Guest to Guru: Grow Your Wellness Practice with Podcasts, Part I
Being a guest on the right podcast is one of the easiest and most effective ways to expand your audience. Not only does it put you in front of a new community, but it also establishes you as an expert in your field, creating the trust and credibility that are paramount in the health and wellness industry.
Guesting also creates a familiarity with listeners that written communication—like emails, blog posts, or even social media—can’t always achieve. Listeners are able to hear your voice, experience your personality, and listen in on real conversations.
Together, these factors help you build that all-important know, like, and trust factor that converts listeners into loyal clients.
But with podcasts growing in popularity as a marketing tool, becoming a guest isn’t as simple as sending out a few emails. While it’s great if you already know the host, chances are, you’ll need to pitch yourself to people who don’t know you—yet.
In this three-part series, we’ll explore how to get strategic and make podcast guesting work for your wellness business:
Get Clear on Your Podcast Guesting Goals
Before diving into a list of shows to pitch, reflect on how podcasting fits into your overall marketing strategy. Are you looking to establish authority on a specific health topic? Do you want to grow your funnel by reaching new audiences? Maybe you’re seeking meaningful industry connections through networking.
By understanding your “why,” you’ll be better equipped to target podcasts that align with your goals. For example, if you’re a nutritionist aiming to connect with new moms, look for podcasts focused on postpartum health or family nutrition. Your purpose will also guide your pitch topics. If you’re a chiropractor wanting to attract young athletes, a podcast about aging joints wouldn’t be the best fit.
Define Your Ideal Audience
This is a critical step that’s often overlooked, but it’s absolutely essential to know exactly who you want to reach before deciding which podcasts to pitch.
If you haven’t already nailed down who your ideal client is, now’s the time. Create a brief profile that captures their stage of life, profession, personal interests, and any other relevant characteristics. Are they corporate wellness managers, busy moms, or perhaps weekend warriors obsessed with optimizing their health?
Once you’re clear on who you want to serve, you can build a roadmap for selecting podcasts that speak directly to them. Aligning with the right audience means your message will land with listeners who are most likely to resonate with your services—and eventually convert into clients.
Choose the Topics You Want to Talk About
The best podcast interviews are recorded conversations about topics you know inside and out—things you talk about daily with your clients and colleagues.
To identify your key topics, think about the questions you’re frequently asked. What problems are your clients facing that you’re passionate about solving? What topics do your friends or fellow practitioners come to you for advice on?
These are your “sweet spot” topics—the ones that highlight your expertise and make you come alive. Choose two or three topics to center your podcast pitches around, focusing on areas where you can offer value and insight. These are the conversations that will help you stand out as an expert and connect with listeners.
Build Your Podcast Pitch List
With over 5 million podcasts worldwide, narrowing down the right ones for your pitch can feel overwhelming. Start by researching podcasts whose target audience overlaps with your ideal client base. Find them by heading to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or another podcast platform and searching for variations of the topics you want to speak about, or searching for experts in your space.
While it’s easy to get starry-eyed thinking about landing a spot on big-name shows like Huberman Lab or The Human Upgrade, you’re more likely to get featured on shows that are smaller yet still respected within the wellness industry, especially in the beginning stages of your podcast journey.
Look for podcasts that have been around for at least a year and regularly feature guests with expertise similar to yours. Check out the reviews and look for shows with engaged listeners who give high praise in their reviews. Shows with loyal followings can have an incredible impact on your business, even if their listener numbers are modest compared to celebrity podcasts.
Four tips for choosing the right podcasts to pitch:
- Audience alignment: Does their listener base overlap with your target audience?
- Show size and ranking: What’s the size of their audience? Is the show growing in popularity?
- Guest format: Do they regularly feature guests? What types of experts have they had on before?
- Reputation and longevity: How long has the show been running? Does it have credibility in your niche?
Another useful trick? When browsing through podcasts, pay attention to which shows get suggested to you based on your search. Often, these recommendations will lead you to hidden gems perfect for your pitch list.
Be sure to also include a few “stretch” podcasts on your list—shows that might be more well-known, but are still achievable. Even if landing a spot on a top show is out of reach for now, stretching your comfort zone with these pitches can open doors to more visibility.
Finally, make sure the podcasts you’re pitching regularly feature guests. Solo-hosted podcasts that rarely feature guests are unlikely to accept your pitch, and it’s best to focus your energy where it matters.
Next Steps: Crafting the Perfect Podcast Pitch
Now that you know which podcasts to pitch, it’s time to write your pitch. In the next segment of this series, we’ll dive into the art of crafting the perfect podcast pitch. You’ll learn how to frame your expertise in a way that captures a host’s attention, what elements will make your pitch stand out, and how to position yourself as the ideal guest for their audience. If you’re ready to get booked and grow your wellness practice, stay tuned—your pitch game is about to level up!
