Raise your hand if you’ve ever said one or more of these:
- “I don’t understand how other experts get on major health and wellness podcasts… and not me.”
- “I’ve tried pitching myself to top podcasts, and nothing ever comes from it.”
- “I know I’m qualified, I have the story for a show like Mel Robbins, but I have no idea how to get there.”
Honestly, these are some of the most common topics that come up during our client calls and prospect meetings. So I decided to dig deeper into it and find out: Who actually gets on these world-class podcasts?
To find the answer, I spent days analysing 150+ guests on top-tier podcasts like the Diary of a CEO, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Rich Roll Podcast, and The Dr. Hyman Show, and more.
Here are my findings.
Every great podcast guest falls into at least one of these three categories
After analysing 150+ interviews on top podcasts, I noticed a pattern: All guests fall into three distinct categories. At PodWritten, we call them:
1. Power Players
These are the high-profile public figures, celebrities, politicians, billionaires, Olympians, bestselling authors, founders, and major influencers. Their presence alone creates curiosity. People want to hear from them because of who they are or what they’ve achieved.
2. Masterminds
These are the experts whose authority comes from deep, earned knowledge. They’re professors, researchers, physicians, psychologists, and scientists; the people who have data, discoveries, and decades of study behind everything they say. When you’re a mastermind, your expertise is your currency.
3. Unstoppables
These are the guests whose story pulls you in before their credentials do. They’ve lived through something, loss, failure, illness, grit, transformation, and their journey becomes the message. They lead by example and turn their lived experience into something bigger than themselves.
Why this matters for your podcast strategy
Understanding which category you fit into helps you know:
- What angle to pitch
- What hosts expect from you
- What story or evidence to lead with
- Which shows you should target first
This is exactly how PodWritten builds pitches and strategies for health and wellness brands. We never approach podcast guesting with a one-size-fits-all formula. We position you based on your strengths and build the rest of your strategy around that.
Leading experts know how to disrupt your brain
We all hear the same advice in the health and wellness space: “Eat more protein.” “Get your fiber.” “Yoga is good for you.” “Meditation improves clarity.”
Being predictable doesn’t hold attention.
World-class podcasts reach millions of listeners, and the last thing they want is for someone to hit “next” in the first 30 seconds. So they bring on experts who can introduce a surprising fact, a strange question, or a counterintuitive idea that breaks the listener’s thinking pattern.
This taps into the orienting response, the brain’s automatic “wait… what is this?” reflex. (It’s the same instinct that makes you look back when you hear a sudden noise.)
That’s why we love to click on episodes titled like these: The Dangerous Lie You’ve Been Told About Sunlight or The Man Who (Literally) Owns Nothing
To become a better guest and get booked on big shows, you can:
- Take something your audience thinks they already understand and reveal the layer they’ve never considered.
- Collect a few “brain interrupters” from your work: an unexpected finding, a reframed belief, a client story with a twist, or a data point that challenges the usual wellness script.
The goal isn’t to be controversial for the sake of it; it’s to keep the attention of listeners.
Top podcast guests are ACTIVE
And I don’t mean publishing 5 posts on Instagram a week, active.
What I observed is that big guests are out in the world doing work that’s hard to miss:
- They’re speaking at events.
- They have a real content strategy.
- Some have given TED talks.
- Most collaborate with other leaders in their space.
- Their names are already circulating before a host ever receives their pitch.
For example, one prospect we spoke to said they secured an interview on The Dr. Hyman Show because his team invited them after hearing them speak at an event.
Another strong example is Natalie Dawson, a business and leadership expert. She mentioned that she was able to get on one of the world’s biggest shows, the Diary of a CEO, because she generated over 35M views on her YouTube channel.
And then there’s Daniel Priestley, an entrepreneur and author who has been on The Diary of a CEO six times!
But the first invitation didn’t come out of nowhere. He had been on dozens of shows, and some of his interviews became the most-downloaded episodes, which put him on their radar.
Tips to get on bigger health and wellness podcasts
The first step to get on bigger shows is to get on small shows
Especially if you have fewer than 15 interviews. I know this isn’t the exciting answer, and you might feel like you don’t have time for it. But this is how you build your interview portfolio and the credibility that bigger shows look for.
That’s why, at PodWritten, we created the 5 stages of the podcast guesting journey. Each stage shows you exactly what to focus on as you scale. If you’re starting with zero experience, you’re in the Foundation stage.
The first thing we do is get you on relevant shows so you can practice your speaking points, build credibility, and show larger podcasts that your topic, your performance, and your delivery can generate interest.
Get ready for Expansion, if you’ve done 25+ interviews
At this point, your goal shifts from “get experience” to “be more strategic.” To do that, Team PodWritten sharpens your expert positioning, elevates your angles, and targets higher-tier shows with leading hosts.
Once you’re in this circle, you build a level of credibility you can use in your pitches to signal to larger shows that you’re an in-demand guest in your field.
Do expert collaborations on YouTube, IG Live, or at community events
This is something PodWritten helps clients navigate, because when you build on the relationships you form through podcasting, you create more opportunities
For instance, you can invite a host for a Q&A in your community or schedule a Live session on YouTube or Instagram. This supports your visibility goals by putting you in more places. In fact, one of our clients grew her Instagram account by 5% in an hour from a single Live.
On-demand guests just don’t “go with the flow”
A lot of health and wellness experts assume that because they know their topic, they can just grab a mic and talk.
But in reality, winning interviews are planned, studied, learned, and repeated over and over again. There are:
- pauses that make you lean in
- metaphors that open a new angle in your mind
- jokes that feel natural
- hooks placed exactly where they work best
- simple frameworks that help the message stick
- vocal choices that guide the listener’s emotion
That’s why interview training sessions are an essential part of PodWritten’s services. We help you use strategic storytelling to get the most out of your appearances and prepare you for top podcasts, not just with confidence, but with systems and strategies that make you a great guest.
Moreover, if hosts like interviewing you, it becomes much easier to return as a guest the next time you have something to share or promote.
Final thoughts
After reviewing more than 150 top-tier interviews and working with so many health and wellness experts, it’s clear that on-demand guests:
- Have been on dozens of podcasts before the big ones came calling.
- Are consistently putting their work into the world, both online and offline
- Know who they are and own their voices
- Mastered their messaging and how they deliver it
If you want a clear framework for how to get booked on top health and wellness podcasts, PodWritten can support you through every stage, from your first interviews to top-tier features.
FAQs about being on top health and wellness podcasts
What do top health & wellness podcast hosts look for in a guest?
Hosts are looking for experts who can:
- Make listeners stop and think, “I haven’t heard it before.”
- Offer a defined point of view, lived depth, and extensive knowledge
- Show proof that their topic has already generated interest across different audiences.
- Demonstrate strong visibility, clear credibility, and the ability to communicate their ideas in a compelling way.
Do you need a large following or a famous name to get on major wellness podcasts?
A big audience helps, but it’s not required. Some guests on world-famous shows have modest followings but earned their spot through their research, clinical work, methods, or results. If you’re active in your field, communicate well, spark curiosity, and hold attention, you can get on major shows without being “known.”
Should I hire a podcast booking agency or pitch myself?
You can pitch yourself, especially when building your first 10–15 interviews. But as you move toward bigger shows, strategy matters. Therefore, hiring a podcast booking agency like PodWritten helps position you correctly, refine your angles, and match you with the right shows.
Do I have to travel to be on top health and wellness podcasts?
Not always, but yes. With the rise of video podcasts, many hosts prefer in-studio interviews for better quality, connection, and content. If you want the widest range of opportunities, be open to both in-person and remote interviews.