#20 Justin breaks down one of the most effective but often misunderstood podcast growth strategies: podcast guesting. While many creators know appearing on other shows can expand reach, most struggle with the practical question of where to actually find the right opportunities. Instead of saying yes to random invitations or relying on cold outreach with no strategy, Justin walks through five repeatable methods for building a targeted list of podcasts that can actually drive meaningful audience growth. From using Spotify and Apple recommendations to “guest stalking” competitors, mining your own network, and identifying hidden opportunities through topic searches, this episode outlines a step-by-step system for finding shows with real audience overlap. Justin also explains how to quickly filter out low-value opportunities by evaluating audience fit, show quality, consistency, and estimated audience size. Because successful podcast guesting isn't about being everywhere—it's about showing up where the right listeners already are.
Key Takeaways:
• Podcast guesting works because you're reaching people already listening to podcasts
• Saying yes to every opportunity often creates poor audience fit and weak results
• Spotify and Apple recommendations reveal shows with overlapping audiences
• “Guest stalking” peers can uncover dozens of targeted podcast opportunities
• Topic-based searches help surface adjacent audiences and hidden opportunities
• Clients often reveal valuable podcasts you may never discover on your own
• Your existing network may already contain warm podcast opportunities
• Tools like ListenNotes can help estimate podcast audience size
• The goal isn't more guest appearances—it's finding the right ones
Key Timestamps:
(00:00) – Why Podcast Guesting Works for Growth
(00:02:30) – Why Podcast Guesting Fails: Targeting, Audience Size, and Conversion
(00:03:30) – Method #1: Finding Recommended Shows in Spotify and Apple
(00:06:00) – Method #2: Guest Stalking Competitors and Peers
(00:07:30) – Method #3: Topic-Based Podcast Searches
(00:10:00) – Method #4: Asking Clients What Podcasts They Listen To
(00:11:00) – Method #5: Mining Your Existing Network
(00:14:00) – Filtering Out Low-Value Podcast Opportunities
(00:15:30) – Estimating Audience Size with ListenNotes
(00:17:00) – Podcast Quality Signals and Red Flags
Key Topics Discussed:
Podcast Guesting Strategy, Podcast Audience Growth, Guest Outreach, Podcast Networking, Podcast Discovery Methods, Spotify Podcast Recommendations, Apple Podcast Recommendations, Podcast Audience Targeting, Podcast Growth Tactics, Listen Notes, Podcast Guest Research, Podcast Marketing Strategy, Podcast Audience Fit, Content Distribution, Podcast Networking Strategy, Podcast Visibility, Podcast Lead Generation, Podcast Positioning, Podcast Playbook, SimplePod Studios, Justin Peters
Transform Your Podcast from Time-Suck to Lead Generator at https://simplepodstudios.com
Reach Out at [email protected] or [email protected]
Get Podcasting Tips Straight to Your Inbox at https://www.simplepodstudios.com/newsletter
