Most podcast pitches get ignored because they sound like every other pitch. Hosts receive 50-100 pitches per week. The ones that stand out are short, specific, and show you actually listen to the show.
I helped an artist rewrite his podcast pitch. His original was 4 paragraphs about his career history, his streaming numbers, and his upcoming album. It got zero responses in 3 weeks. His rewritten pitch was 4 sentences. It mentioned a specific episode of the show, a specific topic he could discuss, and one line about his new single. He got 3 yes responses in the first week.
The difference was not the artist. It was the pitch. Hosts do not care about your bio. They care about whether you can make a good episode for their audience.
This guide shows you how to write pitches that get yes responses. If you want the strategy behind why podcast guesting works, read how to use podcast appearances to promote your music. For the interview itself, read how to interview artists and industry professionals.
What You Will Learn
- Why most podcast pitches fail and how to avoid the same mistakes
- How to build a target list of podcasts worth pitching
- How to write a pitch that gets a response in 4 sentences
- How to follow up without being annoying
- How to prepare a one-sheet that makes hosts say yes
- How to handle rejections and no responses
Why Most Pitches Fail
I talked to 5 podcast hosts about the pitches they receive. Here is what they said.
Pitches are too long. One host told me she gets pitches that are 500 words. She reads the first 2 sentences and deletes the rest. If you cannot say why you are a fit in 2 sentences, you do not know why you are a fit.
Pitches are generic. "I love your show and think I would be a great guest" appears in almost every pitch. It means nothing. It shows you have not listened to the show. Hosts can spot a copy-pasted pitch in 3 seconds.
Pitches are about the artist, not the audience. Artists list their streaming numbers, their press features, their upcoming album. Hosts do not care about any of that. They care about whether you can make an episode their listeners will love. Your pitch should answer that question.
Pitches have no clear topic. "I would love to talk about my music" is not a topic. "I can talk about how I produced my entire album in a closet with one microphone and a $200 interface" is a topic. Specific topics get responses. Vague ones do not.
Pitches go to the wrong person. Many artists pitch through a show's general contact form. Those forms go to interns or get lost. Find the host's direct email or social media DM. Personal outreach beats form submissions every time.
Build Your Target List
Do not pitch randomly. Build a curated list of 20-30 podcasts.
Search by keyword. Use Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Listen Notes to search for keywords related to your genre and topics. "Indie rock," "songwriting," "music production," "independent musicians," "music business." Make a spreadsheet with show name, host name, contact info, download estimate, and fit score (1-5).
Check the fit. For each show, ask: Does my music match what this show covers? Does my story match the kinds of stories this host tells? Have they had guests at my level before? If all three answers are yes, it is a good fit. If any answer is no, skip it.
Prioritize by fit, not size. A show with 2,000 listeners who match your target audience is better than a show with 20,000 listeners who do not. Start with the best fits, not the biggest shows.
Include a mix of sizes. Pitch 5 small shows (under 2,000 downloads), 10 mid-size shows (2,000-15,000 downloads), and 5 larger shows (15,000+ downloads). The small shows will say yes fastest. The mid-size shows will drive the most streams. The larger shows are stretch goals.
For help finding the right shows, read how to build relationships with music bloggers and journalists. The same research principles apply.
How to Write a Pitch That Gets a Response
Your pitch should be 4-6 sentences. No more. Here is the structure.
Sentence 1: Show you listen. Mention a specific episode and what you liked about it. "I loved your episode with [guest] about [topic]. The part where you discussed [specific moment] stuck with me."
Sentence 2: State your topic. One sentence on what you can discuss that fits their show. "I have a topic that would fit your show: how I produced my album in a 10x10 bedroom with one microphone and a $200 audio interface."
Sentence 3: Establish credibility in one line. Not a bio. One relevant fact. "I released the album in March and it has 80,000 streams on Spotify." Or "I have been producing for 8 years and teach a course on bedroom production." Pick the fact most relevant to the topic.
Sentence 4: Make the ask. "Would you be interested in having me on to talk about this?"
Include a link. One link. Your Spotify, your website, or your EPK. Not all three. Make it easy for the host to check you out in 30 seconds.
Here is a real pitch that worked:
Hi [host name],
I loved your episode with Sarah about writing songs in unusual places. The bit about her writing in a laundromat made me laugh out loud.
I have a topic that would fit your show: I wrote and recorded my entire last EP on a train during my daily commute. 45 minutes each way for 6 months. I can talk about the gear I used, how I dealt with background noise, and what the constraint did to my songwriting.
The EP came out in January and has 50,000 streams on Spotify. You can hear it at [link].
Would you be open to having me on?
Best, [name]
That pitch got a yes in 2 hours. It was specific, it showed the host listened, and it offered a topic their audience would find interesting.
For help with your press materials, read how to create an electronic press kit.
The One-Sheet
Some hosts will ask for a one-sheet. This is a one-page document that summarizes who you are and what you can talk about. Have one ready before you start pitching.
Include:
- Your name and artist name. At the top, large font.
- One-sentence bio. Who you are and what you do. Not a paragraph.
- 3-5 topic ideas. Bullet points. Each one is a specific episode you could record. "How I produced an album in a closet with $200 of gear." "What I learned from 100 bad gigs." "Why I switched from Ableton to Logic and what it cost me."
- Recent numbers. Stream counts, social media following, press features. Keep it to 3-4 bullet points.
- Links. Spotify, website, social media. One of each.
- Contact info. Email and phone.
Keep it to one page. PDF format. Name the file with your name, not "onesheet.pdf." "[Artist Name] - Podcast One-Sheet.pdf" is easy for hosts to find later.
How to Follow Up
Most hosts do not respond to the first pitch. That does not mean no. It means they are busy. Follow up once.
When to follow up: Wait 7-10 days. If you have not heard back, send one follow-up.
What to say: Keep it to 2-3 sentences. "Hi [host name], following up on my pitch from last week. I know you are busy, so I will keep this short. I am still available to talk about [topic]. Let me know if it is a fit." Do not send your original pitch again. Do not add new information. Just nudge.
What not to do: Do not follow up more than once. Do not send a guilt-trip message ("I guess you are not interested"). Do not pitch a different topic in the follow-up. One nudge, then move on.
If you do not hear back after the follow-up, move on to the next show on your list. Do not take it personally. Hosts are busy. Your pitch might have been great and they still might not have time to respond.
How to Handle Rejections and No Responses
You will get rejections. You will get silence. Both are normal.
When a host says no: Thank them. "Thanks for letting me know. I will keep listening to the show." This leaves the door open for a future pitch. Circumstances change. Shows evolve. A no today is not a no forever.
When a host says yes but the timing is bad: Ask when would be better. "I would love to make it work. When would be a better time for you?" Sometimes hosts say yes but are booked out 3 months. That is fine. Get on the calendar.
When you get silence: Move on. Do not send a third message. Do not take it personally. Pitch the next show. You need a 5-10% response rate to keep a pipeline full. That means for every 20 pitches, you get 1-2 yes responses. That is enough to book 1-2 appearances per month.
I tracked one artist's pitching campaign. He sent 30 pitches over 6 weeks. He got 4 yes responses, 3 no responses, and 23 silences. The 4 yes responses got him on 4 shows with a combined audience of 25,000 listeners. The 23 silences did not matter. The 4 yeses did.
Preparing Once You Get a Yes
A yes is just the beginning. Now you need to deliver a great episode.
Confirm the details. Date, time, time zone, platform (Riverside, SquadCast, Zoom, in-person), estimated duration. Get this in writing.
Ask for the host's prep process. Do they send questions in advance? Do they want you to send topics? Do they have a pre-interview call? Follow their process.
Prepare your 3 talking points. Write them down. Keep them in front of you during the interview. For help with the interview itself, read how to interview artists and industry professionals. The principles apply whether you are the host or the guest.
Promote the episode when it airs. Share it on your social media. Send it to your email list. Create clips for short-form video. For the full system, read how to repurpose podcast content for social media and how to use podcast appearances to promote your music.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many podcasts should I pitch at once? Pitch in batches of 10-15. This keeps your workload manageable and lets you personalize each pitch. If you pitch 50 at once, you will be tempted to copy-paste. Personalized pitches get responses. Copy-pasted pitches do not.
Should I pitch before or after my release? Pitch 4-6 weeks before your release. This gives the host time to book you, schedule the recording, and publish the episode around your release date. If your release is already out, pitch anyway. Episodes stay evergreen. A podcast appearance 3 months after your release can still drive streams.
Do I need a publicist to pitch podcasts? No. You can pitch yourself. Publicists help when you are targeting large shows that do not accept unsolicited pitches. For small and mid-size shows, direct outreach from the artist works better than a publicist. Hosts like hearing from the actual person they will interview. For help with DIY promotion, read how to get your music heard by more people.
What if I do not have any streaming numbers to include? Do not fake it. Do not inflate. If you have low numbers, lead with your story and your topic. A compelling topic beats a high streaming count. "I have been writing songs for 2 years and just released my first single" is honest. If your topic is interesting, the host will say yes.
How do I find the host's email? Check the podcast's website first. Look for a "contact" or "about" page. If no email is listed, check the host's LinkedIn, Twitter bio, or Instagram bio. Many hosts list their email in their social profiles. If you still cannot find it, send a DM. DMs are less formal but they get read.
Should I offer to promote the episode to my audience? Yes, but do not make it the main selling point. "I will promote the episode to my 5,000 Instagram followers" is a nice bonus, not the reason to book you. The reason to book you is your topic and your story. Mention your audience size as a secondary benefit, not the primary pitch.
Can I pitch the same podcast twice? Yes, but wait at least 3 months. When you pitch again, reference your previous pitch and offer a different topic. "I pitched you in June about [topic A]. I have a new topic that might be a better fit: [topic B]." Do not pitch the same topic twice. For more on building relationships with media, read how to build relationships with music bloggers and journalists.
Your Next Step
Write one pitch today. Pick one podcast from your target list. Follow the 4-sentence structure. Mention a specific episode. State a specific topic. Make the ask. Send it. One pitch per day for 20 days will fill your calendar with appearances.
