How to Host a Captivating Podcast Interview That Makes You and Your Guests Shine
Photo by Jonathan Velasquez on Unsplash
If you’ve ever conducted a podcast interview, you know they’re a lot harder than they sound! In reality, the smooth, entertaining podcasts you enjoy so much result from plenty of preparation and hard work.
The great news is podcast interviews become more enjoyable, productive, and popular as you hone your technique. Today, we’re looking at tips to help you avoid common pitfalls like putting a dull, dense, or disjointed podcast on the air.
As with most things in life, a little podcast prep goes a long way.
Know Your Subject
Think of your interview as a collaboration. If you don’t know your stuff beforehand, you’re asking your guest to do all the heavy lifting. You don’t have to be an expert on your interviewee, but you should know enough to make the conversation engaging.
Compelling questions are a critical aspect of a captivating podcast. But if you don’t adequately research your guest, you won’t know what questions to ask.
Dive into your subject’s social media and any other articles or other interviews they’ve done. Make mention of their accomplishments and any unique offerings they might have, like an online course or new book.
Prepare Your Questions Beforehand
“Winging it” is spontaneous and fun… until it’s not. Without a roadmap, your interview can meander into boring or off-topic territory, and that’s where you lose your listener. No matter how comfortable or familiar you feel with your subject, prepare those questions in advance.
And don’t ask the same questions everyone else does!
Consider the following when crafting your questions:
Basic is boring, and lazy is insulting. For example, avoid asking your guest what their book is about. Ask them why they think their book resonates so profoundly and what books have impacted them similarly.
Avoid yes or no questions. This is your guest’s time to shine. If you ask questions with one-word answers, you aren’t allowing them to share their story in a meaningful way.
Don’t assume. Leading questions set the tone and influence answers. For example, don’t say, “I’ll bet that was really upsetting for you.” Instead, ask how they felt and how they responded to those feelings.
Demolish Distractions
Podcast flow is very much like any other creative flow: Distractions are killer. You should have your interview in a quiet place with a closed door. Ideally, there should be no disruptions, and nothing should compete for your attention.
Mood killers include needy pets, unexpected visitors, etc. We’ve all been in a conversation where something popped up and caused us to lose our train of thought. Once lost, recovering the natural flow of a conversation is very difficult, especially if your guest feels like they aren’t your top priority.
Familiarize Your Guest With Your Show
Preparing for your interview includes helping your guest feel prepared. This step is simple and brief but can have a considerable impact. After all, you want your subject to feel comfortable enough to open up and be themselves.
Transparency means letting your subject know what they can expect.
Consider sharing:
Info about your audience
Details on how you’ll promote the interview
How much time you’ll need to conduct the interview
Anything they might need to know about format or style
Create a Pre-Interview Survey
A pre-interview survey is essential. If you haven’t been using one, you’ll love how much this simple step helps you feel more confident and prepared!
Depending on how much you already know or can find online, you might ask:
How do you pronounce your name?
What are your pronouns?
Where can people find you on social media?
Where can people buy your book?
What’s one thing about you that would surprise most people?
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Make your survey simple but effective. Some questions might seem obvious, but you never know! For example, someone might have a commonly mispronounced name. Or someone might prefer that people buy their book directly on their website instead of from another seller.
Read It, Watch It, Listen to It
If your subject has a book, film, documentary, or podcast, you know what to do! The best way to guide a meaningful, engaging conversation is with your familiarity and understanding. Also, if you’ve invited someone to discuss their work, they probably assume you know it!
Admitting mid-broadcast that you haven’t actually read the book can be awkward for you and frustrating for your guest. It’s also off-putting to your listeners.
There’s nothing worse than when a guest realizes a host hasn’t done their homework but wants to cash in on the hype. When you have sincere interest and enthusiasm, it’s contagious. Your listeners will develop curiosity and appreciation because you’ve already set the tone.
