It's easy to find Cision's homepage and surf its services. But there's one burning question: how much does Cision cost?

This article provides information on Cision pricing and introduces some of its PR platform and media database alternatives.

How much does Cision cost?

One customer reports paying Cision $3,500 per year for two seats on the media database, while another reports paying $25,000 for a more feature-rich package with five seats, based on posts on Reddit.

There are more reports on pricing that we touch on below, but the thing to remember is that Cision doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all price, or even pricing tiers. So, you won't find up-front costs on the Cision website - you'll have to speak to a representative.

In the meantime, here are some more online clues that shine a light on the likely costs you might face.

What do people say about Cision pricing on G2?

G2 is a software marketplace where you'll find unbiased user reviews of B2B software, hardware, and services. In their pricing review section for Cision, you may get a pricing estimate by entering your work email "to see what companies like yours are paying."

What do people say about Cision on Reddit?

From people’s comments, it seems like Cision clients have seen a big variety in pricing.

We’ve created a table, ordered from low to high, to reflect their use. People do call features by different names in their reviews, and we can’t confirm any of these reports; however we’ve tried our best to align them in this table.

Sources: Reddit thread one and Reddit thread two

Cision reviews

CisionOne has an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 on G2 from 1.2k+ reviews, and 3.8 out of 5 on Capterra (correct as of April 2026).

Cision features

Cision is a media database and services provider for communications and PR professionals working in the private or public sector. It’s designed to help users connect with relevant journalists working in print media, radio, podcasts or online.

Its flagship platform is the AI-powered CisionOne, which brings all its functions into one end-to-end workflow. At the time of writing, the company still offers older software like Cision Communications Cloud, and some of our pricing clues (below) may reflect that.

Cision alternatives for PR

You can find similar services (media databases, journalist contacts, CRM tools, pitching etc.) on a number of other platforms. JournoFinder, Muck Rack, Prowly, Prezly and Meltwater are some of the most-mentioned Cision alternatives, so we took a look at what they offer.

Together, these databases cover a variety of media (print, online etc.), however if you're podcast focused, Rephonic is probably your best bet.

JournoFinder

JournoFinder is an AI-powered media database built around one core principle: relevance. Rather than maintaining a static, bloated database that goes stale, JournoFinder uses AI-powered semantic search to surface the journalists who are most relevant to your story right now, not contacts who covered your topic three years ago.

What makes it stand out from legacy databases like Cision is its approach to data. JournoFinder's database of 1M+ journalists is continuously updated, with contact details verified in real time before you export. That means fewer bounced emails and more pitches that actually land. If a journalist isn't already in the database (say, a niche contributor at a hyper-relevant trade publication that Cision and Muck Rack don't cover) JournoFinder will automatically create a profile for them when they're discovered through a search.

Key features include a Google News-powered search that lets you find journalists covering breaking stories within minutes, a built-in CRM and pitching tool, #JournoRequest alerts that aggregate journalist callouts from across the web using semantic matching, a bulk URL upload tool (great for integrating with SEO workflows like Ahrefs), and a precision map search for local and regional media lists.

JournoFinder also stands apart on support: real humans respond quickly from day one, regardless of your plan. There are no bots, no ticket queues, and support isn't locked behind an enterprise tier.

Plans start at $119/month (paid annually) with a 7-day free trial, making it a fraction of the cost of Cision, Meltwater, or Muck Rack.

Best for:

PR professionals who need hyper-relevant journalists with verified contacts, AI-powered discovery, and responsive human support, at a fraction of the cost of legacy databases.

Muck Rack

Muck Rack is a PR and media management platform designed to encompass users' PR workflows, including pitching, monitoring and reporting. It includes tools for PR & Comms teams (e.g., PR software, media database, press releases, social media listening, AI, etc.) and offers journalists the use of free portfolios and a Job Board.

Its main strength is breadth. For teams that want media discovery, pitching, monitoring, and reporting in one place, Muck Rack offers a more unified experience than using separate tools. That makes it a strong fit for agencies and in-house PR teams that need collaboration features and want to measure the impact of their outreach as well as manage contacts.

Like Cision, Muck Rack doesn’t reveal pricing information on its website. Instead, it offers a demo call with an agent to determine the cost based on user numbers and needs. However, the going rate for one user seems to be $5,000 per year.

Best for:

In Reddit discussions (like this one), Muck Rack users say the company began as a media database, and in their opinion, that's where its strengths lie.

Prowly

Prowly is an AI-powered PR and media relations platform built for teams that need more than just a media database. Alongside its contact database of journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and influencers, it offers tools for building media lists, sending pitches, creating press releases, monitoring coverage, tracking results, and managing branded online newsrooms. That makes it a broader PR workflow tool rather than just a contact discovery product.

Its appeal is that it combines media outreach with content and reporting features in one platform. Teams can use it to maintain contact lists, run outreach campaigns, publish press releases, and keep a newsroom live without stitching together several separate tools. Compared with enterprise-heavy alternatives, Prowly is often positioned as a more accessible option for smaller PR teams, agencies, and growing brands that still want a fairly full feature set.

Prowly doesn't have a free option, but each tier offers a free 7-day trial. Their Basic Plans start at $369/month while the Pro Plans are $589/month (both paid annually).

Best for:

PR agencies and individuals looking to organize and track PR and media contacts.

Rephonic

Rephonic is the most comprehensive podcast database for PR teams, marketers, and founders looking to book high-impact guest appearances or ad spots.

The platform covers more than 3 million podcasts, giving users a much broader view of the podcast landscape than traditional media databases, and combines search, outreach, and monitoring tools in one place. Rephonic also helps users qualify shows before pitching, with data on listener numbers, audience demographics, contact details, related podcasts, and other signals that make it easier to decide which opportunities are worth pursuing.

While broader PR platforms treat podcasts as one small part of a larger media database, Rephonic is purpose-built for podcast research outreach. That makes it especially useful for PR teams running dedicated podcast guesting campaigns or tracking where their client's brand is being mentioned across episodes and transcripts.

Rephonic offers a seven-day free trial, and three paid tiers: Light ($99/month), Standard ($149/month) and Business ($299/month).

Best for:

Data-driven PR teams that want deep insights, high-quality contacts for 3m+ podcasts, and one platform to manage the full podcast booking workflow.

One user stated, "Rephonic's the best platform for anyone who books podcasts."

Prezly

Prezly is an all-in-one PR software platform built mainly for in-house comms teams, with a separate offering for PR agencies. It covers the core PR workflow: online newsrooms, press release publishing, email campaigns, media monitoring, a built-in CRM, and press kit tools. That makes it a good fit for teams that want to manage outreach, content, and media assets in one place rather than across several different tools.

Prezly has three annual pricing tiers: Essential ($100/mo), Standard ($150/mo) and Enterprise (custom.)

Best for:

In-house comms teams seeking an affordable alternative for press release distribution and maintaining media contacts.

Meltwater

Meltwater was one of the first online media monitoring companies and today offers a suite of products. As well as social media listening, media database and contacts, it also offers insights into your audience, influencer marketing and sales, as well as data and API integration.

The company says each product package is customized to individual needs, and prospective users should contact the sales team or request a demo.

Best for:

Identifying journalists and the specific topics they write about. Users say they find it useful for conducting searches, keeping track of clips and for sentiment analysis in social media listening.

FAQs

Does Cision have podcasts on its database?

Yes - Cision has 60,000 podcasts on its database. Users can monitor these podcasts for brand or keyword mentions.

Is there a dedicated podcast database I can use alongside Cision?

Yes - Rephonic is the most comprehensive podcast media database used by PR professionals to find, qualify and pitch podcasts.

Final thoughts

If you're looking for a Cision alternative that prioritizes journalist relevance, verified contacts, and value for money, JournoFinder is the strongest option on this list. Its AI-powered search finds journalists that legacy databases simply miss, the data is always live, and you can try it free for 7 days without speaking to a sales team.

For those who need a broader all-in-one suite with media monitoring and social listening, Meltwater or Muck Rack may be worth the significantly higher price tag. If press release distribution is your main need, Prowly or Prezly are solid choices. And if you want to get your client's message out to podcast listeners, check out Rephonic's podcast data, contacts and pitching tools.

Looking for the best podcast info? Get it here with a 7-day free trial.

How to Get Podcast Transcripts & Search for Keywords

Learn how to get podcast transcripts with Rephonic and get a competitive advantage. Search transcripts for keywords and make better, more accurate decisions.

How to Spy on a Competitor’s Podcast Guesting Strategy

In this article, we break down why piecing together their competitor’s podcast guesting strategy matters and how to use Rephonic to get a clear view of what’s happening behind the scenes.

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This article describes how to see how many listeners a podcast has. If you're planning to pitch yourself (or someone else) as a guest or sponsor, you probably want to know how many people are listening to it.

Or maybe you host your own show, and you're dying to know how similar shows are performing. You might even want to reach out to a podcast host with a similar audience size and suggest some cross-promo opportunities.

But can you see how many listeners a podcast has in 2026? Surely finding that info will be a piece of cake?

Well, it is if you use the right tool.

If you're a podcast publisher, jump to the part where we explain how to see your own listener metrics. Otherwise, we’ve laid out a few ways to look up valuable podcast stats and figure out how popular a show is that's not yours.

TL;DR:

1. Only the podcast publisher knows their actual number of listeners, subscribers and downloads.
2. Rephonic's podcast database is a popular way to get podcast listener numbers.
3. You can cross-check public signals if you don't want to pay for a tool, but insights are limited.

Six ways to see how many listeners a podcast has

1. Get podcast listener numbers using Rephonic

Rephonic's podcast database is the easiest way to tell how many listeners a podcast has. Rephonic has comprehensive podcast statistics for 2.5m+ shows, including listener numbers per episode and monthly listens. The numbers are front and center on each podcast's page.

We collect hundreds of publicly available data points for each podcast to come up with our metrics. Of course, it is a "best guess," so if you're determined to know the actual listener numbers, you'll have to contact the podcast host or publisher directly.

James Potter, Founder of Rephonic

Get started with a 7-day free trial

2. Check ratings and reviews

When sizing up a podcast, many people often turn to platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, two of the leading podcast players, particularly in the US and the UK. They aggregate the most listener feedback, allowing users to check the average rating, number of ratings, and even read reviews on Apple Podcasts.

You could try to guess that a podcast has a large audience by the total number of ratings it has. But this is a somewhat flawed approach because there's not always direct link between the volume of listener feedback and audience size.

Also, to get a full picture of its audience, you'll have to check each of the podcast apps where you can listen to the show.

The best apps to check are:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Castbox
• Podcast Addict
• Podchaser
• Amazon / Audible

How many stars do fans give, and what are the reviews like? Enthusiastic? Excited? Are their superfans raving, or are the comments short and boring or even non-existent?

Rephonic collects all of this listener feedback and makes it available for free. Here's an example for The Daily (scroll down to "Reviews").

3. Inspect chart rankings

Similarly to ratings and reviews, Apple Podcasts and Spotify are the best places to look for the most comprehensive podcast chart rankings. If a show is ranking high in its category — or perhaps across all categories — then that's a pretty good indication that they have a sizeable audience.

The charts are not an ideal measure of popularity, though. It's thought that they are calculated by looking at the number of new followers (previously 'subscribers') each podcast has added over a recent time window.

If a show's listeners skew towards another platform, or another country where Apple or Spotify is less dominant, then they won't perform so well in the charts.

Rephonic collects podcast chart rankings for:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube

Here's an example (scroll down to "Charts" - if it's missing then that show is not ranking at all).

4. Investigate podcast stats revealed by some apps

There's no official way to see a podcast's global number of listeners across every app, but a few podcast apps have data about their own users.

• Castbox – shows subscribers and total streams (Castbox ≈ 2% of all podcast listeners).
• Spotify followers – now visible inside Rephonic for quick one-click checks.

Although subscriber numbers do not always directly correlate with listener numbers, they give you a clue as to the size of a show's listenership. One way to use them is by comparing the stats between shows on the same platform.

Only the podcast host or publisher has access to how many listeners or streams a show has.

5. Check social media presence

Checking a podcast's social media accounts can tell you something about their listenership figures and how engaged their listeners are.

Usually you can go to the podcast's official website (often listed in podcast listening apps) to find links to their social accounts.

Check out their Instagram feed or X account. Are they active on TikTok? How many followers do the hosts have? Can you see a lot of positive listener engagement on these accounts?

See total YouTube podcast views with Rephonic.

If you're looking for the number of podcast views, you can do a quick search on YouTube and scroll through their videos to get an idea of how many views each episode has. You can see the total number of YouTube views for each podcast on Rephonic's database.

A lot of people watch podcasts on YouTube now, so knowing a podcast's viewership numbers can help you get a better understanding of its total reach.

6. Ask the publisher directly

To find out the most accurate podcast numbers, you need to go direct to the source. That means reaching out to the host, owner or publisher. Finding the right person is not always easy, so we’ve put together a guide to help you find podcast contact information more efficiently.

Once you've sent your email, there's no guarantee that they'll respond. But the likelihood depends on your intent. If you're looking to spend money on sponsoring their show then you may get a quick reply! On the other hand, if you're looking to research your competitors before you launch your own podcast, you’re probably not going to be so lucky.

Watch out for publishers giving you their all-time number of downloads, i.e. the number of times all combined episodes have been downloaded since the podcast was founded. It may sound impressive, but it doesn't tell you a lot about how many listeners they're currently pulling in per episode.

Can you see how many downloads a podcast has?

Finding podcast download numbers is a common approach you might use to make decisions about which shows to reach out to.

As a listener, you can't see download numbers in any of the podcast apps. However, if a podcast host adds an OP3 prefix to their URL, they'll see all their podcast's performance across all the platforms and this data is automatically made public via the API.

Unfortunately, download numbers are somewhat misunderstood in the world of podcasting. They seem to indicate how many listeners a podcast has, but in fact, they show how many times the podcast was downloaded onto a device.

Listeners can choose to subscribe and automatically download every episode, or download it on the go, which is known as user-initiated episodes. So, download numbers don’t tell you how many listeners a podcast has because you don't know when or even if they actually heard that episode.

That's why Rephonic gives you listener per episode numbers instead of downloads, to provide a more accurate idea of the size of an individual podcast’s audience.

Get started with a free trial.

Can you see how many subscribers a podcast has?

Podcast subscriber numbers are often used as a guide to understanding a podcast's popularity.

However, finding the total podcast subscriber count is notoriously difficult, for the same reason that it’s difficult to find the number of listeners and downloads. Podcast distribution is decentralized - in other words, podcasts publish in many different places so you can listen to episodes and subscribe to shows wherever it suits.

This is how podcasts become available:

And therein lies the problem when it comes to finding out podcast subscriber numbers.

There are piles of platforms out there. Spotify, Apple podcasts, and iHeartRadio are three of the largest, but there are many smaller players too. Buzzsprout lists a large number of podcast apps in its Definitive Podcast Directory List for 2026.

Spotify is now the #1 or #2 podcast app, and although it's impossible to view figures within the app itself, Rephonic is able to pull Spotify subscriber numbers for every podcast and make it available on its platform.

Remember - just because someone follows or subscribes to a podcast doesn't mean they will actually listen.

How to see how many listeners your own podcast has

Analyzing your metrics helps you grow your show's popularity by improving your content.

Spotify and Apple Podcasts are two of the largest podcast apps, so let's see how they help you analyze your own podcast statistics.

Spotify

Spotify analytics measure many data points:

• Starts: logged whenever someone presses play on your podcast
• Streams/play counts: how many people listen for 60 seconds or more
• Listeners: unique listeners who have started at least one episode
• Followers: shows your subscriber numbers.
• Reach: Aka impressions, reach is counted at podcast and episode level and measures how many times your podcast is shown in Spotify Home, Search and Library over 30 days.
• Duration: The total time your audience listened
• Retention graphs: These show how people engage with your episode by tracking where people start, stop, or drop off
• Geographic distribution: Where your listeners where when they heard your podcast.

You get these analytics and more through for free at Spotify for Creators (formerly Spotify for Podcasters.)

Apple Podcasts

Apple podcasts analytics look at similar stats to Spotify's, but you access them through Apple Podcasts Connect. A podcast host or publisher can see their stats by episode or over all time.

Engaged Listeners is possibly one of Apple's most important metrics for measuring podcast success, because these are unique devices that played at least 40% of an episode with a single session. Understanding how many listeners actually heard that much or more of your podcast can be a game changer, revealing listener behavior as well as the content and guests they enjoyed.

Watch Grow Your Podcast By Doing This for an interesting overview or see Apple's Support Resources for further information.

OP3 prefix

But how can you see how popular your show is without going into every single app that plays it? That's where the OP3 prefix comes in.

OP3 (Open Podcast Prefix Project) works by adding a small piece of tracking information to the beginning of the episode file URL. This means that podcast episode downloads can be tracked across all platforms.

Discover how popular a podcast is with Rephonic

The easiest way to look up podcast stats is with Rephonic, the most complete podcast database for PR teams, marketers, and founders looking to book high-impact guest appearances and ad spots.

For any podcast, see how many listeners it has, its chart rankings, social followers, YouTube viewership, reviews and more so you don’t have to waste valuable time searching the web.

If you're looking for podcasts to pitch as a potential guest or sponsor, Rephonic is a great way to find the right shows in any niche and quickly find the best email address to contact them with.

Get started with a free trial today.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist whose data-driven insights on the podcasting industry have been featured in Podnews.

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Looking to advertise on podcasts for the first time? Podcast advertising is a powerful tool within digital marketing, leveraging digital platforms to reach highly engaged audiences.

Podcasts continue to be a fast-growing marketing channel. In the US alone, 55% of Americans now say they regularly listen to podcasts. That’s a whole lot of people listening at home and while they’re out and about.

This article explains what podcast advertising is and how you can use Rephonic to help your business run effective podcast ad campaigns. Podcast advertising is effective because listeners are highly engaged and trust the hosts, which leads to higher conversions.

Two approaches to running your first podcast advertising campaign

There’s more than one way to get your brand into podcast episodes. The right approach depends on how much control you want, how quickly you need to launch, and whether you’re aiming for a niche audience or broader reach.

Choosing the right podcast ad placements is a key part of planning your podcast campaign, as it determines where your message will appear and how effectively you reach your target audience.

The two main options for brands starting out with podcast ads are:

1. Direct buys
2. Self-serve platforms

1. Direct buys

What it means:

You choose specific podcasts that match your target audience and buy ad space directly from the show or its network.

Direct buys often involve you doing some (or all) of the following:

• Selecting podcasts and reaching out to the host or network
• Working directly with podcast creators and podcast networks to secure ad placements and sponsorships
• Agreeing the ad format (host-read vs pre-recorded), placement, and schedule
• Providing talking points or writing a podcast ad script
• Negotiating pricing, duration, and any sponsorship extras (e.g., newsletter mentions, social posts)

Why brands prefer it:

Many brands like direct buys because they get maximum control and context. You decide exactly which shows you appear on, so it’s easier to align with the right audience, tone, and host credibility.

It’s also popular for building relationships with podcast hosts, podcast creators, and networks over time, which can lead to better placements, smoother renewals, and more integrated opportunities (like giveaways, guest spots, or longer-term sponsorships). Podcast hosts and creators are often open to collaborations, and working with podcast networks can simplify the process of finding and buying ad space.

Direct buys can feel more “native” to listeners too, especially on niche podcasts or with host-read ads where the podcast host can introduce your brand in their own voice.

Host-read sponsorships typically cost between $25 to $40 CPM, and podcast advertising is often sold on a CPM (cost per mille) basis, meaning you pay per thousand impressions. Alternatively, some shows work with a flat rate to keep things simple.

2. Self-serve platforms

What it means:

A self-serve platform is the DIY way to run podcast and audio ads without negotiating show-by-show. You set everything up in a dashboard: choose your targeting, set a budget, upload your creative, and the platform takes care of delivering your ads to the right listeners.

The biggest example is Spotify Ads Manager, which lets you run ads across Spotify placements (including podcast inventory depending on your market and campaign settings), with targeting options like location, demographics, and interests, plus campaign reporting.

Costs vary widely, but they typically depend on the type of ad you run, the size of the audience you’re trying to reach, how specific your targeting is, and how long you want the campaign to run.

Why brands prefer it:

Brands use self-serve platforms because they’re fast to launch and easier to manage than buying show-by-show. Everything runs through one dashboard, with standardized setup and built-in reporting.

Instead of pitching individual shows, you define the audience you want and the platform places ads across available inventory that matches your settings.

There are two common types:

• Marketplace-style (e.g., Gumball): you browse and choose specific creators/shows.
• Network-style (e.g., Spotify Ads Manager, AudioGO): you choose audiences/categories and the platform distributes ads across its network inventory.

Baked-in vs dynamically inserted ads

Baked-in ads

What it means:

Baked-in ads are recorded within the podcast episode and stay there forever. The only way to change them is to re-record that part of the episode.

Why brands prefer it:

Baked-in ads are often host-read, meaning the message is delivered in the host’s voice, sometimes with personal context or a natural recommendation. Brands like this because podcast listeners tend to trust the hosts they tune into regularly, and that trust can carry into the ad.

Another big reason brands choose baked-in ads is longevity. When new listeners discover an established show, they often binge the back catalogue. Hosts also regularly point listeners to older episodes (especially in educational or evergreen shows), sending fresh traffic to past content.

That means a baked-in ad can keep getting heard long after the original campaign, whenever and wherever someone plays that episode.

Dynamically inserted ads

What it means:

Dynamically-inserted ads (DAI) are separate audio files inserted into ad slots within a podcast. They usually run for a preset number of impressions or a set time period.

Why brands prefer it:

Brands use DAI because it’s flexible and easy to control. You can run ads in specific episodes, during specific dates, and then swap them out when the campaign ends, keeping ad slots in the back catalogue fresh and up to date.

DAI ads can be host-read or pre-recorded. They’re especially useful for brands running time-sensitive promotions (launches, seasonal campaigns, events), because you can start and stop quickly, update creative without touching the original episode, and avoid outdated offers lingering in old content.

Example:

The Viall Files ran a host-read, dynamically-inserted ad for Ollie in the lead-up to Valentine's Day.

It is officially the month of love, Nick. Reminder, reminder. And we know you want to celebrate with the one you love most, your dog. Celebrate with the one you love most by giving them the best, highest quality ingredients with Ollie...Celebrate your number one Valentine, your greatest love, your dog. Head to ollie.com/viall.

However, once Valentine's Day was over the show replaced the dynamically-inserted ad in the audio version.

Pre-roll vs mid-roll vs post-roll

Most podcasts offer several types of podcast ads and ad placements for advertisers, including pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads, each offering different levels of ad exposure. Podcast ads come in a variety of formats and placements, which contributes to their appeal among a broad cross-section of brands with different marketing objectives and core demographics. Let’s look at these in more detail.

Pre-roll

An introductory ad before the show kicks in. Typically 15-30 seconds long, pre-roll ads often have a format like “Today’s show is brought to you by …” followed by a scripted ad copy.

Example:

DoorDash's host-read ad on Office Ladies, where both hosts chip in to make it feel like a conversation before the episode begins.

Angela: Life with kids is wildly unpredictable. I mean, the only thing that's certain is that something is going to go not according to your plan. It doesn't matter how much you try to plan. You can't leave the house to go get medicine or supplies or maybe a working thermometer because, oh my gosh, I can't believe the battery died in this one.

Jenna: And we don't have any batteries and I can't leave my kid who's running fever.

Angela: I mean there's all kinds of things.

Jenna: Real life needs real relief. That's why DoorDash is there for whatever you need whenever you need it. We all know life gets crazy. DoorDash just helps bring a little order to it...

Mid-roll

These segments are usually longer and run in the middle of the podcast content. Depending on the length of the podcast, there may be one or two mid-roll segments. Mid-roll ads tend to be the most effective because:

a) They occur when listeners are already engaged with the content and

b)Podcast listeners are often multitasking and are less likely to stop what they're doing to skip the ad.

Example:

Here's the text from a mid roll ad on the Tim Ferriss Show.

I first learned about Humann's endurance formula, SuperBeets Sport, a decade ago from a friend who is a multiple-time world champion. And she's not alone.

More than 160 professional sports teams and college sports programs use SuperBeets Sport by Humann. Humann's own clinical studies demonstrate up to an 18% increase in workout endurance.

To get 15% off of your first order of SuperBeets Sport. First time subscribers also receive a free month supply of sugar-free human tart cherry gummies to support recovery and healthy inflammatory response.

Post-roll

These ads are also around 15-30 seconds long, and, as the name suggests, they run at the end of the show. Post-roll ads are often the cheapest spot because listeners may tune out before or during the ad since the actual show has finished.

Example:

The Self-Publishing Show is regularly sponsored by Pro Writing Aid, whose host read ads featured as pre roll and post roll ads on each episode. Like this:

The Self-Publishing Show is sponsored by ProWritingAid. Built by writers for writers. ProWritingAid doesn't just check spelling and grammar.

It helps you enhance your story's pacing, plot, characters, settings and more. Now it can provide even on-demand developmental feedback for your entire manuscript with its manuscript analysis and virtual beta reader tools.

Give your writing a competitive advantage by heading to prowritingaid.com. Sign up for free and use the code IWC15 for a 15% discount of annual subscriptions.

How to run ad campaigns directly with podcasts

1. Find podcasts that align with your brand

Many podcasts target niche audiences; others appeal to a wide group of podcast listeners. Your ad campaign needs podcasts where audiences respond to your brand and the problems it solves. Podcasts attract engaged audiences, making them ideal for building brand awareness among relevant groups due to their niche focus.

• First, use the search engine in Rephonic to find podcasts in your industry or niche.
• Next, select podcasts that match your target audience and add them to a list in Rephonic.
• Then discover even more podcasts by using Rephonic’s 3D graph tool, which surfaces other podcasts that the audience also listens to.
• Finally narrow down the options to find the most receptive podcast audiences for your brand by checking the podcast stats, audience engagement and demographics. Analyzing listener demographics is crucial to ensure the podcasts you choose align with your target audience and optimize your ad placement.

Here’s how to assess podcast-audience fit using Rephonic.

2. Check the podcast's stats

Rephonic amasses data from around the web and sorts the information into six convenient buckets: Overview, Audience, People, Sponsors, Ratings & Reviews, and Charts.

Some essential stats to look for when choosing shows to approach for podcast advertising include:

Listener numbers: If you have a small budget and are just testing the waters, you might want to target smaller podcasts; however, if you have more cash to invest, you might look for large shows that reach a bigger target audience. Rephonic displays its best estimate for listeners per episode and monthly listens.

Audience demographics: Rephonic analyses the data to describe typical podcast listeners and their likely location (country), age range, education level, profession, interests and more. Use the information to help choose podcasts with listeners that match your target audience.

Other sponsors: You might find it helpful to see who else has run podcast ads on the show. Rephonic lists the names of all recent sponsors and notes the ad format (e.g., host-read) together with a snippet of the ad content and a link to the episode.

Social reach: Podcasts repurpose episodes for social media and often publish on YouTube too. Many podcasts are also available on Apple Podcasts and other digital platforms, including video podcasting on YouTube and connected TVs. This shift to digital venues expands audience engagement and reach, especially as more listeners consume long-form content outside of traditional TV. That can be an excellent way to boost your exposure. Knowing whether the podcast audience hangs out in the same social media space as your brand is also helpful. That’s another way to reach them after your podcast ads go live.

In 2024, the average time spent listening to digital audio in the U.S. increased by 26.4%, highlighting the growing opportunity for advertisers.

When researching a podcast, see if they have their social media accounts listed on their website. Or access them directly on Rephonic. You’ll find follower numbers and links to all the podcast’s social media channels.

3. Check for clues on ad costs

Many podcasts have an advertisers’ section on their website. You can often find a ‘Sponsors’ or ‘Advertisers’ tab on the top navigation bar, or scroll down to see if there’s a link in the footer menu.

When planning how to advertise on podcasts, it's important to consider podcast advertising cost, as rates can vary widely depending on audience size and ad format. Additionally, podcast ad revenue is projected to exceed $3 billion by 2027, according to eMarketer, reflecting the rapid growth and effectiveness of this advertising channel.

Some shows—e.g., Young and Profiting with Hala Tala—have a full-on media information page with information on audience engagement, past sponsors and ad formats, together with a contact form.

They may include advertising rates, or ask marketers to contact them for up-to-date rates, like this CTA from Social Media Examiner.

You may see podcasts asking potential advertisers to email them or fill out a contact form. Again, check the navigation menus for links.

Others give no clues on their websites as to whether they accept sponsors or not. However, you can often find out by checking their podcast page in Rephonic.

5. Pitch the host

Many podcasters won’t just accept any advertiser. Even if they need the money, they’ll want products relevant to their audience’s needs.

When you approach a podcast, keep these points in mind:

• Discuss the audience’s likes and dislikes with the hosts and listen to their ideas and insights.
• Let the host experience the product, especially if you choose host-read ads. Host-read ads are paid commercial messages delivered directly by a podcast host, often about their personal experiences with the brand. This allows your brand's message to be delivered authentically, leveraging the listeners trust in the host.
• Be respectful and willing to work together in your approach. View the whole process as a relationship and collaboration that benefits you both.
• Know your budget — and their charges.
• Be podcast and audience-focused: what’s the benefit for the podcast and its listeners? Equally, get clear on your expectations too. Are you expecting to sell products or gain brand awareness from these ads?

6. Choose your ad type and delivery method

Next, decide on ad formats.

Liaise with the host or podcast team to determine whether you’ll use host-read ads or pre-produced (i.e., you supply the ad pre-recorded) and if they’ll be baked in or DAI. Host-read ads feel more organic and authentic, which can enhance brand equity by building listener trust and driving conversions.

Branded content is another effective format, seamlessly integrating your brand into the podcast through branded episodes or series. This approach can boost audience engagement and deliver authentic brand messaging.

You could choose from one of four combinations, or the podcast advertising team may offer a set format:

• Baked in, host-read ads
• Dynamic ad insertion and host-read
• Advertiser-supplied with dynamic ad insertion
• Advertiser-supplied and baked in

7. Write your ad

Effective podcast advertising starts by understanding what you want people to do after they've heard your ad. Once you know that, you can start writing.

There are many ways to structure podcast advertising, but here's a guide to one of the most popular, as modelled by BetterHelp.

Hook

First grab the listener's attention so they'll be receptive to the ad's message.

E.g. "There are things to be gazelle-intense about. Making healthier choices, getting out of debt for sure. But when it comes to giving people what they need from you, it's better to be intentional, not intense."

Pain point

Mention the specific problem they're facing that your product or service can solve.

E.g. It's easy to get caught up in what people need from you and never give a thought to what you need. So how do you balance the two?"

Benefits

List the benefits they'll get when they try your product.

E.g. "It takes practice and therapy is a great way to learn new skills like balance and setting boundaries that allow you to have enough energy left for others without leaving yourself behind."

Call-to-action

Finally, spell out the action you want them to take, whether that’s visiting your website and making a purchase, downloading a freebie etc. Promo codes can encourage podcast listeners to take action and make it easier to track people arriving because of that ad.

E.g. "Find more balance with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/deloney today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp h-e-l-p .com/deloney."

Then, when your podcast ad is ready, send it to the host and monitor the results once it’s live!

Measuring podcast advertising effectiveness

Brands want 'bang for their buck' when it comes to podcast advertising. That means spending money wisely and understanding the true impact of your brand's podcast advertising campaign.

As podcast advertising continues to grow brands need to track the right metrics to:

1. Know how well their podcast ads are performing, and
2. Get the most out of their future campaigns.

You can assess podcast advertising effectiveness by using a combination of quantitative data (i.e., information you can measure and express as numbers) and qualitative data (info describing qualities, opinions, or experiences).

Focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) to gain valuable insights as to how your podcast ads resonate with podcast listeners and how they contribute to the overall campaign performance and increase brand awareness.

Ad recall

How well do your listeners remember the commercial messages they heard during your podcast episode? We call that measurement ad recall and it's one of the most important metrics for evaluating podcast advertising effectiveness. According to Acast, research consistently shows that podcast ads outperform traditional digital ads in terms of ad recall.

This high ad recall rate is largely due to the unique way people consume podcast episodes.

Podcast audiences are usually highly engaged and attentive, and they frequently listen to their favorite hosts while multitasking. Having such a receptive audience makes it more likely that listeners will remember your brand’s message long after the episode ends.

Things to consider when planning your podcast advertising campaign

How can your podcast ad formats maximize podcast listeners ad recall? Think about:

• Pre roll ads vs mid roll ads
• Host read ads vs recorded ads
• Baked-in vs dynamic ad insertion
• Whether you're focusing on brand awareness podcast advertising, or brand sales
• How can your ad content speak to that podcast's audience?

Host-read ads, in particular, tend to be more memorable. That's because they blend seamlessly with the show’s tone and are delivered by trusted podcast hosts.

Campaign performance

Beyond ad recall, measure the overall campaign performance to understand your podcast advertising ROI (return on investments).  You'll need to track some key metrics including website traffic, conversions, and sales that can be directly attributed to your podcast ads.

Quantitative measurements

Brands can accurately measure their campaign's performance by using unique promo codes and vanity URLs (short, easy-to-remember web addresses that redirect to a longer tracking link.) Alternatively, set up a dedicated landing page and only mention it in podcast ads.

Such tools help you track how many podcast listeners take action after hearing your ad, providing clear data on the effectiveness of your ad strategy and ad placements.

Qualitative data

Consider using one question, post-conversion surveys to ask customers how they heard about your brand. Make it super easy and quick for customers to respond. For example, provide a list of possibilities (including podcast advertising) and ask people to check all that apply.

Take note of positive reviews and comments in any DMs or emails from customers. If podcast hosts write their own host-read ads, notice what they say and how genuine they seem.  This data helps you refine your ad content and optimize future podcast ad campaigns for even better results.

Together, qualitative feedback and quantitative metrics help you improve your podcast advertising strategies, so that your marketing campaigns drive real results and contribute to your brand’s growth.

Final thoughts

Now you know what it takes to run a great podcast ad campaign, it's time to get going.

You could go about it the hard way and research everything manually. Or make the most of your time and effort by signing up for a 7-day free trial with Rephonic.

Get started today.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

Podcast Intelligence Engine for Discovery & Insights

If podcasts are part of your PR or sales and marketing strategies this year, you'll want the best insights and information on exactly which podcasts are right for your advertising campaign.

Podcast Guesting Case Study: Ahrefs Vs Semrush

Using Rephonic, we discovered that Ahrefs has made 99 podcast guest appearances, compared to 117 for Semrush. We compare their approaches in this article.

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If you want the fastest route to the right podcast episode, use Rephonic. We have designed our episode search engine to help you:

• Find the right podcasts for a guesting campaign
• Discover the best podcasts for an advertising campaign
• Research existing content to help you produce better podcasts.

You can also use it to get alerts on topics, people or keywords and check on your competitors. Knowing when they're mentioned lets you work out their podcast guesting strategies, see where they advertise or which of their content is mentioned on podcasts.

This article shows how you can search podcast episodes with Rephonic.

How Rephonic's podcast episode search works

When you enter a keyword or phrase into Episodes, our search engine looks for that keyword in:

• Podcast titles
• Show notes
• Transcripts

The results display all the relevant episodes, so you won't miss any conversations that mention your keyword.

How to search podcast episodes

Use Rephonic's search tool and filters

Let’s say we want to see the most recent episodes about “FinTech” and we only want to see episodes with over 5000 listeners and with an audience primarily in the UK.

1. Tap the Episodes button and enter the search term “FinTech”.
2. Add filters. In this case, we’d filter listener numbers and location.
3. Scroll through the episodes and open the ones that interest you most by clicking their titles.

Rephonic's search filters include audience demographics.

An audience search is important if you’re searching for relevant podcasts to pitch as a guest or advertiser because podcast PR works best when you’re speaking to listeners in your target audience.

Let’s change our FinTech search parameters to focus on the episodes’ audiences, rather than their numbers or location.

For example, we’ll look for FinTech episodes that focus on a young, professional audience in the tech industry. This search shows a very different set of results from the one that focused on Listener numbers and location.

Use search operators to optimize your searches

You may be familiar with the advanced search operators available in Google and other search engines. Now you can apply them to podcast episodes during your Rephonic search.

Either term can match: e.g., FinTech OR “financial technology.

Use OR when podcasts might use different labels for the same idea.

Both terms must match: e.g., FinTech AND “small business”.

Use AND when each term narrows the idea and you only want episodes with that intersection.

Exact phrase: “small business” .

Use quotes when the exact wording matters, especially for common phrases and buzzwords that get paraphrased.

Don’t match: FinTech -crypto.

Use a minus term when a keyword attracts a ton of adjacent-but-not-your-topic results.

Create keyword alerts for podcast episodes

Want to know when your product or brand is mentioned on a podcast episode? Or when particular topics or keywords come up? How about when a competitor's episode drops? Or when your own guest interview goes live?

You can set Rephonic to monitor all new podcast episodes for specific names or keywords by setting up an alert.

Here's how you do it.

1. Go to My Account on your home page (top right) check the drop-down menu and select Alerts.
2. Click the blue Create an Alert button.
3. Type the name, topic or keyword in the search bar. (Remember to use quotation marks for a name or phrase.)
4. Select Email daily or weekly. Select daily to get an email within 24 hours of a relevant email's release or weekly to hear within 7 days.
5. Click Create Alert.

How to search for a specific podcast episode

When searching for a specific podcast episode rather than episodes that cover a specific topic, you can enter the name of the episode in the search bar and it will pop up with a link to the episode page on Rephonic.

The episode page includes:

• A Listen button
• A Transcript button
• A link to the podcast page
• Show notes
• Topics covered during the interview
• A summary of the conversation
• Names, including the podcast host and guests
• Sponsors (if appropriate)
• Key Moments - time stamps to memorable or impactful moments from the episode
• Analysis of the episode's overall format and tone

How to search within podcast episodes

Maybe you want to search a specific podcast episode in more detail, or see exactly where they mentioned your keyword or name and what they said.

Here's where Rephonic's episode transcripts come into their own.

You can search for names, topics and keywords within any podcast episode by searching it's transcript on Rephonic.

Learn more about Rephonic's podcast transcript search here, including the top four ways to use them.

Final thoughts

Use Rephonic's podcast episode search engine to find:

• Information for specific episode titles
• Episodes related to a particular keyword or phrase
• Podcasts that feature or mention a specific person

Get more relevant results by adding search filters like Active, Guests or Sponsors and narrow down the options by including audience demographic filters or podcast filters (e.g., listener or episode numbers, social follower numbers).

Try Rephonic free for the first seven days to skip the guesswork and find the right podcast episodes for your guesting, advertising or research needs.

Start your free trial.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

How to Get Podcast Transcripts & Search for Keywords

With podcast transcriptions at your fingertips, you can research faster and make better, more accurate decisions than anyone working with audio files only.

What is Rephonic? Everything You Need to Know

Rephonic was created to help its users get featured on the right podcasts. So what is Rephonic, how does it work, and how accurate is its data?

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This article explains the five steps you should follow to get your written content discussed and cited on podcasts. A simple way to remember them is: who, what, where, when, and why.

If you want your written content to reach a wider audience, podcasts can be a powerful megaphone.

Podcasts are a high-growth PR channel, with podcast listener numbers expected to swell to 619 million in 2026. So it makes sense to include them in your PR and thought leadership strategies.

Here's everything you need to know about getting your written content mentioned on podcasts.

Key Takeaways

1. Podcast mentions build brand awareness, SEO, and authority when audience fit is strong.
2. Podcast-friendly content includes data, bold ideas, tools, concepts, and frameworks.
3. You can get featured by appearing as a guest or pitching content for episode mentions.
4. Results improve when you target the right shows and send concise follow-ups.

Step 1: Identify your goal

This is the "why."

Each podcast episode spawns lots of written content, including show notes, social media, blog posts and articles. Being featured in front of the right listeners is great for:

Brand exposure

Podcasts often attract a loyal, niche community who trust and respect the podcast host. When they mention you or feature your ideas in their episodes and show notes, listeners see it as a mini endorsement of your work and brand.

When you're featured in podcast episodes, it puts you in front of podcast listeners who are primed to care about the topic but may not follow you on other platforms. And even if listeners don't hear the full episode, they may see your name, brand and link in episode descriptions or on the podcast website.

As James Potter says in this LinkedIn post brands can benefit from real long-term exposure from podcast guesting and having their content featured on podcast episodes. That's because podcasting is a longevity medium. Once published, episodes stay in the backlist, ready for new listeners to access when they discover the show.

SEO

If the show notes include a link to your article or website, it creates a backlink from a relevant site. That can support your domain authority, which in turn helps your page rank better in search results.

At the same time, podcast show notes and transcripts also create indexable web pages that AI-powered searches like Google's AI Overviews see as relevant. That means they can cite you when asked questions that your name or brand ranks for.

Authority and thought leadership

It takes time to be known as an authority, and you’ve probably noticed that many thought leaders appear on several platforms to reach a wider audience.

When a podcast host references your article or ideas (especially as something they learned from or used in their research) it frames you as a source—someone who's worth citing. That's a subtle but powerful signal that you're a worthwhile authority in your industry or niche.

That authority multiplies if the same core idea, framework or tools from your writing is mentioned by more than one podcast host.

Step 2: Choose the right content asset

This is the "what."

Your content doesn't have to be an article or blog post. Podcasts often feature (or reference) other formats too—like videos and interviews.

The key is making it feature-worthy.

So, what might you contribute?

Research or stats

Publish a quotable insight or data point that’s easy to reference in an episode and share it on the channels where people in your industry or niche can spot it—on LinkedIn, for example, or as an article.

Real-world example:

Social Media Examiner has been producing social media marketing industry reports every year since 2009—long enough to gain considerable authority in that industry. Each report and its stats become resources which others can quote in speeches, blog posts and podcast interviews.

Unique/contrarian take

Give podcasters a fresh angle they can react to or debate on-air. Maybe you've written an article, or maybe it's a video.

Real-world example:

Reid Hoffman discusses Pope Leo XIV's views on AI during this Possible podcast episode and follows up by promoting it on LinkedIn.

Tool

Be the “we use X for this” recommendation in a host or guest’s workflow. This can work as a powerful call to action for listeners who trust the podcast and are already looking for the solution your tool provides.

Real-world examples:

In this Tim Ferriss Show 2021 podcast episode, Sam Corcos, CEO and Co-Founder of Levels talks about using Loom. Sam says:

Loom is probably the most important business enablement tool of the last five years, certainly in my experience.

The interview then discusses what Loom is, and how Sam's business uses it.

When listeners follow a particular podcast host, they're often extremely interested in learning about aspects of that host's business, including the products and services they use.

For instance, in this Online Marketing Made Easy podcast episode, Amy Porterfield explained a particular sales strategy and mentioned Calendly as her scheduling tool of choice, saying:

First of all, you've got to have a scheduling tool. We use Calendly because it allowed us to seamlessly connect my teams’ calendars with our video-conferencing tool. It also provides tons of options for you to integrate it.

Concept

Perhaps you've come up with a concept that works so well for you that other people start associating it with you. Having a shareable concept that works is an excellent way to gain podcast mentions and possible even episode titles.

Real-world example:

Nathan Barry (Founder at Kit) first published his Creator Flywheels essay in 2023. The idea resonated with his audience and Nathan has continued to focus on that concept, mentioning it in interviews and articles, on his own podcast and even creating an online course.

All this has made his name synonymous with the Creator Flywheel concept and now, podcast guests mention the concept as the "Nathan Barry flywheel" in their episodes.

Bonus ideas

Here are a couple of other podcast outreach ideas:

• Free resource: This could be a template, checklist, or short guide that complements an episode topic—or a topic or theme the podcast keeps coming back to—and gives them something valuable to link to in their show notes.
• Practical framework: A simple model (3-step method, checklist, “if/then” decision tree) that’s easy to cite. Give your framework a name: e.g., “I’ve been calling this the ___ framework.”

Step 3: Choose the most effective way to get your content featured

This is the "how."

Podcast interview

Do guest interviews on podcasts and tell stories that naturally incorporate your brand. Here's where you can talk about research, numbers, real-world case studies and examples from your own experience. Podcasters will usually give you a chance to make a call to action, so you can mention your website,  social media accounts or other places that link back to your written work and your products.

Occasionally, podcasters will reach out to guests, but usually you have to pitch shows to land a podcast interview.

Podcast mentions

This is when the host cites your content as part of their conversation or solo episode.

They may hear about your content or insights because you're both active on the same social platforms, through recommendations in your network or because you're a noted authority in that niche.

If none of the above is likely, take the initiative and pitch your content to the show.

Start by very briefly giving them some context on who you are and your experience or authority. Then, refer to a specific episode and offer your content as an add-on. You could say something like, “When you mentioned X, I thought this might be helpful for your audience.”

Step 4: Choose the right podcasts

This is the "where."

You could sit around waiting to see if your brand gets featured on podcasts. But you're more likely to see success by being proactive and contacting podcasts that speak to your target audience or demographic.

To find the right shows, use Rephonic to:

Find podcasts that cover your topic

Rephonic has extensive information and audience data on 3 million+ podcasts. However, not all of them are active, and most won't fit your area of expertise or interest.

Use Rephonic's search tool to find podcasts in your industry or niche, then filter your search to locate podcasts that are currently active.

Confirm audience fit

With a list of potential podcasts in place, whittle it down to the right podcasts by checking their audience data.

Reaching the right listeners is crucial to any campaign's success, so focus on podcasts where your ideal customers already listen. Check that each podcast's listeners match your target audience. Do this by checking the Audience tab on their Rephonic information page.

If the audience size matters to you, check that too (Rephonic shows the numbers for listeners per episode, monthly downloads and social media followers and engagement.)

Step 5: Pitch your content

This is the "who."

Now you know where to go and what content to offer, it's time to connect with the podcast creators.

This is really worth doing. After all, you're saving them time and effort by offering content that's valuable for their listeners with little or no work required on their end.

Get the right contact info

Make sure you use relevant emails to contact the podcast host or producer.

Rephonic lists contact info at the top of every podcast page. Just tap the big blue Contacts button on the right to see the email addresses and social media accounts associated with that podcast.

Draft a pitch and follow-up email

Your podcast outreach email should get to the point quickly. Include:

• Who you are and why you can speak with authority
• The content you're offering and why it matters to them and their listeners
• The easiest possible way for them to get your content. Include it in the email or add a link (do what's easiest and quickest for them.)
• Your thanks and contact info.

Two more essentials:

1. Give your email a relevant subject line/hook that makes the creators want to open it.
2. Follow up in a few days if they don't initially reply. It could be that they're interested but put it aside for later. Send a polite reminder to jog their memory.

You might write your own outreach email or change one of Rephonic's templates to suit.

Final thoughts

When a host features your content in their podcast episode, it opens the door for you, your brand and products.

Podcast mentions offer:

• Brand exposure to listeners who are likely to show interest in your products
• Authority in your niche—when top podcasts mention your work they lend you their credibility and trust
• SEO benefits if you're listed in their show notes and transcripts.

These benefits work best when the podcast shares your target audience.

Rephonic is the go-to platform to help you find and approach new podcasts and established shows that speak to listeners in your niche or industry.

10x your podcast outreach with Rephonic. Start with our free trial.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

How to Write a Podcast Outreach Email With AI (And What to Avoid)

Can AI help you write an effective podcast outreach email? Yes, but it won't give you a winning email at your first attempt. Be smart and use AI for research first. Here's how you do it.

Podcast Guesting Case Study: Ahrefs Vs Semrush

Using Rephonic, we discovered that Ahrefs has made 99 podcast guest appearances, compared to 117 for Semrush. We compare their approaches in this article.

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Targeting podcasts can be an effective way to earn more AI citations and brand mentions, because episodes create a crawlable text footprint that can surface in answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews.

People are increasingly using AI tools to find information. That means marketing teams need to teach AI search engines to recognize their brands.

AI pulls from what it sees most often and trusts most, so brands need to put consistent messages in many reputable places to gain that authority and trust.

This article explains why this is the case and how to get your brand mentioned on podcasts.

Key Takeaways

• Repeated brand mentions in the right context are important for AI visibility.
• Podcast interviews produce written content that may be retrieved by RAG-like systems and crawled for AI model training.
• Data-driven studies and valuable insights are more likely to get featured on podcasts.

How do AI tools like ChatGPT and AI Overviews work?

ChatGPT is a Large language model (LLM) that is trained on massive sets of written data (including books, articles, transcripts, blog posts, newspapers and more) and designed to answer questions using natural language.

As Rand Fishkin (SEO expert) explains, at their core, LLMs are pattern prediction machines.

In his article, Fishkin quotes Stephen Wolfram's essay which explores how LLMs decide what answer to give by predicting the 'best' or 'most probable' word to follow, given the text so far.

As Wolfram explains, LLM models generate answers by choosing the most probable next word based on billions of examples in their training data. You might have heard this called “spicy autocomplete.”

Fishkin says:

"The currency of Google search was links ... The currency of large language models is not links. The currency of large language models is mentions (specifically, words that appear frequently near other words) across the training data."

One problem with LLMs is that their training data is static so if your brand launched after the training cutoff, you don't exist. To counteract this, many models enhance their answers by pulling fresh content from across the web.

ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews all combine trained model knowledge with web retrieval to different degrees, so the smartest strategy is to optimise for both.

How podcast content increases the chance of AI citations

According to a study by Ahrefs in December 2025, branded web mentions and YouTube mentions correlate strongly with AI visibility.

Podcasts are a great way to generate crawlable brand mentions that search engines and AI tools can retrieve and cite (and they may also be used for training, depending on permissions), making them a worthwhile tactic for brands looking to increase AI visibility.

Let's dive in a bit deeper here.

When you're interviewed on a podcast episode, you and the host will naturally mention your name and your brand several times during the conversation.

Each podcast episode therefore generates lots of content chock-full of relevant keywords linked to your brand or name, including:

• Episode titles: Many podcasts include their guests' names in the episode titles, and sometimes the brand.
• Episode descriptions: Designed to attract podcast listeners, episode descriptions are the brief summaries that appear on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and apps like Castbox. They’ll likely include your name and details, the episode’s chief topic or theme and key talking points.
• Show notes: These are usually more detailed write-ups and appear on the podcast's website along with a link to the episode. As well as mentioning your name and brand, show notes often include a guest bio and mention their authority or role (e.g., author, founder, CEO, CFO, researcher etc.). They may also have resources mentioned during the episode and links to your website, products or social media account (depending on what's most appropriate).
• Transcripts: Whether it's verbatim AI-produced or edited, an episode transcript is the text version of your audio file so large language models can read it. That means they'll see every mention of your name and bio, your advice, examples and anecdotes, your products and the people they serve. Podcasts often publish episode transcripts on their websites.
• YouTube: Increasingly, podcasters publish on YouTube where, again, they’ll have the guest bio and brand mentioned in the description and YouTube transcripts.

How to target podcasts with Rephonic

Imagine we’ve founded an up-and-coming email marketing company. It’s got the tools and flair to compete with the established players, but we need to get the word out to attract our ideal audience’s attention. And now, we also want our company’s name to be the word that frequently comes after phrases like “email marketing software."

Rand Fishkin shared some compelling ideas on how founders and brands can appear in answers given by ChatGPT and Gemini when he recorded this 5-Minute Whiteboard video last year.

The thing is, our company’s PR team is focusing on podcasts as the best way to reach its target audience, specifically, getting featured on podcasts.

Could they apply Fishkin’s ideas to podcasts?

They sure could, especially if they use Rephonic!

Let's see how to do it.

1. Search for relevant podcasts

Now, Fishkin says that if he wanted to improve LLM visibility for an upmarket restaurant in Seattle: "I would look for all the places on the web that talk about, fine dining and restaurants and Seattle... And then what we would like to do is make sure that our brand is mentioned [on those sites]."

So, in my example, our email marketing firm wants its name, brand and expertise featured in podcasts covering email marketing. Instead of looking for all places on the web, I can use Rephonic to find podcasts that talk about email marketing.

I started with a topic search using the term "email marketing." (I also branched out to searches using other email marketing terms that our company would also like to be known for like "lead generation")

Topic search results can be too broad, so I applied four filters—Active, Guests, Category and Interests —so the search would be more likely to bring up relevant podcasts.

I'd follow up my search by opening each podcast's Rephonic page and researching their listener profiles, audience data, exploring episode topics and what guests they've already interviewed.

Then, I would create a campaign in Rephonic and add each show I wanted to pitch. When pitching, I would make sure to suggest an angle that directly relates to email marketing.

Finally, check if the podcast is on YouTube. As Ahrefs discovered, YouTube mentions correlate strongly with AI citations. So, that YouTube check may help you prioritize which shows to pitch.

Rephonic includes a YouTube section (right above Social proof) in the podcast Overview tab. You'll see the channel title, subscriber and video numbers and links to the latest videos.

2. Look for podcasts with similar audiences

The next tactic Fishkin recommends to for his "best fine-dining restaurants in Seattle" example is to use SparkToro's marketing research tools to find foodie websites that have an audience overlap. This is because the audiences of these websites would probably be interested in reading an article about the best fine-dining restaurants in Seattle.

For our email marketing example, our company's team could use Rephonic's free graph tool to find podcasts with similar or overlapping audiences. This interactive tool reveals the landscape of related podcasts around a specific show.

Each of these shows could be a good fit for our company's podcast PR strategy—particularly podcast guesting—because the audience likely be interested in a conversation about email marketing if it's tailored accordingly. Also, if the host has already interviewed other experts in the digital marketing industry, it will send credibility signals to LLMs and ensure our brand is part of the wider digital marketing conversation.

3. Create alerts with Rephonic

Fishkin also recommends creating alerts for your keywords to "see where [else] are people on the web publishing content that contain the words "fine dining" and "Seattle." Because—in his example—those are also places to connect with in the quest to make 'his' restaurant synonymous with the phrase fine dining in Seattle.

Setting up alerts is a smart idea because there is so much new content—in our case, new podcast episodes—dropping daily that it's hard to keep on top of it all.

Using Rephonic, you don't have to go off-platform or surf the whole web to monitor keywords in podcasts. Set up an Alert and Rephonic will monitor new episodes across its entire podcast database and scan episode transcripts, titles and show notes to find matches for your keywords.

Top 3 ways to gain podcast mentions and improve AI visibility

Podcast mentions can come in different forms, so understanding them can help you spot or create the best opportunities.

1. Pitch data-driven studies to podcasts

Podcasts that cover your industry will often mention companies, brands, or people when discussing new developments. These mentions can be especially powerful because they frame you as relevant and newsworthy.

Example: A marketing podcast referencing your new consumer study or product launch as part of a larger discussion.

Topics are the new keywords. Google and LLMs want to see that your website is an authority on a topic before they're willing to cite/link/retrieve from you.

Bernard Huang, Founder at Clearscope.

✅ Key takeaway:

Reach out to influential podcasts in your field to alert them to cutting-edge research or valuable insights you’ve shared on your website or in social media posts. The host may subsequently mention your name and key points etc. on the podcast. This contributes to the topic ‘web’ you’re weaving to become more visible to large language models.

2. Be a guest on podcasts

Guest mentions are more than name-drops; they come with an implicit endorsement from the host. When a trusted host introduces you to their listeners, it signals credibility, which could carry more weight with listeners.

If many show notes etc., mention our email marketing company in conversations about email marketing tools or digital marketing, LLMs are more likely to include the company's name when they answer questions that include those phrases.

As we've already explained, guest mentions appear multiple times, which creates a much bigger text footprint for AI visibility.

Also, as a guest, you actively shape the conversation so you can guide the way your brand is associated with specific topics or keywords by telling relevant stories, referring to your website, and offering actionable tips.

✅ Key takeaway:

Get interviewed on podcasts. Many podcasts don't interview guests. So, when you're looking for podcasts that do invite people on, using Rephonic's "Guests" filter is a smart choice.

3. Get your interview insights mentioned on other sites

Podcast interviews don’t just live on podcast directories like Spotify and Apple Podcasts — they often spark a ripple effect across the web.

When a guest shares a fresh or thought-provoking perspective, that quote can easily find its way into articles, newsletters, and blog posts written by journalists, analysts, or creators who cover the same topics. Each time a reputable website quotes your insights, it strengthens the association between your brand and those topic keywords.

✅ Key takeaway:
Look beyond the podcast episode itself. Every guest appearance is a chance to create memorable, quotable moments. Use PR software to find relevant journalists, and tools like Reletter to identify newsletters covering your topic. Then share short summaries, key timestamps, or transcript excerpts featuring your strongest lines, so it is easy for writers to quote you, reference your insights, or link back to the episode.

Final thoughts

The brands that LLMs learn today will be tomorrow’s authorities. Every week you wait, your competitors are getting ahead.

So, the answer to "Should I target podcasts to gain AI citations?" is a resounding YES!

Getting mentioned on podcasts is an effective way to build your authority and generate content that trains AI platforms to mention your name or brand during AI-generated answers. Rephonic makes it possible.

Start your 7-day trial and make sure the next time someone asks ChatGPT about your niche, your brand is the one it names.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with four years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

How to Get Booked on Podcasts as a Guest

You want podcast interviews that actually turn listeners into leads, or simply get your message in front of your target audience. But the trick isn’t blasting out as many pitches as you can...

How to Spend a $500 Podcast Guesting Budget

If you're an entrepreneur wanting to grow your personal brand, or a marketing team looking book your founder or C-suite team on podcasts for brand visibility, a podcast guesting budget of just $500 can set up a high-quality campaign.

Follow us:

If podcasts are part of your PR or sales and marketing strategies this year, you'll want the best insights and information on exactly which podcasts are right for your guest interview or advertising campaigns.

That's where using a podcast intelligence engine like Rephonic can really make a difference. Guests, sponsors and podcast hosts use this podcast database to search, analyze, and pitch podcasts all on one platform.

This article dives into the benefits of using Rephonic to access exactly the right podcasts for your campaigns.

Key Takeaways

• Rephonic provides podcast data for over three million podcasts.
• View data such as listener numbers, demographics, socials, chart rankings, reviews, transcripts, guests, and sponsors.
• Rephonic is primarily used by PR teams, marketers and founders.

What is a podcast intelligence engine?

A podcast intelligence engine is a system that collects podcast data at scale, organizes it into something searchable and comparable, then turns it into decisions you can act on.

You might think of it like a business intelligence platform, but instead of working through sales and finance data you have access to vast amounts of podcast data, including podcast transcripts, social media metrics, and podcast audience insights.

Using an intelligence platform like Rephonic can help you look wide across the podcast ecosystem around your industry, zoom down into audience demographics or gather talking points from specific podcast episodes.

5 reasons to try Rephonic's podcast intelligence platform

Rephonic is designed to help you make data driven decisions about using podcasts as a guest, sponsor or host. Using Rephonic can help you find insights around:

• The right guesting and PR opportunities
• Advertising opportunities
• Cross-promo partners

And makes it easy for you to research the podcast landscape so that you or your clients can produce podcasts tailored to suit your audience and industry or niche.

So, with that in mind, let's explore five ways that Rephonic might work for you.

1. Find podcasts with ease

The world has millions of podcasts, covering a vast number of topics and audiences across many categories, countries, languages, and niches. You could spend hours trawling through Apple Podcasts or googling topics. Or you could save time and effort and research with Rephonic.

Let's imagine a founder is looking for podcast guest or advertising opportunities to build awareness and generate sales. Here's how they would use Rephonic's search tool and filters.

#1. Open the home page and enter an appropriate topic or keywords in the search bar.

#2. Add filters to whittle down the options from "everybody" to "podcasts most suited to my topic, experience and goals".

#3. Scroll down the list of podcasts and click on one that looks suitable to see the podcast data Rephonic has amassed and organized into six tabs:

• Overview—for analytics
• Audience—audience demographics
• People—previous guests, with episode summaries and links
• Sponsors—Advertising details
• Feedback—links to ratings and reviews on Apple podcasts, Spotify and other tools
• Charts—How the podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

#5. Listen to recent episodes (go straight to an episode, show notes and transcript by tapping the Latest Episodes button.

#6. Check the Related Podcasts section and the 3D graph to find more podcasts with similar audiences.

2. Get valuable podcast insights

A podcast intelligence platform like Rephonic pulls in information from hundreds of publicly available data points on the web. Then, it adds structure so you can get an overview of the podcast ecosystem and valuable insights into individual podcasts.

All the info is in one place; we've done the searching so you don't have to.

How does it work? First, select the podcast you want to research and open its page on Rephonic to access:

Listener numbers

Found on the podcast's Overview tab. Rephonic shows the number of listeners per episode, monthly listens and Spotify followers. If the podcast has a YouTube channel, you'll also see those subscriber numbers and total video views.

Demographics

Audience demographics can be a key consideration in deciding whether to pitch a podcast (as a guest, advertiser or potential cross-promotion partner), or not.

Under the Audience tab, Rephonic provides a typical listener profile for that podcast’s audience. Then, breaks down the data to show their likely locations, relationship status, gender, age, income, profession, education level, interests and whether or not they’re parents.

Having such a detailed overview helps you compare the podcast's audience with your own target audience to see how well they match.  A good match means these listeners may be more likely to be interested in your interview or ad and go on to buy your product, engage your services, visit your website or listen to your podcast.

Social following

Rephonic shows which channels a podcast uses and how many people follow them there. This information helps you see how engaged their fans are and where. When the podcast or hosts have a firm presence on a platform where you’re also strong, you:

• Each know how to promote there
• Can easily collaborate on posts, tag, share slips and swap audience shoutouts.

That allows you to create episode or ad promotions which are likely to attract more comments and shares than would occur if your social channels were wildly different.

Chart rankings

If chart rankings and audience opinions are part of your criteria, Rephonic's info layout includes Charts and Feedback tabs. Filter your view by country, category and charts to see how each podcast ranks on the relevant Apple, Spotify or YouTube charts.

Then check the ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms or apps. Rephonic shows the overall ratings, an engagement score and an overview of the key themes in listeners' reviews. There's also a link to the actual reviews on each app.

Transcripts

Marketers, podcast guests and hosts usually check podcast transcripts when they need to:

• Research for market intelligence
• Discover their topics and see what's missing from the conversation
• Validate audience fit
• Choose the best podcasts to approach as a guest or sponsor
• Research similar shows when starting a podcast.

Read transcripts of recent episodes by tapping the Transcript button on Rephonic’s episode links.

Previous guests/sponsors

Open Sponsors to see which firms have sponsored the show and listen to or read their ads, and check out the Guest tab to investigate the previous guests on the podcast. Do this to:

• See the topics discussed
• Research specific names (have your competitors on the show?)
• Find information gaps in the playlist
• Discover what you could add to the discussions.
• Learn what other companies and brands have advertised on the podcast
• Listen to previous ads
• See whether ads are usually host-read or recorded

3. Get podcast contact info

When you need to pitch a podcast, you want their contact details fast, so grab them in seconds on Rephonic.

1. Open a podcast page and tap the big blue Contacts button in the top menu.
2. That's it!

You'll find the contact details button in every tab and under the Host info in the People tab as well. You'll see relevant email addresses and links to each of the podcast's social channels.

4. Track keyword mentions on podcasts

Rephonic’s alert tools monitor podcast episodes and notify you whenever your keywords appear in podcast titles, show notes and transcripts.

This is useful to understand when other people mention your name or brand, but it's a sound tactic to employ when you've recorded guest podcast episodes, too. It might be weeks or even months before your episode goes to air and you can't necessarily rely on the podcast host to let you know when it does.

Set up your name as a podcast alert keyword—and ask for daily emails—and Rephonic will notify you within 24 hours of that podcast episode going live. You can then start your promotional program to make the most of the exposure. If you've prepared social media content in advance you can get that going, too.

You'll also get valuable insights into your competitor's podcasting strategies by keeping an eye on their podcast episodes, interviews, advertising or cross-promos too. That's why you can set Rephonic to monitor mentions of brand or company competitors' names and other relevant keywords, too.

These tools are so easy to set up. Here's how you do it:

1. Look for the My Account button in the top right corner of your Rephonic home page.
2. Open the drop down menu and select Alerts.
3. Tap "Create an Alert.
4. Enter the keyword (use quotation marks if it's more than one word).
5. Choose whether to get an email daily or once a week.

That's it! Rephonic will email you whenever your name, company or other keyword is mentioned on a podcast.

5. Build and manage campaigns

Whether you're aiming to be a guest, advertise or cross-promote, keep your podcasting campaigns under control by managing them all on the same platform.

Use the search tool to discover podcasts with listeners who match your own audience and are therefore more likely to understand and act on your message. Then create a campaign in Rephonic and add each podcast that meets your criteria. You can access it via the Campaigns button in the top menu on your Rephonic home page.

You can also save your search term as a Saved Search, then Rephonic will update the list whenever it spots a new podcast that fits.

Your campaign acts as a pipeline manager, helping you to keep track of the podcasts you contact by assigning them a status: Prospect, Pitched, Warm, Followed Up, Booked or Lost.

If you're part of a team, you can share the campaign with them on Rephonic and use the Add a Note feature to keep people in the loop. Everybody on your team will be able to access the note, but you can also use pin to put vital notes about a specific show at the top of that podcast's page.

Final thoughts

When you or your clients are serious about using podcasts as part of a guest, advertising or cross-promotion campaign, get the best chance of success by finding the right shows with Rephonic.

You'll access data and analytics from hundreds of publicly available datapoints on every podcast. That's vital information, but as a podcast intelligence engine, Rephonic lets you go far deeper than seeing the numbers.

With Rephonic you'll:

• Understand podcast themes, topics, guests and listeners
• Spy on your competitors are doing so as to analyze their strategies
• Build podcast lists
• Manage your pitching pipeline
• Set up keyword alerts
• Keep your team in the loop.

Ready for podcast pitching success in 2026?

Use Rephonic to find your ideal podcast partners. Start with a 7-day free trial.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

How to Write a Podcast Outreach Email With AI (And What to Avoid)

Can AI help you write an effective podcast outreach email? Yes, but it won't give you a winning email at your first attempt. Be smart and use AI for research first. Here's how you do it.

How to Maximize a $500 Podcast Guesting Budget

For entrepreneurs & marketing teams wanting to grow brand visibility, a podcast guesting budget of just $500 can set up a high-quality campaign.

This guide walks you through exactly how to get on podcasts as a guest in 2026. It’s built on hard-won lessons from helping hundreds of founders, PR pros and marketing teams run successful guesting campaigns.

Since 2020 when we founded Rephonic, we’ve believed that getting booked on podcasts should be a strategic, deliberate decision. If you want results, it’s worth treating podcast guesting like a proper marketing or PR campaign rather than a side hobby.

So let’s walk through the key decisions you should make before you start landing those interviews!

Key Takeaways

1. Podcast guesting isn't for everyone.
2. Choose between five ways of finding podcasts: manual, agencies, podcast databases, Facebook and Reddit groups, and matchmaking sites.
3. A good place to start is exploring competitor guest appearances.
4. Using solid data to determine if a podcast is well-suited or not is key to increasing your booking rate.

Who should book podcast interviews, and why?

Is it really worth getting into podcast guesting?

We think so.

Guesting lets you borrow an engaged audience that already knows and trusts the host. They're willing to listen to and learn from that guest, simply because the host has invited them onto the show.

Interviews are not about advertising a product (even if generating leads is the ultimate goal.) Instead, they're all about giving value to the host and their audience.

James Potter, Founder of Rephonic

Telling stories, relating experiences, talking about mistakes and lessons learned. Maybe making them laugh, gasp, or even shed a tear. In return, you get to speak to dozens, hundreds, maybe even thousands of people who are likely to care about your message and need your products or services.

They learn your name, what you do and what you stand for.

In other words, they get to know, like and trust you by listening to (or watching) your interview in a setting where they already feel comfortable. That's a powerful reason right there, because it means they might think of you when they experience the problems you solve.

Longevity counts, too. Podcast episodes stick around for a long time in podcast apps all around the world. That means people can discover your interviews months or even years after they were released.

People who want to book podcast interviews tend to be:

1. Founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders
2. Agencies (including PR agencies, marketing agencies, and podcast agencies)
3. In-house Marketing and PR teams
4. Podcasters
5. Authors

But even if you're not one of these, there are still plenty of reasons to consider being a podcast guest.

Educational institutions, teachers and specialists, book publishers, musicians, preachers, politicians... anyone with interesting stories can make a good podcast guest if they choose shows with the right audiences.

Here's what you could achieve through podcast guesting:

Build thought leadership or a personal brand

Founders, agencies, and PR or marketing teams often book podcast guest interviews to grow a personal brand—whether their own or a client’s—or to build thought leadership.

Investor, author and philanthropist Alex Hormozi is a great example of a founder who intentionally uses his podcast appearances to build his personal brand. In this 2024 case study, we dug into Rephonic's data to uncover five significant ways that Alex's podcast guest appearances are paying off.

Generate clients, customers or sales

Choose shows whose audience will resonate with your message.

Yes, your ultimate goal is selling products, services or books but podcast guesting isn't about getting a quick win (although that sometimes happens, too.) Podcast guesting is a longer game, The goal for you (or your clients) is to create a great impression and become known, respected and trusted in that niche or industry.

Sometimes you'll gather leads directly from an interview, through a landing page or unique discount code. Other times listeners act after they've heard several of your podcast interviews. That's definitely something solopreneur Talya Heller noticed after she'd notched up a few guest appearances on relevant podcasts in her B2B marketing niche.

However, a result might not come from the listeners. Sometimes, guests bond with the podcast hosts who either recommend them to other podcasts or even become clients themselves.

Network and form partnerships

Being a guest on a podcast brings opportunities for networking and building relationships. Podcast hosts talk to a range of guests in their niche and may introduce you to those they've formed connections with, especially if you've gone out of your way to be great podcast guest.

They talk to other podcast hosts, too. If a host gets positive feedback from their podcast listeners, they're likely to recommend you to other hosts too.

Enhance SEO

In SEO, the more high-quality backlinks you get to your website the better.

Search engines view quality backlinks as endorsements of your site’s content. So, podcast links signal that your content is trustworthy and valuable, which leads to more visibility for your site. Let hosts know which links you want to promote and they’ll often include them as backlinks in their episode show notes.

Here's a screenshot of a few podcast backlinks that Hormozi's website has received:

Increase podcast listeners

Podcast hosts and publishers can grow their audience by making guest appearances on other podcasts with similar listeners.

Increasing your listener numbers makes it easier to attract sponsors, sell merchandise or promote your online courses.

If you have your own podcast, consider cross-promoting your show with other podcasters. This could be as simple as recommending each other, but works even better if you each appear as a guest on each other's shows.

Decide if podcast guesting is right for you

#1. Start by clarifying your goals. Like we discussed above, being a podcast guest could work well for you if you want to:

• Build thought leadership or a personal brand
• Generate clients, customers or sales
• Create marketing content for repurposing
• Network and form partnerships
• Enhance SEO

#2. Understand what you have to offer before you start finding the right podcasts.

• Do you (or your colleague or client) have unique insights, experiences, or expertise?
• Are you (or they) comfortable speaking engagingly? Do you/they need media training?

#3. Can you commit the time? Being a podcast guest doesn't take nearly as much work as having your own podcast, but it takes a certain amount of effort. .

Initially, you’ll need to decide on your message and practicing your anecdotes.

If you don’t work with an agency, you’ll also spend time looking for shows and writing a unique podcast pitch to appeal to each host.

Allow plenty of time to record the actual interview. You’ll have a better conversation if you show up early and chat to the host first.

Finally, schedule time to promote your episode once it airs.

#4. Are you willing to drop the sales speak?

If you just want to pitch your product or service for the whole interview, podcasts aren't the platform for you.

#5. Be realistic about the likely outcomes from podcast guesting.

Some people might respond immediately, but others take action weeks, even months later. Episodes are back-listed on Apple podcasts and Spotify for years, so people might take action long after you recorded the interview.

#6. Is the target audience broad enough to warrant the effort?

Even if a podcast seems relevant, it won’t deliver results if only a tiny fraction of its listeners match your target audience, which means it may not be worth the time and effort.

You might be booking interviews for yourself, a colleague or client, but to make easier from here on in, we're going to imagine you're booking for yourself. The process is pretty much the same for all three.

Plan your podcast guesting campaign

Some people fall into podcast guesting by accident. Perhaps they know a new host who's looking for guests. Others get interview requests from podcast hosts who notice their strong online presence.

But most people who want to get booked as a guest need to pitch multiple podcasters, so they take a strategic approach to podcast guesting.

1. Select your approach to find podcasts

We know of five ways to find podcast guest opportunities, each requiring a different mix of time, money, and effort.

Manual searches: Look for suitable podcasts on Google, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Searches cost nothing, so potential guests see them as a great starting point. But manual searches are time-consuming so, eventually, many people look for alternatives.

Booking agencies: The most expensive option, but employing them saves you time and effort. Agency fees can be from $500 to several thousand per month. Agents usually have access to an extensive database like Rephonic, and if they operate in a niche, often have existing relationships with hosts.

Databases like Rephonic use the search tool to help you locate podcasts with listeners who match your own audience. Database membership costs start at $99p/m and save a lot of time filtering through the 3m+ podcasts.

Rephonic filters for audience demographics like gender skew, political leaning, profession, age group, annual household income to find shows with an audience that aligns with yours.

If you're not using a podcast database (or you want 100% accurate info), contact the host or publisher.

Facebook and Reddit groups. These groups are free. Members may post that they are looking for guests, however these are usually tiny shows by hobbyists. It's a great option if you want to practice public speaking or hone your podcast guesting skills in a relatively quiet corner.

Matchmaking sites: Relatively inexpensive options, costing between $15-70 per month. A small proportion of shows actually list themselves, but you may find some worthwhile opportunities in your niche.

2. Check out competitor appearances

This may be difficult if you’re not using Rephonic, but it's useful to see where your competitors are appearing on podcasts. You might find they offer excellent opportunities for you too, especially if you can offer something different.

So, how do you find where your competitors are being booked on podcasts?

You could try a manual search. For example, if the podcast guest was your competitor's founder you'd watch their social media accounts for episode links and clips.

Or you could take the strategic approach and use Rephonic episode search for a list of every episode they appear in. Then you can reverse engineer their strategy to see if it works for you, too.

Example: Alex Hormozi's podcast appearances in 2023

Alex Hormozi guested on 15 podcasts, most of which were well-established shows which published daily or weekly episodes. The podcasts range between smaller, focused audiences to those with large audiences, which  suggests Alex has a strategy of targeting both mass reach and specific niche audiences.

There's a clear pattern in categories that align with his expertise, showing that he's focused on building authority with audiences interested in multiple aspects of success.

3. Look up podcast data

Check the podcast stats before booking an interview. Just because you've found a show that covers a topic you're interested in doesn't necessarily mean it's a good match.

Rephonic really makes a difference when you need to do more research. Each podcast data page includes:

1. Overview: Key stats including listener numbers, whether it accepts guests, engagement scores, subscriber numbers across the various podcast apps and links to episodes, social media accounts and YouTube.
2. Audience: Dig into listener demographics to see how well they match your target audience. Info includes a typical listener profile, location spread, stats on their likely age range, professions, relationship status and more.
3. People: Info about the hosts and the guests who've recently appeared on the show.
4. Sponsors: Includes who has recently sponsored the podcast, reveals their CTA and an audio clip.
5. Feedback: Lists key themes from listeners' reviews, and links to the ratings and reviews in every app.
6. Charts: The podcast's chart rankings across different countries and categories. View all charts or use the filters to narrow it down to particular countries and categories.

Think about your preferred podcast format, too.

Would you rather guest on interview-based podcasts where it's just you and the host or hosts? Do you prefer panel discussions where you're one of a few guests brought together to explore a topic. Or would a mixture of both work best with your goals?

Understanding your preferences will help you with ranking your podcast list in the next step.

4. Rank target podcasts

You've found a bunch of suitable podcasts. Now sort them into a list.

Start with aspirational shows—highly relevant podcasts with large audiences—at the top and work your way down. At the end of your list you'll still have shows that are highly relevant, but might have smaller audiences. Or the podcasters might be less established, with fewer episode numbers. These are the shows you should focus on first.

Think of it like a ladder. Take one step at a time and work your way up.

James Potter, Founder of Rephonic

Aspirational shows are ones you shouldn't pitch yet. You'd likely get rejected or ghosted if you punch too far above your weight. Even if you did miraculously get booked as a guest, without guesting experience you risk giving a lack luster interview and wasting the opportunity.

Keep them for the future when you have a few episodes under your belt. Right now you need to practice and build up to them.

5. Identify how to add value

Increase your chances to get booked on podcasts by first identifying how you, your client or colleague can add value.

You might:

1. Look for content gaps—what haven’t they discussed yet?
2. Expand on a topic they’ve already covered—what new information, examples or stories might you add?
3. Offer a fresh, contrasting perspective.

You can identifying shows where you might add value more easily by using Rephonic's episode transcript search. Watch this YouTube video to learn how to find great guest opportunities using Transcript Search.

6. Listen to podcast episodes

Of course, you must listen to at least one podcast episode to make sure a show is a good fit before you add them to your target list.

Consider these points while you listen:

• What's their interview style?
• Does it feel like you'd fit in with the podcast hosts?
• Is it relevant to you and your niche? Even when it looks good on paper, sometimes the style or content won't suit your brand.
• Look for ideas that you resonate with and note the episode number.

Use these later to personalize your outreach email.

Important - figure out where exactly listeners are in the funnel

7. Plan your schedule

Should you plan for monthly appearances across the year or intense bursts? Bear in mind that the lead time from pitch to episode release can take months.

Reach out early and try to book your preferred date in advance. Pitch too late and you might miss the boat. That's especially important if you want to do a podcast tour to coincide with a product or book launch.

Consider your goals when you plan your schedule, because the return on investment depends on your goals.

For example, if you aim to get backlinks, you'll get them as soon as the episode goes live. But, if your goal is to become a thought leader, it will take longer to build up trust and relationships with hosts and listeners.

Simon Sinek is an acknowledged thought leader and has appeared on many podcasts over the years, as this chart shows:

Ahrefs, one of the most recognisable names in marketing software, has maintained a relatively consistent podcast guesting schedule, managing a nine-month streak from October 2018 to June 2019:

One thing is true for everyone - the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll see a return.

8. Pitch podcasts

Now you’ve got a list of potential shows. It’s time to write a podcast guest inquiry, aka your pitch.

While you can start with a podcast pitch template, always write to a specific podcast and personalize it. Many podcasts get a lot of generic emails, so the hosts can spot them a mile away. Your pitch can stand out by being personal, relevant and different.

Here's how:

• Tailor the subject line - it should feel personal and relevant to the host.
• Introduce yourself
• Use the host's name (you'd be amazed how many people get the host name or podcast title wrong.)
• Pitch unique talking points—here's where you show how you can add value
• Reference their previous content (including a recent episode.)
• Attach a one-sheet
• Follow-up after a week if you haven't heard back.
• Be genuine. Showing you're a real person who can genuinely help or interest their listeners will go a long way.

Get the correct contact info

Rephonic lists each podcast's contact details on their page.

Some podcasts have guest enquiry forms or a get-in-touch link on their websites. You might also find their email or social media platforms via a manual Google search, or ask Hunter.io for help. (maybe send an email or maybe they have a guest enquiry form on their website.)

Prepare for a podcast interview

You've made a successful podcast pitch and won yourself a gig. Here's how to be an excellent guest:

1. Complete the vetting chat

Many shows will want to jump on a call with you first, to make sure your personality meshes and that you're a good fit. (If you're an agency, you and your client might jump on together.)

2. Prepare your recording equipment/space

If you’re recording in-person, the host or their publishing team will take care of the equipment. If you’re recording online, they’ll probably advise you on suitable equipment.

Ensure good audio quality

Use headphones or AirPods with a built-in microphone, or try separate headphones and a USB microphone to reduce the chance of creating a feedback loop. A pop filter is also useful to reduce sibilance ('ssss') and plosives (p and b sounds.)

Microphones capture your voice accurately and clearly, making it easier to balance volume during editing. Using your computer's default microphone can make you sound distant or muffled.

Record in a quiet space with soft furnishings because sounds can bounce off hard surfaces and cause unpleasant reverbs in the recording.

Consider visual aspects too

If you're making an online video recording, think about what's behind you. Choose a relevant background that looks good but won't distract the viewer.

Position yourself to fill as much as the camera frame as possible.

Finally, use a reliable internet connection to avoid lag times or the frustration of dropping in and out.

3. Choose a CTA

If you want listeners to take action after hearing your podcast interview, you'll need a CTA strategy, and you'll need to prepare this in advance.

First, know what you want to achieve from your podcast guest appearances. Understanding your goals helps you brainstorm the best CTAs to achieve them.

Once you've brainstormed, put the CTAs in two buckets. One will be a ‘high investment’ bucket, involving significant listener investment in either time or money. Make the other bucket ‘low investment,’ with minimal friction (visit my website, Instagram page or connect with me on LinkedIn."

Then, generate curiosity about your high-investment CTA near the start of your interview. Hint at your low-investment CTAs again during the middle and give one of each when you wrap up the interview.

Finally, ask for links in show notes, to make it easier for listeners to act.

4. Prepare some stories

Stories illustrate your points and make them memorable, so have some stories in the locker ready for different occasions. They could be personal stories or illustrations of how you've helped customers and clients.

Use this classic storytelling structure: Hook, Challenge, Steps to Overcome, Tension, Takeaway to create your stories and double check their resonance with Jason Gunn's traffic light system.

It helps if you understand what kind of questions the host will ask, so you can figure out the types of stories that will fit. Hosts will often send a list of questions beforehand, especially if you ask. Otherwise, get the episode transcripts from Rephonic, feed them to ChatGPT or Claude and ask it to list the host's questions.

Then, decide which of your stories might fit those particular podcast listeners.

5. Practice your intro

First impressions are important, so you want to prepare several versions of your origin story, so you can use one that fits a particular podcast. Prepare and practice, but try not to sound rehearsed.

Many hosts simply say "tell me about yourself" but others are more specific. Listen to some episodes and note which origin question the host tends to ask.

Part of your CTA strategy should be to generate curiosity around what you're offering in the intro so practice incorporating that into your origin story, too.

For example, when a podcast host asked Evy Poumpouras why they should stick around and listen to the episode, she said this:

6. Practice talking in soundbites

Soundbites are short, memorable statements that encapsulate your point.

They're impactful, memorable, and easy to repurpose for social media—for you and the host.

Helpful Hints:

• Know your points inside and out
• Restate the question before you answer it to give context
• Sound natural
• Signal the end with your tone of voice
• Use a well-timed pause to emphasize the point

After the podcast interview

You can do a lot of things after your interview is recorded to maximize the impact of each podcast episode and pave the way for bigger and better opportunities.

Here are the biggest:

1. Leave a good lasting impression

Thank the host and let them know you genuinely appreciated being on their podcast.

You'll probably thank them verbally after recording stops, but it's a good idea to also do it in writing. You might send a thank you email (or even a card) or say thanks while giving a shoutout to the upcoming episode on social media.

2. Promote the episode

Set up an alert for episode release. Share the link straight away to be a good guest and to create a buzz around the episode.

Collect recordings and/or create video snippets to repurpose parts of your interview for social media. You'll find many tools to help you tailor your efforts for each platform. For example, you might choose Headliner or Descript for your video clips and Canva or Adobe to create quote graphic and text posts.

Schedule your posts on your website and social media. You can do this manually, or use an automatic scheduling tool such as Zapier or Buffer.

3. Measure impact

Has all the effort has been worth it?

Monitor results for a week or two after the episode goes live, but think long term, too. Podcast guesting results can keep coming long after your interview goes live.

Here's what you might track:

• Episode reach
• Website stats
• Social media metrics
• Email signups
• Sales and leads
• Audience feedback
• Peer recognition

Final thoughts

Getting in front of the right podcast audience is a powerful way to get your message out into the world. More than 500 million people now listen to podcasts, so being booked as a guest can gain customers for your business and mean more people recognize you as an expert.

Rephonic is the most complete podcast database for PR teams, marketers, and founders looking to book high-impact guest appearances and ad spots. Access listener numbers, contact info, audience demographics and more for over three million podcasts.

Want to take advantage of all that the podcasting world offers?

Sign up to Rephonic.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

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Ahrefs and Semrush are two of the most recognisable names in SEO and marketing software. And when it comes to podcast guesting, both brands are no stranger.

Using Rephonic, we discovered that Ahrefs has made 99 podcast appearances in total, compared to 117 for Semrush [1]. While the overall volume isn’t worlds apart, the most notable difference is how they’ve approached it.

In this article, we compare the patterns across timing, consistency, spokespeople, categories, and podcast size.

Key takeaways:

• Ahrefs and Semrush both completed their first podcast interview in 2017
• Ahrefs found a consistent rhythm earlier, but Semrush managed a longer streak
• Semrush has significantly more guest speakers than Ahrefs
• Both brands prefer Marketing podcasts and shows with smaller audiences

Both brands started podcast guesting in 2017

After identifying Ahrefs’ and Semrush’s podcast interviews in Rephonic, we broke them down by year and found both brands made their first guest appearance in 2017.

Ahrefs steadily increased their activity over the first few years, whereas Semrush hit a clear turning point in 2020 after a stop-start beginning.

The sudden jump in the number of interviews suggests a decision was made to properly invest in podcast guesting as a growth channel that year.

Ahrefs found consistency earlier

Next, we broke the podcast appearances down by month and found that both Semrush and Ahrefs had their first podcast interview released in February 2017.

Ahrefs managed a nine-month streak from October 2018 to June 2019, with May 2019 as their busiest month.

For Semrush, February 2020 and November 2022 were joint biggest months, with six appearances in each. They also maintained a 15-month streak from February 2020 to April 2021.

Consistency like this creates regular touchpoints which compounds familiarity and trust long before someone’s ready to buy. On the other hand, a brand promoting a major launch might prefer to concentrate appearances into a shorter window to maximise impact.

Semrush has more podcast guest speakers

For the next chart, we looked at how many different spokespeople appeared as podcast guests.

Ahrefs has had 11 different guest speakers, while Semrush has had 29. For Ahrefs, the most prolific guest is Tim Soulo, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, who accounts for over half of their guest appearances.

For Semrush, their most prolific spokesperson is Fernando Angulo (Head of Communications), who’s responsible for just over a quarter.

A bigger roster like Semrush’s lets you put more specialised experts on the right shows and and reach more corners of the market. A smaller roster like Ahrefs gives one or two speakers more reps, which can help improve delivery and increases the chance they become recognised industry experts.

Marketing podcasts dominate for both Ahrefs and Semrush

Next, we looked at the category of shows each brand has guested on. For Ahrefs, Marketing podcasts are unsurprisingly the main focus, followed by Business and Entrepreneurship shows [2].

Semrush’s top two categories are the same, but Business shows make up a much smaller share. Overall, Marketing dominates for both brands, with 61% of all the podcasts they’ve guested on falling into this category. It’s a reminder that successful appearances start with choosing shows that align with your target audience.

Smaller podcasts make up the bulk of their guesting

Finally, we looked at podcast size. For the podcasts the brands have guested on that are still active, we grouped them into three buckets based on estimated listener numbers [3].

The data suggests that for both Ahrefs and Semrush, the majority of interviews have been on smaller podcasts. This reinforces the idea that relevance is more important than reach when it comes to podcast guesting opportunities.

Final thoughts

Despite their slightly different approaches, both Ahrefs and Semrush have treated podcast guesting as a serious, repeatable marketing tactic for years. What’s striking is how little overlap there is between the shows they’ve appeared on. Just 10 podcasts have hosted both brands, highlighting how many relevant guesting opportunities potentially still exist.

If you’re planning to start (or scale) podcast guesting, Rephonic can help. Rephonic is the most complete podcast database for PR teams, marketers, and founders looking to book high-impact guest appearances and ad spots. You can access listener numbers, contact info, audience demographics, and more for over three million podcasts.

Try Rephonic for free.

Footnotes

[1] We count an appearance if the guest was working at Ahrefs or Semrush at the time of recording, based on the show notes and/or episode transcript. We’ve done our best to identify and count Ahrefs’ and Semrush’s podcast guest appearances as accurately as possible, but it’s possible we’ve missed or missattributed the occasional interview.

[2] Categories are taken from each show’s primary category on Apple Podcasts.

[3] Audience sizes are based on Rephonic’s estimated weekly listener numbers and grouped into the following buckets: Small: >0 and <500; Medium: ≥500 and <5,000; Large: ≥5,000. We define an “active” podcast as one that has published an episode within the last 60 days. Audience sizes may have changed since the brands appeared as guests.

Article credits

Written by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

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If you're looking for business growth in the fashion industry, finding the right PR agency might be a game-changer. These seven top fashion PR agencies help their clients stand out in the competitive fashion industry, through influencer marketing, events, media coverage, digital marketing and much more.

Podcast guest appearances are another way PR firms can help you build brand visibility and awareness both in the fashion world and beyond.

In this article, we cover some of the top fashion PR firms based in the US but with a global presence. And we show how Rephonic can help you spot the best fashion podcasts to help you or your fashion clients reach your target audience and build your brand reputation in 2026 and beyond.

KCD

Founded in 1984, with offices in four iconic cities—New York, Paris, London and Los Angeles, KCD's services include media relations, creative and fashion services, digital strategy, guest experience, VIP services, beauty and Macro consulting.

What are they known for?

KCD is known for its longevity in the fashion PR industry and despite—or perhaps because of— its age  the agency says it is still "at the frontier of innovation."

Our clients identify across popular, luxury and community pillars. Consistently, we are transforming their potential, extending their reach and amplifying their dynamism.

KCD worldwide

Client portfolio (fashion brands)

KCD's fashion industry clients include:

Amiri, the British Fashion Council, Diesel, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, and Versace.

Learn more about KCD

Red PR

Based in NYC with worldwide connections as part of the PR Boutiques International network, Red PR was founded in 2000 by their current President, Julia Labaton.

It offers Fashion PR services in social media management, influencer partnerships, media relations, VIP placement, event production, creative services, and strategic partnerships. The agency's clients range from entrepreneurial startups to global superstars.

What are they known for?

This fashion PR firm is known for strategic and creative storytelling and award-winning results. In fact, The Observer has recognized the agency as one of the top five beauty specialty firms every year since  2015.

We champion small and mid-size beauty, wellness and lifestyle brands to gain widespread U.S. brand awareness through robust multi-platform communications strategies that tell a brand’s story.

RED PR LinkedIn

Client portfolio (fashion brands)

Love Sun Body, Ouidad, Cricket, Miss Jessie's, Morgan Taylor and Louvelle.

Learn more about Red PR

Karla Otto

German PR expert and former model Karla Otto founded her agency back in 1982. Nowadays, this fashion PR agency focuses on PR and brand strategy for the luxury market including fashion and lifestyle brands. With offices in 15 countries, they offer services across five main areas: Strategy, Creative, Talent, Experiences and Communications.

What are they known for?

Karla Otto is known as a brand-building agency with global  connections thanks to their membership of The Independents collective.

Blending the best of fashion, beauty, design, lifestyle, and arts & culture, we offer a panoramic view of opportunities and the ability to execute complex ideas.

Karla Otto LinkedIn

Client portfolio (fashion brands)

Karla Otto's fashion clients include:

Calvin Klein, Cartier, H&M, Kisawa Mozambique, Sephora, Swarovski and Zalando

Learn more about Karla Otto

Magnolia PR

The Magnolia PR agency was founded in 2006 and services lifestyle, family and fashion brands worldwide. Their services include influencer relations & celebrity seeding, affiliate public relations, reputation management, crisis communications, SEO strategy, content writing and more.

What are they known for?

Magnolia PR specializes in building lifestyle and fashion brands, with a particular focus on the kids and family categories.

Magnolia Public Relations builds brand awareness & trust with consistent top tier + niche media and strategic communications.  

Magnolia PR

Client portfolio (fashion brands)

Right Bank Babies (who was their first-ever client) and Leena Alsulaiman - (who launched her brand in 2020 during the pandemic. Others include  Magnolia Baby, Namoo Footwear, and Hips & Curves.

Learn more about Magnolia PR

AMP3 PR

AMP3 is a boutique public relations firm based in New York City and is an affiliate agency for French- West-Vaughan (FWV).  They offer personalized attention and a tailored approach to every customer. Services include media relations, blogger & digital relations, affiliate marketing, event management and PR, runway production and more.

What are they known for?

AMP3 PR specializes in consumer lifestyle, luxury, beauty, tech and fashion PR campaigns using a mix of social media, influencer partnerships and traditional media outreach. They have been recognized as a top fashion PR agency, after winning Agency of the Year in 2018.

A boutique PR firm approach with customized services  offers one-on-one attention and a tailored approach. We help our clients to create content and communicate their stories effectively to gain maximum exposure and generates sales.

AMP3 PR

Client portfolio (fashion brands)

Fossil Group (includes Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Armani & more) , Wrangler, Disney Princess, and Ingrid and Isobel.

Learn more about AMP3 PR

L.E.R. PR

Founded in 2008, L.E.R is an NYC and LA consultancy, driving strategic communications and growth for luxury fashion clients, travel and lifestyle brands. They offer services in five categories: brand development, event production, media relations, VIP and influencer relations.

What are they known for?

L.E.R. PR specializes in working with luxury fashion clients in the goods and services category and they offer each client custom tailored services.

Through public relations, brand positioning, acquisition strategy, and event production, we deliver innovative, 360-degree campaigns that captivate audiences and strengthen market presence.

L.E.R PR

Client portfolio (fashion brands)

Fashion brands include: Etienne, Blacksea, Max Mara, Urban Revivo, Moore & Giles

Learn more about L.E.R PR

Agentry PR

Founded by Erin Hawker in 2010, Agentry PR is a full service marketing communications agency ion New York City offering marketing and public relations services, including brand strategy, media outreach, events, sponsorships, VIP relations and more.

What are they known for?

Agentry PR is a boutique agency, small in size, but, of course, loud in its messaging. We create stories that build brands and move needles.

Agentry PR

Client portfolio (fashion brands)

Fashion clients include UNIQLO, Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, Autumn Cashmere, and Barton Perreira.

Learn more about Agentry PR

Fashion PR agencies can help you get on podcasts like these

Making guest appearances on podcasts is one way that fashion brands can build audience awareness and connections, enhance their brand reputation, use creative storytelling (read our expert's tips on how to tell stories) and create SEO opportunities by building genuine backlinks to their websites.

Rephonic's podcast information pages include episode summaries and guest profiles to help you check what your competitors are doing and find the right podcasts to approach.

Learn about fashion world shows like:

The Business of Fashion Podcast

Typical guests include industry leaders, fashion executives, designers, and thought leaders addressing pressing topics like sustainability, body inclusivity, and the intersection of fashion and technology. This aligns with listeners seeking expertise on fashion industry trends and innovation.

Business of Fashion data on Rephonic

Previous guest example: Andrea Guerra - CEO of the Prada Group

Andrea Guerra, CEO of the Prada Group, discusses the ongoing challenges and transformations in the luxury fashion industry, addressing issues like rising prices and consumer expectations. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to the brand's DNA while also adapting to new market realities.

Episode summary on Rephonic

Fashion People

Guests commonly include fashion industry insiders such as designers, PR specialists, and cultural commentators. They often appear to share personal anecdotes, insights on current trends, and discuss the broader implications of fashion and beauty in culture. Those interested in being guests would benefit from a significant background in the fashion sector or adjacent industries, along with compelling narratives that resonate with the broader themes explored in the episodes.

Fashion People data on Rephonic

Previous guest example: Founder and CEO of Argent

Sali Cristeson, CEO and founder of Argent, shares her journey into the fashion industry and the creation of her brand that focuses on professional women's clothing. She discusses how her background in business and finance collided with her passion for fashion, driving her to address the lack of options for women in the workplace. The conversation touches on current trends in workwear, the importance of color in professional clothing, and how the pandemic has shifted the expectations and usability of fashion. Cristeson also highlights gender inequities in funding for women-led businesses and the challenges of pitching to investors, illustrating the broader narrative of inclusivity and empowerment.

Episode summary on Rephonic

The Glossy Podcast

Typically features expert voices from the fashion and technology sectors, including brand leaders, designers, and industry analysts. Guests often share innovative viewpoints on trends, sustainability challenges, and technological advancements shaping the market, making it a good platform for those looking to discuss contemporary issues within fashion and luxury.

Glossy Podcast data on Rephonic

Previous guest example: Preston Konrad (former Ralph Lauren window designer & stylist)

...After a short break, the conversation turns to a detailed interview with Preston Konrad about the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic, noting its significant rise in popularity on platforms like TikTok. Konrad discusses the nostalgic elements associated with Ralph Lauren, how the trend reflects broader cultural shifts towards 'quiet luxury,' and suggests ways for consumers to incorporate this style into their own homes without overspending on luxury items. The episode culminates in reflections on holiday shopping behavior as Black Friday approaches, highlighting changes in consumer attitudes and spending patterns.

Episode summary on Rephonic

Fashion & Founders The Podcast

Guests typically include founders, CEOs, and innovators across various sectors of the fashion industry, emphasizing their entrepreneurial journeys and insights into sustainability and technology. They often discuss practical strategies and share stories of success and growth, making them relatable for aspiring business owners and those interested in the future of fashion.

Fashion & Founders guest profile on Rephonic

Previous guest example: Marina Larroudé (co-founder of Larroudé shoes

Marina Larroudé discusses her career trajectory in the fashion industry and the founding of her modern women's shoe brand, Larroudé. With a rich background from notable companies like Condé Nast and Barneys, she shares insights on how to leverage industry experiences to launch a successful brand. Marina highlights her innovative business model, which allows customers to pre-order shoes at a lower price, thereby responding quickly to market demands while maintaining high product quality. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the footwear market and creating accessible luxury for women, discussing the ethical considerations and sustainable practices within her business.

Episode summary on Rephonic

Fashion Your Seatbelt

Guests typically include influential designers, models, and industry insiders known for their innovative perspectives on fashion. The podcast tends to highlight figures who advocate for inclusivity, sustainability, and creative individuality in fashion, making it a platform for voices that may not always receive mainstream attention.

Fashion Your Seatbelt data on Rephonic

Previous guest example: Charlotte Chesnais, jewelry designer

Charlotte Chesnais discusses her journey as a jewelry designer, sharing insights into her creative process and the evolution of her brand over the past ten years. She reflects on the significant milestones, including the challenges of launching her company while expecting her first child and the impact of motherhood on both her personal and professional life. As she prepares to open her third store in Tokyo and launch a new fine jewelry collection, Charlotte emphasizes the importance of intentional design, the emotional connection of her pieces, and her commitment to creating jewelry that feels like an extension of the wearer's identity. The conversation also touches upon her experiences working with renowned designer Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga and her thoughts on collaborations that allow for creative exploration.

Episode summary on Rephonic

Final thoughts

Whether you need strategic communications advice, PR consulting, influencer engagement or help with fashion events, good fashion public relations is a must. At Rephonic, we believe that podcast guest interviews can have a key role in helping you enhance your brand visibility amongst your target audience.

So, while you're figuring out which PR agency to hire, check out podcast PR opportunities on Rephonic and get their contact info to pitch.

Get all Rephonic's info with a free trial.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

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If you're interested in a Muck Rack subscription, chances are you're struggling to find pricing information on their website.

Muck Rack was originally built as a solution for journalists looking to be found by Communication and PR teams. Since then, it's evolved into a full media management platform designed to make PR efforts easier.

How much does Muck Rack cost?

Muck Rack pricing can be a mystery, as it doesn't reveal prices on its website, so we've done some sleuthing for you.

TL;DR:

• The going rate for one user seems to be $5,000 per year.
• For two seats you’re probably looking at up to $10,000, and bigger teams will cost even more.
• We've seen reports of some teams paying $50,000+ per year.

The figures in our table (below) all come from Reddit users reporting how much they pay or were quoted. We can’t verify these reports. But organised like this, they help us get a picture and show that pricing can vary significantly. (However, they could be from any time in the past few years, so some don’t necessarily reflect current pricing and we don't know which plan they were on or which services they received.)

Sources: Reddit thread 1, Reddit thread 2, Reddit thread 3, Reddit thread 4, Reddit thread 5, Reddit thread 6

Muck Rack offers three flexible plans which require an annual contract. These are: Starter (suitable for solo practitioners and small businesses), Standard and Premier. Each plan builds on the other. For example, the Standard plan includes all the Starter feature plus unlimited media list exports and AI-powered journalist recommendations.

It seems, from what we've read, that pricing plans can be negotiated, especially near the end of a quarter or month.

Muck Rack reviews

Muck Rack has a solid average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on G2 from over 350 reviews, and 4.2 out of 5 on Capterra from 25+ reviews (accurate April 2026).

Muck Rack alternatives

Rephonic

Rephonic is a podcast database, sourcing detailed information on podcasts from every corner of the internet. It covers 3m+ shows worldwide, including almost every currently active podcast (there are 400k of those!)

Rephonic's platform helps PR teams find suitable podcasts for guest spots or mentions by assessing each show's audience demographics, listener numbers, previous guests and listener feedback.

Users can see podcast data, create lists, find contact details, pitch shows, and manage their pipeline all on the Rephonic platform. It's easy to monitor coverage by setting keyword alerts for daily or weekly email updates.

As one Rephonic customer explains, "Over the past six months, Rephonic has grown to be a crucial tool in our podcasting workflow . We have been able to make data-driven decisions on our content strategy thanks to the platform's extensive analytics and competitive intelligence."

Rephonic offers a seven-day free trial with three paid tiers: Light ($99/month), Standard ($149/month) and Business ($299/month).

Best for:

Public Relations professionals who want in-depth podcast data and quality contacts all on one, easy-to-use platform.

Cision

Cision is one of the largest global journalist and media databases and provides a broad suite of features for communications and PR professionals.

Its flagship platform is the AI-powered CisionOne, which brings all its functions into one end-to-end workflow. These include media monitoring, journalist outreach and reporting tools, social listening and management.

Like Muck Rack, Cision's website doesn't reveal costs; potential users must contact the sales team for a quote on a package tailored to their needs.

Best for:

Large PR teams and agencies that need a comprehensive, global media database combined with press release distribution, media monitoring, and robust reporting in a single enterprise-level platform.

Meltwater

Meltwater, which has been monitoring media online since 2001, offers a suite of products including social media listening, media database and contacts, audience insights, influencer marketing and sales, data and API integration.

As with Muck Rack and Cision, each product package is customized and prospective users need to request a demo to discover how much it will cost to use Meltwater.

Best for:

Identifying journalists and the specific topics they write about. Users say they find it useful for conducting searches, keeping track of clips and for sentiment analysis in social media listening.

Prezly

Prezly offers company teams a less expensive media monitoring package, including online newsrooms, a press release creator, a CRM and PR analytics.

The platform has three annual pricing tiers. These are: Essential ($100/month), Standard ($150/month), Enterprise (custom). Prezly also has a separate service for PR agencies. All four services offer a 14-day free trial.

Best for:

Those seeking an affordable alternative for press release distribution and maintaining media contacts.

Prowly

Prowly is an AI-powered PR and media relations software platform associated with Semrush.

With Prowly, PR teams can create and maintain a media list with contact details, create and distribute press releases, monitor coverage, get audience insights and send personalized pitches to journalists. Its media database includes traditional print and broadcast media, podcasters, bloggers and influencers.

A basic annual plan costs $258/month while a Pro Annual contract price is $416/month (in December, 2025.)

Best for:

PR agencies and individuals looking to organize and track PR and media contacts.

FAQs

Does Muck Rack have podcasts on its database?

Yes - Muck Rack has 800k podcasts on its database.

What data does Muck Rack have for podcasts?

Muck Rack's podcast pages include insights on listenership, reviews, contact information, Apple chart positions, their country, language, genre and links to the latest episodes.

Is there a dedicated podcast database I can use alongside Muck Rack?

Yes — Rephonic is a dedicated podcast database that Muck Rack customers often use alongside Muck Rack to access deeper insights for more than three million shows.

Final thoughts

The final cost of Muck Rack seems to depend on the number of seats, features you use, and the deal you negotiate. Meanwhile, Muck Rack's competitors often provide similar features but may offer more affordable pricing options or different functionalities.

Your choice of media database will be influenced by pricing plans, what they offer and what you need to monitor.

If podcasts are a strong focus for your team or your clients, then Rephonic is likely to be your best bet.

Try Rephonic (with a free trial) and see for yourself how just a few clicks can revolutionize your podcast monitoring and outreach.

Start my free trial

How to Get Podcast Transcripts & Search for Keywords

Learn how to get podcast transcripts with Rephonic and get a competitive advantage. Search transcripts for keywords and make better, more accurate decisions.

How to Spy on a Competitor’s Podcast Guesting Strategy

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If you’re wondering how to get on the Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch podcast, you’re really asking two questions: who does this show invite on and how can I position myself as a great fit?

Before we dive in, a quick reality check: Talk Tuah hasn’t published a new episode since May 2025, which means your chances of appearing on the show right now are fairly low.

But, let's use it as a useful example.

In this article, we’ll use Talk Tuah as a real-world demo to show how Rephonic’s People tab and Related Podcasts section help you identify past guests, spot the patterns and uncover podcasts that share a similar audience.

Even if Talk Tuah itself isn’t an option, this walkthrough gives you a repeatable process you can use to research any podcast.

What did Talk Tuah podcast guests have in common?

First, let's find Rephonic's page for the Talk Tuah podcast and open the People tab.

Straightaway, the Guest Profile section tells us that most Talk Tuah guests come from the entertainment industry—musicians, comedians, influencers and athletes.

But when we look at individual episodes, we see more information:

• Guest's name and occupation
• A category designation
• Episode name and link
• The episode's focus and relevance.

Comparing this information brings out more insights into what Talk Tuah guests have in common.

1. Guests are on an upward curve. Phrases like 'rising star', 'transition to country music', 'new single', 'latest songs' and 'known for' signal that many Talk Tuah guests are newer celebrities who want to promote and capitalize on their momentum.  In other words, Haliey Welch favors guests with current traction over legacy names.
2. They often mirror Haliey's own story. I noticed the connection through phrases like 'background as a social media influencer', 'cancel culture', 'celebrity status', 'pressures of public life'. These seem relatable to Haliey's experiences after her own unprecedented viral moment.
3. Their stories can sustain a whole episode. Guests' careers, backgrounds and experiences give them stories to fill the conversation, rather than answering a few questions.

How to spot guest patterns using the People tab

When reviewing Rephonic's People tab, scan for signals rather than focusing on individual names. Check things like:

• Industries and categories
  Look at the guest genres and roles. Are they clustered around entertainment, business, education, or a specific niche? Repeated categories usually point to the show’s true focus. Also check who isn't there. For example, we don't see academics, politicians, CEOs or entrepreneurs. 🤔Does your career or background fit the cluster?
• Career stage
  Are most guests described as rising, breakout, or gaining attention? Such language may signal a preference for guests with current momentum. 🤔Does your career stage or level fit into the podcast's preference?
• Experience level
  Are the guests already comfortable on camera or behind a mic? Or does the host seem willing to take a chance on people with less public speaking experience? 🤔How confident are you when speaking on camera or in front of an audience?
• Narrative hooks
  Each guest should have a logical reason for appearing on the show and be relevant to that podcast audience. 🤔What stories can you share and why would they matter to these listeners?
• Alignment with the host’s journey
  Compare guest backgrounds with the host’s own story. Shared experiences may influence who gets invited. 🤔Do you have something in common with the host?
• Interview style
  Click a few episode links to see the typical interview style. 🤔Is it a style you'd be comfortable with?

3 podcasts to consider pitching instead

Talk Tuah is a good example of a podcast built around a sudden viral moment. Shows like this can pause or pivot quickly, as has happened with Talk Tuah. So let's check the podcast's page in Rephonic and look for other podcasts that appeal to that audience.

We'll find them in the Related podcasts section.

#1 Just Trish

What does this podcast have in common with Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch?

Just Trish has a similar audience to that of Haliey Welch. Typical listeners are described as "likely a younger adult or millennial who is engaged in pop culture and social media. They may enjoy humor and candid discussions about personal experiences, reflecting a cultural interest in authenticity and vulnerability."

The podcast's People tab lists many guests as singers, online or television personalities, actors or celebrities. At least one guest (Holly Madison) has appeared on both Just Trish and Talk Tuah.

#2 Dumb Blonde

What does this podcast have in common with Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch?

The Dumb Blonde podcast attracts listeners similar to those of Haliey Welch. Rephonic describes both audiences as adults in their 20-30s, interested in pop culture, celebrity news, and social media, who enjoy candid and humorous conversations about everyday challenges and personal experiences and value authenticity and connection.

Checking the Dumb Blond People section shows its guests often include personalities from the entertainment industry, including musicians, reality TV stars, and influencers, including many described as rising stars and more established celebrities.

Finally, the two podcasts have at least three sponsors in common, suggesting that those companies viewed them as having similar audience appeal.

#3 This Past Weekend with Theo Von

What does this podcast have in common with Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch?

Guests on This Past Weekend typically include a diverse range of comedians, actors, artists, and professionals from various industries. The common thread is their ability to connect with audiences through relatability and humor. Episodes often touch on themes of resilience and social commentary.

Its listener profile is similar to that of Talk Tuah and includes phrases like 'adults who appreciate humor and storytelling', 'value authenticity and personal connection', 'themes of family, mental health, and personal growth', 'audience might lean slightly younger'

Use Rephonic to find other podcasts to be a guest on

Rephonic’s search tool helps you find, assess and pitch to many podcasts where you’d fit in as a guest.

Enter a keyword that fits your guest profile, theme, story or industry and add layers of filters. This process quickly compiles a list of podcasts that you can then check to see how closely their audience, topics and podcasting style match yours.

For example, if I’m a relationships counselor I might start my search with the word “relationships” and then try related words like “dating”, “parenting” or “relationship building” to build my campaign.

Want more info? Read this post on finding podcasts with Rephonic.

Final thoughts

Looking at how Rephonic describes Talk Tuah guests (e.g., their categories, relevance notes, and the timing of their visibility) it’s clear that Haliey Welch favored public-facing, internet-native entertainers who were navigating moments of growing attention.

You can use Rephonic to find and analyze any podcast's guest profiles and episodes to see if you'd be a good fit. (Check them yourself, or speed up the process by feeding the info into your favorite generative AI model.)

This simple step to help streamline your podcast pitching process and increase your acceptance rate.

Take the first step today. Explore Rephonic with a 7-day free trial.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with four years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

How to Choose Podcasts with High Sales Potential for Podcast Guesting

Podcast guesting builds brand awareness—but not every show will bring in customers. This article shows you how to find podcasts with real sales potential, so your time behind the mic pays off.

How to Write a Podcast Outreach Email With AI (And What to Avoid)

Can AI help you write an effective podcast outreach email? Yes, but it won't give you a winning email at your first attempt. Be smart and use AI for research first. Here's how you do it.

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With 2700 episodes in the bank, and a vast audience tuning into every episode, the Joe Rogan Experience is possibly the biggest podcast on the planet.

Unsurprisingly, there are many people angling to be guests on the podcast, so what does it take to win a coveted spot?

We examined 50 Joe Rogan Experience episodes and found some fascinating insights into the kinds of guests welcomed onto the popular podcast.

What type of guests does Joe Rogan accept?

Checking the show notes, we found guests are most often described as podcast hosts or co-hosts, comics or comedians or authors (sometimes, all three.) To put some numbers on that, we found that 62% of Joe Rogan’s guests are podcast hosts with over 93k listeners on average, 46% are comics and 46% are authors.

They also have diverse specialties. At the time of writing, the most recent episodes include scientists, intelligence (CIA, UAPs, counter terrorism), philosophy, entrepreneurs, music and investigative journalism and the occasional megastar actor (Adam Sandler and Russell Crowe.)

You’ll probably have more luck becoming a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience if you can claim similar titles, or you’re a podcast host, and your show draws in a lot of listeners.

How to become a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast

Qualify yourself - are you a good fit?

What's your claim to fame?

Do you have a fascinating view point or an interesting career? Are you a standup comedian? Do you host a podcast with a massive audience? Do you have a large following on Twitter, (sorry, X?)

Can you have a conversation lasting several hours? Not everyone can talk for hours at a time. The Joe Rogan Experience is a long form podcast and episodes are rarely under 2 hours. Many go past the three-hour mark. In fact, episode #2171’s discussion with Eric Weinstein and Terrence Howard lasted 4 hours, 3 minutes and 25 seconds.

Joe Rogan has a diverse range of interests, reflected in his choice of podcast guests. For example:

• Martial Arts is a recurring theme. Joe Rogan is a former taekwondo champion and holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In fact, there’s a whole subset of 160+ MMA episodes slotted in between the show’s regular episodes.
• Space exploration and science are well-represented, with in-depth conversations on a variety of these subjects in many episodes.
• Hunting - many guests over the years have been hunters, guides and hunting show hosts.
• Politics and political commentary. For example, recent guests include Tulsi Gabbard (former United States Representative), Tucker Carlson (described as “the leading voice in American Politics) and Konstantin Kisin (political commentator and author of “An Immigrant’s Love Letter to the West.)

Be relevant

Contribute to conversations about trending topics.

Be prepared for everything from thought-provoking discussions to lighthearted banter. Provide unique insights into your specialty but be ready to argue your case if your opinions differ from Rogan’s firm beliefs.

Have a unique perspective

Joe Rogan chooses guests with controversial opinions and unconventional perspectives.

The podcast encourages candid, thought-provoking conversations and Rogan’s willingness to air different perspectives has sparked both praise and criticism.

So, consider how your ideas and personal anecdotes can enhance (and maybe provoke) the discussion.

Pitch the show? Probably not!

Joe Rogan has been one of the biggest podcasters in the world for a long time.

His email address is not freely available on the internet and his social media accounts are likely managed by a team, not by Rogan himself. That’s why it’s necessary to get yourself noticed. You might think about sending a message on social media, but unless you’re someone like Elon Musk, it probably won’t even get opened.

You need to look for alternative routes.

Consider alternative options

If you want to expand your reach, there are so many other podcasts you could reach out to. Not only do podcast guest appearances boost your profile, they're great examples of your style and the value you bring to a show.

Here's how you do it:

Find suitable podcasts with Rephonic

Rephonic offers several routes towards finding suitable podcasts.

Search for podcasts on the Topic search bar and filter by categories, audience size and active status.

Perhaps you already know the podcasts you want to target? In that case, use the Title search bar option to bring up all Rephonic's information about each show.

Another option is to search for podcasts that are somehow related to the Joe Rogan Experience. Use Rephonic's 3D graph tool or Related section to find podcasts with connections and listeners in common with Rogan's podcast.

Check their stats

Rephonic brings all a podcast's info and stats onto one page to help you qualify whether an interview on that podcast would suit your needs.

That information includes audience numbers, engagement, links to episodes, social media, and the podcast's ratings and reviews.

Contact target shows

Email podcasts directly within Rephonic. Just connect your inbox, then write your own email from scratch or use Rephonic's handy email templates. Include your one-sheet, if you have one. (And you really should have one if you're planning on using guest interviews as a strategy.)

Final thoughts

It’s difficult to become a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience.

Build up your guesting experience and follow our tips above and you’ll have a better shot at the big shows. A spot with Joe Rogan might be out of reach for now, but keep working on it and you never know your luck.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

How to Use Podcasts for Link Building [Full Guide]

Quality backlinks should be a vital part of your SEO strategy, and in our opinion, building links via podcast guesting is a highly underrated tactic.

How to Spy on a Competitor’s Podcast Guesting Strategy

In this article, we break down why piecing together their competitor’s podcast guesting strategy matters and how to use Rephonic to get a clear view of what’s happening behind the scenes.

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Quality backlinks should be a vital part of your SEO strategy, and in our opinion, building links via podcast guesting is a highly underrated tactic.

In Databox’s 2024 small business marketing survey, only 13.56% of respondents said they use podcasts as a marketing channel. But with over three million shows out there, brands have no shortage of podcast link building opportunities.

In this guide, we’ll explain what podcast link building is and how to find podcast backlink opportunities using Rephonic.

Key Takeaways:

• One podcast appearance can generate multiple backlinks.
• Prioritise shows with a website that gives dofollow links.
• Use Rephonic to find guesting opportunities and identify shows with websites.

What is podcast link building?

Podcast link building involves appearing as a guest on podcast episodes to earn backlinks from indexable pages such as the show’s episode page and show notes.

You can leverage podcasts and build links by appearing on other people's podcasts, which helps increase your brand visibility and boosts your SEO efforts.

It’s a valuable SEO strategy because high quality backlinks can boost your site’s authority. That can lead to better rankings on the search engine results page and more traffic. In fact, Google explicitly says that they take links from authoritative sites into account and that “the best practices for SEO remain relevant for AI features in Google Search.”

Here’s how it works.

You record a guest interview on a podcast. When the episode airs, you get a link back to your business website in the podcast show notes. That connects you with another website in your industry or niche. (Note that, not all podcasts have a large or relevant audience, which can limit the effectiveness of your guest appearance.)

You can get podcast backlinks from:

• The podcast hosting site (where the show lives, e.g. Buzzsprout)
• The podcast directory (where people listen, e.g. Spotify and Apple Podcasts)
• The podcast website (if there is one)
• Other websites and social media accounts (people may link to your website because of what you said during your interview.)

Why are backlinks important?

Backlinks are like “trust signals or votes of confidence from other websites…The more high-quality backlinks your website has, the more likely it is to rank higher in search results.”

Ahrefs: What Are Backlinks

There are multiple opportunities for backlinks every time you appear on a podcast.

The internet (aka world-wide-web) is like an infinite spider’s web with trillions of strands and connections. Every genuine link or connection you make strengthens your site’s position and authority, making it easier to get organic traffic, higher search rankings and become more noticeable in AI searches.

Let’s look at how one standout podcast guest uses podcast links to increase his website's authority.

Alex Hormozi: a podcast link building example

Link building is a strategy that’s worked perfectly for Alex Hormozi, as this video shows.

Hormozi has been a guest on well over 100 industry podcasts in the past nine years, allowing him to share valuable insights and build authority in his field. Here’s a snippet of the results we saw when we ran Hormozi's website through a backlink checker. You can see that many of the referring domains were podcast platforms.

Dofollow vs nofollow podcast backlinks

Podcast directories like Spotify and Apple Podcasts have ‘nofollow’ links.

In the past, Google largely ignored nofollow links for ranking signals. Today, Google treats nofollow as a hint, meaning it may choose to consider or ignore those links depending on context.

All the link attributes—sponsored, ugc, and nofollow—are treated as hints about which links to consider or exclude within Search. We'll use these hints—along with other signals—as a way to better understand how to appropriately analyze and use links within our systems.

Google

However, podcast websites and some hosting sites use 'dofollow' links which means they pass ranking power to your site.

We recommend using Rephonic to quickly check whether the podcast has its own website.

How to find podcast backlink opportunities

1. Find podcasts in your niche using Rephonic

Rephonic is a podcast database, specifically designed to help you find relevant podcasts to pitch for podcast guesting.

Start with a topic search

Let’s say you’re a financial advisor, specializing in investing. Here’s what your Rephonic search might look like:

Start by searching for your topic or other relevant keywords.

When link building, targeting podcasts within your niche can help you attract authoritative backlinks and establish your expertise in this specialized area.

Then, use Rephonic’s filters to narrow down the search. I’d always recommend using the Active and Guests filters, so you filter out solo and non-active shows. But you can also filter for various audience demographics and podcast numbers (e.g., episodes or listener numbers.)

Check on your competitor's podcast link building strategy

Wondering whether your competitors have also caught onto the value of podcast link building? Use our episode search engine. You can:

1. Search for your topic in Episodes, then scroll through the list to see what guest names stand out.
2. Search for a competitor’s name in Episodes to see which shows they’ve been a guest on. These shows could well be a good fit for your link building strategy, too.

Read How to Spy on a Competitor’s Podcast Guesting Strategy for more info.

2. Check if the podcast has a website

Many shows either have their own podcast website or a dedicated landing page on their company website.

If you see a podcast title that looks like a good fit, click on it and check out their website link on the Overview tab.

When your podcast guesting strategy includes getting high quality podcast backlinks, we recommend that you prioritize shows that also publish episodes on their websites, especially those with high domain authority. These links can significantly improve your SEO and signal trustworthiness to search engines.

Check the website’s domain authority, using a free checker like Ahrefs’ Website Authority Checker or Authority Score from Semrush.

3. Check show notes for links

Next, click the More Episodes button to open a list of episodes and show notes to check for links.

After recording your podcast episodes, follow up with each host or producer to confirm that your backlink will be included in the show notes or episode description.

Go ahead and make a personalized pitch if:

• The podcast’s a good fit for your expertise
• The website’s domain authority scores well
• And they include links in the show notes.

3 tips to maximise podcast backlink success

1. Write a compelling pitch for podcast hosts

Securing a guest spot on reputable podcasts starts with writing a personalized pitch that stands out to podcast hosts.

Open with a concise introduction—say who you are and why your expertise is relevant to their audience. Highlight your unique perspective or experience, and suggest specific topics or themes you can discuss that align with the podcast’s focus.

Reference their podcast episodes and mention insights you found valuable. Show that you’ve done your homework and genuinely appreciate the podcast’s content.

Keep your message brief, engaging, and tailored to each podcast host. Present yourself as a valuable guest who can offer quality inbound links and meaningful insights.

2. Build relationships with podcast hosts

Establishing strong relationships with podcast hosts is a cornerstone of effective podcast link building. When you build genuine connections, you open the door to repeat invitations, referrals to other podcasts, and a growing network within your industry.

Even before you pitch them, start by engaging with podcast hosts on social media.

Introduce yourself to them and stay top of mind by:

• Sharing their episodes
• Commenting on their posts
• Offering thoughtful feedback.

After your podcast appearance, follow up with a thank-you note or email, expressing your gratitude and interest in future collaborations. Make sure you share your episode widely with your audience and on social media.

3. Measure the success of your podcast link building efforts

Track and measure your progress to ensure your podcast link building strategy is delivering results. Start by using Google Analytics to monitor referral traffic from podcast episodes—look at how many visitors are coming to your site and how they engage with your content.

Evaluate the quality and quantity of backlinks generated from your podcast appearances, focusing on metrics like domain authority and relevance to your niche. Track your search engine rankings for targeted keywords to see how your link building efforts are impacting your SEO strategy.

Keep an eye on social media engagement and mentions related to your podcast appearances, as these can signal increased brand awareness and influence.

By regularly analyzing these metrics, you can refine your podcast link building strategy, focus on the most effective tactics, and continue to boost your SEO and online visibility.

Final thoughts

Building valuable backlinks through podcast guesting is an excellent but under-utilized search engine optimization strategy. High quality backlinks are those that increase your website’s relevance and authority, so focus on those rather than just link volume.

Recording a few podcast interviews can give you high quality backlinks that:

• Increase referral traffic to your website
• Help your site build more domain authority
• Stay online indefinitely, providing ongoing authority and traffic
• Increase your visibility to search engines by strengthening your site’s connections with others in your niche or industry.

Rephonic helps you find the most relevant shows to pitch for podcast interviews and sponsorship opportunities.

Join Rephonic to 10x your podcast link building strategy. Start with a 7-day free trial.

Article credits

Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.

Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.

How to Get Booked on Podcasts as a Guest

You want podcast interviews that actually turn listeners into leads, or simply get your message in front of your target audience. But the trick isn’t blasting out as many pitches as you can...

How to Spy on a Competitor’s Podcast Guesting Strategy

In this article, we break down why piecing together their competitor’s podcast guesting strategy matters and how to use Rephonic to get a clear view of what’s happening behind the scenes.

Follow us:

In this article, we explore a selection of Joe Rogan’s recent podcast sponsors using data pulled from Rephonic.

Each episode of The Joe Rogan Experience features two or three sponsors, and the podcast features a wide range of sponsors with a consistent focus on the health, fitness and wellness brands, lifestyle and tech products that gel with its massive audience (17.3 million Spotify followers and 20.5 million on YouTube in Dec 2025, according to our data.)

As the podcast host, Joe Rogan usually reads the ads himself in his own conversational style rather than from a rigid script, and sometimes includes personal anecdotes or off-the-cuff comments. Their authenticity is reinforced by Rogan’s personal use of many of the products, and by listener-only discounts or exclusive offers that make fans feel rewarded for being part of the Joe Rogan Experience audience.

Podcast sponsorships are necessary for the financial sustainability of JRE, and can provide significant returns in brand awareness and conversions for companies. Thanks to sponsorship and a lucrative Spotify deal that includes ad revenue sharing, Joe Rogan's podcast attracts mega stars as guests but remains free to all listeners.

I tapped into the list of Joe Rogan sponsors (on the podcast's Rephonic page) to analyze nine recent sponsors. Here's what I found:

Monster Ultra

Monster is a US energy drink company. It describes its products as “not just a drink. It’s a lifestyle in a can” and is particularly known for spending its advertising budget on sponsoring its customers.

“We support the scene, our bands, our athletes and our fans.”

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

Monster Ultra is a natural fit for the Joe Rogan Experience because its high-energy, fitness-forward branding aligns closely with Rogan’s passion for MMA and benefits from his massive audience which includes many gym-goers and MMA fans.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by Monster Ultra. Everybody knows the white monster. That clean white can, zero sugar, crisp. It's everywhere lately. Gyms, your favorite convenience store, studios, you name it. I see people toss it into their bag before training or a long drive. Big flavor, zero sugar, that same monster energy kick.

But Ultra didn't stop there. There's a whole lineup now. Vice Guava, Blue Hawaiian and The New Wild Passion. My favorite is Strawberry Dreams. It's smooth and sweet with a touch of tart strawberry flavor. Ooh. And if you're loyal to the white can, cool. Just know that you've got options.

Example call-to-action

Visit monsterenergy.com to learn more.

Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus is a subscription-based streaming service owned by Paramount Global offering on-demand access to movies, TV shows, and live content from across Paramount’s brands.

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

Joe Rogan Experience listeners are interested in long-form conversations, documentaries, sports, comedy, and culture. These are all areas where Paramount Plus has deep content libraries and original shows. The podcast has a vast reach; the sort of scale deal for driving broad awareness and subscriber growth for a service like Paramount Plus.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by Paramount Plus. Now streaming on Paramount Plus. It's an all new season of Mayor of Kingstown. Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner returns as Mike McCluskey, an ex-con fighting to keep peace both inside and outside the prison walls of Kingstown as he faces off with a new warden played by Emmy Award winner Edie Falco.

Example call-to-action

Mayor of Kingstown, new season, now streaming on Paramount Plus.

Traeger

Traeger is a premium outdoor cooking brand best known for its wood pellet grills and smokers. Its products combine traditional wood-fired flavor with modern tech, like digital temperature controls and app connectivity, and are popular with backyard grillers, BBQ enthusiasts, and people who enjoy cooking as a lifestyle hobby.

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

Rogan’s podcast reaches a demographic with the disposable income to invest in high-end outdoor gear such as Traeger grills. Traeger feels like a natural fit for the show because Rogan often mentions grilling, hunting, and cooking meat, so this host-read ad feels authentic.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by Traeger. It's time to get fired up for daytime grilling. Whether you're at the parking lot or tailgating from home, Traeger grills are your MVP for every matchup.

The all-new Woodridge Elite is packed with innovative features like Wi-Fi or control so you can monitor your cooks from the couch and get back to cheering on your team. And if breakfast is part of your pre-game ritual, the Flat Rock 2 Zone griddle comes in clutch for epic pancakes, crispy bacon and more. Make Traeger your go-to for game day greatness.

Example call-to-action

Head over to traeger.com and use the code ROGAN at checkout for free shipping.

Goldbelly

Imagine Texas BBQ, New York bagels, Chicago deep-dish pizza, or Southern comfort food delivered to your door wherever you are in the US. That's what you get with Goldbelly, an online food marketplace that lets people order iconic regional foods from well-known restaurants and chefs across the country.

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

With such a broad US audience, the Joe Rogan Experience is the perfect platform for a brand like Goldbelly that ships everywhere and therefore wants to develop mass awareness. As a food company specializing in iconic foods, it’s a great fit for the Joe Rogan Experience, which often features themes of food, culture, and discovery.

The ad we’re featuring here first aired on November 19, 2025—perfect timing for Thanksgiving and Christmas gifts.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by Goldbelly. Goldbelly will ship you the wildest, most legendary foods from all over the country right to your door. It makes the holidays much better because you barely have to lift a finger.

Picking out gifts is a total nightmare, but with Goldbelly, you just send people epic food and boom, everybody's happy. They're eating something they'd normally have to hop on a flight to get. And you look like a hero. Send your mom Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding. That stuff is a national treasure.

For your boys, you can't go wrong with legit Texas barbecue or buttery Maine lobster rolls. If you're hosting, you can order the original turducken, a literal chicken stuffed inside a duck, stuffed inside a turkey. Just straight up meat inception. So whether gifting or hosting, Goldbelly's got you covered. This isn't a gift card, it's an experience.

Example call-to-action

Go to goldbelly.com and get 20% off your first order with the promo code Rogan.

Life360

Life360 is a family safety and location-sharing app that lets people see where loved ones are in real time, get driving alerts, and stay connected. Other products include Tile Trackers and Pet GPS.

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

Life360 products and apps solve common, ongoing problems such as finding lost items or pets, and knowing that loved-ones are safe when they're out and about. These products have mass appeal and a practicality that many of Joe Rogan's audience are likely to appreciate either for themselves or as a gift-giving solution.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by Life360. I bet the first things you think of before leaving the house are, where are my keys? Did I leave my wallet somewhere? Well, now you can keep tabs on them with Life360's Tile Trackers. They're small Bluetooth devices that you can stick on anything that can go missing.

And now Life360 just launched something really cool, a new weekly in-app giveaway called Life360 Pays For. Every single week, they're choosing winners and paying their bills, covering the costs for things like your rent or mortgage, tuition, your car, gas or even holiday gifts for the fam.

Example call-to-action

Get peace of mind in the palm of your hand with Life360's Tile Trackers. Use code JOE30 for 30% off Tile Trackers on life360.com/joe30.

LifeLock

LifeLock is an identity theft protection service from Norton that helps individuals monitor and safeguard their personal information. It includes features like credit monitoring, alerts for suspicious activity, identity restoration support, and insurance coverage in case identity theft occurs.

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

Identity theft isn’t niche; it affects professionals, entrepreneurs, and everyday consumers. That makes LifeLock relevant to a large portion of JRE’s audience who are often active online using multiple platforms and subscriptions and so may be vulnerable to data breaches and identity theft.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Tis the season for identity theft. This time of year, most of us are checking off our holiday gift list, but guess what? Identity thieves have lists too, and your personal information might be on them.

Protect your identity with LifeLock. LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points every second and alerts you to threats you could miss by yourself, even if you keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements. If your identity is stolen, your own U.S.-based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed, or your money back.

Example call-to-action

Go to lifelock.com/jre

Activision

Activision is a video game publisher best known for blockbuster franchises like Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. It develops and publishes games across console, PC, and online platforms.

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

Joe Rogan Experience podcast listeners tend to be younger males (Rephonic’s listener profile estimates that 40% are likely to be under 35). That's a core demographic for Call of Duty, and one that may be harder to reach through traditional media. It makes Activision an ideal sponsor for Rogan's podcast where young men are likely to tune in week after week.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by Activision. You know me, I love a bit of action. That's why I'm excited to announce that Call of Duty Black Ops 7 is coming soon. And let me tell you, this game is going to be the biggest Black Ops ever. If you're into intense action, strategic game play and just straight up kicking ass, this is it. Kicking ass, sounds like that's right up my alley. Black Ops 7 drops you right into three massive modes. First, you've got the co-op campaign, where you can team up with your buddies to tackle some serious missions.

Then the multiplayer, it's explosive. 18 maps keeps the fights fresh and the stakes high. And zombies. Oh man, this is the best zombie mode yet. Featuring a brand new drivable wonder vehicle that completely changes the game. Seriously, whether you're a hardcore gamer or just want to jump into some crazy action, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 delivers.

Example call-to-action

Pre-order Call of Duty Black Ops 7 now ahead of its November 14th release date.

Caldera Lab

Caldera Lab is a premium men’s skincare brand focused on clean, high-performance products made with natural and plant-based ingredients. Its products are certified by leading regulators as being safe and environmentally friendly. They include easy-to-use face cleansers, moisturizers, and serums all designed to improve skin health.

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

A conversational ad read by Joe Rogan, and clearly stating that he uses and likes Caldera Lab products, helps to normalize and legitimize skincare for men. This ad makes it more likely that male JRE listeners will start their skincare journey by trying something from Caldera Lab.

Example ad copy

This episode is brought to you by Caldera Lab. You've probably seen this brand all over Instagram, and I am here to tell you, I tried it and it lives up to the hype.

Listen, you train your body; you eat clean; you take supplements; you put in work everywhere else, but most guys ignore the biggest organ that they’ve got, their skin. And here’s the thing: your skin’s just like any other part of the body. If you don’t take care of it, it wears down faster; it shows the damage, and it makes you look older than you are.

Caldera Lab's simple regime is designed for guys and it actually works. I know it's a big difference and you will too. Look better, feel better, simple as that.

Example call-to-action

Go to calderalab.com/jre and use the code JRE for 20% off your first order.

DraftKings

DraftKings is a US-based digital sports company, best known for sports betting and daily fantasy sports. Users can place bets on professional and college sports, take part in fantasy contests, and engage with live, in-game wagering (in regions where it’s legal).

Why sponsor Joe Rogan?

DraftKings fits JRE because it connects naturally to sports culture, competition, and fan engagement, all of which are central to Joe Rogan's brand.

Audience demographics align well, too. According to Rephonic’s audience analysis, nearly 90% of Joe Rogan’s audience is based in the US and Canada (DraftKings is US-based). We also estimate they’re more likely to have the disposable income needed to spend on sports betting and fantasy sports.

Example ad copy

Coaches on the sidelines dripping in sweat hoping they call the right plays. But you're not sweating thanks to Draft Kings. They're hooking up new customers with a no sweat bet up to $100. It's easier than calling plays in a sold out stadium. Just place any bet. If it doesn't hit, we'll give you a bonus bet back in the amount of your initial bet, up to $100.

Example call-to-action

Download the Draft Kings Sportsbook app. New customers use promo code Rogan to get a no sweat bet. That's promo code Rogan only on Draft Kings Sportsbook.

Final thoughts

Want to research more Joe Rogan sponsors? Check the Sponsors tab on the JRE Rephonic page.

Sponsors Tab details include:

• Each company or brand's name
• What they're promoting
• The ad's text transcript
• If it were host-read
• What the call to action was
• An episode name and link
• Audio clips

The info lets companies see who else has sponsored Joe Rogan, spot trends and gauge whether they'd be a good fit for the show based on that info.

You can search for a specific brand or scroll through the list to see all the podcast's sponsors.

Looking to offer your first sponsorship deal? Research the podcast's past and current sponsors with Rephonic.

Start now with your 7-day free trial.