If you listen to podcasts, you may have heard a Squarespace ad or two...or ten. Back when we purchased our first podcast ad in 2009 (when the ad read was a whole three whole minutes long!), we didn’t know what a viral sensation our prolific podcast advertising would become. Now, Squarespace is entering the fold in a new way by launching our own show with the help of the award-winning team at Gimlet Creative. Introducing Casting Call, a reality audio series hosted by Jonathan Goldstein that documents our search across America for the next great podcast.

On any given day, the majority of podcasts that top the charts are produced in a major metropolitan area (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Atlanta). Great ideas can come from anywhere, and we're hoping that our competition gives individuals who may have never considered starting a podcast before access to the tools and production resources that come along with being in these markets.  Squarespace is a platform that empowers individuals with creative ideas to succeed, so it’s no surprise that when we considered producing our own podcast content, we chose to stay true to that mission. We want to provide that extra push and source of inspiration people might need to get out there and start their next venture—be it creating a website or starting a podcast.

We’re looking forward to hearing new voices from all over, and are excited to give a platform to an exciting, up-and-coming talent in podcasting. Now through May 21st, we’re putting out an open (pod)casting call at castingcallshow.com for aspiring hosts from all over the country.

Submissions will be reviewed by our esteemed panel of judges, including: our founder and CEO Anthony Casalena; Nazanin Rafsanjani, VP of New Show Development at Gimlet Media; and Aminatou Sow, co-founder of Tech LadyMafia and co-host of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend. The judges will choose three finalists who will come to New York City to produce a pilot for their show at Gimlet’s studios. Each pilot will air as an individual episode of Casting Call and, at the end of the journey, one talented hopeful will be awarded their very own Gimlet mini-series and maybe even a Squarespace ad or two—because is a podcast even a podcast without one?

This fall, we’ll launch the podcast that documents it all. To follow along behind the scenes in the search, subscribe to Casting Call in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. The journey begins this September.

To submit, you must be legally present in the United States, be 18 years of age or older and meet all other eligibility requirements. Enter at www.castingcallshow.com.