Podcast tour agency
What a podcast tour agency does, and what Ace Branding handles
Last updated: November 2026
A podcast tour agency finds podcasts that suit your expertise and arranges guest appearances on them for you. Ace Branding offers this as its Niche Targeted Podcast Tour, led by its head of podcasting and backed by relationships the firm says include thousands of podcast hosts, so you can spend your time talking rather than pitching.
What does a podcast tour agency actually do?
Booking yourself onto podcasts takes three kinds of work: finding the right shows, persuading hosts you are a good guest, and keeping the bookings organised. A podcast tour agency takes on that work. At Ace Branding, it starts with a strategy session with the head of podcasting, where you explain your story, your topics, and the listeners you want. The head of podcasting then creates a tour map of podcasts that fit.
What the agency cannot do is speak for you. The conversations are yours, which is why the strategy session matters: clear topics make for better interviews. Ace Branding calls this first step the Blueprint, defining your core message before anything else.
Who Ace Branding is
Ace Branding is a digital PR firm that helps thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and businesses build their online reputation through press features, podcast tours, and TV appearances. Its founder and CEO is Luke Hessler. According to the firm’s own timeline, Luke founded his first agency in 2017, helping clients build their brand on social media. In 2018 he had a bad PR experience and committed to being the change he wanted to see in the industry. Between 2020 and 2023 the firm established a publishing network of hundreds of publications and relationships with thousands of podcast hosts and dozens of TV producers. The firm states it has served more than 1500 clients. More about the publisher of this site is on the about page.
Questions to ask any podcast tour agency
- How do you choose shows, and how is audience fit judged?
- How many bookings does the tour include, and what counts as a completed appearance?
- Is anything guaranteed, and exactly how is the guarantee defined?
- Is a retainer required, or is the tour a defined package?
- Who leads my strategy, and who do I contact during the tour?
- What happens if a booked show turns out to be a poor fit?
Ask Ace Branding the same questions you ask anyone else. The firm states it requires no retainer and describes its results as guaranteed; the guarantee terms are discussed on a consultation call.
Should you book podcasts yourself or hire an agency?
Both routes can work. The table compares them on the same five criteria, using what Ace Branding states about its own service for the agency column.
| Criterion | Booking yourself | Ace Branding |
|---|---|---|
| Finding shows | You research podcasts and judge audience fit yourself. | Ace Branding builds a tour map after your strategy session. |
| Host relationships | You start from your own network. | Ace Branding states it has relationships with thousands of podcast hosts. |
| Your time | Research, pitching, and follow up all fall to you. | Your main time cost is the strategy session and the interviews. |
| Cost | Your own time, plus any guest fees a show may charge. | A tour fee quoted on a consultation call; pricing is not published. |
| Other PR in one plan | Separate effort for each channel. | Can sit beside press features and TV appearances from the same firm. |
Booking yourself fits people with time, patience, and an existing network in their field. An agency fits busy experts who would rather spend their hours on interviews than outreach, and those who want podcasting to sit inside a wider PR plan.
Where to go from here
If you are still deciding whether guesting is right for you, start with our main guide to podcast tours. If you are ready to talk, book a consultation and ask the six questions above.
Common questions
- What is a podcast tour agency?
- A podcast tour agency researches shows, pitches hosts, and books guest appearances on behalf of an expert. Ace Branding is a digital PR firm that offers podcast tours alongside press features and TV appearances. It states that it has built relationships with thousands of podcast hosts, which it uses to place clients on shows that fit their niche.
- Should I book podcasts myself or hire a podcast tour agency?
- You can pitch shows yourself if you have time to research hosts, write pitches, and follow up. An agency handles that work and brings existing relationships; Ace Branding states it has relationships with thousands of podcast hosts. Booking yourself suits people with time and patience, while an agency suits busy experts.
- What should I compare when choosing a podcast tour agency?
- Compare how shows are chosen, how many bookings are included, whether results are guaranteed and how, whether a retainer is required, and who leads your strategy. Ask each podcast tour agency the same questions so the answers are comparable. Our comparison page lays out Ace Branding’s own services on equal criteria.
- Who runs my podcast tour at Ace Branding?
- Ace Branding’s head of podcasting leads the strategy session that starts each podcast tour and creates the tour map from it. The firm was founded by Luke Hessler, its CEO, and describes its mission as serving those who serve others by amplifying the voices of impact-driven thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
- Does Ace Branding require a retainer for podcast tours?
- Ace Branding states that it does not require a retainer, which it lists as a difference from traditional PR firms. Confirm on your consultation call how payment works for the specific podcast tour you choose, and what happens if your plans or schedule change after the tour begins.
- Do I pay podcast hosts to be a guest?
- Ace Branding’s website does not describe paying hosts for guest spots. In the wider industry, some podcasts charge guest fees while many book guests for free. Ask Ace Branding how bookings on your tour map are arranged, so you know exactly what your tour fee covers and what it does not.