💌Pitching to podcast newsletters💌

Get your podcast on the radar of the real listeners

Hi hello Wil here again! This week, I’m going to talk about how to pitch your podcast to newsletters in the audio space. These tips also work for a lot of journalists in traditional media too but um . . . uh . . . ha ha ha . . . 😰

ANYWAY. Let’s focus on where podcast recs are still thriving: podcast newsletters (like this one and our sibling newsletter Podcast the Newsletter!). There are so many amazing newsletters you can — and should — reach out to for building buzz on your show. And as someone who’s been writing on podcasts since 2016 and gotten approximately forty zillion pitch emails, I know what will make your email stand out.

1: Do your research, and use it

Every writer is a human person — more on that in the next point — and every human person has different and specific tastes. I am a huge fan of the weird and upsetting, and I have a special love for fiction. Other writers don’t listen to fiction but love an investigative deep-dive. Other writers like unedited chatcasts! Know who you’re pitching to and why — and then, personalize your pitch. You might say, “Hey, Wil! Sending this press release your way. I saw you recently talk up Josie’s Lonely Hearts Club, and I think you might be interested in our upcoming podcast too. It’s a romcom audio drama [ . . .]”

2: Be for real nice

Newsletter writers are human people with human lives and feelings! Most of us do not get paid for our work at all. If we do, it’s likely a tiny sponsorship here or there. Make sure you’re being nice. Thank people for their work, and if you read their newsletter, let them know. Tell them what you like about it. This is NOT about schmoozing your way into coverage; we know when you’re doing that. I promise. This is about building community and keeping kindness a cornerstone of our industry. If they do write about your podcast, know that this is a kindness from them — not something you should ever expect or feel entitled to.

3: Don’t waste your subject line

Your subject line is so important! I recommend getting really creative. This is a good opportunity to flex your research from tip #1: try something like, “New podcast for Josie’s Lonely Hearts Club Lovers,” or, “Like Decoder Ring? Check out Never Post.” Use podcasts you know they love to reel them in! I’m also a huge fan of using something within the podcast’s themes or conversations to make a subject line a little mysterious (“Find the cure for posting disease,” for Never Post) or a little playful (“Josie’s best advice is reading PMM” for Josie’s Lonely Hearts Club, a fiction advice show). You can absolutely use a good ol’ “New podcast: [Title],” but this is such an underrated space to think outside the box.

4: Hit the info sweet spot

Writers get tons of press emails every single day. Our inboxes are nightmares. When it comes to the body of your email, keep it short and sweet, and attach supplemental info or put it under a break (a centered ### is customary, but like, whatever). Greet the person you’re writing to by name, introduce your podcast and why you think they’d be into it, thank them for your work, and then be on your merry way. Attach a press release or add it under the break. If you want to set yourself apart even more, attach a press kit.

5: Keep reading

You’re subscribed to the newsletters you’re pitching, right? Right? Keep reading. Keep in touch with what they’re writing. Learn more about your industry, your fellow podcasters, and other shows you might want to do some collaborative marketing with. I know I’m biased here, obviously. But I truly think most podcasters need to be far, far more in the know with their medium than they are — and even before I started writing newsletters, I knew we were the folks who cared about this industry the most. That trend has only gotten stronger over the years!

Final words

Podcast newsletters are the best bet we’ve got for getting the news about our shows to the listeners who are the most invested: the ones who take time to read our newsletters! Our readers are dedicated, and they care about this art and this industry more than . . . frankly, more than most creators, and definitely more than a lot of C-suite folks in the industry. Remember that writers are people with tastes, and don’t waste their time. Don’t expect results, but if you get them, they’ll be golden. 💛

🌟 More Magic

• Going to Podcast Movement Evolutions? Be sure to see Lauren and Arielle at “Podcast Pitching 101” on Thursday, March 28th! If you’ve liked this edition of PMM, this talk is going to be the perfect fit for you.

• We’ve just brought someone amaaaaaazing onto the team: Tonia Ransom! Tonia is one of my favorite people in podcasting. She’s the creator of Nightlight and Afflicted, author of Risen, and bona fide badass. With her history in marketing and incredible work in podcasting, we couldn’t be more thrilled to have her here at Tink!

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🧚🏻 Meanwhile, at Podcast Group Therapy . . .

Our most recent session was on how to launch a podcast, hosted by Devin and Anne, and it was a blast! Whether attendees were launching their first podcast or re-launching an existing one, had something to learn.

Some of the attendees had very sweet words about the session.

Eva Tenuto, host of the TMI Project Story Hour, says:

Tink's Podcast Group Therapy was full of incredible information/resources and I enjoyed the bonus of meeting fellow podcast creators. I left with everything I needed to know to launch a new season of The TMI Project Story Hour and met people I would love to collaborate with. A win-win all around!

Mary Rose Madden, freelance podcast producer, says:

The hosts were organized, kind, and very knowledgeable. They shared great info AND took questions - so they also budgeted their time well!

And our some notes from our hosts!

Devin says:

I’m so grateful for the fantastic group of people who joined our session! The fact that there was such great overlap between everyone’s shows made me excited for the potential for them to collaborate with each other outside the session. For a Friday afternoon, everyone came so eager to learn with good energy and asked really smart questions. I loved hearing about their shows and the different ideas they have for reaching audiences. We were able to hone in on specific strategies for launching, but also how to keep the momentum going once they have episodes out. Can’t wait to see them launch and grow!

And Anne says:

I had such a blast with this group! Each of the participants was at a different stage in their podcasting journey, which gave us the opportunity to dig into the ways they could market a new show launch, new season launch, or even episode topics or themes mid-season... and to hammer in the point that anything can be press-worthy if you work out the right angle, so there's no need to be stressed about missing a specific date! Everyone's shows ended up being so closely aligned and I'm excited to see the types of collaborations they come up with and hear more about their shows as they release!

Want to join us for the next session? It’s going to be on one of the most important aspects of podcast marketing: promo swaps! Sign up here before it sells out!

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🔮 From The Desk of Tink

I’ve been loving In Retrospect, a look back at some of the biggest and wildest cultural moments from the 80’s and 90’s. This show has made a triumphant return with episodes on the legacy of The Devil Wears Prada and a look back at horny gay teenagers with Emma Seligman — and as someone who just fell in love with Bottoms (2023), I could not be more amped.

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Thank you for reading! Next week, Shreya returns with more podcast marketing magic.

Until then, shout out your favorite podcast newsletter (not this one, cheater!) in the comments!

🦇Wil