Get sponsors · 7 min read
How to Get Podcast Sponsors
Big shows get sponsors through ad networks. Everyone else gets them the other way — by pitching brands that want their exact listeners. Here’s that way, step by step, with the emails to send.
In short: How to find podcast sponsors that fit your show, pitch them in a short email, price a simple package, disclose it right and get the renewal — with examples.
AI Hustle Team · Updated November 9, 2026
There are two ways a podcast gets sponsors.
One: an ad network, or your host’s ad marketplace, fills your ad slots for you. That mostly pays off when you have a lot of downloads.
Two: you pitch brands yourself.
The second way works at any size — because you’re not selling downloads. You’re selling who’s listening.
A cookware brand doesn’t need everyone. It needs people who cook dinner at home and trust the voice telling them which pan to buy.
This guide is the second way, step by step.
step 1Know exactly what you’re selling
Before you pitch anyone, write down three things:
- Who listens, in one line: “home cooks who want real weeknight dinners without takeout”
- Your real numbers, from your host’s stats: downloads per episode, and where listeners are
- What a sponsor can buy: a host-read mid-roll, a whole-episode sponsorship, a newsletter mention
Put it on one page. That’s your media kit.
Never round a number up. Brands can check, and the second deal depends on the first one being honest.
Add proof that your listeners act, if you have it: a listener email about a product, a poll you ran, a code a past sponsor’s listeners used.
NextStep 2 · Find brands that already sponsor shows like yours ↓step 2Find brands that already sponsor shows like yours
The easiest sponsor to pitch is one that already buys podcast ads.
So listen to the ad breaks on 20 shows in your niche — or read their show notes, where many list their sponsors. Write down every brand.
Then add smaller brands that don’t sponsor podcasts yet, but sell exactly what your listeners buy. With a small brand, the founder often reads the email.
| Brand | Seen in show notes of | Fits your listeners? | Contact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ironwood Pans | 3 cooking shows | Yes — cast iron for home cooks | partnerships@ironwoodpans.example |
| 2 | Saffron & Salt | 2 food shows | Yes — spice subscriptions | Contact form |
| 3 | Greenbasket Meal Kits | 4 lifestyle shows | Maybe — the weeknight angle fits | podcasts@greenbasket.example |
| 4 | Knifecraft Supply | Not sponsoring yet | Yes — beginner knife sets | Contact form |
| 5 | Hollow Oak Coffee | 2 morning shows | No | — |
Not every brand fits. A sponsor your listeners don’t want hurts the show more than an empty ad slot.
NextStep 3 · Pitch with one real detail ↓step 3Pitch with one real detail
A sponsor pitch is a cold email. The same rules apply: short, one real detail, one easy question.
Hi Ironwood team,
I heard your read on Weeknight Fork last month — the “one pan, ten years” line stuck with me.
I host The Slow Kitchen, a weekly show for home cooks who want real dinners on a Tuesday. My listeners write in about their pans more than anything else.
Can I send you our one-page media kit, with our real numbers and a simple 4-episode package?
— Rosa, The Slow Kitchen
In the US, CAN-SPAM covers this kind of email too: an honest subject line, who you are, your address, and stop if they ask.
Now notice what’s missing.
No download number in the subject line. No “we’d love to explore a partnership.” No 12-page deck attached.
Get a yes to the media kit first. Let the numbers do the rest.
NextStep 4 · Price it simply ↓step 4Price it simply
There’s no single standard price.
Ad networks often price by CPM — a rate per thousand downloads. Many direct deals use a flat price per episode or per month instead, which is easier for a small brand to say yes to.
Keep your packages to one page:
| Package | What the sponsor gets | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Test run | One mid-roll read in each of 4 episodes | A brand new to podcast ads |
| Monthly | A read in every episode, plus one newsletter mention | A brand that liked the test |
| Episode sponsor | Pre-roll, mid-roll and a show-notes mention | A launch or a big season |
Start with the test.
It lowers the risk for them — and gives you real results to show at renewal.
NextStep 5 · Follow up — brands plan budgets ahead ↓step 5Follow up — brands plan budgets ahead
Brands often set sponsorship budgets in Q4 and Q1. Pitch in May, and you may hear “come back in the fall.”
That’s not a no. That’s a date.
- Day 0The pitch
One real detail, one line about your listeners.
- Day 4Quick bump
“Floating this up — happy to send the media kit.”
- Day 12Something new
A listener email about pans, or a new episode on their kind of product.
- Budget seasonBack on their list
“Planning next quarter’s partners? I’d love to be considered.”
step 6Disclose every sponsor, clearly
This one is the law, not a tip.
In the US, the FTC’s endorsement guides say a paid endorsement needs a clear disclosure. If the endorsement is spoken, the disclosure should be spoken too.
- Say it at the start of the read — not buried at the end
- Use plain words: “This episode is sponsored by…” or “They paid me to tell you about this”
- Disclose free products too: “Ironwood sent me this pan to try”
- Disclose in posts and newsletters as well, not just the audio
- Only say what you actually believe about the product
Trust is what a sponsor is really buying from you.
A hidden ad spends it. A clear one keeps it.
NextStep 7 · Report back, then ask for the renewal ↓step 7Report back, then ask for the renewal
Sponsors renew when they can see what they got.
So when the run ends, send a short recap — real numbers only:
Sponsor recapWorkingSend it while the results are fresh. The best time to ask for the renewal is the week the run ends.
NextWhat to do this week ↓What to do this week
- 01Write your one-page media kit
Who listens, real numbers, 3 packages.
- 02List 30 brands
Half already sponsoring shows like yours, half that fit but don’t yet.
- 03Send 5 pitches a day
One real detail, one line about your listeners.
- 04Follow up on day 4 and day 12
Then again when budgets open.
- 05Script your disclosure
“This episode is sponsored by…” — first, every time.
Or hand the list and the pitches to your AI team, and spend the week making the show.
Questions
How many downloads do you need to get a podcast sponsor?
There’s no fixed number. Ad networks care a lot about downloads. Brands you pitch yourself care more about whether your listeners are their customers — a small, focused show can be a good fit for a small, focused brand.
How much should I charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Networks often quote a CPM, a rate per thousand downloads. For direct deals, many shows sell a flat test package first, then a monthly rate. Price what you can deliver, from your real numbers.
How do I find sponsors for a small podcast?
Read the sponsor lists in the show notes of shows like yours, then look for smaller brands your listeners already buy from. Pitch each one with a short email and one real detail, and follow up when budgets open.
Do I have to disclose podcast sponsors?
Yes. In the US, the FTC expects paid endorsements — and free products — to be disclosed clearly. In audio, say it out loud, at the start of the read.
What should a podcast media kit include?
Who listens, your real download numbers and where they come from, your ad formats and packages, an example of listener response, and how to reach you. One page is enough.
Sources
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