, reach out on a different day (so it doesn’t feel stalker-y) using the DM pitch approach above. And don’t forget to follow up.

Want to make podcast guesting even easier? Grab my $7 Podcast Guesting Bundle here!

Podcast Guesting Isn’t Just “Another” Marketing Tactic

It’s a relationship-building, authority-boosting, conversion-driving powerhouse.

It works because it’s personal. Because you’re speaking directly into someone’s ears, offering real value without shouting or selling. And for business owners burned out on the algorithm rollercoaster, it’s a strategy that supports your energy and your goals.

So if you’ve been relying on SEO alone, it might be time to amplify your voice—literally. Your next best client might just be listening (or do both, one helps the other).

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Psst… if you want to learn how to turn your new guest episodes (or even you old guest episodes) into SEO blog posts and get even more out of the content you’re creating, join TCM’s Pod to Blog Program™.