Podcast guesting is one of my favorite tactics to improve the SEO for my blog.
It may not seem obvious at first glance, but guesting on other people’s podcasts is an excellent way to build natural, relevant backlinks and boost your blog in Google – without doing any of the hard work.
In podcast guesting, all you have to do is get your talking points ready, then show up on a Zoom call and have an interesting discussion with the podcast host for 30 mins to an hour. For me, it’s one of the most enjoyable ways to promote my blog.
Here are my top 5 reasons why podcast guesting is great for your SEO
1) It helps you build great backlinks
One of the toughest parts of growing a profitable blog is getting your first backlinks.
Backlinks are important for SEO, because they act as social proof. They tell Google that other websites trust your blog enough to link to it. As a result, Google gives your blog more topical authority and ranks it higher in search results.
You can build backlinks in many different ways.
- Writing guest posts for other blogs,
- Answering HARO queries,
- Or simply writing awesome content that naturally attracts links 🙃
Podcast guesting practically GUARANTEES you’ll get at least one backlink to your blog. And if not, don’t feel shy about asking for one. I’ve gone back to podcasts I guested on several years ago and asked them for links, which they were only too happy to provide.
The podcast host usually writes a set of show notes to accompany the episode, and posts them on their own website. That’s the best place to get backlinks for your blog.
2) You’ll build a stronger personal brand
Podcast guesting is a great way to build trust and credibility. In fact, it’s a totally different experience to reading your words on a page of your blog. The only thing better is probably video, where people not only hear your voice but also see your face in real-time.
When people hear your voice, they feel as if they know you (and hopefully they like you). That’s why they’re more likely to hire you, collaborate with you, or invest in your product.
3) You’ll boost social media mentions
Once your guest episode is ready, the host will share it across their social media channels. They will usually share it in the form of a post on their website.
After all, they want to get maximum mileage from all the work they’ve put into the podcast, including sourcing you as their guest, prepping the questions, recording the discussion, and editing it afterwards (don’t underestimate how tough this bit is).
You should share the podcast alongside the host sharing it, which usually results in a flurry of social media mentions – fantastic credibility signals which Google loves!
And chances are, the podcast will get picked up by folks in the host’s network too, bringing you even more exposure, likes, and juicy mentions.
4) You’ll create productive relationships
Good SEO relies on strong relationships, especially when they’re based around mutual value sharing.
That’s the real key to success with podcast guesting, guest posting, and blogging partnerships of any kind. Guesting on someone’s podcast is a perfect way to get to know them, add value, and build something positive for the future.
You never know where it might take you. For example, your new contact might help you gain additional backlinks in future, either on their own sites or by introducing you to their network.
5) You’ll get ideas for new content
Podcasts are fertile ground for new content ideas.
Perhaps you’ll get inspired by a certain question from the podcast host. Or perhaps you’ll end up write your own blog post reflecting on key takeaways from the episode (I highly recommend doing this!)
Then, you could turn that blog post into a YouTube video script. Or you could chunk the text up into tweets or LinkedIn posts. You’ve got tons of possible options.
And even better, guesting on podcasts is normally a fun and interesting experience – especially if you truly like your niche and find it interesting.
So, why not give podcast guesting a try in 2024? It’s sure to be good for your SEO.
If you’ve got a podcast appearance booked in, check out my top tips on how to prepare for a podcast.
Before you go…
How The Fxck Podcast – how I built my blog to over 75,000 visits
Check out my latest podcast guesting appearance, chatting with Ben Goodey on his awesome marketing and SEO podcast, How The Fxck. Find out how I built a full time income from blogging.
Here’s the episode – enjoy!