So you’ve decided to spread your wings and become a podcast guest. Great idea!

Getting on the right podcasts can be a fantastic way of promoting yourself and your business. But to land those all important bookings, you’ll need to create the perfect guest profile first.

It can be daunting figuring out how to put together an attention-grabbing profile. So we’ve put together a list of proven tips and tricks to help you get it right.

A Carefully Chosen Image

Picking a photo for your profile might seem like a simple task. But you need to take care here. Remember, your image will be the first thing podcast hosts see when considering you as their guest. So that initial impression matters.

Whether you’re a professional guest looking to become a thought leader in your field, or a movie buff wanting to talk all things Batman, the image you present should reflect your unique persona clearly.

Pro Tip: A poorly-lit bathroom selfie probably isn’t appropriate in any case.

If you don’t have a suitable photo to hand, take some time and create yourself a headshot showing off that charm of yours. You don’t need expensive gear - most smartphone cameras are more than capable of getting the job done well.

If you haven’t got someone around to take the photo, there’s always the self-timer option. However you end up taking the photo, consider the lighting. In the absence of professional studio lights, natural daylight always works best. Avoid artificial indoor lighting.

If the sun is out, you might want to step outside for the shot. If not, you can take the photo indoors facing a window on a bright day. Make sure you’re standing opposite the window! If you aren’t and the window is behind you, you’ll get bleached out and appear dark in the photo.

Lastly, be sure to take plenty of shots. Once you’ve wrapped up you can cycle through them to find the perfect one for your profile. It’s always better to have too much choice than not enough.

Why Should Podcasters Pick You?

Let’s think like a podcast host for a moment - what would you look for when considering a podcast guest?

No one wants a guest that is only out to promote themselves. When podcast hosts search for a guest, they look for someone with a message that’s likely to resonate with their audience.

When considering a punchy headline / tagline for your profile, it should be a compelling sentence featuring your topics of interest, any major subjects you’re passionate about, and what you can offer as a guest.

You headline matters, and it can often be the deciding factor determining whether a host chooses to book you. So take time to craft it properly. Don’t run with the first thing that comes into your head. Brainstorm a list of different variations, and choose the one you think represents you best.

If you want your guest profile to be found for a specific keyword (e.g. Investing, Fitness, or Video Games) then you need to make sure you include that word in your Headline / Tagline. You only have 140 characters so focus on the single most relevant keyword for your show. Don't stuff your headline with multiple keywords to create a sentence that makes no sense! You still need to craft an enticing headline to make sure people actually click through to your profile.

About You

When creating the perfect guest profile, the body of your bio must provide a clear picture of who you are and what you stand for. It’s not a resume so you don’t have to go into a history of your employment, but this is where you expand on your tagline and go into detail regarding your story - what are you enthusiastic about, why you would be a great guest for the right podcast, and what an episode with you would sound like.

At the end of your write up, include a call to action i.e. a short paragraph that encourages the reader to contact you if they’re interested.

Don’t be scared to express yourself! With a world full of personalities, trying to blend in isn’t necessary. Show your flair and entice podcast hosts with your colours.

Your goal is to help hosts understand why you’d be perfect for their show. So try to put yourself in the shoes of a host as you write. Remember, they’re not going to be all that interested in you personally, they’re much more concerned with what you can bring to their audience.

What are your interests?

Hands up if anyone has ever told you to pick a niche! 🙌

We’ve all been there, but if you think about it, it makes sense, right? If you tick every box that interests you, that’s likely to come across as confused and unfocused. You don’t have to be an expert at everything.

Most of the time, podcasters are looking for someone who will meet their criteria and fit in with their discussions on a certain narrowly-defined topic. So play to your strengths and focus on your core interests. Why bedazzle your guest profile with your love of Netflix if you’re really looking to spread word about your sports business?

Social Media is Queen

Social media is an exceptionally important part of the world today and your social presence will be looked into when you open yourself up to being a guest. So the advice here is to be socially present and include all the links to your active social media on your guest profile.

Do not include links to social media profiles that are no longer actively managed just to appear to be across more platforms - this may put off any hosts who are looking for cross promotion with their guest. If you only regularly use Instagram and Facebook, then those are the only social links you should include on your profile.

It’s also important to make sure there’s at least some alignment between your social profiles and your guest profile. If you present yourself in a completely different way on social media, hosts will naturally question the credibility of guest profile.

Ready to create your perfect guest profile?

Here’s a quick recap of things you should keep in mind when creating your perfect guest profile:

• Steer clear from grainy bathroom selfies as your profile picture
• Your tagline should be snappy, informative, and showcase your abilities as a guest
• Your bio should be full of personality and provide a clear picture of what you can offer listeners
• Only include your passions relevant to your interest in becoming a guest
• Add links to active social media profiles only

And that’s it! Now you’re full of confidence, head over to Matchmaker and tell the world you want to be a guest on a podcast show by creating your very own guest profile.

Don’t have a Matchmaker account? No dramas! Hit this link and we’ll fly you over there to get you signed up for FREE!