> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.podscan.fm/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# Searching for People, Brands and Influencers

The People and Brands search helps you research individuals and organizations mentioned across the podcast landscape. Use it to find influencers, track brand mentions, identify frequent guests, and discover potential collaborators.

## Accessing People and Brands Search

1. Navigate to **Search** in the main navigation
2. Click the **People and Brands** tab

## What You Can Find

Podscan extracts and indexes entities mentioned in podcast transcripts:

* **People**: Hosts, guests, experts, celebrities, industry figures
* **Organizations**: Companies, brands, institutions, agencies
* **Influencers**: Frequent podcast guests and hosts in your niche

## Search and Sort Options

### Sorting Options

* **Best match**: Relevance-based results
* **Name A to Z / Z to A**: Alphabetical sorting
* **Type**: Group by person vs. organization
* **Most hosting**: Find frequent podcast hosts
* **Most guesting**: Find frequent podcast guests
* **Most mentions**: Find frequently discussed entities

### Filtering Options

* **Entity type**: Person or Organization
* **Industry**: Field of operation
* **Appearance type**: Guest, Host, or Sponsor
* **Appearance count**: Minimum threshold for appearances
* **Search in**: Name, Company, Occupation, or Industry fields

## Understanding Results

Each result shows:

* **Entity name**: The person or brand
* **Type indicator**: Person or Organization badge
* **Company affiliation**: For individuals, their organizational context
* **Occupation**: Professional role
* **Industry**: Field of operation
* **Appearance counts**:
* Guest appearances: How often they appear as a guest
* Hosting appearances: How often they host
* Sponsorship appearances: How often they sponsor content
* **URLs**: Digital presence links when available

## Practical Use Cases

### Finding Guest Opportunities

1. Search for topics in your niche
2. Sort by **Most guesting**
3. Identify people who frequently appear on podcasts
4. These are proven podcast guests who may be open to your show

### Identifying Industry Influencers

1. Filter by **Industry**
2. Sort by **Most mentions**
3. Discover who's being talked about most in your space
4. Add promising names to a List for tracking

### Researching Potential Guests

Before inviting someone to your podcast:
1. Search their name
2. See their appearance history
3. Identify which other shows they've been on
4. Use this for outreach: "I noticed you were on [Show X]..."

### Competitive Brand Tracking

1. Search for competitor brand names
2. See how often they're mentioned
3. Identify which podcasts discuss them
4. Monitor their mention frequency over time

### Finding Sponsors Active in Your Niche

1. Filter by **Appearance type: Sponsor**
2. Search within your industry category
3. Build a list of brands sponsoring similar podcasts
4. Use for sponsorship outreach

## Adding to Lists

Click **Add to List** on any person or brand to:
* Track their mentions over time
* Build media contact lists
* Organize influencer research
* Create sponsor prospect lists

## Tips for Effective People/Brand Search

* Use specific names rather than generic terms
* Try company name variations (e.g., "Microsoft" and "MSFT")
* Filter by Industry to reduce noise
* Use appearance count filters to find active participants
* Combine with Episode search for complete context
* Sort by Most guesting when looking for potential podcast guests
* Check URL links when available for direct outreach