17% of political donors listen to podcasts on a weekly basis and a third of voters watch YouTube daily. For candidates and campaigns, these media channels are important for reaching supporters.
But launching, growing, and consistently producing a podcast or YouTube channel is hard work and few campaigns have the bandwidth, expertise, or resources to do so. Instead, you can reach these audiences by being a guest on someone else’s show. You’ll reach new supporters and create content your campaign can use.
Here are some tips for being an effective podcast or YouTube guest.
Find the Right Show
You first need to identify the right content creators to collaborate with. They don’t have to be explicitly political shows either. As an individual or elected official you have subject matter expertise you can share, whether that’s updates on legislation or regulation affecting an industry or your personal journey.
Don’t worry about the size of the channel or how popular the podcast is. Most content exists in the “long tail” where creators are extremely influential to a small and dedicated audience. The math is different from going on cable news or local radio.
Finally, you’ll need to do some research on the host and format. Do they have guests?
Choose a Relevant Topic
In your research, you’ll learn what topics the podcast or channel often covers. Then, it’s time to outline a pitch to the host. You want to be specific and clear on what you hope to talk about.
- BAD: “Representative Jones wants to be a guest on your show.”
- GOOD: “I listened to your recent conversation with Bob Smith on what potential changes to capital gains taxes means for financial advisors and their clients. Congressman Jones serves on the House Financial Services Committee and we’re wondering if you’d be interested in an update on the latest in Washington from him for your show.”
Define An Objective
As with any campaign effort, your engagement with a podcast or YouTube channel should have a clear strategic objective. If the show is regional, the objective could be to boost awareness of your campaign or increase name ID. If it’s more about a specific industry or hobby, you may want to convert listeners into donors by sending them to your website.
Save the Red Meat
Remember that you’re a guest on a show that doesn’t often talk about politics. Stick to the topic in your pitch and don’t fall into “red meat” mode. The show’s audience may agree with you or they may not, but that’s not why they listen or watch.
Remix the Content
Once your episode has been published, be a good guest and share the show on your social media channels. You’ll also have audio and video you can edit down or transcribe for your own website, email, or social.
Content creators behind podcasts and YouTube videos are always seeking guests to provide value for their audience. Borrowing an audience is the right move when you don’t have the bandwidth to create your own content.
