“As a beginner speaker, you have to get on stage. Traditional speaking events are the only way to go.” Have you heard this idea before? Is it something you believed before you started speaking? Well, friends…it’s not true.

Speaking does not always mean you have to get a spot in a conference with thousands of attendees. There are so many unconventional speaking opportunities that are actually better fits for beginner speakers! And one of those opportunities that I always recommend to clients? Podcasting.

Yes, you can start speaking with podcasts, either as a host or a guest. Find out how (and why) below.

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Why start speaking with podcasts?

Podcasting is one of my absolute favorite ways to start speaking that I recommend to my clients. Here are just a few reasons why podcasting is the way to go:

Low barrier to entry. It’s relatively low-tech in the beginning (until you want to upgrade your gear or tools). And you don’t have to leave your house!

Boosts your website traffic. Every podcast episode that goes live should come with show notes and a blog post that link back to your website. Which means people can find your content long after the episode airs.

Reach a wider audience. Whether you host your own podcast or guest host someone else’s podcast, you have the chance to speak to a broader audience. And hey, isn’t that one of the main goals of becoming a speaker?

Podcasting is just one of many modern stages that beginner speakers can leverage to move forward on their speaking journeys. It’s not all about big conventions and TED Talks anymore. (Which can feel super intimidating and out of reach, anyway.)

Stages come in many forms: virtual or in-person, interview or workshop, intimate or big. We’re redefining speaking. You can be a part of that!

Speaking as a podcast host

Now that we covered the “why speak on podcasts” part, let’s talk about the “how do I start speaking on podcasts” bit. If you’re feeling the call to host your own podcast, go with it! Hosting your own podcast gives you the opportunity to create your own stage, rather than wait around for someone to hand you their microphone.

Once you create that stage with your podcast, you can build relationships with your guests and talk with others in your space. Podcasting is an excellent channel for starting conversations and making industry connections you might not have been able to otherwise.

It also gives you the chance to practice your craft with every episode. Not sure if your story flows well? Try it out on your podcast. Itching to talk about a new topic but don’t know if it’ll land? See what your podcast audience thinks. Speaking of your audience…

With podcasting, you can speak with your audience in a way that feels warm and friendly. Like you’re hanging out on the couch and just chatting, rather than speaking to them from a literal stage. Think about it: you’re more likely to remember a conversation with a good friend rather than a lecture from a stranger.

Finally, hosting your own podcast will lead to future speaking opportunities outside of podcasting. Your podcast shows event organizers what you have to offer and what you’ll bring to their stage. It’s also proof of your work ethic, passion, and drive to serve your audience.

Speaking as a guest on someone’s podcast

If you’re not ready to launch your own podcast, or if you don’t want to, no worries. You can start speaking as a guest on other people’s podcasts and still enjoy the benefits.

Like tapping into someone else’s audience to grow your own. This is incredibly helpful especially when you’re just beginning to speak and don’t have a large following yet. If you’ve done proper podcast pitching research, you’ll find podcast audience’s that align with your target audience.

You also get to test out your content in real-time. Sometimes we map out a talk that’s more interesting or valuable to us than it is to our audience. (Just being real here!) With guest podcasting, you’ll see what the podcast host finds valuable or resonates with in your presentation. The feedback you get will make your talk better in the future.

Plus, you can quickly position yourself as a speaker and a go-to voice on specific topics. Once you start sharing content of yourself speaking on podcasts — audio clips, videos of your Zoom interviews, or even podcast promo graphics — other people will begin to see you as a speaker, too. Eventually, that’ll lead to more podcast speaking opportunities.

There are two paths you can take as a guest speaker on a podcast. The first is to focus on building your authority, while the second is to boost sales and/or conversions.

If you want to build authority, pay attention to your speaking topics. What do you want to be seen as an expert on? What topics make sense for your audience and your business? This is your chance to refine your topic and narrow your scope.

And if you want to boost sales or encourage conversions, you have to pay attention to your audience. Make sure that every podcast speaking engagement you book gets you in front of your ideal client or customer. Does your talk point back to one of your current offers? Does it push the podcast audience to take action or buy your offer?

Not sure how to get started? I’ll teach you

There you have it, folks. All the reasons why podcasting is speaking. Not only that, but why podcasting is an excellent strategy for gaining traction with speaking. Whether you launch your own podcast or guest host someone else’s, you can connect with a wider audience, test out your talk, boost your reputation, and drive traffic to your website.

Let’s say you’re convinced that podcasting is the way to go and you want to get started, but you have no idea how. How do you pick the right podcasts? What does launching a podcast involve? And how do you write a podcast pitch?! So many questions!

I’m here to answer those questions and more. In fact, I’m hosting a LIVE training on March 12, called How to Scale Your Business with Podcasting!

This training will dig deep into everything you want to know about speaking on podcasts for your business, like:

Whether hosting or guesting is a better fit for you
Understanding your speaking path and strategy
How to find and pitch podcasts
How to prep for podcast speaking
How to use podcast interviews and episodes to get booked in the future
And lots more!

Join this workshop, and you’ll not only get admission to the live training, but also our Podcast Pitch & Guest Bundle from the Speak to Scale Shop!

If you’re ready to take the next step by speaking on podcasts or launching your own podcast, then How to Scale Your Business with Podcasting is for you. Save your spot now, and I’ll see you there!