By Josh Feldberg in Podcasts — 25 Mar 2025

Podcast Playbook: Insights from Tom Lawless (Headland)

Why Podcasts Matter

Mapping the Landscape
- Use media databases and podcast-specific tools (e.g., Podchaser, internal Headland tools) to analyse audience size, demographics, and reach.
- Assess host positioning—many have clear editorial agendas and significant influence beyond traditional journalism.
- Identify both niche and high-reach podcasts depending on campaign goals.
Strategic Audience Targeting
- Avoid focusing only on climate-specific podcasts (preaching to the choir).
- Prioritise industry, finance, business, and cultural podcasts where climate topics can be framed as intersecting with broader concerns.
- Consider international vs. local relevance and language barriers.
Tools for Research
- Subscription-based tools available for identifying key podcasts and their audiences.
- Investigate new podcast data tools—Headland has recently onboarded a new one.

Who to Pitch To?
- Journalistic podcasts (e.g., Bloomberg, FT) – Pitch directly to hosts/reporters.
- Independently produced podcasts – Contact producers rather than hosts.
- Large media-affiliated podcasts (e.g., BBC, The Guardian) often have structured booking processes requiring persistence.
What to Include in a Pitch?
- Highly tailored messaging—demonstrates familiarity with the podcast’s format and themes.
- Reference previous episodes and explain why the guest fits their theme.
- Showcase guest credibility: Provide links to past media appearances, TED talks, or high-profile engagements.
- Highlight unique insights that fit the show's format and differentiate the guest from others.
- If relevant, offer exclusivity—some high-profile podcasts prefer this.
Crafting an Effective Pitch
- Start with a compelling subject line.
- Keep it concise but informative—avoid long emails.
- Personalise: mention specific episodes, past guests, or themes discussed on the show.
- Provide a clear reason why the guest is relevant to their audience.
- Offer a proposed angle or topic tailored to the podcast’s themes.
- Be persistent—follow-ups are often required.
Challenges with Sporadic Pitching
- Relationships matter; infrequent pitching makes securing bookings harder.
- Consider having a dedicated podcast pitching specialist (similar to broadcast PR agencies).
- Regular engagement with producers increases success rates.

Why Preparation is Critical
- Podcasts require long-form, unscripted conversation skills.
- Hosts often expect guests to sustain engagement for 30-40 minutes without frequent interruptions.
- Unlike media interviews, guests must drive the conversation.
Best Practices for Guest Preparation
- Conduct extensive media training even for experienced speakers.
- Obtain potential questions in advance, but prepare for flexibility and tangential discussions.
- Train guests on voice modulation, narrative flow, and maintaining listener engagement.
- Ensure they can address challenging or unexpected questions, particularly around politically sensitive topics.
- Provide examples of engaging podcast speakers as models for effective delivery.

Current Landscape
- Most podcast advertising is product-based rather than advocacy-driven.
- Few advocacy campaigns currently utilise paid podcast ads.
Potential Approaches
- Host-Read Ads: More engaging and trusted by audiences, but needs careful framing for advocacy messaging. Also expensive
- Sponsored Content: Partnering with major media houses (FT, Bloomberg) for branded podcast episodes.
- Funding Independent Creators: Supporting aligned podcasters to develop editorially independent content.
Next Steps
- Investigate programmatic podcast advertising for advocacy (test run needed).
- Determine if narrative-driven sponsorships can be more impactful.
- Explore hybrid models, such as embedding paid content within a broader advocacy framework.

High Cost & Production Barriers
- Producing a high-quality podcast requires significant investment.
- Guests often expect appearance fees.
- Finding a distribution strategy is as crucial as creating the content.
When Does It Make Sense to Launch One?
- When filling a clear niche (e.g., Africa, underrepresented audiences, political economy cross-sections).
- When leveraging an existing audience (e.g., a strong newsletter or existing influencer reach).
- When securing media partnerships for guaranteed distribution.

Direct Feedback Loops
- Long-form content often generates direct stakeholder engagement.
- High-profile podcast appearances can lead to inbound requests from policymakers, journalists, and donors.
Data & Analytics
- Publisher-led brand tracking provides deep insights in paid collaborations.
- Open-source analytics are limited—rely on anecdotal feedback, engagement tracking, and direct outreach.
- Podcast effectiveness should be integrated into broader campaign impact assessments.
- Tools like Podscribe and podchaser can help

Internal Capacity Building
- Train existing media teams on podcast-specific pitching.
- Consider developing a dedicated podcast pitching role if pursuing at scale.
- Identify strong climate spokespeople and train them for podcast formats.
Tactical Testing
- Experiment with paid podcast ads for advocacy.
- Conduct trials with various podcast pitches across different sectors and themes.
- Test different spokesperson profiles to assess audience receptivity.
Further Exploration with Headland
- Possible collaboration for training and hands-on capacity building.
- Leverage their expertise for guest preparation and podcast targeting strategies.
- Seek their insights on regional podcast trends, particularly in Africa.