How to Get on Big Podcasts by Climbing the Pyramid

Executive overview

Most founders want to land a spot on a massive podcast but skip the essential groundwork that makes it possible. The podcast pyramid is a structured climb: start on tiny shows, build a track record, and let bigger hosts find you. Podcast bookers for top-tier shows actively scout smaller tiers to identify high-performing guests — you cannot skip the queue. Each appearance is a compounding asset that eventually produces an inbound invite from a show with millions of listeners.

Why podcast guesting beats hosting early on

• As a guest, the spotlight and authority sit entirely with you — the host draws out your story.
• As a host, your time goes into serving guests, not building your own profile.
• Delivered value vs received value: one to two hours of your time generates thousands of hours of audience value.
• Podcast audiences build know, like, and trust faster than almost any other channel.
• Defer launching your own show until you have a large existing audience to feed it.

The five-tier podcast pyramid

• Tier 1 (0–1k views/episode): Millions of shows exist here; hosts are hungry for any credible guest.
• Tier 2 (1k–10k): Slightly more polished, but still actively recruiting guests.
• Tier 3 (10k–100k): Mid-tier shows where episode performance data starts to matter.
• Tier 4 (100k–500k): Bookers at this level and above scan lower tiers for standout performers.
• Tier 5 (500k–1M+): Shows like Diary of a CEO and Joe Rogan — inbound only once you have a visible track record.

How to climb the pyramid

• Reach out to Tier 1 shows with a simple, humble pitch — mention a new book, report, or piece of content as your hook.
• Aim for 5–10 appearances at each tier before moving up.
• Track which episodes over-index on views and comments relative to the show's average.
• When pitching the next tier up, lead with your best-performing episode and its stats.
• Repeat: gather 5–10 episodes, identify the top performer, pitch the tier above.

What to prepare before any appearance

• A strong opening hook that grabs attention in the first 60 seconds.
• Three to four repeatable frameworks or talking points you can deploy on any show.
• A promotion plan so you can drive extra views after the episode goes live.
• Be easy to work with — hosts talk to each other.

The compounding payoff

• After 50–70 episodes across tiers, your delivery is polished, your jokes land, your hooks are tight.
• Big-show bookers watch smaller shows to spot guests who consistently outperform — they come to you.
• Daniel Priestley received an inbound invite from Steven Bartlett (Diary of a CEO) after Bartlett spotted his lower-tier episodes.
• 16,000 views equals a sold-out Wimbledon Centre Court — every milestone represents real people who now know, like, and trust you.