Audience

Lately, many of us have been figuring out how best to spend time in our new routines. Some are dusting off their podcast microphones for the first time and others are taking a diligent look at how to improve their show.

In this episode of Audience, we put a call out for your most pressing podcast questions across our Facebook group and newsletter. We wanted to use our voice to help you navigate common hurdles of making a successful podcast. And it may come as no surprise, there was a common theme. Tips on how to grow an audience continue to be on the forefront of everyone’s mind as COVID-19 affects listener stats.

Listen now for Craig’s in-depth answers to each of your questions and find the quick takeaways below.

Experimentation can be scary, especially when your podcast sees healthy engagement. But we believe trying new formats, durations, or publishing dates are worth it if you have a good reason.

Don’t produce an episode outside of your format just because you want to. Instead, ask yourself if the new elements are a more effective way to deliver the content and serve your audience better. If the answer is yes, follow these tips to give your listeners a heads up of what’s coming:

• Include a disclaimer in episodes leading up to the bonus content. Explain the new additions and give background about the change. Repeat this same disclaimer at the beginning of the bonus episode too.
• Ask your audience for feedback about the content. If they enjoyed it, this new style could become a reoccurring segment

Step one of increasing an audience size is taking a closer look at your content. Get critical feedback from current listeners by asking specific questions. Questions like, “Did you like the episode?” will only prompt responses that make it harder to take action.

Instead, ask questions like, “What did you think of my call-to-action in the last episode?” or “Was the story climax clear or heightened enough in episode 3?”.

Industry data tells us total listens across all podcasters are down. The normal places like the gym, commutes, travel, and vacations are all on hold for the time being. And unfortunately, those spaces are where many people consume podcasts. Across the board, all podcast genres are experiencing lower engagement so this is an industry-wide trend.

COVID-19 is also changing what podcasts are talking about. Some hosts have opportunities to pivot their content to trending news topics. Others can adjust course align the content with new problems their audience is now dealing with. This could mean covering how the pandemic is changing your community or covering mental health topics integral to maintaining normalcy in quarantine.

Podcast advertising is the other big portion of the industry we’re watching. In the short-term, with listener engagement dipping and brands tightening their marketing budgets, advertising revenue is subsequently lower. This is a natural result of current downward trends but we believe this is temporary. As we return to our typical routines, we expect advertising revenues to rebound and move towards previous levels.

• Jack Rhysider Talks Podcast Promotion & Darknet Diaries
• Chartable’s ongoing coverage of industry data as a result of COVID-19
• Subscribe to Audience
• Join our Facebook Group, Podcast Hackers

Lately, many of us have been figuring out how best to spend time in our new routines. Some are dusting off their podcast microphones for the first time and others are taking a diligent look at how to improve their show.

In this episode of Audience, we put a call out for your most pressing podcast questions across our Facebook group and newsletter. We wanted to use our voice to help you navigate common hurdles of making a successful podcast. And it may come as no surprise, there was a common theme. Tips on how to grow an audience continue to be on the forefront of everyone's mind as COVID-19 affects listener stats.

Listen now for Craig's in-depth answers to each of your questions and find the quick takeaways below.

Experimentation can be scary, especially when your podcast sees healthy engagement. But we believe trying new formats, durations, or publishing dates are worth it if you have a good reason.

Don't produce an episode outside of your format just because you want to. Instead, ask yourself if the new elements are a more effective way to deliver the content and serve your audience better. If the answer is yes, follow these tips to give your listeners a heads up of what's coming:

• Include a disclaimer in episodes leading up to the bonus content. Explain the new additions and give background about the change. Repeat this same disclaimer at the beginning of the bonus episode too.
• Ask your audience for feedback about the content. If they enjoyed it, this new style could become a reoccurring segment

Step one of increasing an audience size is taking a closer look at your content. Get critical feedback from current listeners by asking specific questions. Questions like, "Did you like the episode?" will only prompt responses that make it harder to take action.

Instead, ask questions like, "What did you think of my call-to-action in the last episode?" or "Was the story climax clear or heightened enough in episode 3?".

Industry data tells us total listens across all podcasters are down. The normal places like the gym, commutes, travel, and vacations are all on hold for the time being. And unfortunately, those spaces are where many people consume podcasts. Across the board, all podcast genres are experiencing lower engagement so this is an industry-wide trend.

COVID-19 is also changing what podcasts are talking about. Some hosts have opportunities to pivot their content to trending news topics. Others can adjust course align the content with new problems their audience is now dealing with. This could mean covering how the pandemic is changing your community or covering mental health topics integral to maintaining normalcy in quarantine.

Podcast advertising is the other big portion of the industry we're watching. In the short-term, with listener engagement dipping and brands tightening their marketing budgets, advertising revenue is subsequently lower. This is a natural result of current downward trends but we believe this is temporary. As we return to our typical routines, we expect advertising revenues to rebound and move towards previous levels.

• Jack Rhysider Talks Podcast Promotion & Darknet Diaries
• Chartable's ongoing coverage of industry data as a result of COVID-19
• Subscribe to Audience
• Join our Facebook Group, Podcast Hackers

Edison Research and Triton Digital released their podcast statistics and digital media consumption in March 2020. This presentation was slightly different as we globally navigate the Covid-19 landscape and what that means for content creators.

In this episode of Audience, we’re recapping the most relevant consumption data for podcasters and how to take advantage of what’s to come. The podcasting industry is still in its infancy with plenty of room to grow. For those currently producing a show or deciding when to get started, use these podcast statistics to position yourself for success.

If you’re starting a new podcast or running into unforeseen issues with remote production setups, drop your questions in the comments here or tweet us @CastosHQ. We’ll answer all of your questions on the next episode of Audience.

Edison Research and Triton Digital surveyed 1,500 randomly sampled people from the United States. The questions focused on a person’s digital media consumption habits and awareness of media brands. The following results are an opportunity for podcasters to take stock of their show and strategize how to increase their listenership.

But before jumping into the most recent statistics, we’ll start with the elephant in the room. Amid Covid-19, our routines and habits have changed dramatically. In the short term this means downloads may decrease across multiple podcast genres. While news and talk show are being prioritized now, these audio trends will predict our consumption behaviors when we’re back to the new normal.

The following data highlights the digital media and audio habits of Americans as of March 2020. Separated into smart speaker, social media, and online audio categories, these trends are shaping our current landscape. All reference data can be found inside The Infinite Dial March 2020 presentation.

• 27% of Americans own a smart speaker or 76 million people. This is a 4% increase compared to 2019.
• Between Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomePod, Alexa is the most popular smart speaker. With 21% of smart speaker owners use Amazon Alexa.
• 55% of the people who own smart speakers own 2+ devices.

Alexa is king of smart speaker world. Submit your podcast to TuneIn so listeners can access your show on their smart speaker. Then use AnyPod to customize the Alexa skill users can use to launch your show.

• Facebook usage has remained relatively constant since 2018. But it is still the most popular platform with 54% of people using it most often.
• For users 34 and under, Instagram is the second most often used social media app. For those older than 35, Facebook continues to be their platform of choice.
• TikTok entered the market with 25% of users 34 and under using the platform.
• 29% of people under 34 use WhatsApp to stay connected, compared to 23% last year.

• Users 35 and older had the biggest increase in online audio consumption. Their preferred platforms are Pandora and Spotify.
• 155 million people, or 55% of the population, have listened to a podcast. But 75% of Americans are aware of the medium.
• 9% more users who are 35 and older listen to podcasts monthly.
• 7% more women are monthly podcast listeners, compared to a 3% increase in male listeners.
• On average, users spent 6:39 hours per week listening to podcasts. This figure has remained flat since 2018.

Spotify’s prominence for online audio consumption can’t be overstated. Make sure your show is available on their platform by following these podcast submission instructions.

And don’t forget about Pandora. They started streaming podcasts in November 2019. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to submit a podcast to their platform too.

It’s always a good idea to use data to inform strategy pivots or before launching a new show. Based on the latest Infinite Dial findings, our team put together a few predictions and opportunities around where the biggest advantages are.

Over half of smart speaker owners now have more than two devices in their homes. Users consume different content across each device depending on which room its located and what time of day it is.

With these new listening patterns, there’s an opportunity to create podcasts specific to an environment. For example, as people head to bed they’ll ask Alexa to turn on their favorite meditation podcast. But when they’re prepping dinner, they’ll ask the smart speaker in the kitchen to play Bon Appétit’s Foodcast.

We encourage podcasters to think about how and when people move throughout their homes. How can your podcast complement each environment and a listener’s content needs.

Though Facebook usage has flatlined for this demographic, Instagram and TikTok are having a moment. For both platforms, video content is consumed more than other post types.

If your podcast’s ideal listener falls into this age group, start prioritizing these platforms within a promotional strategy. Test out audiograms or video podcasting to put your show in front of your target demographic.

Castos is integrated with Headliner, one of the most popular audiogram makers. Automatically create custom video assets directly from your Castos dashboard to make your podcast standout.

Right now, Facebook groups dominate the space of allowing hosts to directly engage with their listeners. But people under 30 are now adopting WhatsApp as a new platform for group chats.

WhatsApp is a global communication app that’s more intimate and high touch than other mediums. At a time when many are craving personal connections, podcasters should consider WhatsApp groups as a new way to open up direct lines of communication with their listeners.

Another bonus, WhatsApp is a mobile-first app which is likely where your audience is already consuming your podcast. No need to switch between multiple devices and users can chime into the conversation while they listen along to the latest episode.

With the increase in female listenership in 2020, there’s an opportunity to connect with this traditionally under served demographic. Female hosted shows and podcasts that focus on their needs, problems, and content preferences have an opportunity to do well.

With audiences spending just over six hours a week consuming podcasts, there is a finite number of minutes to go around. Our previous Audience guest, Jack Rhysider, highlighted this trend when saying people only tune into great podcasts. Good shows won’t make it into a listener’s rotation because they’re prioritizing great content.

We recognize the difficulty in increasing the total time people spend with podcasts per week. With other audio and video content to compete with and only 24 hours in the day, this is the harder statistic to increase. What’s more realistic is increasing the total number of podcast listeners in general.

To do this, the onus is on us. The podcasters, hosting platforms, listening apps, and audience members. Together let’s educate the uninitiated and promote the benefits of the medium to as many people as possible. As total listenership increases, so will the total number of listeners for your show and ours.

• Watch the full Infinite Dial presentation webinar
• TikTok
• WhatsApp
• How To Submit A Podcast To Spotify
• How To Submit A Podcast To TuneIn & AnyPod
• How To Submit A Podcast To Pandora
• How To Submit A Podcast To iHeartRadio
• Subscribe to Audience

As listeners and podcast producers, we’re always on the hunt for shows that help us improve in some aspect of our lives. The best educational podcasts fill the void with episodes about entrepreneurship, language learning practice, and even philosophical debates.

When Craig sat down with Kevan Lee from Buffer, he didn’t plan on digging deeper into how Buffer creates their educational podcasts. But after hearing about their unique process and transition into scripted episodes, we had to know more.

This week on Audience, we’re talking about a popular podcast topic and category–educational podcasts. These podcast’s formats take many forms but one thing remains constant. The audience is there to learn something and they need actionable steps to get started.

Listen to our interview with Kevan to find out how Buffer produces their show then read on to discover 10 of the best educational podcasts out there.

The best educational podcasts tackle a theme or niche topic and analyze it down to its basic points. These shows are popular because podcasts are a great way to learn new skills from experts. They also help audiences access more information about a specific interest that may be too complicated to understand via other mediums.

For example, there is a community interested in learning about how to save and invest for retirement. But it takes time to research and understand complex financial topic from articles around the internet. Instead, people listen to Money For The Rest of Us. The host, David Stein, previously managed billions of dollars and is there to guide his listeners through a variety of financial topics. His goal is to help people become more confident investors and take control of their financial futures.

For individual hosts, like David Stein, educational podcasts offer an opportunity to become an industry authority. He published a book in 2019, curates a weekly newsletter, and speaks at live events due to his podcast’s success. For aspiring podcasters, if you’re interested in educating others about a topic or skill then this podcast format is for you.

In the same vein, brands like Buffer are producing educational podcasts that weave in their products with actionable information. Buffer’s team is an expert on all things social media so they’re able teach listeners about industry best practices and how their tool can help. Brands producing educational podcasts offer more value to their customers, helping them refine a skillset along the way.

We weren’t shocked to hear about Buffer’s transition from an interview-based podcast to a scripted show because their written content is the pinnacle B2B of content marketing. Recording an educational podcast based off their high performing blog content sounded like a no-brainer. But it took some trial and error from them to get there.

The Science of Social Media started as an interview-style show where 3 different hosts would rotate through interviewing industry experts. But they found it was difficult to have a unique perspective in a sea of similar educational podcasts that were speaking with the same people. So they pivoted into talking about “the how” behind trending industry practices so listeners could learn how to set up their own social media campaigns effectively.

Now the podcast is hosted by two of Buffer’s team members and they follow a script to ensure they drive home the takeaways. No more than 15-20 minutes long, they aim to make everything sound conversational but the end goal is provide as much knowledge as possible within the show’s run time.

Scripting the show based off blog posts took some effort to get it right. Kevan’s main learning points included:

1. Include some conversational cues so the hosts knew to add short anecdotes or humor to keep things light.
2. Remove all commas from the script. Speaking something out loud has different natural pauses compared to reading it.
3. Practice the script as a group to make it sound as conversational as possible.
4. Keep an eye on word counts. For a 15-20 minute episode, Buffer looks for 2,000 word articles. If pieces are too long, they cut sections out but make sure everything still flows.
5. Chuck the blog post into sections so topics flow and the audience has the relevant information to understand the subsequent topic.
6. Remember to add in filler words and transitions so hosts can naturally pass the conversation back and forth.
7. Spell out acronyms and rehearse difficult to pronounce words and names.
8. When important visuals appear within the blog post, get detailed in how you describe it audibly. You want the audience to be able to recreate the action on their own while listening.

Many of us are on the hunt for ways to improve our lives and learning new skills is one part of that journey. We gathered the ten best educational podcasts that will help you learn something new. These shows follow different formats and cover a variety of topics so there’s something for everyone!

1. Overheard at National Geographic: “Each week we’ll dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations we’ve overheard around National Geographic’s headquarters. You’ll be introduced to the explorers, photographers and scientists at the edges of our big, bizarre, and beautiful world.”
2. WorkLife by TED: “Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to explore the science of making work not suck. From learning how to love criticism to harnessing the power of frustration, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again.”
3. Life Kit by NPR: “Everyone needs a little help being human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, we talk to the experts to get the best advice out there. Life Kit is here to help you get it together.”
4. You’re Wrong About: “Mike and Sarah are journalists obsessed with the past. Every where they reconsider an event or person or trend that’s been miscast in the public imagination.”
5. How to Money: “Best friends Joel and Matt believe that when you handle your money in a purposeful, thoughtful way that works for your lifestyle, you can really start living a rich life.”
6. The Pitch: “Listen as real entrepreneurs pitch real investors–for real money.”
7. This Podcast Will Kill You: Each episode tackles a different disease, from its history to its biology, and finally how scared you need to be.”
8. Coffee Break: “Learn one of seven languages, including Enlgihs, Spanish, French, and more, on the go.”
9. Houston, We Have a Podcast: “We bring in the experts, scientists, engineers, astronauts, all to let you know what’s going on in the world of human spaceflight.”
10. Encyclopedia Womannica: “In just 5 minutes a day, learn about different incredible women from throughout history.”

• Subscribe to Audience
• Subscribe to The Science of Social Media and Breaking Brand
• Read Buffer’s blog
• Follow @Buffer on Instagram
• Learn more about our Castos + Headliner integration
• Sign up for our newsletter and receive every new Audience in your inbox. Be the first to listen and test out our podcasting tips.

As listeners and podcast producers, we're always on the hunt for shows that help us improve in some aspect of our lives. The best educational podcasts fill the void with episodes about entrepreneurship, language learning practice, and even philosophical debates.

When Craig sat down with Kevan Lee from Buffer, he didn't plan on digging deeper into how Buffer creates their educational podcasts. But after hearing about their unique process and transition into scripted episodes, we had to know more.

This week on Audience, we're talking about a popular podcast topic and category–educational podcasts. These podcast's formats take many forms but one thing remains constant. The audience is there to learn something and they need actionable steps to get started.

Listen to our interview with Kevan to find out how Buffer produces their show then read on to discover 10 of the best educational podcasts out there.

The best educational podcasts tackle a theme or niche topic and analyze it down to its basic points. These shows are popular because podcasts are a great way to learn new skills from experts. They also help audiences access more information about a specific interest that may be too complicated to understand via other mediums.

For example, there is a community interested in learning about how to save and invest for retirement. But it takes time to research and understand complex financial topic from articles around the internet. Instead, people listen to Money For The Rest of Us. The host, David Stein, previously managed billions of dollars and is there to guide his listeners through a variety of financial topics. His goal is to help people become more confident investors and take control of their financial futures.

For individual hosts, like David Stein, educational podcasts offer an opportunity to become an industry authority. He published a book in 2019, curates a weekly newsletter, and speaks at live events due to his podcast's success. For aspiring podcasters, if you're interested in educating others about a topic or skill then this podcast format is for you.

In the same vein, brands like Buffer are producing educational podcasts that weave in their products with actionable information. Buffer's team is an expert on all things social media so they're able teach listeners about industry best practices and how their tool can help. Brands producing educational podcasts offer more value to their customers, helping them refine a skillset along the way.

We weren't shocked to hear about Buffer's transition from an interview-based podcast to a scripted show because their written content is the pinnacle B2B of content marketing. Recording an educational podcast based off their high performing blog content sounded like a no-brainer. But it took some trial and error from them to get there.

The Science of Social Media started as an interview-style show where 3 different hosts would rotate through interviewing industry experts. But they found it was difficult to have a unique perspective in a sea of similar educational podcasts that were speaking with the same people. So they pivoted into talking about "the how" behind trending industry practices so listeners could learn how to set up their own social media campaigns effectively.

Now the podcast is hosted by two of Buffer's team members and they follow a script to ensure they drive home the takeaways. No more than 15-20 minutes long, they aim to make everything sound conversational but the end goal is provide as much knowledge as possible within the show's run time.

Scripting the show based off blog posts took some effort to get it right. Kevan's main learning points included:

1. Include some conversational cues so the hosts knew to add short anecdotes or humor to keep things light.
2. Remove all commas from the script. Speaking something out loud has different natural pauses compared to reading it.
3. Practice the script as a group to make it sound as conversational as possible.
4. Keep an eye on word counts. For a 15-20 minute episode, Buffer looks for 2,000 word articles. If pieces are too long, they cut sections out but make sure everything still flows.
5. Chuck the blog post into sections so topics flow and the audience has the relevant information to understand the subsequent topic.
6. Remember to add in filler words and transitions so hosts can naturally pass the conversation back and forth.
7. Spell out acronyms and rehearse difficult to pronounce words and names.
8. When important visuals appear within the blog post, get detailed in how you describe it audibly. You want the audience to be able to recreate the action on their own while listening.

Many of us are on the hunt for ways to improve our lives and learning new skills is one part of that journey. We gathered the ten best educational podcasts that will help you learn something new. These shows follow different formats and cover a variety of topics so there's something for everyone!

1. Overheard at National Geographic: "Each week we’ll dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations we’ve overheard around National Geographic’s headquarters. You’ll be introduced to the explorers, photographers and scientists at the edges of our big, bizarre, and beautiful world."
2. WorkLife by TED: "Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to explore the science of making work not suck. From learning how to love criticism to harnessing the power of frustration, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again."
3. Life Kit by NPR: "Everyone needs a little help being human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, we talk to the experts to get the best advice out there. Life Kit is here to help you get it together."
4. You're Wrong About: "Mike and Sarah are journalists obsessed with the past. Every where they reconsider an event or person or trend that's been miscast in the public imagination."
5. How to Money: "Best friends Joel and Matt believe that when you handle your money in a purposeful, thoughtful way that works for your lifestyle, you can really start living a rich life."
6. The Pitch: "Listen as real entrepreneurs pitch real investors–for real money."
7. This Podcast Will Kill You: Each episode tackles a different disease, from its history to its biology, and finally how scared you need to be."
8. Coffee Break: "Learn one of seven languages, including Enlgihs, Spanish, French, and more, on the go."
9. Houston, We Have a Podcast: "We bring in the experts, scientists, engineers, astronauts, all to let you know what's going on in the world of human spaceflight."
10. Encyclopedia Womannica: "In just 5 minutes a day, learn about different incredible women from throughout history."

• Subscribe to Audience
• Subscribe to The Science of Social Media and Breaking Brand
• Read Buffer's blog
• Follow @Buffer on Instagram
• Learn more about our Castos + Headliner integration
• Sign up for our newsletter and receive every new Audience in your inbox. Be the first to listen and test out our podcasting tips.

In this episode of Audience, we’re taking a break from interviewing to talk about…interviews. Being a good interviewer means asking thought-provoking podcast interview questions but what does that mean? To answer that question, we’re taking a step back and analyzing how to interview someone for a podcast. From the prep work to the questions you should consider asking, this is a comprehensive look at how to generate a great podcast interview.

If you’re using Kai’s tips from our last episode, you’re hopefully already booking new guests for the show. So let’s get to it.

As the interviewer, it’s your job to make the guest feel comfortable. The goal is to have them tell stories that they haven’t divulged in other interviews. To do this, you need to ask questions that guide the guest to immediately talk about the emotional parts of their story and skip over the pieces they’ve said on repeat. These responses are more likely to tug at your audience’s heart strings, keeping them on the edge of their seat until the final minute.

Do yourself and your guest a favor by skipping over their general answers. Instead, try these 10 interview question frameworks that promise to generate interesting stories.

1. Tell me about a time when…
2. What was the hardest part about…
3. How did you feel when…
4. Describe your process behind…
5. What is one common myth about…
6. Who are three people who have helped you…
7. On a scale of 1-10…
8. What do you wish you had known when…
9. What would you change about…
10. How has X changed your thinking on…

You’ll notice every question ends in ellipses. That’s because the ending should be tailored to each guest and their background. To fill in the gaps, you’ll have to do your homework. Ahead, we’ll get into basic podcast interview preparation so your questions don’t fall flat.

The answer is simple. Preparation. Changing your mindset and researching the guest’s background will help create probing questions that get to the meat of their story.

Interview preparation starts by defining the goal. You are the expert in what content your audience likes to hear, so it’s your job to guide the guest there. Figure out how the guest connects with the topics your listeners love then share this goal with the interviewee. Being transparent about what you’re looking to get out of the interview is an important step in setting the guest up for success.

If they know where you want the conversation to go, they can tailor their answers to get you both there. If the guest has no idea what topic or angle you want to cover, they may not share information that your audience would find fascinating.

Once the goal is defined, it’s time to do your homework. Interviewers should find out as much as possible about their guests, from background information to current projects. Here are few places to get started:

• Guest’s website: either a personal website or their company’s online presence. Read the About page, consume their latest content, and figure out what initiatives are most important to them right now.
• Social channels: Hit all the major channels from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Read the bio information, scroll through the latest posts, and see what conversations the guest is chiming in on.
• Previous interviews: Google your guest’s name to surface their most recent interviews. Listen to old podcast interviews, read previous Q&As, and find past conference or panel presentations.
• Published works: read recently published articles or books, listen to their podcast, and subscribe to their newsletter.

While researching, write down about 10-12 questions that pique your interest. These shouldn’t be yes or no questions, instead remember the above frameworks to draw out storied responses.

If you produce an interview style show or work with a co-host, these podcast interview best practices are for you. For newcomers and veterans, here are some practical tips to continue refining your craft.

It may be tempting to start every interview with, “so tell our listeners about yourself and what you’re working on.” Don’t. During your research, you’ve heard your guest rattle off their intro thousands of times. Why waste precious interview time with a question that you already know the answer to?

Instead, you should introduce the guest and highlight the points of their career or life that are most interesting to your listeners. Since you’re the expert on your audience, you can craft an introduction that will hook them instantly.

Start with the guest’s standard introduction from past interviews or their website, then add interesting tidbits that will grab the audience’s attention. Great introductions also include why the listener should be excited to learn about the guest’s prospective and high-level topics you cover during the interview.

We recommend recording the introduction right after you end the interview. That way your voice will sound the same and the interview topics are still top of mind.

As a guest, there’s nothing worse than answering questions you’ve answered thousands of times before. It’s easy to use a canned response, especially when it feels like the interviewer didn’t time in crafting unique questions.

Instead, take the 10-12 question you jotted down during the research phase and pare them down to 5 or 6. The shortlist should only open-ended questions that will illicit creative answers. Focus on the topics that help achieve the interview’s goal and use these to guide the conversation.

At the start of every interview, it’s your job to make the guest feel at ease. The best way to do this is take 5 minutes before the recording to chitchat. Start with running through the goal of the interview again so you’re both on the same page and reacquaint yourselves with each other.

Another tip, especially for guests who don’t often appear on podcasts, remind them the interview will be edited. This means the guest doesn’t have to get their answer right on the first go. They have the option to start responding, cut themselves off, then start again. Knowing you can mess up without repercussions while help everyone ease up.

Contrary to popular belief, the interviewer’s voice should come second to the interviewee. Active listening means fully concentrating on what is being said rather than passively hearing a response.

Take this sound wave example from Mark Shaefer. Mark, who’s the guest, has most of the airtime while the interviewer leads the conversation.

The best podcast interviews are balanced and are give-and-take. The guest takes center stage while the host coaxes the discussion forward.

Part of active listening is responding to a guest’s answer. Rather than asking rapid fire questions, take the opportunity to dig into their responses with follow up questions. The best interviews tell a story and emotionally entangle an audience so work to draw out these pieces of information.

Follow up questions are just as important as the set of 5-6 questions you already nailed down. Don’t derail an interview just because you want to get to every question on your list. Embrace the tangents as they often surface stories a guest has never told before giving your podcast the exclusive scoop.

Another bonus of follow up questions is it makes the interview sound more conversational. Podcasts are windows into intimate conversations between multiple people. Craft that intimacy by piggybacking off a guest’s answers, you may be surprised at what they say.

• Pacific Content article about how to create a podcast for your audience
• Subscribe to Audience

In this episode of Audience, we’re taking a break from interviewing to talk about…interviews, and help you come up with podcast questions to ask during your podcast interviews. 

Being a good interviewer often means asking thought-provoking podcast interview questions but what does that mean? 

To answer that question, we’re taking a step back and look at how to interview someone for a podcast. From the prep work to coming up with a list of questions you should consider asking, this is a comprehensive look at how to generate a great podcast interview.

If you’re using Kai’s tips from our last episode, you’re hopefully already booking new guests for the show. So let’s get to showing you how to come up with questions that will spark engaging conversations with your guests.

But let’s get something out of the way first…

As a podcast host and the interviewer, it’s your job to make the guest feel comfortable. You want them to tell stories that they haven’t divulged in other interviews, after all. You want them to open up, and share information that’s going to resonate with your podcast audience, be it emotionally or intellectually.

To do this, you need to ask questions that guide the guest to immediately talk about the emotional parts of their story and skip over the pieces they’ve said on repeat. 

These responses are more likely to tug at your audience’s heartstrings, keeping them on the edge of their seat until the final minute of the show.

But there’s another side to this too. 

You see, great questions make up for amazing stories you can tell too. 

Every time a guest on your podcast answers a question is an opportunity to retell their story to make it more relevant to your audience. 

In fact, that’s what great interviewers do all the time. They ask a question, listen to the answer, and then, reiterate whatever key thoughts the guest has made. What’s important – They do it from the audience’s perspective, making sure that these points relate to their listeners. 

And none of this would have been possible without clever questions, of course. 

Do yourself and your guest a favor by skipping over their general answers. Instead, try these 10 interview question frameworks that promise to generate interesting stories.

1. Tell me about a time when…
2. What was the hardest part about…
3. How did you feel when…
4. Describe your process behind…
5. What is one common myth about…
6. Who are three people who have helped you…
7. On a scale of 1-10…
8. What do you wish you had known when…
9. What would you change about…
10. How has X changed your thinking on…

You’ll notice every question ends in ellipses. That’s because the ending should be tailored to each guest and their background. To fill in the gaps, you’ll have to do your homework. 

Let’s talk about that now.

The answer is simple. By doing a lot of prep work ahead of time. And I do mean, a lot.

Changing your mindset and researching the guest’s background will help create probing questions that get to the meat of their story.

Here’s a simple framework to prepare for a podcast interview.

Interview preparation starts by defining the goal. You are the expert in what content your audience likes to hear, so it’s your job to guide the guest there. 

Figure out how the guest connects with the topics your listeners love then share this goal with the interviewee. Being transparent about what you’re looking to get out of the interview is an important step in setting the guest up for success.

If they know where you want the conversation to go, they can tailor their answers to get you both there. If the guest has no idea what topic or angle you want to cover, they may not share information that your audience would find fascinating.

Once you have a clear goal in mind, it’s time to do your homework. 

Scout the web to find out as much as possible about their guests, from background information to current projects. Here are few places to get started:

• Guest’s website: either a personal website or their company’s online presence. Read the About page, consume their latest content, and figure out what initiatives are most important to them right now.
• Social media channels: Hit all the major channels from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Read the bio information, scroll through the latest posts, and see what conversations the guest is chiming in on.
• Previous interviews: Google your guest’s name to surface their most recent interviews. Listen to old podcast episodes the guest has appeared on, read previous Q&As, and dig deeper to find their past conference or panel presentations.
• Published works: read recently published articles or books, listen to their podcast, and subscribe to their newsletter.

As you go through the research, make a note of all the things you know that your guest does, and has an interest in. Most of the items on your list will, most likely, relate to their professional background and your podcast’s topic. But don’t ignore their personal interests. Sometimes asking about their favorite team or hobby might help break the ice, and relax them enough to open up more in their answers. 

Also, look at the episode’s topic from the guest’s perspective. Do they have a specific interest in something relating to the topic? Have they been vocal about it? 

Knowing about their guest’s strong stance on the quality of Google’s data (we’re talking an SEO show here, by the way,) a friend of mine once asked his guest about issues with keyword volume he noticed in the Keyword Planner. That sparked a lengthy tirade from the guest about such problems and resulted in the most popular episode on his podcast ever.

While researching, write down about 10-12 questions that pique your interest. These shouldn’t be yes or no questions, instead remember the above frameworks to draw out storied responses.

Well, the simplest answer is, you can. But you don’t have to.

The benefit of sending questions ahead of time is that your guest will know what to expect, and might prepare better answers to your questions.

But the downside is that it forces too much structure in the conversation and doesn’t allow as much for the fluidity that comes from a truly natural conversation.

If you produce an interview style show or work with a co-host, these podcast interview best practices are for you. For newcomers and veterans, here are some practical tips to continue refining your craft.

It may be tempting to start every interview with, “so tell our listeners about yourself and what you’re working on.” Don’t. During your research, you’ve heard your guest rattle off their intro thousands of times. Why waste precious interview time with a question that you already know the answer to?

Instead, you should introduce the guest and highlight the points of their career or life that are most interesting to your listeners. Since you’re the expert on your audience, you can craft an introduction that will hook them instantly.

Start with the guest’s standard introduction from past interviews or their website, then add interesting tidbits that will grab the audience’s attention. Great introductions also include why the listener should be excited to learn about the guest’s prospective and high-level topics you cover during the interview.

We recommend recording the introduction right after you end the interview. That way your voice will sound the same and the interview topics are still top of mind.

As a guest, there’s nothing worse than answering questions you’ve answered thousands of times before. It’s easy to use a canned response, especially when it feels like the interviewer didn’t time in crafting unique questions.

Instead, take the 10-12 question you jotted down during the research phase and pare them down to 5 or 6. The shortlist should only open-ended questions that will illicit creative answers. Focus on the topics that help achieve the interview’s goal and use these to guide the conversation.

At the start of every interview, it’s your job to make the guest feel at ease. The best way to do this is take 5 minutes before the recording to chitchat. Start with running through the goal of the interview again so you’re both on the same page and reacquaint yourselves with each other.

Another tip, especially for guests who don’t often appear on podcasts, remind them the interview will be edited. This means the guest doesn’t have to get their answer right on the first go. They have the option to start responding, cut themselves off, then start again. Knowing you can mess up without repercussions while help everyone ease up.

Contrary to popular belief, the interviewer’s voice should come second to the interviewee. Active listening means fully concentrating on what is being said rather than passively hearing a response.

Take this sound wave example from Mark Shaefer. Mark, who’s the guest, has most of the airtime while the interviewer leads the conversation.

The best podcast interviews are balanced and are give-and-take. The guest takes center stage while the host coaxes the discussion forward.

Part of active listening is responding to a guest’s answer. Rather than asking rapid fire questions, take the opportunity to dig into their responses with follow up questions. The best interviews tell a story and emotionally entangle an audience so work to draw out these pieces of information.

Follow up questions are just as important as the set of 5-6 questions you already nailed down. Don’t derail an interview just because you want to get to every question on your list. Embrace the tangents as they often surface stories a guest has never told before giving your podcast the exclusive scoop.

Another bonus of follow up questions is it makes the interview sound more conversational. Podcasts are windows into intimate conversations between multiple people. Craft that intimacy by piggybacking off a guest’s answers, you may be surprised at what they say.

• Pacific Content article about how to create a podcast for your audience
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Why do all the top podcasts publish videos to YouTube? Because YouTube has 2 billion logged-in users (and growing), which makes it a powerful place to grow your audience. 

In fact, 43% of monthly podcast listener say they’ve enjoyed podcast content on YouTube in the last year, which means you probably have potential fans browsing YouTube for content like yours right now. All you have to do is turn your regular podcast into a video podcast.

Fortunately, you are already doing most of the work. With a few small additions to your workflow, you can create engaging video podcast episodes that appeal to people who prefer video content.

A video podcast is simply a podcast with a video element. The video element could be as simple or as complex as you like, but it often consists of a single static image or a video recording of the podcast hosts and guests.

Before we explain how to create a video podcast, let’s cover why you should bother.

Humans are visual creatures. 30% of our brain is devoted to our eyes. And we particularly love faces. Infants begin to prefer looking at faces as soon as 24 hours after birth. That effect gets stronger as we get older because of the wealth of information we get from faces. According to some psychologists, facial features provide more data than spoken language. 

This means you can create more value for your audience and help them make deeper connections with your content by adding faces via video. 

As much as we like podcasts, there are plenty of people who prefer to consume video content. This should come as no surprise, YouTube is the second largest social media platform. By adding a video element to your podcast, you gain access to a massive audience of potential fans. 

That’s exactly what happened to Andrea Raquelle, producer and content provider for the “Hey Frase” podcast. “Without video, we hit a plateau; we could not go past 10,000 [downloads],” she said. “When we started doing video recordings, we saw the best growth. It took two months to get to 35,000 [downloads]. We noticed other influencers and podcasters in the space [with big download numbers]. We can’t even compete with that if we don’t have video.”

Ever notice that all the videos on social media are set to autoplay, but without sound? That’s because social media platforms are optimized for video, but not audio. The audio is mute by default.

Adding video to your podcast makes it a bit more engaging for social media users when they come across it in their feed. Yes, you can post audio clips to social media, but they aren’t immediately engaging like videos. 

In terms of time and labor, there’s not much difference between creating a podcast and creating a video podcast. You can add a video element with just a few extra steps and minor expenses. 

There are four ways to record a video podcast. Choose the format that’s right for you, your team, and your show.

This is the easiest method of recording a video podcast. All you do is convert your podcast audio file to a video file and add a static background image to “play” as the user listens.

Equipment needed: All you need is video editing software to add the static image and audio file together.

Example shows: Stuff You Should Know and Kickass News.

Pros: This method is fast and easy. If you host your podcast with Castos, we offer a free YouTube republishing service that automatically turns each of your episodes into a video with a static image and posts it to YouTube.

Cons: The video created by this method is less engaging than the following methods. It’s basically just a way to publish an audio file to a video platform. 

YouTube Republishing by Castos converts your podcast audio files into videos and automatically publishes them to the YouTube channel and/or playlist of your choice. Set it once and forget about it. Learn more now.

In-studio recording is when you set up video equipment inside your recording studio to capture the conversation between the host(s) and guests. 

Equipment needed: At least one camera to capture the conversation, but some podcasters like to set up multiple cameras (wide angle of the room and one for each speaker) so they can toggle between angles during editing. You’ll also need video editing software.

Example shows: The Joe Rogan Experience and The Dave Ramsey Show.

Pros: This is another easy straightforward and easy method of making a video podcast. You simply set up your cameras, conduct the podcast as you normally would, and add video file to your audio file during editing.

Cons: You’ll have to buy at least one camera, but maybe more. If you capture multiple angles, you’ll spend a little more time editing the video. 

You can store video files alongside your podcast’s audio on our Pro plan, as well as automatically publish your video podcast episodes to YouTube or your podcast website.

Remote interview recording is when you capture footage of multiple speakers who aren’t in the room together. The video usually shows all speakers at the same time, but some tools let you maximize one at a time.  

Equipment needed: You’ll need a software tool that captures multiple webcams at the same time, like Riverside or Zoom (Zencastr is also testing a beta version right now!).

Example shows: Neal Brennan and Agency Mavericks.

Pros: This is the only way to get video footage if the episode participants can’t be in the same room together. It doesn’t require any special equipment. 

Cons: This method relies on the quality and reliability of your recording software and internet connection. If either fail, the end product could end up with a crummy episode that requires a lot of editing or no episode at all.

This is a mixture of archival or b-roll footage with a standard podcast recording. For instance, if a guest references a movie clip, news article, or chart, you might edit that asset into the video for viewers to see.

Equipment needed: Cameras to record the episode participants, archival footage (where you get it will depend on what you need), and video editing software.

Example shows: H3 Podcast and StoryCorps.

Pros: This format creates highly engaging episodes because the production quality is so high, especially if you premium footage and captivating visuals. 

Cons: This is the most time-consuming and expensive format for video podcasts because it requires a lot of video editing.

Ready to record a video podcast? Fortunately, it’s easier than you probably think. 

If you plan to just use a static image for your video, your first step is to create that image. Create a simple card with your logo, name, and podcast website URL. If you interview remotely, you just have to hit “record” on your conferencing software during the interview.

If you plan to create an in-studio recording or a recording with b-roll footage, you’ll need to set up your cameras to capture video. Make sure the room is tidy and has plenty of light. Wear presentable clothing and make yourself camera ready.

When you record the episode, make sure your face is visible to the camera so viewers can see your expressions. Maintain professional body posture.

The biggest challenge to capturing video is that you don’t have the luxury to slice out errors. In a standard podcast, you can cut out a mistake and no one will know. But on a video podcast, you can’t cut out mistakes without creating an easy-to-see cut on the video. So avoid saying or doing anything you would have to remove. 

While cameras have the ability to record sound, it’s best to record your audio separately using your standard podcast gear. This ensures you’ll get a clean and crisp sound without too much background noise. 

Once you edit the audio file like you would for a normal podcast, create your video podcast by syncing the audio and video components together in your video editing software. Make sure the sound matches what’s on screen (especially the lips) or your video will seem amateurish. 

If the video seems dull or washed out, consider adjusting the color grading in your video editing software. This will create a pleasant aesthetic. Stitch in your b-roll footage or graphics if you have any. If you want to be really creative, use cuts, zooming, and transition effects to raise the production value. 

Here are some video editing tools we recommend:

• Lightworks
• Hitfilm Express
• Shotcut
• Movie Maker Online
• Adobe Premiere
• Final Cut Pro

Before you can publish your video, you’ll need to create a custom thumbnail. A thumbnail is the graphic people see on video platforms that encourages them to click. 

By creating your own thumbnail, you can choose what viewers see first, rather than letting the video platform choose a random moment from the video file. 90% of the best-performing videos use custom thumbnails.

The best way to create a captivating thumbnail is to grab a screenshot from the video that represented well. Add your logo and some catchy text in a clear, visible font.

Now that you have your video podcast file, you’ll need to upload it to your podcast host so it appears on your RSS link. This will make it available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, SoundCloud, and any other podcast directory that has your link.

Publishing a video podcast to Castos is as simple as publishing a standard podcast. During the upload process, you just need to select MP4 (a video format) instead of MP3. Learn more about publishing to Castos.

Once your video podcast is up on YouTube, make the most of your hard work by sharing it across all of your social media profiles. The more eyes on your show, the faster it will grow! 

A video podcast is an opportunity you can’t ignore. It’s a key way to open your podcast to a wider audience and it doesn’t add a lot of labor or expense to your workflow. We recommend that all podcasters create video podcasts to boost the reach of their show.

Castos’ YouTube Republishing feature is built with video podcasters in mind. Using our Growth or Pro plans, upload video files directly to your Castos dashboard and they’ll automatically sync with your YouTube channel. See exactly how it works.

Pitching, booking, and being the perfect podcast guest takes persistence and practice. Appearing on different shows is a tried and true method to growing a following, but there’s a lot that goes into the process. This week on Audience, we sat down with Kai Davis who is an expert on how to get the most out of podcast guest opportunities.

Davis been in the industry for over a decade. Through appearing and booking podcast guests, he helps podcasters, business owners, authors, and more achieve their marketing objectives. He’s the authority on how to standout from the sea of pitch emails, why your pitches are being ignored, and how to help listeners become customers.

In this episode, Craig interviews this professional podcast guest and learns a lot along the way. Listen to the full interview above then read on for our favorite Kai-approved tips.

Frustration.

Davis’ clients primarily come to him understanding the general pitching process but aren’t receiving any bookings. Or worse, no response at all. The time it takes to research, write an email, and find the host’s contact information is a commitment. And when that effort doesn’t bear any fruit, it is easy toss this strategy aside.

But there’s a better mindset to approaching podcast guests. Instead of a sprint, it is a marathon. Allocate a set amount of resources you can put towards booking guest appearances. Break it down by categories to keep yourself on track. Categories could include:

• Researching podcasts and finding the right contact information
• Refining and improving the pitch email
• Following up with potential podcast guest bookings
• Fielding guest requests for your own show

The primary way to get in touch with a host is via email. No matter if you’re pitching yourself or asking someone to appear on your podcast, the request typically follows a pitch template. This pitch is where most podcasters make the biggest mistakes.

To fix poorly worded pitches and standout from the crowd, Davis recommends approaching the process with more empathy. So what does empathy in pitch emails look like? It boils down to two main components.

Being a guest requires providing value to both the host of the show and their audience. How and why you can provide that value should be the angle of the pitch. Follow these three steps to get started:

• Research the show’s back catalog to find topics or themes that are referenced often. This likely means the host enjoys talking about that subject matter and the audience likes hearing about it.
• Analyze how you can improve upon that topic and add more to the conversation. Are you an authority in a specific area or have experience overcoming a similar challenge? Figure out where you voice fits.
• Focus the pitch on the value their audience gains and why you’re the only person to deliver that value. It’s also important to relate how what you have to say relates to the overall theme of the podcast and aligns with the host’s vision.

All together, the perfect pitch has three legs. It’s composed of the thing you want to talk about, the overall theme of the podcast, and the interests, passions, or troubles of the audience. The legs need to be aligned, otherwise the guest opportunity won’t be successful. It doesn’t make sense for a guest to promote their new vegan cookbook on a podcast about barbecue

For example, you want to talk about your new vegan cookbook and found a podcast all about barbecue. While on the surface, it doesn’t appear there would be much overlap between each other’s audiences but you’ve done the research. The show’s host and audience are interested in grilling techniques and unique sauce combinations. You’ve noticed the host throws in ingredient substitution ideas throughout an episode to help listeners recreate the recipes with what’s already in their pantries.

Instead of angling the pitch around your favorite vegan dishes to directly promote the cookbook, you pitch the host on talking about popular meat substitutions and how to grill them to perfection. The audience wants doable recipes and techniques, the podcast’s theme is centered on barbecuing a range of foods, and you’re the authority on vegan eating. All three legs are aligned and the podcast guest spot is booked.

You may be reading “invite the no” and think we’ve lost it, but stay with us. Inviting the no means giving the recipient an out if you’re not the right podcast guest for them. While it may sound counter-intuitive, it actually helps the pitch stand out.

When Davis pitches podcast hosts, he always includes this one-liner: “If this isn’t a fit, let me know and I’ll hold off on following up. But if it is, please reply with [details he needs to secure the booking] and we can continue chatting.”

This line does invite recipients to respond with “this doesn’t sound like a fit”. But on the upside, this is a response many pitches don’t even receive. With a “no” comes an opportunity to improve future pitches and reduce some frustration that comes along with never hearing back. Another bonus is not wasting a follow-up email on someone who has no intention of speaking further. You’ll avoid clogging their inbox with repetitive requests and can pop back up after refining your pitch with a better angle.

The last key piece of advice to pitching with empathy is respecting the host’s time. A pitch email is meant to get to the point and isn’t the time to craft multiple paragraphs to slowly request a podcast guest spot. Instead, keep the email under 400 words and use paragraph breaks or bullet points to break up the text. Guide the reader to the most important points of the pitch and drive your value home.

Remember Kai’s first piece of advice: shift your mentality to thinking about podcast guest pitching as a marathon, not a sprint. From there, create a more sustainable interview system using the right tools.

The key to a consistent pitch process is delegating as much of the process as possible to a tool. Trying to keep track of everything in your head is a recipe for disaster. He recommends Pipedrive, a customer relationships management tool that can manage contacts and track their journey through the pitching process. A quick review of the dashboard is quicker and easier than clicking through hundreds of old email threads to find where you left the conversation.

Booking podcast guest interviews requires lots of back and forth so finding the right CRM tool can be critical to your success.

Being a podcast guest is an opportunity to further a marketing or business objective. Davis argues this being a guest is a brand awareness play and not a strategy that will drive thousands of new customers in the short run. But how do you encourage the podcast’s audience to take the next step with your brand? The right catcher’s mitt.

Kai says it’s your job as the podcast guest to catch the audience and provide the path to interact with your business. The catcher’s mitt should be a landing page specifically set up for the interview episode. Contextually mention the interview, include show notes, and organically weave in what action you want the audience to take when they land on that page. No matter your business objective, from email acquisition, to purchasing your new book, to attending a live show, this set up will work.

Once the landing page is set up, don’t forget to mention the URL in your sign-off. Kai recommends something like, “The best thing to do after listening to this episode is to go to [URL], and [action you want the audience to take, like sign up for my newsletter].” When the audience goes to that URL, the action you asked them to do is front and center.

Set up the landing page before sitting down for the interview. This way, you’ll have the URL secured and can include it in your call-to-action.

• Reach out to Kai Davis via Email at kai [at] kaidavis.com
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Pitching, booking, and being the perfect podcast guest takes persistence and practice. Appearing on different shows is a tried and true method to growing a following, but there's a lot that goes into the process. This week on Audience, we sat down with Kai Davis who is an expert on how to get the most out of podcast guest opportunities.

Davis been in the industry for over a decade. Through appearing and booking podcast guests, he helps podcasters, business owners, authors, and more achieve their marketing objectives. He's the authority on how to standout from the sea of pitch emails, why your pitches are being ignored, and how to help listeners become customers.

In this episode, Craig interviews this professional podcast guest and learns a lot along the way. Listen to the full interview above then read on for our favorite Kai-approved tips.

Frustration.

Davis' clients primarily come to him understanding the general pitching process but aren't receiving any bookings. Or worse, no response at all. The time it takes to research, write an email, and find the host's contact information is a commitment. And when that effort doesn't bear any fruit, it is easy toss this strategy aside.

But there's a better mindset to approaching podcast guests. Instead of a sprint, it is a marathon. Allocate a set amount of resources you can put towards booking guest appearances. Break it down by categories to keep yourself on track. Categories could include:

The primary way to get in touch with a host is via email. No matter if you're pitching yourself or asking someone to appear on your podcast, the request typically follows a pitch template. This pitch is where most podcasters make the biggest mistakes.

To fix poorly worded pitches and standout from the crowd, Davis recommends approaching the process with more empathy. So what does empathy in pitch emails look like? It boils down to two main components.

Being a guest requires providing value to both the host of the show and their audience. How and why you can provide that value should be the angle of the pitch. Follow these three steps to get started:

All together, the perfect pitch has three legs. It's composed of the thing you want to talk about, the overall theme of the podcast, and the interests, passions, or troubles of the audience. The legs need to be aligned, otherwise the guest opportunity won't be successful. It doesn't make sense for a guest to promote their new vegan cookbook on a podcast about barbecue

For example, you want to talk about your new vegan cookbook and found a podcast all about barbecue. While on the surface, it doesn't appear there would be much overlap between each other's audiences but you've done the research. The show's host and audience are interested in grilling techniques and unique sauce combinations. You've noticed the host throws in ingredient substitution ideas throughout an episode to help listeners recreate the recipes with what's already in their pantries.

Instead of angling the pitch around your favorite vegan dishes to directly promote the cookbook, you pitch the host on talking about popular meat substitutions and how to grill them to perfection. The audience wants doable recipes and techniques, the podcast's theme is centered on barbecuing a range of foods, and you're the authority on vegan eating. All three legs are aligned and the podcast guest spot is booked.

You may be reading "invite the no" and think we've lost it, but stay with us. Inviting the no means giving the recipient an out if you're not the right podcast guest for them. While it may sound counter-intuitive, it actually helps the pitch stand out.

When Davis pitches podcast hosts, he always includes this one-liner: "If this isn't a fit, let me know and I'll hold off on following up. But if it is, please reply with [details he needs to secure the booking] and we can continue chatting."

This line does invite recipients to respond with "this doesn't sound like a fit". But on the upside, this is a response many pitches don't even receive. With a "no" comes an opportunity to improve future pitches and reduce some frustration that comes along with never hearing back. Another bonus is not wasting a follow-up email on someone who has no intention of speaking further. You'll avoid clogging their inbox with repetitive requests and can pop back up after refining your pitch with a better angle.

The last key piece of advice to pitching with empathy is respecting the host's time. A pitch email is meant to get to the point and isn't the time to craft multiple paragraphs to slowly request a podcast guest spot. Instead, keep the email under 400 words and use paragraph breaks or bullet points to break up the text. Guide the reader to the most important points of the pitch and drive your value home.

Remember Kai's first piece of advice: shift your mentality to thinking about podcast guest pitching as a marathon, not a sprint. From there, create a more sustainable interview system using the right tools.

The key to a consistent pitch process is delegating as much of the process as possible to a tool. Trying to keep track of everything in your head is a recipe for disaster. He recommends Pipedrive, a customer relationships management tool that can manage contacts and track their journey through the pitching process. A quick review of the dashboard is quicker and easier than clicking through hundreds of old email threads to find where you left the conversation.

Booking podcast guest interviews requires lots of back and forth so finding the right CRM tool can be critical to your success.

Being a podcast guest is an opportunity to further a marketing or business objective. Davis argues this being a guest is a brand awareness play and not a strategy that will drive thousands of new customers in the short run. But how do you encourage the podcast's audience to take the next step with your brand? The right catcher's mitt.

Kai says it's your job as the podcast guest to catch the audience and provide the path to interact with your business. The catcher's mitt should be a landing page specifically set up for the interview episode. Contextually mention the interview, include show notes, and organically weave in what action you want the audience to take when they land on that page. No matter your business objective, from email acquisition, to purchasing your new book, to attending a live show, this set up will work.

Once the landing page is set up, don't forget to mention the URL in your sign-off. Kai recommends something like, "The best thing to do after listening to this episode is to go to [URL], and [action you want the audience to take, like sign up for my newsletter]." When the audience goes to that URL, the action you asked them to do is front and center.

Set up the landing page before sitting down for the interview. This way, you'll have the URL secured and can include it in your call-to-action.