When you think about hosting your podcast, sometimes you think about you, by yourself with a microphone and a plan. There is, however, a way to spice up your podcast beyond co-hosts and groups. That option is podcast guests.
Bringing in podcast guests can give your podcast fresh perspectives, and help you grow your business with new connections. Depending on the guests you bring on, you’ll establish bonding and rapport, reach new audience members, and maybe even find new ideas for podcast and business content.
Here at Mr. Thrive, we’re familiar with the benefits of bringing on podcast guests. In this blog post, we want to help you learn just how many benefits guests can bring to your podcast. It’s more than you might think! Read on to learn all about it.
5 Benefits of Podcast Guests
If you’ve learned about the types of podcasts, and you know what your podcast is going to be about it’s time for the next steps. Your next to-do list item is to decide if your podcast will have guests. Most types of podcasts are well-suited to guests–from guest hosts to interview subjects to members of the community.
As you’re deciding whether you’ll have guests, or how many you’ll have, learning the benefit of podcast guests will help you make that choice. No matter what your podcast is about, these benefits of podcast guests are universal to the podcast industry.
These five benefits all wrap around the content and community benefits of podcast guests. Overall, these benefits will spill into the rest of your podcast business. They will amp up the creative aspects of your podcast and grow your audience.
5. Find Networking Opportunities
It’s easy to forget that once you start a business, you still have to network in your industry. Networking will keep you moving forward and will give you new opportunities for work, connections, and future business plans. It also helps you find your voice within your industry and specific community.
Podcast guests can be a direct networking opportunity, and they can also introduce you to other networking situations. Depending on the guests you have, you may find a new business opportunity with the guest as you chat with them.
On the other hand, the right guest could be a stepping stone into a new part of your community. Odds are, as you find the guests you want on your podcast, you’ll end up with a mix of networking opportunities.
The other side of the networking opportunity coin is that you also serve as an opportunity for new community building for your guests. When you think of the benefit of podcast guests, think about what you will do for them. It’s just as important as what they can do for you.
4. Expert Knowledge
Your podcast could be about an extremely technical subject. Perhaps you’re interested in bringing experts in for monthly chats on different topics. Either way, the benefit of expert knowledge comes with finding the right guests. There are experts in any given field, and finding them for your podcast will bulk up your authority on your subject.
Of course, your own authority on your subject is also vital. An authoritative, reliable podcast starts with you and your knowledge and is continued with expert guest speakers. You can think of it like a respected college professor bringing in their peers to shed even more light on the subject.
You should always take care when searching for podcast guests, but that care is even more important when searching for experts in the field. To fully reap the rewards of this benefit, search for people with a wealth of verifiable knowledge and experience in your subject. You can do this through networking and market research.
3. Varying Opinions
Bringing in podcast guests from your podcast topic and surrounding topics and schools of thought will bring a variety of opinions to your podcast. This is a bonus for several reasons.
One is, you’ll expand your own mind and learn something new with each guest. Another is, your listeners will hear more than your opinion, and your podcast will become even more educational.
On top of both of those, you’ll end up discussing topics you wouldn’t necessarily have found on your own. That can lead you to new opportunities, which coincidentally leads to the next benefit.
2. Additional Content Options
A podcast business depends on growth and consistent opportunities for expansion. A lot of that growth comes from new ideas for content. We mentioned in the last benefit that bringing on guests will lead you to new topics, and facets of your current topics.
Beyond the specific conversation with that guest, you’ll be able to take those ideas and move forward with new content. That content can be in the form of new episodes built on incoming ideas. It can also be blog posts, social media content, and business plans that incorporate those new ideas.
You never know where an idea for new content will come from, but having guests is a good place to start. When it comes to finding new content ideas, you should specifically reach out to potential guests who are working creatively in your field.
1. Additional Influence
The main reason and benefit of podcast guests is the influence you gain from your guests and their followings. Of course, this is also a benefit for your guests, as they gain the influence of being on your podcast.
For the most part, guests aren’t paid to be on podcasts, because the influence you gain is the form of payment. That influence is also increased through both of you sharing the podcast on your social channels and hyping each other up.
You can seek out guests with specific influence that you would like to bring to your podcast. In fact, this is one of the best ways to cement your podcast in a niche area. If you can bring on guests who have a following in your topic, you’ll be making a home for your podcast in that topic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Podcast Guests
There are plenty of questions you can ask of your podcast guests. However, before you get there, there are some questions you will have about podcast guests. Our answers to these frequently asked questions will give you some insight into different aspects of guests on podcasts.
How Do Podcasts Get Guests?
Podcasts get guests through mutual connections, as well as through reaching out to people within the industry of the podcast topic. You can find guests across the range of people who relate to your topic and reach out through official channels or through social media. As you build your podcast, you’ll find yourself meeting more potential guests through mutual friends.
Do All Podcasts Have Guests?
Nope, not all podcasts have guests. You can have a great solo podcast or even a podcast with a co-host (or several hosts). We’ve covered the different kinds of podcasts that exist here. Part of whether you have guests depends on the type of podcast you host. The rest of the reasoning, however, is about the subject you choose, and how you want to format your podcast.
There is no requirement to have guests on your podcast. There are some key benefits of guests, however, and it’s worth looking into for sure.
Is a Solo Podcast a Good Idea?
A solo podcast is a good idea if you have a solid plan for it. When it’s just you with a microphone, there are many more things you need to be planning for. You’ll need to consider everything from the entire episode to the direction of the show. If you want to make a podcast that is entirely your own and you have the plan for it, reach out to Mr. Thrive and we can make it happen.
Do Guests on Podcasts Get Paid?
For the most part, podcasts don’t pay guests to be on the show. The typical form of payment comes from exposure, which benefits the podcast and the guest. For the really big podcasts, guests will often pay the podcast to be featured in an episode.
What Makes a Great Podcast Guest?
A great podcast guest is someone who is comfortable speaking in a public setting. It is also someone who has a broad range of knowledge about the podcast topic. That leaves a lot of wiggle room. Anyone with an interest in the podcast and a comfort level with speaking and being recorded has the potential to be a great guest.
Podcast Guests: Who Would Have Guest About All These Benefits?
If you make the choice to bring guests onto your podcast, you’ll be moving in a new direction. You’ll find new content ideas and reach an audience that will help you grow your business in every way. Your thoughts on the key fundamentals of podcasting will grow as well.
Here at Mr. Thrive Media, we can help you make your podcast–guests or no guests–be produced with precision and care. Our agency of vocal talent, marketing experts, and podcast-producing pros will build up the foundation of your podcast, while you build out the content. Contact us to get started today.