Why You Need A Podcast Guest Release Form (and How to Write One)

 Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Lazy Girl's Guide to Podcasting. And in this episode, we are going to be talking all about podcast, guests, release forms, and how to write one. If you're running a podcast and have the privilege of interviewing awesome guests, you know how important they are to your show.

Podcast guests can get fresh perspectives, engaging stories, and valuable insights that keep your audience hooked.

But have you ever considered the legal side of things when it comes to having guests on your show?

Well, that's where a podcast guest release form comes in.

In my opinion, this is an essential document that protects both you and your guest from any legal issues that may arise from the use of that voice image or likeness on your show.

It's a simple, yet vital step that can save you a lot of headaches down the road. So in this episode, I wanted to take a closer look at why having a podcast guests release form is so important, what it should include and how to get one that works for you and your guests.

So, first of all, what is a podcast guest release form?

Well, quite simply it's a document that gets you permission to use a guest's voice, image, and likeness on your show. It's a standard agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of the guests or parents on your podcast include. Including how the guests image and voice will be used, what compensation, if any, the guests will receive and any other legal considerations.

If you search internet forums and Facebook groups, you'll likely find podcast is falling into one of three groups. As far as podcasts, guest release forms are concerned.

The first group of people have never had an issue with guest and just do not see the point in a podcast guest release form at all. Some even argue that it's a barrier for that guest coming onto the show is it's just another task with a guest to complete.

The second group, and this is very much, like I said, want to protect themselves their business, their show, and their guest and whether or not they've had issues with a guest in the past have implemented a guest release form as part of that guest onboarding process.

And the third group of people I find have never heard of a good podcast guest release form, and therefore don't have much of an opinion about them.

And if this is you, this is a hundred percent the episode for you.

So let's carry on.

First of all, we've got written at guest release forms or written guest release form is my personal approach. Granted, I have a background in health care where the golden rule is very much, if it isn't written down and it didn't happen, but I like to have the certainty of everyone knowing what they're agreeing to, with nothing being left out.

Once signed, I store all of my guests release forms with my recorded episodes.

Pros of a written guest release form is that it protects your brand. You and your podcast protects your guests and also makes your podcasts look super professional. In my opinion. Cons of a written guest release form is that they can take a bit of time to set up. Guests might not see the relevance and not complete them. And guest might see the form as a barrier to guesting on your show.

What some podcast is preferred to go with. It's a verbal guesttro release form. They see this as a much more relaxed approach to guest release forms and opt for that verbal agreement instead. This can be seen as a lot easier than a physical form as this conversation can quickly take place before your guest recording. Also, a lot of podcasts is just, don't see the need to go down a more formal route to physical forms.

Personally, I prefer not to have a verbal agreement, as I said, I'm biased from my healthcare background. But I just like to know that things have written down and that I can prove an agreement. Should I need to pros have a verbal guest release form is that they are easier to organize than a written guest release form. Guests might prefer the more informal approach. And also you don't have to chase guests to sign a release form.

However, cons of a verbal guest release form is that there's no proof of the agreement actually taking place unless it's been recorded. You might forget to include something in your explanation and you might not feel you're providing your podcast with enough protection. So why is a podcast guest release forms so important?

Having that guest release form is essential for you and your guest. My opinion only, but a lot of other podcasts is, would agree with me for you. It protects your podcast and your brand from any legal issues that may arise from the use of your guests, voice or image. Imagine if your guest turns around in a few months, time and demands that you remove any trace of them from your podcast and your podcast, promotional materials.

What's a nightmare could that be, you might even have future episodes where you refer back to the episode, your guest appeared on that could also be affected by this demand.

Well, it, guests release form can help you in such a situation.

Why?

Because by setting out from the beginning who was in charge of the final content can reduce issues and confrontations down the road for your guests.

A guest release form provides them with the peace of mind that that voice and image will not be used in any way that is harmful to them or their reputation. It also explains from the outset that you, the podcast are in control of the interview content and how it is produced and distributed.

As the podcast host, you are responsible for the content that you create and share with your audience. And this means that you need to be careful about the images and voices that you use on your show.

Without a podcast guest release form, you could be at risk of legal action. If a guest feels that that image or voice was used in a way that was harmful to them.

This could include anything from defamation to evasion of privacy.

Legal considerations and liabilities without a release form. So without a cord cost guest release form, you could be opening yourself up to a range of legal issues.

For example, if a guest claims that that voice or image was used without their permission or in a very worst case scenario, although very likely, although very unlikely you could be at risk of a lawsuit.

Additionally, if a guest image or voice is used in a way that's harmful to their reputation, you could be held liable for those damages.

So with all of that in mind, how do you even go about creating a guest release form?

First of all, research. Start by researching sample podcasts, guest forms to get an idea of what should be included. You can find examples online or ask other podcasters for their recommendations.

Step two; create a template. Once you have an idea of what should be included, create a template that you can use for all of your guests. This will save you so much time in the long run and ensure that you ensure that all of your guests are on the same page. If you are wondering where you can get a guest release form template from there is this amazing bloke called Gordon Firemark, he is an entertainment lawyer, and if you had to the show notes, then he has got a template for a guest release podcast form which is a hundred percent free and can be customized to your podcast. Jot form have also got a guest release template available on that platform. As I said, both of these templates are free and if you go to the show notes, then I have included links for both of them now.

And step three is customize the form. Once you've got your template, whether you've created this yourself, or you've used a download from someone else, make sure that you do customize it for each guest by adding their name, contact information and any other relevant details. And finally, most importantly, get it signed before your guest appears on your show and make sure that they sign the release form. And this can be done electronically or in person.

You might be asking yourself, will you ever need to enforce your podcast guests release form?

And I'm going to be honest. I really hope not. And this is why I've seen so many podcasts to say that they just don't bother with guest release forms because they've never known anyone to have to enforce one. And there's nothing wrong with that train of thought.

But I personally would just prefer to are on the side of caution. If you do ever need to enforce your guest's release form, I'd highly recommend getting advice from someone who is qualified in this area of law and also in your legal jurisdiction.

If you are now thinking to yourself, well, actually I want some more help integrating a podcast release form into my work flow then I would really, really encourage you to check out our online master class. The Elite Onboarding Masterclass. This masterclass is for you if you find yourself spending way too much time with a manual podcast workflow, you feel that things are getting missed when you're booking and hosting clients on your podcast.

You're worried that your podcast workflow just doesn't match the same professionalism as the rest of your business; you want to make a good first impression to potential podcast guests giving them the sense of premium experience, and most importantly, and relating back to this episode, you want to know how to implement a guest release form in your podcast onboarding guest management workflow.

If you're interested in joining the Elite Onboarding Masterclass, then do check out the link in the show notes. I absolutely loved this masterclass. It was one of the first ones that I put together because I had just had so many people saying to me who were coming onto my show as guests "this is an amazing workflow, you need to be teaching this to people because I want a process that is as slick and as easy to follow as yours." So do check out the early onboarding masterclass. As I said, link in the show notes.

But in conclusion, having a podcast guest release form is an essential step in running a successful podcast. It protects both you and your guest from any legal issues that may arise from the use of that voice image or likeness on the show.

So, if you do not have a podcast guest release form in place, I would highly recommend that you check out those free links for Gordon Firemark the entertainment lawyer, and also for JotForm in the show notes in the description box below because they do give you those free templates and resources.

If you are looking to go a little bit further and you want to make sure that your entire guest onboarding and management process is really on point for your podcast, then I would urge you to check out the Elite Onboarding Masterclass.

Otherwise I will see you next episode.