At PodWritten, we’ve landed over 200 podcast interviews for health and wellness brands looking to increase online visibility, launch books, and generate leads. Over the past year, those interviews have taught us a lot.
If you’re pitching yourself, or even considering it, here are 8 hard-earned truths about securing interviews on top health and wellness podcasts that might save you resources.
Key takeaways from securing 200+ podcast interviews for health and wellness businesses:
Being stuck on ego metrics is killing your podcast guesting goals
Honestly, one of the most challenging parts of finding the right show to guest on is: Podcast data isn’t public.
Therefore, you naturally turn to what’s visible, social media followers or Listen Notes rankings. After seeing that a host has 90K+ followers or a podcast claiming 10M+ downloads, you’re ready to pitch.
But if those ego metrics are what you’re relying on, your strategy will quietly fall apart.
Because those “huge” accounts might only get 200 views. Their comments? Mostly bots. Despite their reach, they don’t even show up on Apple’s charts.
To better assess the level of engagement of a show and understand if you can bring people to your sales funnel, pay attention to these details:
Host behavior: Are they actively sharing interviews with their audience? Check their Instagram, newsletter, or YouTube.
For example, we knew getting our client on The Laura Dowling Experience podcast would be a great win because the host shares 3–5 clips per episode with her 250K+ followers. Each post gets thousands of views, real comments, and she tags her guests. Every time! (Plus, the show ranks at the top of Ireland’s Apple Podcasts charts.)
Result? Our client got numerous inbound leads and 450+ new followers in a few days.
Comment quality: Are people responding thoughtfully to the host’s posts? Instead of emojis, look for real replies: “This episode helped me…” or “I never knew that about …!”
Niche and consistency: Do they speak to a clear, specific audience? A niche podcast, even with a smaller audience, is far more likely to drive results for your business.
You’ll be 3 steps behind your goals without a timeline strategy
We expect things instantly; click, order, done. Ads can launch in minutes. So it’s tempting for health and wellness founders to start their podcast guesting journey just a couple of months before a big book launch or even weeks before their rebranding.
The problem?
The interview going live is just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath that, there’s pitching, scheduling, recording, editing, and promotion.
According to our internal data, based on pitching hundreds of podcasts, the timeline looks like this:
- About 13 days pass between sending the pitch and getting a “yes”
- Then it takes roughly 39 days from that “yes” to actually recording the interview
- After recording, 32 days go by before the episode airs
Therefore, if you’re working toward a specific launch date, you must start by counting backward. This way, you can give yourself enough runway to avoid last-minute stress and ensure your podcast appearances actually support your goals.
Tone matching = Higher yes rate
Most people focus on what they say in a podcast pitch bio, talking points, and credentials. But just as important is how you say it. That’s where tone matching comes in.
Let’s say you’re reaching out to two different podcast hosts. One is a science-forward doctor who values clinical research, credentials, and clear data. The other is a spiritual wellness coach who leads heart-centered conversations about energy, emotions, and embodiment.
If you use the same pitch for both, it’s likely to fall flat for one of them, if not both.
If your pitch feels like it belongs in the world of the podcast, you create instant familiarity, and that leads to faster, more frequent yeses.
Before you reach out, take a few minutes to truly listen. Play an episode. Not for research purposes, but to get a feel for the host’s style. Are they conversational and warm? Sharp and to-the-point? Do they joke around, or keep it strictly professional?
Next, scan their podcast description and browse their website. What words do they repeat? How do they describe their mission, their audience, or their guests? These little clues reveal a lot. Some shows are bold and punchy. Others speak with quiet authority. Some hosts want passion; others want proof. Once you’ve picked up on their tone, mirror it.
Coordinating interviews can be a part-time job
Here’s the unsexy side of podcast guesting: The admin is real.
Scheduling sounds simple until you’re juggling different time zones, last-minute meeting changes, multiple platform preferences like Zoom and Riverside, and pre-interview booking forms.
Now multiply that by 15, 20, or 30 interviews.
If you’re trying to land podcast interviews solo and still want to save time, try these quick tips:
- Use World Time Buddy to manage different time zones with ease.
- Create a one-stop information document with your bio, talking points, links, headshot, and promotional details that hosts often request.
- Check your inbox at set times, such as once in the morning or once in the afternoon. Even 20 minutes at a time helps you stay on top of replies and speeds up the back-and-forth.
Ready to stop juggling all this by yourself? This is where PodWritten comes in.
We know your time is your most valuable asset, so we protect it.
Our team handles every email, link, form, and calendar detail. All you have to do is choose a date and show up. As a result, you can save over 200 hours in podcast bookings and use that time where it matters most.
Podcast pitching isn’t just about you; it’s about creating wins for both sides
“What’s in it for the host?” This is one of the questions you must answer in your pitch.
Instead of pushing your own agenda, show you’re tuned into their vision and genuinely care about helping their audience. Additionally, tell them how you’ll share the episode with your community. Hosts invest a ton of time and energy into their shows. Knowing you’ll support their promotion efforts is a game-changer for them.
And while you’re at it, make their job easier. Providing your bio, tailored topic ideas, and technical details upfront means less back-and-forth. Being responsive and open with scheduling shows you respect their time.
It’s these thoughtful actions that build trust with podcast hosts, and consequently, hosts invite you back for follow-up episodes. They might recommend you to other podcasters in their network. What’s more, some hosts even become collaborators or clients down the line.
Landing podcast interviews means nothing without a strategy
Has someone promised you “three podcast interviews a month?” Great.
But if those interviews are with tech entrepreneurs and you’re speaking to new moms, what’s the point?
Strategy in podcast guesting is the difference between showing up everywhere… and showing up where it counts.
Here’s what a smart podcast guesting strategy looks like:
- Knowing who you want to reach
- Choosing the right podcasts for the right reasons
- Having a clear message (that isn’t all about you)
- Knowing what to say once you’re on the mic
- Planning what happens after the interview
Not sending follow-ups is wasting your time
Writing a high-quality podcast pitch takes time since you have to research the host, listen to their show, and personalize your message. So why let that effort go to waste after the initial email?
We hear it all the time, “Sorry, we’ve been so busy.” “My VA was on holiday.” “I didn’t see your message.”
People aren’t ignoring you; they’re just busy. That’s why follow-ups matter.
When you follow up with kindness and clarity, you stay on their radar without being pushy. And it works: 31% of our confirmed bookings come from a follow-up and 15% happen after the second follow-up.
So, don’t let a great pitch die in someone’s inbox.
Rejection is part of the deal, even for top health & wellness experts
We’ve landed 200+ podcast interviews for influencers with 500,000+ social media followers, experts with 20+ years of experience, and hosts with millions of downloads.
And the most brutal truth we’ve learned is that even the most impressive experts and perfectly crafted pitches get turned down.
Think about it, the podcast might be on hiatus, they could have just covered a similar topic, or maybe the host is buried under a mountain of emails.
So, don’t take rejection personally; it isn’t a reflection of your worth or your expertise. It often comes down to timing, the host’s needs, or simply not being the right fit at that moment.
And let me tell you that we’ve had pitches turned down, some ignored completely. But you know what?
Some of those “no’s” led to stronger connections, better placements, and powerful conversations down the line.
What matters is how you respond, and there’s an art to this.
We want to show you how it’s done through our DIY Podcast Guesting Course.