Using MatchMaker Filters To Get on the Right Podcasts

James Mulvany -

When searching for the right podcast to guest on, applying the right search filters can mean the difference between nailing your pitch and having it fall flat.

With a seemingly endless amount of podcasts out there to pitch to, Matchmaker can significantly increase your chances of finding that perfect guest slot more efficiently.

So let's have a look at how you can apply Matchmaker's search filters the right way - but first, why must we choose so carefully?

Why It’s Important to Get on the Right Podcasts

There is no point in appearing on podcasts that aren’t relevant to you and the people you're trying to reach. This can be a major waste of everyone's time and it makes it that much harder to get booked if you’re pitching to podcasts that don’t fit your credentials.

It's all about carving out a clear picture of your audience so you can target the shows they’re listening to. So think carefully - who do you want to reach through your guest appearances?

If you haven't thought too much about your target audience, now is the time. Grab that pen and paper and let's get thinking:

Age-group: Consider that people in their 20's have vastly different interests to people in their 50's so be clear about the age group of your audience.

Gender/Sexuality: Are you targeting women, men, transgender or non binary people? Are they straight, gay or LGBTQIA?

Marital status: Do your topics relate more to people in relationships/marriage or is singlehood your jam?

Income: Is your ideal audience looking to save money or are they big spenders?

Occupation: Are your listeners employed or studying?

Ethnicity/Culture: Is your niche specific to ethnicity or culture?

Once your target audience is defined, let's start thinking about their interests.

Stick with three to four core interests to keep your search focused, make a list for yourself - is your audience into comedy podcasts or sports shows? Food and wine or fashion and beauty?

And is your ideal audience bi-lingual? Are they dual citizens or expats?

Keep all this information handy as we head into the next step - using filters to find the right podcasts to pitch to.

Using Search Filters on MatchMaker.fm

You’ve perfected your target audience, now it's time to find the right shows for you.

To do this you need to create a guest profile first. If you haven't got one, head over to MatchMaker.fm and create one in minutes. If you need some guidance, check out our tips on How to Create the Perfect Guest Profile.

Category: If you're asking yourself why you did all that homework on your target audience and their interests, the answer is this - when looking for a show on Matchmaker, there are almost 20 categories and over 100 sub-categories to choose from. With your very clear and detailed target audience neatly jotted down, choosing the right categories should be a breeze! Check the results after applying each of your most relevant category filters.

Location: You may wish to filter a specific location of a show depending on your niche and available equipment. This way you can search for local podcasts or podcasts from a country you are interested in targeting. Most shows have the capacity to record you remotely so appearing on an Aussie show from the UK is totally possible.

Language: If you are bi-lingual or you’re targeting an audience speaking a language other than English, use this filter to get specific. Matchmaker users come from all over the world and chances are, you will find the exact thing you are looking for!

Additional filters: This filter is used to establish more information, like whether you would like to be remotely interviewed or come to the studio in-person. Again, most shows have the ability to record both remotely and in-studio, but not all guests have the capability. This filter simply allows guests to find podcasters who are available for face-to-face interviews as well as across the world opportunities!

With your target audience captured sufficiently, let's hit the 'Apply Filters' button and get searching!

We always recommend sorting through podcasts using the provided filters first. It gives you a much more comprehensive overview of all the relevant shows on the platform - ensuring you don't miss out on any opportunities.

However, if there is a particular podcast you want to appear on, you can type the name of the show into the search bar. It's a simple of way of speeding up your search when you already know the podcast you want to target. But remember, not every podcaster has a profile on MatchMaker (yet!), so you won't always be able to find the show you're looking for.

Alternatively, you can enter specific keywords into the search bar such as "Investing", "Fitness", or "SEO". The results will return you all the shows that include that particular word in their profile headline. This is a great way of finding podcasts that focus heavily on one particular area / subject.

Purple Hearts & Favourite Lists

As you search through the options, the show choices can become overwhelming. But MatchMaker is here to help with the use of that little purple heart button to create a list of podcast shows you would like to keep track of. Clicking on the heart will prompt you to save your chosen show in a Favourites folder.

If a single "Favourite" folder is just not enough, you can create multiple more specific lists to keep more granular tabs on all your searches.

Start by using the favourites button to create a list of 30 - 40 podcasts that seem like a good fit for your target audience.

Once you've got enough shows on your list, it's time to begin vetting your list based on quality.

Study the show profiles: Are they well written and presented? What's the tone of their writing like, what does your gut say as you read?

Listen to an episode of the show: Is the show well produced, does it have a quality sound?

Check the reviews: Head to Apple Podcasts and other directories - what are people saying about the show?

You should now have a refined show list of high-priority podcasts to appear on. Let's call this the Pitch List.

Pitching to the Pitch List

You've created a specific target audience, you made your Favourites list and then a further short list of all the podcast shows you can add value to. Now you’re ready to pitch.

Writing the perfect pitch is a fine art, but luckily, we're here to assist. Check out our article on How to Write the Perfect Podcast Guest Pitch and get pitching!

And don't be discouraged if you don't hear back from a show. Hosts can receive a multitude of pitches weekly and you won't always be the perfect fit for them. It's not personal!

But once you get a few recordings and guest gigs under your belt, making bookings will get easier as you'll have some previous content to showcase how well you comes across in interviews.

Get Your Filter On

Now that you're a filtering expert, head over to MatchMaker.fm and find that perfect podcast show for you!

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