Marketing & GrowthFree
Podcast Guest Pitch Writer for Any Show
Name the show and describe the guest. River reads recent episodes, then writes a short pitch with episode ideas that fit, plus three subject lines.
River's podcast pitch writer drafts the email that gets a guest booked. Name the show and describe the guest: their expertise, their stories, and anything they have said publicly. River looks up the show's recent episodes and description on the web, then writes a short pitch to the host. It includes two or three episode ideas built for that audience, a line on why this guest and why now, proof such as past appearances or work, and simple logistics. Three subject line options come with it.
Most podcast pitch templates are written for any show, which is exactly how hosts recognise them. They praise the podcast in general terms, list the guest's credentials, and offer topics the show covered last month. This pitch is built from what the show actually does: the format, the questions the host tends to ask, and the gaps in recent episodes. Each idea is framed as an episode the host could title, and every claim about the guest comes from what you supplied.
It is for publicists, agency teams and ghostwriters booking clients, and for founders, authors and consultants pitching themselves. Use it for shows where the guest genuinely has something to offer the audience, rather than for mass outreach to every show in a category. To answer journalists' source requests instead, use the HARO response writer. If hosts are likely to look the guest up, a strong LinkedIn About section gives them somewhere credible to land.
Why most podcast pitches are ignored
Hosts get pitched constantly, and they decide in seconds whether a pitch is about their show or about the guest. The giveaway is specificity. A pitch that mentions a recent episode, explains what this guest would add to that conversation, and proposes a title the host could use shows real attention. Apple calls an episode's title the first chance to convince listeners to press play, so a ready title helps. One that opens with praise and a list of credentials reads as a template, because it is one.
Think like a producer. The host needs an episode, not a guest: a clear angle, three or four questions they could ask, and confidence that the guest can tell stories rather than recite talking points. Offer that directly. Picture a line such as the three pricing mistakes she sees in every agency audit, and the client who lost a year's margin to one of them. It does more than any biography, as long as the guest really has those stories ready.
Make yes easy and follow up once. Include a link to a past interview or talk so the host can hear the guest, offer flexible times, and keep the whole email short enough to read on a phone. If there is no reply, one brief follow-up a week or two later is reasonable, ideally adding something new, such as a timely angle. After that, move on. Hosts remember guests who were easy to book and great on air, and often recommend them to other shows.
How it works
Describe the guest
Their expertise, stories, past interviews and anything they want to promote, pasted or attached.
Name the show
The podcast's name or link, and the host's name if you know who reads pitches.
Get the pitch
A short email with episode ideas, three subject lines and a follow-up, ready to send.
Pitch the next show
Ask River in chat to adapt the pitch for another show without starting from scratch.
What you get
- A short pitch to the host built around what the show actually covers and how
- Two or three episode ideas the host could title, each with questions and a story
- Recent episodes checked on the web, so ideas do not repeat what the show just aired
- A line on why this guest and why now, using only the proof you supplied
- Three subject line options and a brief follow-up email for a week or two later
- Simple logistics and a link placeholder so the host can hear the guest before booking
Common questions
How long should a podcast pitch be?
Short enough to read on a phone, usually under 200 words. The host needs to see in a few seconds that you know the show, what the episode would be, and why this guest. Everything else, such as a full biography or media kit, can be a link. River keeps the email tight and puts detail behind links.
Does River listen to the episodes?
No. It reads what is published about the show on the web, such as episode titles, descriptions and show notes, and uses that to avoid repeating recent topics and to match the format. It tells you which episodes it relied on, so you can listen to one before sending and add a genuine detail of your own.
Should I pitch myself or have someone pitch for me?
Both work. Hosts book plenty of guests who pitch themselves, as long as the pitch is about the audience. A publicist or agency adds credibility and handles logistics, but the pitch has to be just as specific. River writes in either voice; just say whether you are the guest or representing them. Agencies booking an executive across many channels can plan it in the executive thought leadership plan.
When should I follow up?
Once, about a week or two after the first email, with something new, such as a timely angle or a recent result. Then move on if there is no reply. River writes the follow-up along with the pitch. Repeated chasing rarely changes a host's mind and can make them less likely to consider the guest later.
What if the guest has never been on a podcast?
Lead with the episode idea and the stories, which matter more than a list of appearances. Offer a short video, a recorded talk or a webinar clip so the host can hear how the guest speaks. Smaller, closely targeted shows are often the best first bookings, and they make good proof when pitching larger ones.
Built by
Chandler Supple
Co-founder & CEO, River
Chandler has spent the last six years working in AI, building tools for millions of users and Fortune 100 companies. In 2025, he co-founded River to build a new kind of operating system for AI agents.
Podcast Guest Pitch Writer for Any Show
Describe what you need, add any files you have, and your workspace opens with the work already underway.