How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Without Social Media

Meet your host, Andi Smiley

Hi, I’m Andi Smiley, your friendly podcast guide. I help moms start podcasts that feel fun and fulfilling—without burnout. I’ve been on both sides of the mic and I know how much connection and growth can come from being a guest on someone else’s show. I’m here to make podcasting less overwhelming and way more doable.

Links

• Download the free guide to podcast guesting

• Episode with Brittany Herzberg on podcast SEO⁠⁠

Connect with me

• Instagram

• Threads

• Book a Jumpstart Session

Unedited transcript of the episode:

 This whole month. I’m talking about different ways to market your podcasts that have nothing to do with social media. And this week I’m talking about being a podcast guest. Hi, I’m Andy Smiley, your friendly podcast guide.

I help you start a podcast that is fun and fulfilling. I share tips, stories from my own journey and insights from podcasters I admire. And if you are a more visual learner, rather than just hearing my voice or seeing my face on YouTube, then I’ve created a Guide that walks you through everything that I’m talking about in this episode. So, if you want that, it’ll be in the show notes.

You can put your email in there so that I can email you that resource and you’ve got both the episode and something to read, to come back to if you don’t wanna listen to the episode again,

because I know that everyone learns differently and I wanna make sure that I’m helping you if you’re a visual learner, because I’m someone who likes to listen to the episode and then have something to refer back to without having to go back and listen to the episode.

So if you’re like me, I created a guide just for you. And just as a reminder, if you only have the capacity to implement one thing at the end of the episode, I’ll tell you what that one thing should be so you don’t feel overwhelmed trying to figure out where to start.

The best place to find the perfect podcast listener is on a podcast. It makes sense, but being a podcast guest can feel super daunting. So I’m gonna break down the steps you take to become a podcast guest in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming. But before I do that, let me talk you through the imposter syndrome.

That’s probably creeping up right about now. You might be thinking, I’m not expert enough to be a guest. What if they say, no,

I’ve never done this before. What if I do the podcast and then they don’t like it anymore? All of these questions. I hear you. I get it because I’ve been there and I’ve had all of these questions in my mind too. You don’t need to be a fancy expert with a huge audience to be a great guest. Your story, your perspective, and your heart for your listener is what makes you guest worthy,

and. People are gonna tell you no, but I can almost guarantee that it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with something on their end. So try really hard not to take it personal and I promise that you will get yeses. Even if there’s some nos sprinkled in there too.

So the first step to becoming a podcast guest is finding podcasts that have a similar vibe as yours and have a similar audience as your podcast. Some ways to do that are to search on podcast apps. Google it. Ask your friends and ask your social media followers what other podcasts they listen to , because that’s a surefire way to find people that are similar to your listeners.

After you found those podcasts, make sure to listen to at least one episode of each of those podcasts to make sure that you are a good fit for their show and their show is a good fit for you. The next step is to write an email to that podcast host.

Make sure to include in that email why you would be a great fit for their podcast. Also make sure to go and rate and review their podcast before you write the email and then screenshot it so that you can include that screenshot in the email. I know it sounds kind of weird and a little bit like forward, but this is one of the best ways to show that you are invested in their show doing well.

Even if you’re not a guest on their show, they know that you took the time to rate and review their podcast. And quite honestly, I feel like you already know this, but I’m just gonna say it again. Ratings and reviews are the things that make podcasters feel so happy and so seen. And doing that really helps the podcast host.

See?

That you care

and that you want their show to do well and not just your show to do well. Also in the email, I would try to add some intriguing questions that they could ask you when you’re a guest on their show. These will make the podcast host want to have you on the show, just if for no other reason, so that they can hear the answers to these super intriguing questions.

Some examples of intriguing questions like for me could be let’s say I am on a business podcast. Helping people understand how awesome podcasts are for their business. The question could be,

how do you create 10 pieces of social media content from one episode,

I am going to assume that not only will the podcast host really want that question answered for their listeners, but they will probably want to know the answer for themselves too. So having a question like that that really peaks the podcast host’s attention can be really helpful in

getting on their show

and then at the end of the email. I would have some version of this question would you like to have me as a guest on your podcast? Frame it like a question because humans have a really hard time leaving questions unanswered, so this increases your chances of getting a reply. I have learned this from many people.

Um,

now I can’t remember her name, but I’m gonna look it up. It’s the host of Cubicle to CEO, Ellen Yin. That’s her name, I have learned this from a lot of people, but she’s the one that I heard it from. First is ending your emails with a question because then you’re more likely to get a reply.

And even if the reply is no, it’s nice to not be in limbo. So adding that question at the end can be really helpful.

And if you don’t hear back from the podcast host, it’s not a no forever. Sometimes it’s just bad timing or they miss the email and it’s okay to follow up. And if it’s a no, let’s just focus on celebrating that you put yourself out there and that is something that most people never do.

But I will say when it feels like a no, like a solid no. Go back and look at the email or the DM or however you’re communicating with them,

because I have a story about getting many nos before I got a yes. So when I started my podcast, I really, really wanted to interview the host of the podcast with Knox and Jamie. It’s one of my very favorite podcasts actually. It really is my favorite podcast. It is light and funny and delightful, and I wanted them on my show.

So for the past three years, I have asked them. Multiple times, three times I’ve asked them and each time was no. But it wasn’t like a no, we hate you, never. Ask us again. It was a, we’re so sorry. We do not have time for this. It doesn’t fit in our schedule. And so, because it wasn’t like a, no, we don’t wanna be on your podcast.

It was a We don’t have time. I was like, oh, okay. So then I would just email them again like six months later or so, and I emailed them in January of this year, and this time it was a yes, and I was so ecstatic. It was so, so fun because I got to. Have Jamie b Golden on my show, and it was so much fun.

So that I guess the rules are kind of reversed and I was asking someone to be on my show, but as far as following up and reaching out, again, the rules are the same. If it’s a hard, no, you’re not a good fit for my show, don’t reach out to them again. But if it’s a, so sorry, we do not have time right now. No.

Then reach out again in six months or a year and don’t give up. Please don’t give up, because those are some of the most like rewarding interviews when you finally get that. Yes, it’s so fun and I promise that those yeses will come.

Okay. Step three is when you do get a yes to one of your emails. Here’s how you can prep for your interview. Make sure to use your microphone and headphones. So for my show, I usually interview podcasters and you would be surprised how many podcasters don’t plan on using their microphone or their headphones until I ask them to.

So. As a guest, please just make sure you have the best quality sound it makes you sound really good, as a guest. And it also just makes.

The podcast hosts life so much easier. And then they’re probably gonna be more likely to share the episode and like rave about you and your show. And that’s what we want, right? We want to have a good experience and also we want the the podcast host to fall in love with you so that they will promote your show and your episode a lot.

Another thing to do to prep for your interview is review the questions that they send you for the episode. And if they don’t send you questions, you might wanna ask for some so that you know what direction they wanna take the interview and you can be prepared for that.

Or if they send you questions and you’re like, this is, this has nothing to do with me, you can flesh that out before the interview instead of during the interview. I have made that mistake. I did not ask for questions, and I should have, because they didn’t understand what my podcast was about, even though I thought I did a good job explaining, I did not.

So learn from my mistakes. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. And ask for questions so that you can make sure that the podcast host, and you are on the same page. As you’re prepping for your interview, make sure to save some time or ask for it from the podcast host to promote your podcast at the end of the episode so that their listeners know where to find you and your show. I know this might sound a little bit silly ’cause you’re like, yes, that’s the whole reason that I’m being a podcast guest. But sometimes we like forget, we get really into the interview and then it ends and you go, wait, crap, I forgot I for, I forgot to promote my show. So make sure to prep something, a little statement or sentence about your show, your elevator pitch, so that you are ready for that.

And I will say make sure your call to action is simple, but still like sticky. Like they’re gonna remember it. So don’t just say, check out my podcast. Give them a reason to listen. Like if you like this conversation, you’ll love the episode I just did on fill in the blank topic. And you can even ask the host to link the episode in the show notes so it’s even easier for the listeners to find your podcast And that episode specifically.

And then step four, after the interview, make sure to find out when the episode is gonna air so that you can promote that episode on your own social media or email, or even just telling friends if you don’t want to do those other things. But honestly, more than anything, I feel like that’s just karma.

When you put good things into the world, when you promote other people’s things, then. It will always come back to you and truly as a podcast listener. I really like listening to my favorite podcasters when they’re on other people’s podcasts. It’s just like fun to hear them in a new environment, and so I think your listeners will really enjoy hearing you on someone else’s show.

And you’re doing a service for your listeners. You’re like, Hey, look, this is this other really cool podcast that I really like. I did my research to make sure that they were a good fit for me and my show, and I think you’ll like them too. And I think that, that that will go a long, long way.

Okay, before I tell you about a reframe of podcast guesting that chat GPT gave me, I promise it’s good.

I was not prepared for it, I wanna take a quick second to tell you about my podcast Jumpstart Sessions. So you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast, but every time you think about actually starting questions pop up. What Mike, do I need? How do I get my show on Apple podcasts? What if I start and then get overwhelmed? I get it.

Podcasting can feel overwhelming, and that’s exactly why I do free 30 minute podcast jumpstart sessions. It’s just you and me on a call chatting through your questions and figuring out what’s actually holding you back. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to do next. Plus, I’ll send you my favorite mic recommendations, the best podcast hosting platforms, and the next two steps to get your podcast started.

I only do a few of these calls each month, so grab yours before they’re gone. Go to the link in the show notes to book your free podcast Jumpstart session. Let’s make this podcast happen.

So lately I’ve been running my episode outlines through chat GPT, just to make sure that I’m not missing anything that could help all of you. And this time when I ran it through chat GPT, it gave me a reframe that I honestly had to sit with for a minute because I wasn’t sure if I believed it. But I do.

So here it is, it’s podcast. Guesting is a form of self care I know that it might sound a little out there at first, but hear me out. Guesting on podcasts is one of the most efficient and energizing ways to grow your show.

You don’t have to rely on social media. You get to have deep, meaningful conversations with other podcasters, people who get it, who understand what it’s like to podcast

and the best part, you’re filling your own cup by sharing what you’re passionate about. It’s marketing that feels refreshing and maybe even fun. Imagine that. As I’m wrapping up this episode, here’s the one thing you should implement in your podcast if you’re feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start.

And that is before you start sending emails about being a podcast guest, do some research beforehand to make sure you’re a good fit for their podcast. You don’t wanna waste your time and the other podcast host time doing an interview that doesn’t reach your ideal listener. If this episode helped you, would you mind sharing it with another mom who wants to start a podcast without burning out?

Your recommendation would mean the world to me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to all of you who have already recommended the Friendly Podcast Guide to your mom, friends who wanna start a podcast. In next week’s episode, I get to share a conversation I had with the Queen of SEO Brittany Herzberg.

She knows so much about search engine optimization, SEO for short, but in this episode, she explains it in a way that feels doable and not overwhelming. This chat is perfect for you. If you have no idea what SEO is, because I specifically asked Brittany to talk about podcast, SEO for people who are just starting out.

Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you next week.