When is the right time to pitch to a podcast network?
If your show isn’t live yet (or hasn’t built an audience), it’s probably not time.
Even if your idea’s brilliant, without numbers it’s hard for a network to know what your show’s actually worth…commercially speaking.
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How many downloads do you need?
To be considered by an Australian network you ideally need to be publishing regular episodes and each of those eps needs to be hitting at least 10,000 downloads in the first 7 days.
If you’re based elsewhere that number might be higher but the principle will be the same… networks partner with shows they can monetise and you can’t monetise without audience.
What if you have a big following elsewhere?
Having an audience on Instagram or YouTube is great, but it doesn’t guarantee those people will follow you to your podcast.
It’s a very common misconception that audiences move easily between platforms when they don’t.
Even creators with hundreds of thousands of social media followers often struggle to bring in 10k downloads per episode.
So while a strong social following helps, most networks will want to see actual podcast performance before signing a show on.
That said, if you’ve got a loyal, highly engaged audience elsewhere, experience partnering with brands and your show is in a highly commercialisable niche, they might look at developing something from scratch because the investment could be worth it.
What should you include in your pitch to a network?
If you’ve hit that 10,000+ per episode mark (and remember, it’s got to be local downloads if you’re pitching to an Australian network), here’s what your pitch should include:
- A one-pager including what your show is about and why it fits the network
- Monthly download stats (ideally over the past year, with a focus on local downloads)
- Audience details for your show social accounts or the social accounts of the host(s)
- Examples of brand partnerships or sponsorships (with audio if you’ve previously done podcast ads)
- If you’ve worked with brands on social media, include that too because advertisers love multi-platform campaigns
And please, don’t skip the numbers.
If you’re not willing to share your data, the conversation won’t go very far because a network needs to know your audience to determine if they can provide value.
So, if you’re going to pitch, you’ve got to get comfy talking stats.
What if you’re not at 10,000 downloads yet?
Don’t worry!
There are still plenty of ways to monetise your podcast before you hit that number:
- Paid subscriptions via Apple or Spotify
- Private podcasts or Substacks
- Listener donations (e.g. Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon)
- Affiliate marketing or selling your own products
Partnering with a network only makes sense if it adds value to what you’ve already built.
And that value starts with your audience.
What networks are looking for
It all comes down to value exchange:
You bring an engaged audience.
They bring commercial and marketing opportunities.
While networks do develop shows from scratch, it’s a bigger risk, so to be considered you need to have an audience on another platform for them to take the chance.
If you’re starting from zero, focus on growth and sustainability first.
Keep creating, keep showing up and build something worth pitching.
Final thoughts
Pitching your podcast to a network can open doors to advertisers you’d never reach alone.
But you’ve got to show them you’ve built a show they can sell.
If you’ve already hit those numbers…congratulations. That’s huge!
If you’re still working on it? Keep going.
Once you’ve got an audience the opportunities will follow.
And if you’ve got a show you think is ready, feel free to pitch me directly via LinkedIn.
Just make sure your first line includes your download numbers…because you know I’m gonna ask 😉
🎙️ Want to start a podcast but feeling overwhelmed?
Grab my free “How To Start A Podcast” guide or get step-by-step support inside my online course, PodSchool.
Got a question about podcasting? Send it my way so I can answer it on the podcast!
