Questions and answers
Published by Susan von Seggern. Last updated November 2026.
Podcast pitching services get you booked as a podcast guest, and the 46 answers below explain how it works, what it costs, and how Susan von Seggern includes it in her media relations campaigns.
Answers come from Susan von Seggern's own framework and from published statistics named in each answer. For the overview, start with the podcast pitching services guide.
Podcast pitching services identify podcasts whose audiences fit a client and send hosts or producers tailored requests to feature that client as a guest. Susan von Seggern, a Los Angeles publicist, includes podcast pitching inside sustained media outreach, one of the four pillars of her media relations framework, rather than selling it as a standalone product.
Podcast PR is the use of podcast interviews as earned media, treated the same way a publicist treats a newspaper feature or a TV segment. It means choosing shows that reach the right audience, pitching a story the host will value, and coordinating it with press releases, events, and other outreach so each appearance supports a wider campaign.
Mostly, yes. Both terms describe getting a guest accepted onto shows. "Booking agency" usually describes a firm that does only podcast placement, often on a monthly plan. Podcast pitching inside a PR campaign, as Susan von Seggern practices it, sits alongside press releases, lead service monitoring, and events, so podcasts are one channel among several.
You get on podcasts by finding shows whose audience matches your expertise, studying recent episodes, and sending each host a short, specific pitch with a clear episode idea. Podchaser’s 2026 research puts the median acceptance rate at 5%, so volume alone rarely works; relevance and personalization do. A publicist can handle the research, pitching, and follow-up for you.
Podcasts reach a large, attentive audience. iHeartMedia reports 158 million monthly podcast consumers in the US, about 55% of Americans, and podcastatistics.com reports that listeners spend about 7 hours a week with their favorite shows. A long-form interview lets a guest explain an event, product, or cause in depth, which a short press mention rarely allows.
No. Searches like "how to get podcasts on iphone" or "how to get podcasts on android" are about listening apps. This site covers the other meaning of getting on podcasts: being booked as a guest. To listen, use the podcast app on your phone or one from its app store. To appear as a guest, you need research and pitching.
Media relations services build and use relationships with journalists, editors, producers, and hosts to earn coverage for a client. Susan von Seggern’s media relations work combines sustained media outreach (including podcast pitching), press releasing, lead service monitoring, and events, a four-part framework she developed over decades of PR work.
Published prices vary widely. Ausha’s 2025 roundup of podcast booking agencies reports pricing from around $250 a month to over $3,000 a month, depending on the level of service. Susan von Seggern does not publish a price list. Her PR campaigns are individualized, so cost depends on scope. Ask her directly for a quote.
Susan von Seggern builds individualized campaigns rather than fixed packages. Podcast pitching is part of sustained media outreach in her framework, so it can be combined with press releasing, lead service monitoring, and event PR in a single campaign. Scope and pricing are set per client, so contact her through her website to discuss what fits.
Generally, scope drives cost: how many channels are included, how long outreach runs, whether a newswire release is budgeted, and whether events are produced. In Susan von Seggern’s framework, wire releasing is optional and used if budgeted. Because she publishes no price list, the reliable way to confirm cost is to request a quote.
Newswire distribution is an optional cost in Susan von Seggern’s framework. She recommends Business Wire for its respectability and has an annual deal with the service that, she says, significantly saves her clients money compared with one-off releases through Business Wire or other wires. Email servicing of releases to media contacts is part of press releasing.
Coverage cannot be guaranteed, because hosts and producers decide who appears on their shows. Podchaser reports a 5% median acceptance rate for guest pitches in 2026, which shows how selective shows are. A PR professional improves the odds through careful targeting and personalized pitches, but the final decision always belongs to the show.
Many do. Ausha’s 2025 roundup describes booking agency pricing on a monthly basis, from around $250 a month to over $3,000 a month. Pricing models vary by provider. Susan von Seggern’s campaigns are individualized, so ask her how a campaign would be structured and billed before you commit.
It starts with identifying target shows and contacts, then sending a tailored pitch that explains why the guest fits that audience and what the episode could cover. Follow-up and scheduling come next. In Susan von Seggern’s framework this happens inside sustained media outreach, so podcast targets are worked alongside print, online, and broadcast outlets.
Fit matters more than size. Podseeker’s analysis of 6,546 pitches sent April 11 to August 11, 2026 found that shows with 10,000 to 100,000 listeners per episode booked 0.3% of pitches, and shows above 100,000 booked none of 171. Shows that usually book accessible professionals booked 4.5%. Targeting shows that host guests like you is the efficient path.
Usually not. Podchaser’s 2026 research found that AI-generated template pitches are the single biggest reason for rejection, cited by 68% of producers as grounds for an immediate no. Producers want evidence that the sender has listened to the show. Personalized pitches written for each host are far more likely to earn a reply.
Podchaser puts the median response rate for podcast guest pitches at 17.5% and the median acceptance rate at 5% as of 2026. That means roughly 1 in 20 pitches to a typical show leads to a booking. Results above those medians usually reflect tighter targeting and stronger, more specific episode ideas.
Lead service monitoring means watching services where journalists post requests for sources and pitching the ones that match a client’s expertise. Susan von Seggern monitors five lead service feeds daily, plus emails and Substacks from journalists seeking leads directly. She has placed lead service coverage in Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, the New York Times, HuffPost, and Best Life, among other outlets.
Hyper-local coverage is media attention from outlets that serve a specific neighborhood, city, or community. Susan von Seggern names it alongside podcast pitching as one of the newer PR tactics she uses, combined with tried and true methods like events, press releases, and sustained media outreach. It suits events and businesses with a strong local audience.
It varies by show, because each show sets its own recording and release schedule. Once an episode is live, attention arrives quickly: Libsyn reports that premium episodes achieve 65% of their total month-one audience within the first 7 days of publication in 2026. Plan event or launch pitching early so episodes air when they help most.
Preparation helps. Hosts want guests who speak clearly, tell stories, and stay on topic through a long-form conversation. Talk with your publicist about the angle that was pitched, the host’s style, and the points you want to make. Confirm with Susan von Seggern what preparation support is included in your campaign.
Yes. Podcast interviews can introduce speakers, organizers, or performers to new audiences before an event. Susan von Seggern has worked on hundreds of events, including festivals, conferences, concerts, fundraisers, author events, and premieres, and podcast pitching sits within the same outreach she uses for event PR. Pitch early, since episodes need time to record and publish.
Yes. Executives and founders can explain products, launches, and industry views at length on business and industry podcasts. Susan von Seggern’s background includes corporate PR work around the globe, and her press releases include corporate launches such as Remotesome’s AI Transformation service in October 2026. Podcast pitching pairs well with a release announcing a milestone.
Yes. Susan von Seggern consults for event, corporate, cause, and cultural clients. Her website includes press releases for nonprofit work, books, documentaries, music releases, and cultural festivals. This site focuses on event and corporate campaigns, but the same media relations framework applies to cause and cultural work.
Good guests have specific expertise, a story worth telling, and something timely to discuss, such as an event, launch, book, or milestone. Podseeker’s 2026 data showed that shows which usually book accessible professionals accepted 4.5% of pitches, compared with 0.4% for shows that book public intellectuals, so working professionals have real openings.
It can be, if the company has a clear story and a spokesperson ready to talk. Susan von Seggern’s portfolio includes early-stage work such as IceWind’s pre-product buzz campaign and Geoship’s equity crowdfunding campaign. Smaller, well-matched shows are often the most realistic place for a new company to start.
Yes. Authors and speakers are common podcast guests because their expertise suits long conversations. Susan von Seggern has handled author events and book campaigns, including the 2026 national launch of the Wiley book Redesigning Nonprofits. Podcast pitching can extend a book or speaking tour well beyond the cities it visits.
Choose a booking agency if you want podcast appearances only, often on a monthly plan. Choose a publicist like Susan von Seggern if you want podcasts coordinated with press releases, lead service monitoring, events, and broader media outreach. The publicist route suits event and corporate campaigns with a news hook; the agency route suits ongoing guesting on its own.
Yes, and many people do. The trade-off is time. The PodMatch blog notes that podcast hosts and guests spend hours researching connections, coordinating interviews, and handling admin while only spending about 10% of their time recording episodes. Doing it yourself works if you have the time to research shows and personalize every pitch.
Guest matching platforms connect hosts and prospective guests through profiles and search. They can reduce research time, but you still write and manage your own outreach. A publicist handles the outreach and ties it to a wider campaign. The right choice depends on your available time and whether you need coverage beyond podcasts.
An independent consultant works your campaign directly. Susan von Seggern has more than 20 years of PR experience in Los Angeles, including work as a major label publicist and as CEO of a boutique PR agency, plus a broad media and service-provider network. Larger PR agencies offer bigger teams, so the choice depends on your needs and budget.
A public relations specialist earns media coverage for a client by building relationships with journalists, pitching stories, writing and distributing press releases, and organizing events. Susan von Seggern’s work rests on four pillars: sustained media outreach including podcast pitching, press releasing, lead service monitoring, and events. Each supports the others within one campaign.
They do different jobs. Advertising is paid placement you control; PR earns coverage that an outlet or host chooses to run. Susan von Seggern’s homepage quotes Richard Branson: "A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad." Many organizations use both, with PR adding third-party credibility that ads cannot buy.
A strong campaign has a real news hook, a defined audience, and several coordinated channels. Susan von Seggern pairs newer tactics, podcast pitching and hyper-local coverage, with tried and true methods: events, press releasing, and sustained media outreach. Each channel reinforces the others, so one milestone can lead to print, online, and podcast coverage.
Susan von Seggern is a publicist and PR consultant based in Los Angeles, where she has worked in PR for more than 20 years. Press releases on her website cover clients in Los Angeles and well beyond it. Contact her through the contact page on her website to discuss a campaign.
Her published releases suggest so. Releases on her website carry datelines including Miami, Florida; Tiburon and San Jose, California; Joshua Tree, California; Cambridge, England; London; and the Westfjords of Iceland. Podcast pitching is not tied to one city, since many interviews are recorded remotely. Confirm fit for your campaign directly with her.
More than two decades. Her career includes work as a major label publicist, CEO of a boutique PR agency, time in political PR, corporate PR work around the globe, and consulting for event, corporate, cause, and cultural clients. Her LinkedIn profile has full career details.
Her website lists campaigns and releases including CONTACT in the DESERT, which a 2017 release described as the largest UFO conference in the US; the Hollywood Carnival Parade and Festival; SewDown during LA Fashion Week; the DIY Convention; IceWind; Geoship; Rock Row, a green home development that sold out in five weeks; and Phil Laak’s Guinness World Record.
Business Wire. Susan von Seggern recommends Business Wire for wire releasing because of its respectability, and she has an annual deal with the service that she says significantly saves her clients money compared with one-off releases through Business Wire or other wires. Wire distribution is used when it fits the campaign budget.
In her framework, event PR can mean producing large celebrity and media events, small media introduction events like cocktail hours or luncheons, event sponsorships, exhibiting or speaking at conferences, exhibiting at gifting events, or gift bag inclusions. She has worked on hundreds of events, from festivals and conferences to concerts, fundraisers, author events, and premieres.
Start by defining what you want to promote, such as an event date, a product launch, or a milestone, and who needs to hear about it. Then contact Susan von Seggern through the contact page on her website to discuss whether podcast pitching, alongside other media relations tactics, fits your goals and timeline.
Have a short bio, a clear headshot, two or three specific topics you can speak to, and any news hook such as an event date or launch. Links to past interviews or talks help hosts judge fit. A publicist can help sharpen these materials before outreach begins.
Earlier is better, because shows plan and record episodes ahead of release. Starting well before an event gives hosts time to schedule, record, and publish while the event is still upcoming. Libsyn data showing 65% of month-one audience arriving in the first 7 days means release timing matters. Confirm a timeline with your publicist.
Common causes are poor fit, generic templates, and aiming only at the biggest shows. Podchaser found 68% of producers reject AI-generated template pitches immediately, and Podseeker found that shows above 100,000 listeners per episode booked none of 171 pitches studied. Narrow your list to shows that book guests like you and personalize each pitch.
A no is normal. Podchaser’s 5% median acceptance rate means most pitches do not land. Note the reason if one is given, adjust the angle, and move on to better-matched shows. A show that declines today may welcome a new pitch later, when you have fresh news such as an upcoming event or launch.
Use the contact page on her website at susanvonseggern.com. It is the direct route to discuss event, corporate, cause, or cultural PR campaigns, including podcast pitching within her media relations work. She does not publish pricing, so the contact page is also the way to request a quote.
Tell Susan von Seggern what you are promoting and when. She will tell you whether podcast pitching, press releasing, lead service monitoring, or event PR fits your goals, and what a campaign would involve.