The Power of Podcasts: An Interview with Michelle Glogovac

At PRNEWS.IO, we continue to work on our project, Her PR Journey, where we publish interviews with amazing women in the PR industry.

Today, we’re excited to meet Michelle Glogovac, an award-winning publicist and THE Podcast Matchmaker™️. Michelle is the host of the My Simplified Life podcast and the author of the book How To Get On Podcasts, which was released on January 19, 2024, by McGraw Hill.

In this interview, Michelle shares her journey and insights into the podcast industry, including her passion for storytelling and the importance of personal branding. Join us as we dive into her expertise and the evolving world of podcasts.

Contacts: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website | Podcast PR Agency

Michelle Glogovac on Transforming Lives Through Podcasting

PRNEWS.IO: Can you tell us about your journey and what led you to specialize in the podcast industry?

Michelle Glogovac: Growing up I always wanted to be an attorney. I brought a briefcase to Kindergarten and majored in Law in college. I needed a part-time job in college and could walk to the airport which is where my corporate aviation career began. After graduating from UCSB, I stayed in aviation for 18 years, obtained my Masters in Law, got married and had two children. I was laid off from my job in 2018 and it was then that I decided I wanted to do work that I found meaningful and would better the world for my kids. That’s when I discovered podcasts and how storytelling builds empathy, helps educate and entertain people and has the power to change the world. I learned all I could about podcasts and produced shows, launched my own and ultimately started my podcast PR agency, The MLG Collective®.

PRNEWS.IO: As THE Podcast Matchmaker™️, what strategies do you employ to match clients with the right podcasts for their target audience?

Michelle Glogovac: My number one strategy is listening to both my clients and to podcast hosts. What are they both trying to achieve with those who are listening to them and who are they trying to reach with their message? By identifying the commonalities, I’m able to determine and create collaborative matches.

I spend a lot of time getting to know my clients, listening to their stories and journey, finding out what they’re experts on and more. Oftentimes it can be hard for us to define our own speaking topics because we get inside our own heads, we get in our own way. By being an outsider per se, I’m able to listen to my clients and reiterate what they’ve told me and craft them into speaking topics that are unique and interesting to podcast hosts and audiences.

PRNEWS.IO: Could you share some insights on how storytelling can be leveraged to grow businesses and elevate individuals as thought leaders in the podcasting space?

Michelle Glogovac: People love hearing stories. It’s human nature to want to learn how someone’s journey has led them to where they are today, to find inspiration in what another human being has accomplished, what excites them and what they’ve learned along the way. We also love to hear the “why” behind people doing what they do because it gives a foundation for the rest of us to empathize and understand the meaning behind why a business was built, why a cause is so important, how someone has overcome obstacles and more. Stories connect us. By sharing your story on podcasts, you’re allowing listeners to hear not only what’s important to you and why but also to hear your story in your own words. This allows podcast listeners to truly get to know you and your story without ever having met you and that’s powerful.

I have worked with nonprofits who share the stories of teammates on podcasts because it allows listeners to fully understand why the cause is so important to those who work there, why they too should care about a specific cause and what their goal is. For thought leaders, they’re able to share their expertise and knowledge with podcast listeners. The host is extending the trust their listeners have given them to the guest which is how and why a guest is elevated on a podcast. Podcast listeners value a host’s show and opinion and that value and trust is give to the guests a host invites on their show.

PRNEWS.IO: What inspired you to write your book, “How To Get On Podcasts,” and what key takeaways can readers expect from it?

Michelle Glogovac: I wanted to not only make podcast pitching and guesting accessible to everyone but also to help create industry standards when it comes to pitching to podcasts and showing up as a great guest. This isn’t just a how-to book. It’s packed with personal stories about my own journey, real examples of do’s and don’ts when it comes to pitching and also offers a behind the scenes look at what every podcast host is doing from the launch of their show to producing every episode.

Readers will walk away with a solid foundation of knowing all that goes into a podcast, best practices for pitching to a podcast, how to create their speaking topics and media kit, how to prepare for an interview and how to create marketing content from every interview by repurposing their podcast interviews.

PRNEWS.IO: How do you believe podcasting has evolved over the years, and what trends do you foresee shaping its future?

Michelle Glogovac: Podcasts have been around for over 20 years but it’s only been in the past 5 years that they’ve gained incredible popularity. We are seeing not only more people listening to shows, but also younger generations including children who are listening. More podcast shows are being launched, more companies are seeing the value in podcasts and understanding the trust that is put into hosts, therefore more advertising spend is being focused on podcasts. People are wanting to connect with other people and podcasts allow us to do that, no matter where we are in the world.

We are seeing more video come to play in podcasts but I do believe that audio will remain the focus of podcasts. My hope is that we’ll see more growth and ad spend on independent podcasts where the host is not a celebrity but someone who’s hosting talent simply shines through. We already see people turning to podcasts for news, opinions, education and politics and I believe that will only grow as time goes on.

PRNEWS.IO: When it comes to promoting podcasts, what are some effective strategies you’ve found to be successful in reaching and expanding your audience?

Michelle Glogovac: Sharing every podcast episode and interview is of the utmost importance. There are over a dozen ways to repurpose a podcast episode and both hosts and guests should be doing all of them in order to leverage the greatest reach.

Some of the ways you can repurpose a podcast interview include:

A blog post or show notes on your website
Social media graphics announcing the episode
Pulling quotes from a transcript and creating social media posts around the quotes
Creating a Spotify playlist of your podcast interviews and embedding the playlist on your LinkedIn profile, media page on your website, linking it in your bio on social media, etc
Sharing posts on social media such as LinkedIn, X, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Oftentimes a host will share assets that you can utilize as your own to share your interview. Regardless, I think it’s very important to create your own marketing materials and brand them so that they’re personalized to you. Don’t look at it as self promotion but as a way of thanking the podcast host for sharing their time, show and audience with you. It will cause a ripple effect of who listens to the episode and will gain you a greater reach, as well as the podcast.

PRNEWS.IO: In the realm of podcast promotion, how crucial do you believe PR and personal branding are for gaining traction and fostering a loyal listener base?

Michelle Glogovac: Personal branding is a big factor when it comes to podcast promotion. They truly go hand in hand. When you have your personal brand established, you become recognizable. Consistency is a big part of podcasting, whether you host your own show or are a guest. As a host, you have to produce episodes on a regular schedule and to keep your branding consistent, not only with visuals but also with your messaging. You want people to stop their scroll because they recognize your brand and you want to ensure your messaging on your show, across all social media channels and in any earned media you receive through PR are all consistent. Your brand should represent you and vice versa. This ensure authenticity and genuineness and that’s what creates a loyal listener base.

PRNEWS.IO: Could you elaborate on your approach to working with media coverage to promote podcasts? What tactics have you found most impactful in garnering attention from various media outlets and increasing podcast visibility?

Michelle Glogovac: Working with the media is a lot of relationship building, as is the podcasting industry. It’s all about finding the right journalist and knowing what story to share and ensuring the right timing. I have found that when a client has a good number of podcast interviews under their belt, then the media has examples to pull from, especially when it comes to television or radio interviews. We see a lot of pop culture, crime and political shows in the media because their listener base is large and because solving crimes and being on the brink of a presidential election are both newsworthy.

PRNEWS.IO: As a sought-after speaker, what are some essential tips you provide to publicists and groups on perfecting their podcast pitches?

Michelle Glogovac: Personalize your pitch and listen to the show before pitching to it! Podcast hosts want quality guests and when your pitch highlights the value the guest will bring and knowledge of who the show’s audience is, then it shows you’ve done your homework. Ensure the host knows you aren’t copying and pasting the same pitch email to an entire group of hosts by mentioning a specific episode and what you enjoyed or learned from it. Offer as much information as you can about the person being pitched and hyperlink everything to ensure the host doesn’t have to do any unnecessary homework or research to figure out who the potential guest is. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for the host to say yes from your pitch.

PRNEWS.IO: As a female CEO and founder in the podcast industry, what unique challenges or opportunities have you encountered, and how have they shaped your leadership approach and overall experience in the field?

Michelle Glogovac: Launching a new business in an industry that was also new to me at the time meant that I had to educate myself on every aspect of the business and podcasting industry. I ensured that I not only created processes and systems for how my business and podcast operate but I also have made sure I know how to do everything in my business from accounting to contracts to sales to marketing and everything in between. Ultimately, I launched a business in a field where I was an unknown just 6 years ago and I’ve worked hard to become an expert in it while running a profitable business and publishing a book on the topic.

I value relationships in all I do and the podcasting industry has been a great source for new relationships. Having my own show and guesting on other podcasts has allowed me to meet incredible people and create new friendships, collaborations and business opportunities.

I believe in paying it forward and am always more than willing to share what I know and what’s worked for me with anyone who asks. James Rhee said in his book Red Helicopter that kindness and math are all it takes to be a greater leader. I strive to always be kind and take time to understand my P&L in order to be not only an effective leader but one that people will want to work with.