465 Million Reasons You Need to Be a Podcast Guest
Why is being a guest on podcasts for everyone? And why should it be an integral part of your business development, marketing, or personal branding plan? If you’re not thinking about it yet, you’re going to be.
First, let’s break out some stats:
There are over 465 million podcast listeners worldwide.
There are well over 100 million podcast listeners in the US.
The average US listener tunes into 8 podcasts per week.
Listenership grew by 40 million people in 2023 and is projected to grow by that much again in 2024.
Podcasting will be a $4 billion industry in 2024.
Now, let’s talk marketing strategy:
Every 👏 single 👏 brand consultant or marketing coach I’ve ever listened to has said the same thing: people buy into people they know, like, and trust.
It’s hard (dare I say impossible) to get to know, like, and especially trust someone in a 30-second soundbite, reel, or social post.
Even when we read a weekly email newsletter from someone we're interested in, it’s hard to feel like we actually know them. And if you don’t know someone, how do you know if you truly like them, let alone trust them? (Hint: you don’t.)
BUT! Podcasting is a long-form medium. The shortest podcast episode I’ve ever guested on was 30 minutes. That’s 20 times longer than the longest reel I’m allowed to post on Instagram. On a podcast, I'm able to show my personality, get into deep and nuanced ideas, and, most importantly, truly connect with the audience.
And it’s someone else’s audience! The host has cultivated their audience over time, so that audience trusts the voices that the host brings on. You get to - for free - speak at length to a new audience that has an inherent trust in your voice. Where else do we get to do this?
And finally, here’s a story for you:
Once upon a time (recently), I approached a podcast host with a pitch. Let's call him Mystery Host. What I teach is right in line with what his folks are interested in. He was down so we jumped on the mic. What is normally a 45-ish minute interview went almost 2 hours (sorry, audio editor!). I gave away a ton of tips and tools and teaching and I was happy to do it. Because I’m passionate about what I do and I know that being generous with knowledge will somehow come back to help grow my business.
What happened next was the instant karma I’m talking about: Mystery Host asked if I wanted to collaborate on a product bundle. He noticed that one of my online courses and one of his 1:1 coaching packages were really complimentary. I jumped at the chance. He’s been in the podcasting game for a very long time and he has a huge listenership and email newsletter following. To be able to offer my work to his audience is a boon I would never have gotten without this podcast guest spot.
So… get those headphones ordered. Get your mic out of the box where it’s been sitting since you thought, “Maybe I should do podcasts,” one time last year. And share your voice with the 465 million people who are ready to listen.
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