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I’m drawn to podcast guesting as an SEO strategy for a couple of reasons:
First, as a business owner (and a human), I hate transactional link-building. Think: cold emailing a stranger and asking them to put your link on their website.
My business is personal. I’d much rather spend my link-building energy seeding real relationships with podcast hosts and connecting with their warm, trusted audiences.
Second, guesting on a podcast is so much easier than writing a guest blog post.
For an hour of my time, I walk away with multiple backlinks, a immediate visibility in front of a warm audience, and a piece of content I can repurpose again and again.
Across my two businesses, I’ve recorded nearly 50 guest podcast interviews, and every single one continues to work for me. Those appearances strengthen my domain authority, grow my discoverability, and keep sending qualified traffic back to my site, proof that this strategy truly compounds over time.
Podcast guesting is the best. But most entrepreneurs miss taking full advantage of it.
They treat guesting like it’s only public relations. They repeat the same “signature topics” on every show and hope it reaches new ears.
And while that might grow awareness, it doesn’t neccesarily build discoverability.
With a few simple shifts, you can turn every podcast appearance into a mini SEO campaign that builds your visibility, credibility, and long-term traffic.
1. Rethink Your Pitch Strategy
If you’re wondering how to get on podcasts as a guest, it starts with the pitch.
But the most common podcast guesting advice is to create one to three “signature topics” and deliver them everywhere.
That might feel efficient, but it doesn’t work if your goal is search visibility. For SEO, each appearance should highlight your expertise from a unique, searchable angle.
Before sending a pitch, run your idea through three quick filters:
- The host’s library – Has this topic been covered on their show recently? If so, tweak your angle.
- Your own content base – Have you already written or recorded on this topic? Avoid duplicating yourself.
- Search opportunity – Is there a keyword worth targeting here? If yes, shape your pitch around it.
This doesn’t mean reinventing yourself every time. It means pulling out different facets of your expertise so each interview adds something fresh to your content library and fills a unique SEO gap.
One guest spot, one new angle. That’s the rule.
2. Make Your Bio Work Harder
Your guest bio is more than just an introduction. It’s SEO real estate.
Every time you appear on a podcast, your bio gets copied into show notes, websites, and promotional material. That repetition shapes how search engines and even large language models understand who you are and what you do.
Instead of treating your bio as an afterthought, write it with intention:
- Include focus keywords. If you want to be discovered for “SEO strategist for service providers,” make sure that phrase is in your bio.
- Be consistent. Use the same phrasing across appearances so algorithms connect the dots.
- Keep it crisp. Highlight your expertise in one or two clear sentences so hosts don’t trim it down for space.
Think of your bio as the foundation of your digital footprint. The more times it appears in credible places, the stronger your authority signals become. A clear, keyword-rich bio helps Google, LLMs aand your future clients understand exactly what you bring to the table.
3. Plan Keywords Into the Conversation
Podcast episodes don’t just live in audio form anymore, most are transcribed.
Those transcripts get indexed by search engines, which means the words you speak can become searchable content. If you only stick to broad or generic language, you miss an opportunity to seed the transcript with the phrases your audience is actually typing into Google’s search bar.
Before you record, identify a handful of keywords you want to work into the conversation.
Think about both the big-picture terms (like “SEO strategy”) and the more specific phrases that connect to client questions (like “SEO for service providers” or “how to get found on Google”).
The goal isn’t to force SEO keywords into every sentence. (Please don’t.) But it’s to say them naturally so that when the transcript is published, those phrases are present and searchable.
A little prep here ensures your interviews generate long-tail SEO value.
Read more: 5 Seriously Smart Ways to Figure Out What Your Audience is Searching For
4. Optimize Links for SEO Value
One of the biggest SEO wins from podcast guesting comes from the show notes. Most hosts will link to your website, a resource, or a freebie. But if you’re not strategic about those links, you can lose a lot of potential authority.
Here’s how to make them work harder:
- Always link back to your domain. If you’re offering a freebie, don’t send listeners to a third-party landing page. Use a link like
yourdomain.com/freebie, even if it redirects elsewhere. - Set up redirects if needed. Tools like Leadpages or ConvertKit are fine, but wrap them in your own URL first.
- Use clear, keyword-friendly page names. Instead of
yourdomain.com/123abc, opt for something likeyourdomain.com/seo-checklist.
Podcast guesting is one of the most effective forms of SEO link building. Each guest episode is often associated with multiple links- from the host’s website and all the podcast players that the podcast appears in.
Every time a podcast links to your site, those backlinks strengthen your authority in Google’s eyes. Multiply that by several appearances, and suddenly your interviews aren’t just driving one-time traffic, they’re building long-term SEO equity.
5. Capture the Podcast Transcript
Search engines can’t “hear” your audio, they need text.
That’s why transcripts are so valuable: they turn your spoken words into indexable content that can surface in search results. But as a guest, you don’t always control whether a transcript exists or how it’s used.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Ask the host for access. Not every podcast automatically shares transcripts, so you may need to request it.
- Avoid duplicate content. If the host publishes the full transcript on their site, don’t copy and paste it onto yours. That can create duplication issues. Instead, write a recap, pull key quotes, or share highlights with a link back to the original.
- Repurpose responsibly. Use the transcript to fuel your own blogs, FAQs, or social posts, but always with a fresh angle or added commentary.
Handled well, transcripts can unlock long-tail keywords, improve accessibility, and give you endless content ideas. Just make sure you use them in a way that adds to your library without competing with the host’s version.
6. Create a Central Podcast Hub on Your Site
Don’t let your guest appearances live only on someone else’s website. A central hub on your site, often called a Media or Press page, positions you as a sought-after guest and shows the breadth of topics you’ve spoken on.
Here’s how to set it up:
- List every appearance. Include the show name, episode title, and a short description of what you covered.
- Link back to the host’s site. Sharing a link out not only gives SEO value back to the host but also signals reciprocity and strengthens relationships.
- Highlight expertise. Organize or tag episodes by topic so visitors (and Google) can quickly see the range of your knowledge.
Think of this page as your authority showcase. It demonstrates experience, helps prospects and collaborators vet your expertise, and gives you a professional asset to share when pitching future opportunities. Save the episode embeds for the individual blog posts you create around each appearance.
Your hub should be the high-level index that proves you’re in demand.
7. Target Podcasts Strategically
High-value podcasts aren’t just the ones with the biggest audiences, they’re the ones that make the most sense for your goals.
A smaller, niche show with the right listeners can be far more impactful than a massive general-interest podcast where your message gets lost.
Here’s what to look for:
- Audience fit. Does the show reach the type of people you want as clients, collaborators, or referral partners?
- Relationship building. Is the host someone you’d like to know better, either for future collaborations or industry credibility?
See also: Relationship-Driven Link Building: Turning Colleagues Into Collaborators (And Backlink Partners) - SEO signals. Does the podcast have its own website with show notes, transcripts, or backlinks that can point back to you?
Strategic targeting ensures your efforts pay off. Instead of pitching the shows with the biggest audiences, focus on shows where the audience, the host, and the SEO footprint align with your long-term visibility goals.
8. Repurpose Into Your Other Marketing Channels
The podcast itself is borrowed visibility. To make it part of your long-term SEO system, you need to bring it back to your own platforms. That starts with creating blog content around each appearance.
Here’s a simple process:
- Write a recap blog post. Pull out the key takeaways from the conversation, add your perspective, and embed the episode player so visitors can listen right from your site.
- Link internally. Use the post to point to related blogs or service pages, helping Google’s algorithm understand the structure of your site.
- Email your list. Share the blog post (not just the podcast link) so you’re sending traffic back to your own domain.
When you repurpose into owned channels, you’re not just amplifying the interview—you’re turning it into a search-friendly asset that works long after the episode goes live.
Here are some blog posts I’ve created from podcast appearance:
9. Repurpose Into Indexed External Channels
Owned channels are critical, but don’t stop there. Google now indexes content from platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
Each of these is another chance to make your podcast guest spots work harder for SEO.
Here’s how to extend your reach:
- Create LinkedIn posts. Pull one or two strong points from the interview and publish them with a keyword-rich caption.
- Post on Instagram or TikTok. Record a short clip talking about your appearance or repurpose a strong quote as text-based content.
- Cross-link strategically. Always point people back to the blog post on your own site for the full recap.
To keep the momentum going, schedule your shares in advance: once when the episode launches, again three months later, and once more six months down the line.
This cadence keeps the content circulating, builds more backlinks, and gives Google multiple touchpoints to associate with your expertise.
10. Track and Measure Performance
Don’t let your podcast guesting strategy stop at recording and repurposing. Measure what’s actually working. Tracking helps you see which episodes and which topics drive the most SEO impact.
Here’s how to do it:
- Use UTM links. Whenever you share a link with a host, tag it so you can see exactly how much referral traffic comes from that episode.
- Check Google Analytics. Look at which pages on your site are getting traffic from podcast show notes or related posts.
- Review Google Search Console. See if keywords from your interviews are starting to show impressions and clicks.
👉🏼 New to Google Search Console? Check out the Google Search Console Crash Course.
Over time, this data tells you which shows and which topics are worth prioritizing. Instead of guessing, you’ll know exactly where to focus your podcast guesting energy for maximum SEO return.
The Real Power Behind the Mic Frequently Asked Questions
After years of guesting on podcasts, I’ve learned that this strategy is as much about connection as it is about SEO. Every conversation builds trust with a new audience, strengthens relationships with hosts, and reinforces your reputation behind the scenes.
Across my two businesses, I can see the long game paying off. The interviews I’ve recorded over the years have built layers of credibility, backlinks, and trust—all of which strengthen my domain authority and make my websites more discoverable.
If you’re looking for a way to grow your reach while doing work that feels genuine and relational, this is it.
Podcast guesting connects you with real people, real audiences, and lasting SEO impact—all from conversations that start with a simple invitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between podcast guesting for PR and podcast guesting for SEO?
PR guesting is about exposure: reaching new audiences, sharing your story, and growing brand awareness.
SEO guesting takes that a step further. It’s about using each appearance to earn backlinks, strengthen topical authority, and create content you can repurpose across your site.
One builds visibility for a moment; the other builds discoverability for the long term.
How many podcast guest spots do I need to see SEO results?
You don’t need dozens to make an impact.
A handful of well-chosen, strategic appearances can move the needle, especially if those episodes live on high-quality websites with show notes and backlinks.
The real key is consistency. Don’t think of podcast guesting as a one-time effort to check off. Bake it into your on-going marketing to-do list, so every month you’re pitching and recording new episodes.
There’s no “magic number” of episodes to aim for. But consider every interview compounds your visibility, and over time, the effect snowballs.
How do I track whether a podcast appearance brought traffic to my site?
Use UTM links when you share resources with the host (for example, yourdomain.com/freebie?utm_source=podcastname&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=episodetitle).
Then check Google Analytics for referral traffic from that URL and Search Console to see which keywords and pages gained visibility after the episode went live. You’ll start to spot patterns, which podcasts and topics actually attract visitors who stick around.
Ready to take the guesswork out of SEO and make every piece of content work harder for you?
Start with SEO Simplified, my free resource that shows you how to find and use the right keywords so your website (and your podcast guest spots) actually get found on Google.
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good blog