Q&A: How to Get Your Podcast Reviewed By the Media

Alice Florence Orr, Managing Editor of Podcast Review, shared some insightful Q&As about podcasts pitching for media coverage in two LinkedIn posts.

With Alice's permission, we've republished them below.

❓ Question 1: Does the decision to cover an interview-based show often/mainly come down to high-profile the guest for a particular episode is?

Answer: For me, no!

I mostly write across genres. I'm rarely looking for big names, rather I'm searching for knowledge or talent in a specific category, like science or self-help.

One of my all-time favorite podcasts, The Rich Roll Podcast, came on my radar when he only had around 200 episodes.

Another great example is The Life Scientific, and it doesn't have a "celebrity host" at all (unless the podcast has made him one...).

❓ Question 2: Kind of a specific question: If the call-to-action is to listen to embargoed audio - how would you typically share that? (E.g., a link to an episode on audio hosting service that's not yet publicly available, a link to a file they can download?)

Answer: Usually I get embargoed episodes via Dropbox or Soundcloud. Either is fine.

I may request access via my other email (it's clearly my name) if I'm trying to listen on my phone.

❓ Question 3: Do listicle writers frequently update their articles, and is it worth pitching them to consider your show to be added to their existing article?

Alice: I update my top 25 listicles every 12-24 months, and typically add 1-4 new shows depending on the genre.

❓ Question 4: Aside from Reddit, what do you think are some of the best resources for gauging interest from fan communities?

Answer: Patreon or YouTube.

❓ Question 5: For an indie show that’s been around for a while, do you look at the number of ratings/reviews when deciding whether to cover it?

Answer: Nope.

My most superficial metric is cover art, and even that is pretty low down my list.

I only look at ratings if they're negative, and even then I'll read multiple to figure out if the complaints are valid.

I don't find reviews on Apple to be very reliable anyway.

❓ Question 5: What is the best use of your podcast website blog?

Answer: *Puts marketing hat on*

Podcast SEO... unless your podcast is for lead generation.

It's almost always better to have people land on your own property, rather than a third party site. (Other marketers... feel free to chime in here.)

❓ Question 6: I’ve put together one page press kits for other projects but I didn’t get a lot of traction with them. Is it worth sending a press kit as well along with the pitch?

Answer: If you have time, they can be useful.

However, they won't "win me over" if your pitch hasn't done the job.

I'd say they're probably more useful for sponsors or advertisers.

❓ Question 7: How many episodes should be out before pitching a show to you/when does a show go from being “new” to not new anymore?

Answer: If you're pitching a full review, we need most of the series to be live (or send us the unreleased episodes).

For any other show, 3 episodes will give us the flavour, but they'd have to be really good to make it on to a listicle.

For a new show, I may include them in a monthly "new show" round up if they started in the previous two months or have suddenly become the talk of the town after three months.

There's no hard and fast rule.

❓ Question 8: What makes a good podcast, in your opinion? I know it’s very general, but are there any pillars you look out for that indicate quality?

Answer: This is personal to every reviewer, but personally I look for a podcast that could *only* have been a podcast.

• A commitment to the medium.
• Great storytelling.
• A host with a unique take on the world.
• Innovative use of archive audio or music.
• A love of podcasting.

About Podcast Review

Founded in 2018, Podcast Review is an online magazine publishing in-depth podcast reviews, interviews with prominent radiomakers, and best podcast lists.

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