5 Insider Tips To Improve Your Podcast Media Kit

Fresh off the stage at Podcast Movement Evolutions, I presented a talk on how to stand out and secure lucrative brand deals as a podcaster with my 3-part framework, one of which is preparing a podcast media kit.

A podcast media kit is one of the most important documents you can create to secure sponsorships and brand deals. Like a resume, a media kit showcases everything a potential partner should know about your show, from your audience interests and demographics to your podcast stats.

Over the last few years, I’ve had the chance to sit down with dozens of brands which has helped inform me on what brands (really) want to know when investing in a podcast marketing campaign. As a result, I’ve perfected my media kit to include all of the key information I’ve been asked to share.

I’ve also had the pleasure of reviewing dozens of media kits from my podcast coaching clients, so I know what makes a media kit complete and how to improve one to maximize results.

Here are five ways to improve your media kit to boost efficiency, eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth that may delay negotiations, and moves you closer to closing the deal.

Media Kits For Podcasts: 5 Pro Tips

What is a podcast media kit?

A podcast media kit is a professional document (like a resume) that shares details about your podcast and brand, including what you stand for, audience size, demographics, interests, and more. With this document, brands can quickly determine if working together would be a good fit.

If you want to monetize your podcast through brand deals, it will help you secure sponsorships. But even if you have no plans to work with brands, a media kit may be useful when pitching bigger-name guests for your show or media outreach, like journalists, news outlets, and publications.

If you’re wondering if you need a media kit as a podcaster, the answer is always “Yes.”

1. Share the media kit link instead of a PDF

If you are sending your media kit as a pdf, stop doing this right now.

Firstly, emails with pdf attachments are often sent to the spam folder. To avoid this, create your media kit with Canva and share your Canva link.

I love sharing my Canva link because any changes I make to my media kit will be reflected in real-time. I no longer have to wonder which version of my media kit a brand has; with the link, I know they have access to the latest copy.

Eric Johnson, who attended my session at Podcast Movement Evolutions 2023, mentioned this in the “What I Learned at Podcast Movement Evolutions” roundup. After attending my session and learning this tip, he said: “As someone who has a folder full of PDFs named after different months and years, I felt real dumb when I heard Danielle Desir Corbett explain this one: You can design a media kit in Canva, share the link with whomever, and then when you update the kit, the same link still works.”

Canva is an online graphic design tool that makes creating a media kit simple and easy. While Canva has general media kit templates you can use, my 2023 Podcast Planner includes a podcast media kit we’ve designed with 10+ proven items podcasters should include.

2. Average downloads per episode

While most podcasters include their total podcast downloads in their media kit (continue to do this), what brands care about is the average downloads.

Here’s why.

Let’s say a brand wants to sponsor (2) episodes of your podcast. To get a realistic sense of how many people may potentially listen to the ad placement, multiplying your average downloads by (2) will paint a realistic picture of your actual reach.

Here’s how to find your average downloads per episode.

Log into your podcast hosting platform to calculate your average downloads per episode; I use Libsyn. Use the promo code “WOC” to get the first 3 months of podcast hosting for free.

Divide the total number of downloads your podcast has ever received by the total number of episodes to get your average downloads per episode.

For example, with 100 episodes, you have gained 100,000 podcast downloads. The average episode gets 1,000 downloads.

In this example, it’s reasonable to assume that a brand that wants to sponsor (2) episodes of your show will get 2,000 downloads or impressions.

3. Emphasize engagement metrics

If you plan to include social media posts in your podcast campaigns, be mindful of your engagement rate.

Like average podcast downloads, brands care more about your engagement rate than vanity metrics like followers. Your engagement rate reflects how often your audience interacts with your content. This includes likes, comments, shares, DMs, profile visits, Story link taps, and saves.

With a simple Google Search, you’ll find a variety of engagement rate calculators to help you determine your rate. Also, each social platform provides insights, so dig into the data and pick the most relevant to include in your media kit.

4. Don’t worry about the length

I often get asked how long a podcast media kit should be. I respond with however long it takes to tell your story. After reviewing your media kit, a brand should know if your podcast aligns with its mission and if you both target the same audience.

Your media kit should communicate the following:

Who you are
Why you are passionate about your work
How you got started
The topics you discuss on your show
The audience you serve
Audience interests
Episode length and frequency
Awards and accolades, and more!

As long as you aren’t being repetitive and trying to include too much text on one page, do not worry about the length of your media kit. Instead, pay close attention to the story you’re trying to tell and be clear on the types of brands you want to attract.

5. Update your podcast media kit regularly

You may receive an email from a brand interested in working with you at a moment’s notice. Having an updated kit means you are ready for whatever opportunities come your way.

Remember, your media kit is your “open for business” sign. It says you are professional, reliable, and know your stuff.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, a media kit is one of the most important brand assets you will create.

As you receive new podcast reviews and testimonials from brand partners or increase your listenership, update your media kit.

I update my media kit at least monthly and when requested by potential brand partners.

Helpful Tip: When a brand reaches out with a question not already addressed in your media kit, take the opportunity to add it. If one brand has a question, the likelihood that another has the same question is high.

Found this article helpful? In the comments below, let me know which pro tip you’ve implemented!

Need help creating a beautifully designed media kit for podcasts?

Take the guesswork out of creating your media kit by grabbing a copy of the 2023 Podcast Planner, which includes a podcast media kit Canva template, a media kit checklist, and more.

Join over 300 podcasters using our annual planner to plan for a prosperous and profitable year.

Discover my framework for landing lucrative podcast sponsorships through my signature 1:1 podcast coaching program.

5 Insider Tips To Improve Your Podcast Media Kit (And What Brands Want To See)