One of the best ways to establish your online credibility in any niche is by interviewing experts in that niche. Podcasting is a fantastic way to increase your credibility online when interviewing experts. Many podcasters are intimidated by asking these experts for an interview, but the truth is that most people appreciate the added publicity and aura of being an expert in their field that an interview gives them. Put yourself in their shoes. You have a website and the product you are selling. Someone contacts you in that niche and wants to interview you. You would jump for it! I know I would and I have. So don’t look at it as a one way street. Both the interviewer and the interviewee will benefit. You will be surprised how most of the people you approach will be willing to agree to be interviewed. Here are some tips on how to find the interview topic in your podcasting niche.
Access search engines
The more specific your niche is, the easier it will be to find experts willing and able to grant your interview request. Online search is the best tool for finding potential interview subjects. I suggest using Google as it is the #1 search engine in the world.
So let’s say, for example, you’re in the quilting niche. Go to Google and search for “quilting.” Who comes out on top? List #1 is an About.com article written by Janet Wickell. There she will find her biography and contact information for her. It would make a fantastic interview topic for her quilting podcast. Work on the line. I see Quilt University listed on page 1. A quick tour of their website and I see a faculty section with 33 quilting instructors! Each with their bio, website, and contact information. That could be 33 interviews right there. I bet most of them would be more than happy to be interviewed as quilting experts on their quilting podcast. Where they get free publicity and the opportunity to promote their quilting product and/or website. It is a win-win situation.
Do you see the possibilities? You could have an endless stream of people to interview for your niche podcast just by searching for your niche keyword in search engines.
Visit Amazon
Do a search for “quilted” on Amazon. There are 1,180 products tagged as “quilting”. Many books, DVD’s, patterns, etc. Author names clearly marked with a biography and their contact information. Even if the author’s contact information is not listed on Amazon, search on Google and you will easily find their website with their contact information. There are people here with books on quilting. Don’t you think at least some of them would be interested in being interviewed on your quilting podcast?
if you don’t ask
There is the old saying: Ask and you shall receive. Send your interview topic a professionally written email with information about your podcast and yourself. Be brief. Don’t load it up with statistics that you can provide them if they ask for it. Send them an email with “Interview Request” in the subject line and keep your first communication brief:
Dear Jane Doe,
I read your book Quilting For Beginners and found it an excellent resource for quilters. I am the host and producer of the Quilting Podcast (URL HERE) and would like to interview you for an upcoming show. It should only take about 30 minutes of your time over the phone.
You can contact me at YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION
You’ll be surprised how many interviewees you’ll get if you just ask them.
For more interview tips, including how to record and podcast your interviews, visit my website.
