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aid guest spots are precisely what they sound like—offering individuals or businesses the chance to appear on your podcast in exchange for a fee. 

I know, the idea of charging guests might feel uncomfortable at first. I’ve often had to address skepticism, even from seasoned creators. Yet, as someone who’s worked on both sides of this equation, I can confidently say it’s a win-win when done right. Some of the most respected podcasts in business quietly implement this tactic—and you’d never guess because of how seamlessly they do it. 

Here’s how this model works, why it’s gaining traction, and how to implement it without compromising your audience trust:

Be Upfront

Paid guest spots are a form of advertisement, giving your guests the chance to showcase their expertise, promote their product, or tell their story to an engaged audience. Like all advertisements, you should be as transparent as you can be.

Tell your potential guests, “If you want to reach my audience, there’s a cost associated, but in return, I’ll give you a targeted platform to tell your story.” 

Tell your audience, “Hey, some of our guests pay for the privilege, it’s a form of advertising for us, but we work to select only those guests that we think you’ll enjoy.”

The one thing people hate more than ads is being lied to about ads.

Align Your Guests With Your Audience

This tactic only works when the guests you’re bringing on align with the interests of your pre-existing audience. My friend at Rental Journal Podcast has done a good job with this. His show is about equipment rentals, and he has managed to turn it into an effective marketing machine for guests who want to reach that audience. 

He selects guests who are engaging, relevant, and have something new to say about his niche, people who he thinks his audience would be interested in. The rule is that if you wouldn’t have invited them organically, you probably shouldn’t invite them for an ad. 

Remember, it’s much harder to earn audience trust than to lose it. 

Explain The Value Proposition Clearly 

Be upfront about costs and what guests can expect in return. Highlight the demographics of your audience, promotional efforts, and the credibility boost they’ll receive from appearing on your show. Be sure they understand what the promotion will look like, and what is expected of them in return.

It’s critical that you are clear about what this transaction is, and what it isn’t.

Avoiding Oversaturation

Balance is key here. Just because some of your guests are paid placements, doesn’t mean all of your guests should be. You’ve got to ensure your content is still valuable to your listeners. At the end of the day, they are your real customers, and the integrity of your podcast is far more valuable than any placement fee.

That’s why you should use guest spots as a supplementary strategy rather than your primary source of income, combine it with traditional sponsorships, affiliates, and merchandise. 

More importantly, remember that the biggest return on your podcast will always come from selling your own products, so focus your strategy on developing new and compelling ways to sell your own products and services to your listeners. 

Paid guest spots aren’t some one-size-fits-all monetization hack, but they are a legitimate, strategic approach to growing your podcast as a business. By focusing on your niche, being transparent, and prioritizing value, you can turn your podcast into a sustainable source of income while keeping your audience engaged and loyal.

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About Ryan Sullivan

Ryan is the founder of Podcast Principles and a podcast coach. In 2019, he was kicked off his company podcast because it “didn’t drive leads.” A month later, he quit and started coaching business owners on how to launch profitable podcasts. Since then, he has driven over 200,000 downloads, thousands of leads, and hundreds of episodes for B2B businesses.

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