Jess and Shanna do a pod swap after recording an episode together on Shanna's show the day before. They dive deep into how Shanna has been leveraging podcasting as a brand-building tool alongside her photography business for the past six years. You'll hear about her journey from starting her photography business in college to finding her niche in boudoir photography, and why she decided to start the Shine Podcast to reach and help women on a larger scale.

Shanna's Origin Story (3:30)

How she started photography while in college, moved into wedding photography in Las Vegas, and the humbling learning curve of working closely with experienced photographers who challenged her every day.

The Boudoir Photography Experience (9:34)

What boudoir shoots are really about, why they're so transformative for women, and how Shanna uses vulnerability during shoots to help her clients feel more confident about themselves.

Why She Started the Shine Podcast (7:13)

Her desire to help women on a larger scale after realizing how powerful her one-on-one connections were during boudoir shoots. The podcast as a way to build trust with past, current, and future clients.

The Real ROI of Podcasting (14:45)

Why direct conversion from podcast to client isn't the only (or best) way to measure success. How podcasting builds authority, trust, and visibility—the ingredients that matter long-term.

Guest Booking & Systems (22:20)

How her guest booking strategy evolved from cold outreach to having agencies (like Interview Connections) send her great guests, and why having that system in place makes consistency possible.

Podcast Promotion & Content Repurposing (24:18)

Her current strategy: email newsletter, Instagram, her website, and all major podcast platforms. Plus, her unexpected discovery about Pinterest as a hidden gem for podcast discovery—70% of her website traffic from social comes from Pinterest alone.

Pinterest for Podcasters (28:49)

Why Pinterest is a search engine (not just social), how pins live for a year or longer, and why it's worth 5 minutes a week of your time.

• Podcasting isn't just for direct client conversion—it's a trust-building and authority-building tool that shows up across your entire marketing ecosystem.
• If you can't see direct ROI from podcasting, zoom out. Your listeners are in your email list, following your socials, and becoming clients months later.
• A podcast host needs a system for guest booking to stay consistent. Having agencies or an outreach process means your calendar doesn't depend on you.
• Pinterest is criminally underrated for podcast promotion. It's a search engine where people are actively looking, and your pins live far longer than Instagram posts.
• Long-form content (like podcasts) lets you show up as yourself in a way short social media posts can't.

Shanna's Podcast:

• Apple Podcasts: Shine Podcast with Shanna Star
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinepodcastwithshannastar/

Shanna's Photography & Website:

• https://www.davistaphotography.com

Tools & Platforms Mentioned:

• Opus Clips: Affiliate Link
• Alloware (text marketing software, integrates with HubSpot