You've probably heard the conversation around “pay to play” podcast interviews. A guest pays to be on a podcast, or a podcaster pays a guest to appear on their show. And naturally, that raises some ethical questions. Is it okay? Should you do it? Should you allow it?
Here's what I want you to know right up front: it is okay to pay for podcast interviews, with some important caveats and considerations. Whether the money is flowing from you to a guest, from a guest to you, or through a booking service, paying for podcast interviews isn't automatically unethical. But there is one area where the ethics are crystal clear, and that's disclosure.
Let's walk through four guidelines to help you navigate the ethics of paying for podcast interviews so you can make the right decisions for your podcast, your audience, and your business.
1. It's okay to pay to interview a guest on your podcast
Whether you're paying a guest directly to appear on your podcast or paying a service, agent, or agency to book that guest for you, this is absolutely okay.
Think about it. You already pay for plenty of things to bring value to your audience. You pay for gear, for podcasting tools, for experiences you want to share. Paying for a guest is really no different. You're investing in the value your audience receives, and your audience doesn't need to know that you paid for it or how much you spent (unless you want to tell them).
Some celebrities and popular figures charge to appear on podcasts, and that's a legitimate part of how they make their income. Being a guest takes time, and many of these guests see their appearance as a service they're providing. They're lending their expertise, their authority, and sometimes even promoting the episode to their own audience. They may feel they deserve compensation for that, and honestly, that's fair. You just have to decide if paying for a guest is right for your budget and your podcast. But ethically and legally, you're in the clear.
2. It's okay to pay to be a guest on another podcast
Now let's flip the direction. This is where things can feel a little more complicated, but the ethics are still straightforward.
Maybe you want to get on someone else's podcast and they charge for guest spots. Or maybe you sponsor their show and a guest appearance is part of the deal. This is the “pay to play” scenario, and it can be a smart business move. Being a guest on another podcast gives you the opportunity to promote your products, services, or expertise to a larger or more targeted audience. As a business expense, it can be a worthy investment.
A friend of mine recently paid around $10,000 to be a guest on a podcast. And that might sound wild, but it paid off. They made far more than that from the sales generated by that single appearance. For them, it was an excellent advertising investment. For you, it might be worth it too, whether you're growing your podcast, your business, or just trying to get your message in front of the right people.
If you want help getting booked as a guest, a couple of services I respect and highly recommend are Interview Valet and Interview Connections. Both have been doing this for a long time and both are run by great people (Tom Schwab and Jessica Rhodes, respectively). They can help you become an expert guest on other podcasts.
Paying to be a guest makes the most sense when you have something to sell and you see the appearance as an advertising opportunity for your expertise, products, or services. And as the guest, you don't need to worry about disclosing that you paid to be there. That responsibility falls on the podcaster.
3. Podcasters must disclose if they're getting paid to feature a guest
This is where the ethics become black and white. If you are being compensated to feature a guest on your podcast, you must disclose that to your audience. Period.
I covered disclosures in much more depth in You MUST Disclose Whenever You’re Compensated (episode 374), so I highly recommend checking that out for the full picture on affiliate disclosures, sponsorships, and more. But here's the core principle: if you are being paid or compensated in any way to feature something or someone on your podcast, you need to tell your audience. This isn't just an ethical best practice. It's a legal requirement under the Federal Trade Commission's guidelines in the United States, and similar laws exist in many other countries as well.
“Compensation” doesn't just mean money, either. If you're receiving free products, free services, free opportunities, or anything of value in exchange for featuring a guest, that counts. You need to disclose it.
Now, you might be thinking, “If I tell my audience that a guest paid to be on my podcast, they might not trust me or the guest as much.” And honestly? That's true. But that's actually a good thing.
Here's why. When you consistently disclose whether you are or aren't being paid for something, you build trust with your audience over time. I recommend disclosing both directions. Tell your audience when you are being compensated and when you're not. That way, your audience sees a pattern of honesty. They learn that your recommendations and your guest choices are based on genuine value, not on who's paying you.
I practice this myself. There are products I've recommended for years without earning a penny, like Audacity and Hindenburg Journalist. Services like Interview Valet and Interview Connections used to have affiliate programs, and I recommended them before, during, and after those programs existed. I also have affiliate relationships with other products, and I disclose those too. My goal is for you to know that I recommend things I truly believe in, regardless of whether I'm getting paid. And by disclosing consistently, I hope that trust comes through.
So don't feature a guest just for the paycheck. Feature them because of the value they bring to your audience. And then be honest about the financial arrangement. The more you disclose, the more your audience will trust you. The FTC requires disclosure when compensation is involved, and your audience deserves that transparency. Let them make informed decisions about how they receive your content.
4. You don't need to disclose if a booking service was used
This is a question that naturally follows the disclosure conversation: what about booking services?
If you're using a service like Interview Valet, Interview Connections, PodMatch, or similar platforms to find guests or get booked as a guest, you don't need to disclose that. These are third-party tools, and using them doesn't change the ethics of featuring a guest or appearing on a podcast. (I'm an affiliate for some of these, but I recommend things I truly believe in, regardless of earnings.)
The key distinction is where the money goes. A podcaster might be paying for a booking service. A guest might be paying for a booking service. But as long as the guest is not paying the podcaster directly, there's nothing the podcaster needs to disclose. It's the same as paying for any other tool or service that helps your podcast run smoothly.
However, if there's an arrangement where the guest does pay the podcaster (even if a booking service is also involved), that circles right back to the disclosure requirement in the previous section. The podcaster must disclose that compensation. The rule stays the same: if you're being paid to feature someone, say so.
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Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship. I may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.
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