Podcast book tours
A podcast book tour, planned around your launch date
The short answer
What is a podcast book tour?
A podcast book tour is a series of guest interviews on podcasts whose audiences match your readers, booked so the episodes go live around your pre-order and launch weeks. It replaces the old bookstore tour with conversations that reach thousands of the right listeners, and keep reaching them long after launch.
The hard parts are finding shows that actually fit, getting busy hosts to say yes, and timing recordings so episodes don't air three months too late. That is the work we do.
40
Researched
26
Pitched
7
Confirmed
3
Aired
Leadership show · weekly
Audience: HR & people leaders
Founder interview show
Audience: Seed–Series A founders
Management podcast
Audience: First-time managers
Careers & work show
Audience: Mid-career professionals
“The bookstore tour, rebuilt for the ears of your readers.
The process
How does a podcast book tour work, week by week?
Four phases, from twelve weeks before launch to six weeks after.
- 01Weeks −12 to −11
Strategy and positioning
- 60-minute positioning call: your reader, your strongest angles, stories hosts will want
- Author one-sheet with bio, book summary, talking points and sample questions
- Pitch angles tailored to three or four audience types
- Researched list of about 40 shows, each checked for recent episodes and guest interviews
- 02Weeks −10 to launch
Pitching and booking
- Personal pitch to each approved host, written after listening to the show
- Two follow-ups per show, spaced so nobody is pestered
- Scheduling across time zones, calendar invites and tech checks
- Recording dates staggered so episodes air during pre-order and launch weeks
- 03Every interview
Preparation
- One-page brief: host style, audience, two past episodes worth hearing
- Likely questions and the three points to land
- How to mention the book, pre-order link and offer naturally
- Mic, room and connection checklist
- 04Launch to week +6
Amplification and reporting
- Episode links collected for your site, newsletter and press page
- Short clips edited from each interview (Launch Tour + Print)
- Thank-you notes to hosts, which leads to repeat invitations
- Final report: every show pitched, every reply, every episode
40
shows researched for a typical tour
12 wks
before launch we start pitching
6 wks
after launch we keep going
1
prep brief before every recording
What makes it work
Four things most tours get wrong.
We built our process around the places podcast tours usually fail.
- 01
Shows chosen for readers, not reach
A focused audience that buys books in your category beats a big general one. Every show on your list is checked for recent episodes and guest interviews.
- 02
Pitches a host actually reads
Written for one host after listening to the show, with an angle that suits their audience. No mail merges with your name swapped in.
- 03
Timing that matches your launch
Recordings are staggered so episodes air during pre-order and launch weeks, not three months later.
- 04
Prepared, not scripted
A one-page brief before each recording: host style, likely questions, and how to mention the book naturally.
Inside the interview
This is what you're booking
Unhurried, on-topic conversations with hosts whose listeners already care about your subject.
Host
Fit
Is a podcast book tour right for your book?
We'd rather turn down a project than sell a tour that won't work. Here's how we decide.
A great fit if…
- Nonfiction: business, leadership, careers, money, psychology, health, tech
- A publication date at least 10 weeks away, or a book already out with a new push coming
- You can do two to four 45-minute interviews a week around launch
- You want readers and authority, not a one-week sales spike
Probably not right if…
- Fiction, poetry or children's books (we don't book these yet)
- Launch in under four weeks with nothing recorded
- Looking for a guaranteed number of downloads or sales
We'd rather say no than sell a tour that won't work.
FAQ
Podcast book tour questions
Still deciding?
A free 20-minute call. We'll tell you honestly whether podcasts fit your book.
Book a call01What is a podcast book tour?
A podcast book tour is a planned series of guest interviews on podcasts whose listeners match your book's readers, timed around your pre-order and launch weeks. Instead of one big media moment, your book gets repeated, long-form conversations with the right audiences while it is easy to buy.
02How far before launch should I start?
Ideally 10 to 12 weeks before your publication date. Many shows record four to eight weeks before an episode airs, so starting early is what lets interviews go live in launch week rather than months later. If your book is already out, we build the tour around your next push instead, such as a paperback release, a speaking season or a new edition.
03Do you guarantee interviews?
No honest booking service can guarantee that a host will say yes, and you should be wary of anyone who does. What we commit to is the work: a researched show list, personal pitches and follow-ups. On the Pay Per Interview plan you only pay for interviews that are confirmed.
04What kinds of books do you work with?
Nonfiction, mainly business, leadership, entrepreneurship, careers, money, psychology, health and technology. These are the categories where podcast audiences are large and the author's expertise is the story. We don't currently run tours for fiction, poetry or children's books.
05Is appearing on the Author Talking podcast part of the package?
No. Guests on our own show are chosen editorially and never pay to appear. Anyone can apply to be a guest, and clients get the same review as everyone else. Launch Tour + Print clients get priority consideration, but not a guaranteed slot.
06Which podcasts will you pitch me to?
Shows whose listeners match your reader, not just the biggest names. A mid-sized show with an engaged, on-topic audience usually sells more books than a huge general one. You approve the show list before we pitch anyone, and you can veto any show.
Your turn at the mic
Plan your podcast book tour
Tell us your launch date and your reader. We'll tell you honestly how many good-fit shows exist for your book.
Book a free strategy call