In 2024, podcasts cemented their position as a serious channel for audience engagement. According to industry data, 44 per cent of Americans and 31 per cent of UK internet users listened to a podcast in the last month. Globally, the listener base grew from 464.7 million at the end of 2023 to about 504.9 million a year later. The average US adult now spends around 50 minutes a day listening to podcasts. Industry revenues rose from $23.6 billion in 2023 to $30 billion in 2024, with projections pointing to $38 billion in 2025.

For public relations professionals, podcasts are no longer a side-channel. They are a core medium with global reach, niche precision, and a loyal listener base.

Find the Right Podcasts

There are now hundreds of thousands of active podcast shows, and there’s a temptation to pitch widely and hope something lands. But that’s a wrong move. The right way is to identify shows that align with your target audience’s demographics and, more importantly, their psychographics. Who are they? What do they care about? What type of conversations keep them engaged?

Several tools make this process easier. Podchaser, Rephonic, and Listen Notes, allow you to search by topic, guest history, audience size, and engagement trends. LinkedIn industry groups, conference speaker lists, and niche online communities can also surface lesser-known but highly relevant shows.

Look beyond audience size. A smaller, specialised podcast can deliver more meaningful brand exposure than a larger, general-interest show. Consider the relevance of their topics, the consistency of their publishing schedule, and the quality of their production. Avoid the “spray and pray” approach that still plagues media pitching. Targeting five well-chosen podcasts will almost always outperform pitching fifty that are only loosely related.

Understand the Format and Audience

Once you have identified potential podcasts, go deeper. Research beyond the show description. Listen to at least two or three episodes to understand the host’s style, the format, and the type of guests they tend to feature. Take note of recurring themes and the level of technical detail expected.

If data is available, study the show’s listener profile. In the US, the top podcast genres in 2024 were News (25%), True Crime (19%), and Comedy (13%). This does not mean your pitch should only target these categories, but it does illustrate where audience attention is clustered.

Platform preferences also matter. YouTube is now the most popular podcast platform in the US, used by 33 per cent of listeners, ahead of Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If a podcast records video as well as audio, that could be an additional angle for your pitch.

Crafting the Pitch

This is where most PR professionals either win or lose the opportunity. A podcast pitch is not the same as a pitch to traditional print or broadcast media. Podcasts tend to be conversational, so your pitch should reflect that tone.

Start by personalising your outreach. Reference a specific episode, a question the host asked, or a theme they regularly cover. Show that you have listened to the show, not just skimmed the description. Keep your email concise but complete: one paragraph introducing the guest or topic, one paragraph on why it matters to the audience, and a short bullet list of possible talking points.

Avoid generic press release language. Instead, frame the conversation around insights, ideas, or experiences that will add value to the listener. Producers are often more interested in a guest with compelling perspectives than a well-known name with nothing new to say.

Flexibility is an asset. Offer more than one angle for the conversation, and be open to adapting your talking points to fit the show’s format. If you have high-quality audio or video clips from previous interviews, include a link so the producer can assess style and delivery.

Expert Insight: Crafting a Vision, Not a Template

Lauren Passell, founder of podcast growth and discovery firm Tink Media, puts it plainly:

“In a world of bland pitches and AI, a thoughtful, bespoke pitch letter will at the very least get some attention. At Tink, our letters take at least 20 minutes each because we craft a vision for the pitch with our producer hats on. Forget what we want — what is the producer looking for?”

Passel argues that effective pitching is about building a vision. Generic approaches don’t work because they are one-way transactions.

“How can this look more like a collaboration than a request? Can you promote the podcast you’re pitching on social media or in a newsletter? Does your pitch show how this will become an exceptional episode for their listeners?”

Her point is worth underlining. The best podcast pitches look less like cold outreach and more like editorial partnerships.

Expert Insight: Specificity is Everything

Doug Downs, Director of Stories and Strategies podcast production, sees the same pattern from behind the producer’s desk:

“A pitch stands out when it shows the person pitching actually understands the podcast. Generic, copy-and-paste outreach is a waste of time in this medium. Podcasts succeed by going niche, so a strong pitch clearly explains why the guest or story is a natural fit for this audience, not just any audience. Producers notice when you’ve listened to episodes, picked up on the tone, and connected your idea to themes the show already explores. Specificity is everything.”

When asked how PR professionals should adapt their tone or structure, Downs suggests shifting mindset:

“Think of podcasts less like mass media and more like communities. The tone should be conversational, not corporate. Keep the email short, direct, and respectful of the producer’s time. Lead with the ‘why’: why this guest, why this story, why now. Then support it with a couple of clear talking points that fit the show’s existing style. A rigid press-release format doesn’t work here — what resonates is a genuine, tailored note that proves you know the podcast and its audience.”

Passel and Downs echo each other: producers are not hunting for boilerplate. They are looking for evidence of respect, listening and collaboration.

What Not to Do

The fastest way to have your pitch deleted is to send a bulk email without tailoring it to the show. Producers can spot this instantly. Similarly, ignoring a host’s published submission process shows you have not done your research.

Avoid overloading the pitch with irrelevant biography or marketing jargons. Keep it focused on what the audience will gain from the conversation. The goal is to serve the audience first. If you succeed at that, your brand exposure will follow naturally.

The Commercial Opportunity

The numbers tell the story. With over half a billion global listeners, podcasts represent one of the most engaged audiences in modern media. Unlike traditional broadcast, podcasts allow for deep, uninterrupted storytelling. Listeners often stay tuned for the entire episode, which creates a level of attention most PR channels struggle to match.

If you need stakeholder buy-in, the numbers speak for themselves:

• US adoption: 47% monthly, 34% weekly (Edison Research, 2024)
• UK reach: 20.7% weekly, 11.7m listeners (Ofcom, 2024)
• Revenue growth: $1.9bn in 2023, projected $2.6bn by 2026 (IAB/PwC, 2024)

A well-placed podcast appearance can build credibility, humanise a message, and reach niche communities that mainstream media rarely penetrates. The return on investment, both in terms of cost and long-term brand value, can be significant.

The Podcast Pitching Workflow

1. Build a longlist using Rephonic, Podchaser, and Listen Notes
2. Shortlist by audience fit, frequency and format.
3. Listen to sample episodes, then tailor talking points for that audience.
4. Personalise each pitch and send once.
5. Follow up a week later with a fresh angle or data point.

Integrating podcast pitching into your media relations strategy is no longer optional. The barrier to entry is lower than television, the format is more flexible than print, and the potential for meaningful audience engagement is higher than almost any other channel.

The best pitches are personal, relevant, and audience-focused. If you invest time in finding the right shows, understanding their format, and crafting pitches that speak directly to their listeners, you will see results. The brands and voices that treat podcasts with the same strategic

Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team bd@curzonpr.com