Build Your Blog with Podcasts with Christina Lenkowski

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Wondering how you can drive more traffic to your blog? Today’s guest, Christina Lenkowski, is here to share a game-changing method: guesting on podcasts. For many bloggers, the idea of stepping out from behind their screen and onto a microphone can be intimidating. But according to Christina, podcasting opens doors to new audiences in a unique way that blogging alone can’t achieve.

Meet Christina Lenkowski

Christina Lenkowski is a forward-thinking podcast publicist and educator for entrepreneurs, speakers and authors looking to expand their credibility and go from “best-kept secret” to “go-to expert” in their industries through being a guest on other people’s podcasts. 

In 2019, after 13 years working in the PR realm, Christina discovered what being a guest on podcasts did for her online-based business — since then she’s dedicated her work to helping other business owners, particularly women, see the same kind of results. 

She’s been a guest on over 50 podcasts, including Her Empire Builder, Proffitt Podcast and The Heather Sager Show, and helped her private clients get booked on over 400 top-rated shows, including Hello Seven with Rachel Rodgers, The Online Business Show with Tyler McCall, The Copywriter Club and Get Paid with Claire Pelletreau, among others. 

Christina lives in Boise, Idaho, USA, with her husband and daughter.

Why Guest on Podcasts

Christina explains that today, marketing breaks down into three categories:

Owned Media: What you control, like your blog and social media.

Paid Media:  Ads, sponsorships, and influencer partnerships.

Earned Media: Publicity, like podcast guesting, where you’re featured on someone else’s platform.

Most bloggers focus on “owned” content, but guesting on podcasts taps into “earned” media, allowing you to reach thousands of people who may have never encountered your blog before. 

How Podcasting Brings Authenticity to Your Brand

One of the major advantages of podcasts is that it’s a fun, authentic way to market your blog. Podcasting allows listeners to get a sense of who you are. Your voice, humor, and personality come through in ways that can be hard to achieve through written blogs alone. This connection helps you become a relatable person, and that authenticity builds trust.

How to Feel Comfortable Guesting on Podcasts

It’s natural to feel hesitant about putting yourself out there, especially if you’re new to the idea of guesting. Christina suggests asking yourself: “What’s the worst that could happen?” Remember, most podcasts aren’t live, so you can edit any stumbles or even re-record sections.

Build the Habit of Visibility as a Key Performance Indicator

Christina also shares her strategy for building visibility into her business. She tries to connect with a new audience once a week on average—whether that’s through a podcast interview, an event, or a coffee chat with someone new. For bloggers just getting started, Christina recommends aiming for at least two visibility activities per month.

Tips for Better Podcast Pitching

Refine Your Message and Choose the Right Topics

Think about the core purpose of your blog and how it benefits your readers. Are you helping busy families plan nutritious meals, or showing travelers how to explore luxury destinations affordably? The central theme of your blog should help you brainstorm some topics to discuss on podcasts (and when in doubt, throw your ideas into ChatGPT to help get your brainstorming started).

However, don’t just pitch the podcast host with, “Here’s my main message” or leave it up to the host to think of topics. Instead, Christina suggests coming up with specific topics that align with your main goal and are tailored to the podcast’s audience. Show hosts appreciate it when you pitch with clear, thought-out topics that align with their show!

Use a Template for Pitching

Christina shares that her team uses a pitch template for clients that only requires a few customizations per show, like why the podcast is a great fit and which specific topics would appeal to the host’s audience. 

If you feel like you’re saying the same thing over and over, that’s good! Most people will only hear you on one podcast, so the repetition helps reinforce your message.

Find Podcasts That Align with Your Blog’s Audience

When searching for potential podcasts to appear on, Christina recommends starting with your own followers. Ask your Instagram story followers: “What podcasts do you listen to?” and go from there. 

You can also look up what podcasts that similar bloggers or influencers have been featured in on Apple Podcasts. You can pitch to those shows, or scroll down to the “You May Also Like” section for similar podcast suggestions.

Create a Landing Page Dedicated to Podcast Traffic

Once you’ve been booked as a guest on a podcast, make sure you have a landing page specific for podcast traffic. This will give people an easy next step after they hear you on the podcast, whether they’re grabbing a freebie or signing up for your email list.

To do this effectively, create a single landing page with a freebie specifically designed for podcast listeners. Christina recommends a memorable URL like “yourwebsite.com/podcast” or “yourwebsite.com/gift”.

Do You Need a Podcast of Your Own?

Having your own podcast is not essential to being a successful podcast guest. For many busy business owners, the time commitment of running a podcast may not be realistic. Guesting allows you to reach new audiences, show up as the expert, and build connections without the ongoing demands of running a podcast.

In this episode, we covered: 

• Why guesting on podcasts is a fun, authentic way to grow your blog
• The different types of marketing
• How podcasting brings authenticity to your brand
• How to get more comfortable with guesting on podcasts
• How to refine your messaging and choose topics to talk about on podcasts
• How to find the right podcasts to pitch to
• Easy tips to pitch effectively
• What next step listeners should take after hearing your podcast episode
• If you need a podcast of your own as a blogger

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Connect with Christina Lenkowski on her website, Instagram, and Facebook
• Take Christina’s quiz to get started with podcast pitching
• Learn more about Kit for email marketing
• Redefine success as a blogger
• Check out last week’s episode

We loved chatting with Christina about building your blog with podcasts! What did you think of this episode? Send us a DM over on Instagram: @sparkmediaconcepts and let us know!