Podcast post-production
How to get guests for your podcast (and get them to say yes)
Updated October 21, 2026
You get guests by starting with your own network, aiming for people with something to say rather than just fame, and sending a short, specific message: what you would talk about, why them and what they get. What convinces most is showing well-produced previous episodes and making recording day easy for them.
Guests are not looking for an audience: they want to look good
Most people think a guest only says yes if your podcast has lots of listeners. That is not how it works. What someone really asks themselves before agreeing is something else: whether they will come across well, whether you will waste their time and whether the conversation is worth it.
That is why a small show can land very good guests. If a guest sees that you prepare your interviews, that episodes are well recorded and well edited, and that you give them material to share afterwards, audience size becomes secondary. The opposite happens too: a podcast with an audience but messy, poorly edited interviews ends up getting a lot of noes.
This changes how you approach the search. Before thinking about who to invite, look at what a potential guest sees when they open your channel. Do the episodes look and sound good? Are the thumbnails clear? Are there short clips where previous guests come across well? That is your calling card.
We see it every week on the shows we edit. When a guest receives their clips ready to post the next day and sees their interview with a carefully made intro, they share it, speak well of the show and recommend others. That chain is what brings in the most guests over time.
Where to find podcast guests
If you do not know where to start, these are the places where most guests are found, from closest to furthest.
Your own network. Clients, suppliers, people in your industry, former bosses. The first episodes almost always come from here, and that is fine: they help you settle the format with people who make it easy for you.
Guests of other podcasts on your topic. If someone has already been on other shows, they know how to handle an interview and are open to it. Listen to those episodes and look for an angle nobody has asked them about.
LinkedIn. It is the network where it is easiest to find experts keen to talk about their work. Look for people who post regularly: if they write, they usually want to talk.
Authors of books and articles. Someone who has just published a book is looking for places to talk about it. Publishers and the authors themselves usually reply.
Speakers at events and conferences. If someone has given a talk, they have a prepared message and want it to reach more people.
Your listeners. Ask on social media or at the end of each episode who they would like to hear. Sometimes the best guest is someone in the audience with a story.
And other podcasters. Inviting someone who runs another show on the topic, or doing a swap, helps both of you reach new listeners. We cover it in how to promote a podcast.
How to invite someone onto your podcast: the message
The invitation is where most podcasts fall short. Messages tend to be long, generic and all about the show. The one that works is short and all about the guest.
A good message answers four questions in a few lines. Who you are and what show you make, in one sentence. Why this person and not someone else: something specific you have seen, read or heard from them. What you would talk about: a topic or a question they would enjoy answering. And what they need to do: how long it takes, where it is recorded and what they get afterwards.
An example of the tone: "Hi Marta. I host a podcast about managing teams in manufacturing companies. I read your piece on night shifts and would love you to tell us how you solved it. It is 50 minutes, recorded remotely or in our studio, and we will send you the episode and three clips to post. Would November work for you?"
A few details help a lot. Link one specific episode, your best, not the whole channel. If the guest does not know you, find someone in common to introduce you. Write through the channel they use most: some people see a LinkedIn message first, others an email. And if they do not reply, follow up once the following week, politely and without repeating the same text.
What does not work: obvious templates, ten-paragraph messages and asking for a yes without a date or a format.
What to offer a guest if your podcast is small
If your show is just starting, you cannot offer thousands of listeners, but you can offer things that are worth as much or more.
A well-prepared conversation. Guests appreciate it when it is clear you have done your homework. Send them the topics beforehand, not fixed questions, so they know where the conversation is going without it sounding rehearsed. We explain it in how to prepare a podcast guest.
Material for their own communication. A well-edited episode, on video, with vertical clips they can post on their channels, and a thumbnail where they look good. For many professionals that is worth more than the podcast's audience, because they use it on LinkedIn, on their website or in proposals. We do this systematically and explain it in how to turn a podcast into short clips.
A comfortable experience. If you record in person, a place that is easy to find, with coffee, no waiting around and the technical side sorted. If you record remotely, a link that works first time and a short sound check.
Recognition. Mention their project, book or company naturally, put their links in the description and tag them in everything you publish.
And respect for their time. Start on time, finish when you said you would and send them the episode before publishing if they ask.
Recording day: make them want to come back
Getting the first guest is hard. Getting them to recommend you to others is what makes the podcast grow on its own, and that is decided on recording day.
If you record in person, the guest should not have to think about anything: where to park, what time to arrive, what to avoid wearing on camera (fine stripes and big logos) and who will greet them. In our studio in Viladecans guests arrive, sit down and talk; the technician takes care of the lights, cameras and microphones.
If you record remotely, send a short guide the day before: wired headphones, a room without echo, light from the front and a cable connection if possible. A five-minute test avoids half the problems. We cover it in how to record a podcast remotely.
During the conversation, listen more than you talk. The best answers come from the second question, the one you ask because something caught your interest, not from the list.
When you finish, tell them when the episode comes out and what they will receive. And deliver: send the clips and the link on release day, with suggested copy so they can share it without effort.
That follow-up is what turns a guest into the person who introduces you to the next one.
How we do it on the podcasts we produce
On the shows we produce and edit, the guest is part of the job, not just the host's. What we do in production makes it easier to land the next one.
On Aladetres, one of the reference podcasts in Spain, the episodes with economists, historians and business people go out with an intro featuring motion graphics and original music, carefully designed thumbnails and clips for social media. On The Sage Steele Show, which is recorded in the United States and edited from Spain with our partner Dull Light, guests have included TV journalists, a senator and well-known creators, and each one gets an episode that matches who they are.
When a potential guest sees that level in previous episodes, the conversation to invite them is much shorter. That is why we say the best strategy for getting guests starts in the edit.
At Bostak Films, Albert Murillo's production company, we handle video podcast production: format, recording in our studio or remotely, editing, clips and thumbnails, for shows across Spain and Europe. If you have a podcast and want guests to say yes more often, book a free diagnosis: we will look at your episodes and tell you what we would change.
FAQ
How do you get guests for a podcast?
Start with your own network and with people who have already been on other podcasts in your field. Send them a short message saying why them, what you would talk about and what they get in return. Link your best episode and make recording easy. A well-produced show convinces more than a big audience.
Do you have to pay podcast guests?
Usually not. On most podcasts the guest takes part because they want to talk about their work and reach a new audience. The norm is to offer visibility, material for their channels and a good experience. Some very well-known people or commercial shows negotiate other terms, but it is not common.
What should you write to invite someone onto a podcast?
A message of five or six lines: who you are and what show you make, why you are interested in that person specifically, what you would talk about, how long it takes, where it is recorded and what they will receive afterwards. Add a link to your best episode and suggest a specific month to record.
Where can a small podcast find guests?
In your professional network, on LinkedIn, among authors of recent books, speakers at events in your industry, guests of other podcasts on your topic and among your own listeners. People who post often usually want to talk and reply more than very famous names do.
What if a guest does not reply?
Follow up once, a week later, with a different and shorter message. If there is still no answer, try another channel or find someone in common to introduce you. If that fails too, let it go without pestering: the yes often comes months later, when the podcast has more episodes.
Is it better to record guests in person or remotely?
In person the conversation usually flows better and the video looks more polished, but remotely you can interview people anywhere in the world. What matters is that it is easy for the guest: a hassle-free studio or a clear guide to recording from home with good sound.
Want to know what your podcast needs?
Book the free podcast audit. We look at your show or your idea and tell you what we would change and where we would start.
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