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**(By Yann Ilunga)**You’ve decided what you’d like to achieve through podcast guesting and you have all of the necessary “tools of the trade.” Now, it’s time to start the research and compile the list of shows you’d like to be interviewed for.
#1: Look At Your Network
The first place you – or your assistant – can start the research is your existing network. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or something else, chances are you do have a few podcast hosts among your connections. You can go through your contacts and reach out to them privately or even make a call for podcast guest-interview opportunities and publicly post it on your social media pages.
#2: Browse Social Media
Social media can even be used to look beyond your existing network of contacts. By simply entering keywords like “podcaster,” “podcast host,” or “podcast producer” on LinkedIn, you’ll get quite the list of podcasters.
And the same strategy can be carried out on Twitter. If you’d like to be even more targeted, you can look at the Advanced Twitter Search feature.
#3: Be On The Lookout For “Calls for Guests”
In case you aren’t already, make sure to join Facebook groups and other communities where podcast hosts spend their time in. Sometimes you’re going to find “calls for podcast guests” – an excellent opportunity for you to pitch yourself.
And if you don’t see any calls for guests, you can simply do what you would for strategy #2 and connect with the hosts on an individual basis and then start the conversation (and eventually pitch yourself).
#4: Apple Podcasts
Looking at the number one podcasting platform should be a no-brainer for every podcast guest. Open Apple Podcasts and browse through the different sections “New & Noteworthy,” “Categories,” “What’s Hot,” “Editors’ Picks,” etc.
Once you’ve found a podcast, you can look at its Apple Podcasts page and visit the show website to get in touch with the host and pitch yourself.
#5: Other Podcasting Apps And Directories
If you aren’t an iOS user, then you’re probably using a different podcasting app.
Open Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Spotify, PocketCasts, Anchor, or your go-to podcast-listening app and browse through the different sections and charts to find shows that fit your podcast guesting bill.
#6: Leveraging The Amazon Algorithm
This next strategy is a bit of a “hidden gem” and it has to do with Amazon and its algorithm. And it will come in handy down the line, especially if you reach a point where you feel there aren’t many podcasts still left for you as a guest.
If you’re an author, head to your Amazon author page and scroll down to the “Customers Also Bought Items By” section.
Copy the name of an author and then paste it into the search bar in Apple Podcasts. The next step is to choose “Podcasts.”
Now you’ll be able to see the list of shows a specific author – whom the Amazon algorithm deems to be similar to you – has been featured on. Those are probably podcasts you may want to add to your list.
Not an author? Then simply enter your topics or keywords on Amazon and look for books that have been written on them. After that, click on an author’s name and follow the steps we just looked at (Amazon author page, “Customers Also Bought Items By,” etc.).
#7: Interview Booking Services
Up until now, we’ve looked at strategies that can be carried out by you or an assistant. But what if you don’t have the time or don’t want to go down the DIY route? This is where this final strategy comes into play.
Recently, there’s been an increase in the number of interview booking services. These are companies and platforms that bring together podcast hosts and guests. Interview Connections, Interview Valet, and Podcast Guests.com are only a few names you might want to look into if you’d like to outsource this part of your podcast guesting workflow.
Keep in mind that every company and site has its own pricing and feature options, so you should choose the one you deem the most appropriate to you, your brand, and business values.
Before you start researching and compiling a list of podcasts to be featured on (or you have someone else do it for you), make sure that your Podcast Guest Webpage and One-Sheet are good to.
Yann Ilunga is a podcasting consultant and systems strategist. He’s the host of The Podcaster Lab and creator of what Forbes dubbed “Podcast Community to Join”: the Podcast Growth Mastermind.