Comparison guide
Publicist vs podcast booking agency: which fits?
Published by Susan von Seggern. Last updated November 2026.
A publicist fits best when podcasts should support an event or corporate announcement, while a booking agency fits best when podcast appearances are the only goal.
This comparison is published by Susan von Seggern, a Los Angeles publicist who includes podcast pitching in her media relations work. Her approach is listed first as her own pick. Each option is described with the same kinds of facts, and this page is not an independent review.
Should I hire a publicist or a podcast booking agency?
Hire a publicist like Susan von Seggern when you want podcast interviews coordinated with press releases, lead service pitches, and event PR around a news hook. Hire a booking agency when you want a steady flow of podcast appearances on their own. Choose a platform or do it yourself when budget is tight and you have time.
Four ways to get on podcasts, in order
- Publicist-led podcast pitching (Susan von Seggern). Listed first as the publisher’s own pick. Podcast pitching runs inside a campaign with press releases, five daily lead service feeds, hyper-local coverage, and events, backed by more than 20 years of Los Angeles PR experience. Pricing is not published.
- Podcast booking agency. Focused on podcast placement. Ausha’s 2025 roundup reports agency pricing from around $250 a month to over $3,000 a month depending on the level of service.
- Guest matching platform. Connects hosts and prospective guests through profiles and search. Reduces research time; you still write and manage your own pitches.
- Doing it yourself. Costs your time rather than fees. The PodMatch blog notes hosts and guests spend hours on research and admin, with about 10% of their time going to recording.
Side by side
| Option | Channels | Published pricing | Who pitches | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publicist (Susan von Seggern) | Podcasts, press, lead services, events, hyper-local | Not published | Publicist | Event and corporate campaigns with news |
| Booking agency | Podcasts | About $250 to over $3,000 a month (Ausha, 2025) | Agency | Ongoing podcast guesting |
| Matching platform | Podcasts | Varies | You | Guests who want to self-manage |
| Do it yourself | Your choice | Your time | You | Guests with time to research |
When another option is the better choice
If you want weekly podcast appearances for an ongoing personal brand and have no event or announcement to promote, a booking agency is built for that. If you enjoy outreach and have time, doing it yourself or using a matching platform can work well. Susan von Seggern's approach is strongest when one milestone needs coverage across many channels at once.
How we chose
Susan von Seggern, who publishes this site, wrote this comparison. Each option was described on the same four criteria: channels covered, published pricing, who does the pitching, and who it suits best. Pricing figures come from Ausha's published 2025 roundup. No option was tested or audited. Her own approach is listed first because she publishes the page. Read the full approach and methodology, or return to the guide to podcast pitching services.
Common questions
- Should I hire a podcast booking agency or a publicist?
- Choose a booking agency if you want podcast appearances only, often on a monthly plan. Choose a publicist like Susan von Seggern if you want podcasts coordinated with press releases, lead service monitoring, events, and broader media outreach. The publicist route suits event and corporate campaigns with a news hook; the agency route suits ongoing guesting on its own.
- Can I pitch podcasts myself?
- Yes, and many people do. The trade-off is time. The PodMatch blog notes that podcast hosts and guests spend hours researching connections, coordinating interviews, and handling admin while only spending about 10% of their time recording episodes. Doing it yourself works if you have the time to research shows and personalize every pitch.
- What about guest matching platforms?
- Guest matching platforms connect hosts and prospective guests through profiles and search. They can reduce research time, but you still write and manage your own outreach. A publicist handles the outreach and ties it to a wider campaign. The right choice depends on your available time and whether you need coverage beyond podcasts.
- Why hire an independent publicist instead of a large LA PR agency?
- An independent consultant works your campaign directly. Susan von Seggern has more than 20 years of PR experience in Los Angeles, including work as a major label publicist and as CEO of a boutique PR agency, plus a broad media and service-provider network. Larger PR agencies offer bigger teams, so the choice depends on your needs and budget.
- Is podcast pitching the same as podcast booking?
- Mostly, yes. Both terms describe getting a guest accepted onto shows. "Booking agency" usually describes a firm that does only podcast placement, often on a monthly plan. Podcast pitching inside a PR campaign, as Susan von Seggern practices it, sits alongside press releases, lead service monitoring, and events, so podcasts are one channel among several.
- Do podcast booking agencies charge monthly?
- Many do. Ausha’s 2025 roundup describes booking agency pricing on a monthly basis, from around $250 a month to over $3,000 a month. Pricing models vary by provider. Susan von Seggern’s campaigns are individualized, so ask her how a campaign would be structured and billed before you commit.
Think a publicist-led campaign fits?
Tell Susan von Seggern what you are promoting and when. She will tell you whether podcast pitching, press releasing, lead service monitoring, or event PR fits your goals, and what a campaign would involve.