Podcasters & Guests. Get ready to fall in love with MatchMaker.fm

Manchester, England—Ask any of the million + podcasters out there what their biggest challenges are, and you’re likely to hear the same grumble: it’s hard to know where to find the right guests for my show. Given the crazy growth that the podcast industry is currently having, it’s insane to think that there’s no effortless global solution to this matchmaking problem. Until now.

Introducing MatchMaker.fm. A new platform offering the podcast industry free and easy connections to shows and guests. With it’s simple search and easy functionality it’s no wonder it’s been dubbed by many as ‘Tinder for podcasters.’

Launched just over a month ago, it is already on track to achieve 25,000 sign-ups within six months. The launch couldn’t come at a better time. Apple recently announced they’ve hit 900k shows on Apple Podcasts, with 50,000 new podcasts being added in February 2020 alone. With 60% of podcasts featuring interviews, there’s clearly a massive demand to match and introduce guests to shows.

And the best thing about MatchMaker.fm? It’s free for both podcasters and guests, so there’s currently no sign-up costs or subscription plans. For people looking to grow their personal brand or promote their business, the platform presents a free and easy means to turbocharge their marketing efforts and reach niche communities.

The site is the brainchild of disruptive tech entrepreneur James Mulvany, who is the founder of Podcast.co and Radio.co. James launched his first business in 2004 whilst he was still in college and since then has become a pioneer within the field of online radio, regularly working with brands like Vice Magazine and Unicef to create audio experiences for their audiences.

The concept was dreamed up over a year ago when James was considering how to widen his own marketing efforts and reach new podcasts. It’s taken the past year to plan, develop and launch the site with his existing Podcast.co team, making MatchMaker.fm a start-up within a start-up. Currently the team is 17-strong.

Within the first month, MatchMaker.fm has attracted 6,341 web visits, leading to 1,549 sign-ups, giving the MatchMaker team an impressive conversion rate of 25%. Currently sign ups favour guest profiles, but there’s a healthy 401 podcast’s listed, which is set to grow dramatically as the team’s marketing efforts increase.

Founder of MatchMaker.fm James Mulvany comments: “Working within the podcast industry, we’ve been aware there’s a gap in the market for a platform of this kind for some time. It’s a grumble that we’ve heard for many years from podcasters and those that want to appear as guests - that there’s no simple way to connect with one another. We’re passionate about bringing people together who otherwise wouldn’t be able to connect, be they one of the gaming industry’s most outspoken thought leaders or Canada’s most listened-to podcast on spirituality.

“Our platform is free and easy, and as a result we have seen insane growth. We’ve got a long-term strategy in place which includes introducing new functionality and eventually monetising it via premium features plus allowing brands to connect with podcasters and influencers. Our ambition is for MatchMaker.fm to become the authoritative global directory for podcast shows and guests.

“The great thing about podcasts is that they are often recorded remotely. We’re seeing more listeners turning to podcasts during self isolation for both advice and entertainment. MatchMaker.fm enables users to grow their network and be productive when they are self-isolating by arranging remote conversations with people all over the world.”

And so far, podcasters and experts are loving MatchMaker.fm:

“When we started our podcast, the biggest challenge I had was finding guests. However, using MatchMaker means that I can now find potential guests all in one place. The site is easy to navigate and I can use search filters to find and message people with the right credentials for our show. As a result, I have already scheduled 3 recordings and have more in the pipeline. With new people signing up on a daily basis, I’m excited to see who my next booking will be!” - Liam Quinn, Host of 20 Minute Marketing

"I have already booked four spots as a guest and received several guest pitches for my show, Social Entrepreneur. I could have paid a PR agent hundreds or thousands of dollars, and I don’t know if I would have landed on the right shows. MatchMaker lets me control my story with only a few clicks.” Tony Lloyd, host of Social Entrepreneur