You know how important podcasts are for boosting visibility for you and your book. And, of course, you have a big goal of getting booked on well-known podcasts to help get you there. After all, they have millions of engaged listeners!
It’s natural to cut right to the chase and ask your publicist “So, how do I get booked?”
Nardi’s Take? It’s not that simple.
If you want to get booked on the biggest podcasts in 2026, there’s a lot to understand about the podcast media landscape. There are also some important steps you’ll want to take before jumping right into pitching yourself for your dream podcast.
In this blog post, you’ll read expert insights from me as well as Kara Prior, one of Nardi Media’s long-time publicists, on getting booked on household-name podcasts to boost your book’s visibility in an ever-growing and evolving space.
Here are seven steps you can take right now to get booked on household-name podcasts:
- Understand What Household-Name Podcasts Are Looking For
There’s a myth that big podcasts “discover” the guests they book for their show. This is entirely untrue!
To book guests on their podcast, producers are looking for experts who are already doing the work to show up publicly, consistently, and clearly–and with the performance and engagement numbers to prove it.
Here are the numbers that producers of household-name podcasts regularly scan for to find their next guest:
- Apple Podcast charts
- Guest appearances on similar shows
- Social clips from podcast conversations
- Who else are respected hosts booking
Scanning for these numbers helps them determine if:
- You’re offering a unique or timely story, topic, or perspective for their audience compared to past guests.
- You can hold your own in a conversation, especially on camera.
- You’re highly regarded in your industry, which means you and your message can be trusted.
- You’re on brand for their show and fit the overall tone.
2. Get the Perfect, Polished Setup
To get booked on big-names, you have to act like a big-name yourself! Having a polished look, as you would in any interview, will give you a head start to success.
Start by getting comfortable with the typical technology that podcasts use. Riverside and Streamyard are two popular platforms used for recording and streaming podcasts. You can build confidence with these platforms starting now by practicing how to use them on your own. This way, you’ll become familiar with their setup and have the know-how to troubleshoot in case you run into any echoes or tech issues before an interview.
Most podcasts also now have a video element in addition to audio, so you’ll want to create the right backdrop. Do not use a fake virtual background–those are obvious, especially when you start losing a limb midway through your interview! Other crucial parts of your interview setup should be a working computer, a professional mic, and a ring light for the best lighting.
3. Get Comfortable Speaking on Your Subject Matter.
You probably became an author because writing your message felt more natural–even if you had a ghostwriter–but speaking is an entirely different way of communicating!
You can practice speaking about your subject matter and book topics out loud in front of the mirror, but you’ll also have to get comfortable speaking without having the questions in advance. To best prepare for this, research past guests on your dream podcasts–especially those that have a similar niche to yours–for common themes or recent topics that have been covered. This will give you an idea of what you might expect.
4. Create a Podcast Asset Package
Whether you’re pitching yourself on household-name podcasts or you’ve already been booked, podcast producers will ask you for the following list of assets. Be sure to have them ready!
- Clips of you on other podcasts. These are typically 3-5-second clips and 30-90-second clips.
- A list of all podcast appearances you’ve had.
- A quick intro bio that the host can say out loud on audio.
- Recent hi-resolution headshots.
- A fact list of your credentials, qualifications, experiences, and performance/engagement numbers. This is your social proof!
- A list of topics you can discuss and that your dream shows would love.
- Your website. Make sure it’s up-to-date and easy to digest!
5. Increase Your Social Media and Digital Presence
Major podcast producers will do some research to see if you have an online footprint before deciding if you’re a fit to be a guest on their show. Why? Because these days, if you’re not online, you don’t exist! Period. Having a digital presence shows that you are the author you say you are, and having a following proves that you have an audience that wants and trusts your message.
If you’re not sure if you have a big enough online presence or want tips to expand, here are a few great ways to start:
- Post more video content, whether it’s on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram. Video is king!
- Engage with your followers. Building trust with your audience is crucial for success.
- Grow your following by looking at what your competitors are doing and seeing how you can make your content more engaging. Pro tip: Ensure your audience is organic and clean of bots. It’s a red flag to producers when they see 500K followers and 23 likes on posts!
- Start a Substack, a public platform where you can connect directly with your audience using specialized newsletters about your book and your message.
6. Boost Your Podcast Experience With Smaller Podcasts
Do not overlook smaller podcasts! They are the building blocks that will, with time, get you recognized by big-name podcasts looking for an author with a message that will connect with their audience.
There are also a lot of other benefits to starting small, such as:
- A way to share your book message in an interview, especially without having seen the questions in advance.
- A strategy to boost your podcast resume.
- An opportunity to refine your storytelling skills–important for long-format media interviews!
- A chance to get comfortable with the technology needed for a successful podcast interview.
- The ability to gain insight into which of your stories gets the most response.
7. Take the Guesswork Out of Booking Your Dream Podcast
Booking yourself on household-name podcasts is possible, but it’s easy to wind up spinning in circles if you’re not familiar with the process or have the right relationships.
That’s why our team at Nardi Media created the PR PocketMentor Author Incubator Program, a visibility container and community designed for authors who are ready to rise and get booked on their dream podcast (and even their dream TV, radio, and print/online placements)… all without paying agency fees.
If you’re ready to get the support you need to finally book your dream podcast and have fun in the process, don’t wait a second longer. Learn more about PR PocketMentor Author Incubator here.