It can be hard to come up with new ways to make your remote interviews stand out when you’re starting and hosting a podcast. After all, it seems like everyone has an interview-style podcast these days. Â.
There are 50 great podcast questions in this post that will help you make your interviews more interesting for your listeners. Today, we’ll talk about what makes a good interview question and what you should never ask. And of course, weâll tackle the ever-present question: should you send interview questions ahead of time?Â.
As a podcaster, one of the most important skills you can develop is asking thoughtful, engaging interview questions. The questions you ask your podcast guests are crucial in shaping the episode and determining whether listeners will tune in.
When interviewing a fellow podcaster, you have the opportunity to provide unique value to your audience. Podcasters have a wealth of insights to share from their experiences creating shows, building audiences, and running their online businesses.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to craft podcast host interview questions that hook your listeners.
Getting Started with Podcasting Interviews
Before we dive into specific podcast host interview questions, let’s cover the basics of prepping for these kinds of interviews.
Research Extensively
Always start by listening to a few episodes of your guest’s show. Make notes on their interview style, niche, tone and production quality. This gives you an idea of their expertise and perspective.
You can also check out any past interviews they’ve given to learn more about their story Identify unique angles that haven’t been covered before
Structure with Intent
Think carefully about your interview structure. You’ll likely want to start with a personal backstory, before transitioning into podcasting-specific questions.
End by offering actionable takeaways for aspiring podcaster listeners. Share links to resources so you provide extra value.
Set Expectations
Be clear with your guest upfront about the direction and purpose behind your interview This allows them to prepare relevant anecdotes and advice.
Some guests may want your questions in advance too. Sharing a loose outline helps put them at ease.
Now let’s explore some specific podcast host interview questions you can ask.
Podcast Backstory Questions
Kicking off your interview by learning more about your guest creates rapport. Before diving into podcasting specifics, get to know them with questions like:
- How did you get your start in podcasting? What was your journey?
- Were you working in another field before switching to podcasting? What prompted the pivot?
- What sparked your initial interest in podcasts? Was there a specific moment you decided to start?
- Tell us about your life before podcasting. What were you up to career-wise?
- What’s your origin story? Can you tell us about your background and early career days?
Starting with backstory introduces your guest effectively. Now you can move into more niche podcasting questions.
Podcast Process Questions
These process-focused questions uncover your guest’s approach to podcast production:
- Walk us through your process for creating an episode from start to finish.
- How do you schedule your recording and production? Do you batch record episodes?
- What does your show prep look like before each episode? Do you outline?
- How long does it take you to record and edit a typical episode?
- Do you have a consistent structure for each show? If so, can you explain this?
These questions reveal the behind-the-scenes work of podcasting. Your audience will appreciate this insider perspective.
Podcast Production Questions
Next, dive deeper into the technical side of podcast production:
- What equipment do you use to record and produce your show?
- Do you edit your own episodes? If so, what editing tools or software do you rely on?
- Do you use any tools to automate parts of the production process? If so, which ones?
- How did you build your intro/outro music and branding assets? Did you work with pros?
- Walk us through the post-production process. What does your editing workflow look like?
Discussing tools and workflows provides actionable tips for new podcaster listeners. They’ll learn exactly how to improve their productions.
Podcast Guest Questions
Your audience will be curious about your guest’s approach to booking podcast guests too:
- How do you get great guests for your show? What’s your process for booking interviews?
- Do you have any tips for attracting big-name guests as a newer podcast?
- What advice would you give someone trying to get booked as a podcast guest themselves?
- Are there any tactics or tools you use to make your guests comfortable during interviews?
- How far in advance do you book podcast guests? Do you schedule out episodes way ahead of time?
These questions offer valuable advice for anyone trying to get their own podcast off the ground.
Podcast Audience Building Questions
Growing an audience is crucial. Ask your guest:
- How did you build up your podcast listener base to where it is today?
- What tactics or platforms were most effective for growing your listenership?
- How do you engage with your podcast community? Do you leverage forums, social media, etc?
- What mistakes did you make early on around audience growth? What would you do differently?
- Do you have any unconventional tips for getting a new podcast discovered?
Your listeners will appreciate actionable growth strategies from an experienced podcaster.
Podcast Business Questions
If your guest runs their podcast as a business, ask:
- When and how did you monetize your podcast? What revenue streams do you leverage?
- How did you attract sponsors and negotiate your first deals? Any advice?
- What have been your biggest lessons around the business side of podcasting?
- Do you have staff who help with your show? If so, what roles do they fill?
- What tools or systems do you use to run the business side of your podcast?
These questions reveal how to successfully commercialize and scale a podcast.
Podcast Challenges Questions
Your guests will surely have faced challenges too. Ask:
- What’s the hardest part of running your podcast that outsiders don’t realize?
- Have you dealt with podcast burnout before? If so, how did you overcome it?
- What’s something you know now that you wish you knew when you first started podcasting?
- What mistakes have you made over the years? What lessons did you learn from slip ups?
- If you could start over again in podcasting, what would you do differently?
Being vulnerable builds trust with your audience. They’ll relate to the struggle on the path to success.
Lightning Round Questions
End your podcast interview on a fun note with rapid fire questions like:
- What’s your favorite podcast episode you’ve recorded and why?
- Who’s your podcasting icon?
- What’s one unconventional hack you rely on to run your show?
- If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the podcasting landscape, what would you change?
- What excites you most about the future of podcasting?
Pop in a few lighter questions to wrap up your time together.
Wrapping Up Your Podcast Interview
To close out the episode:
- Offer your guest a chance to share any final thoughts.
- Share where listeners can find your guest and their show online.
- Thank your guest sincerely for their time and insights.
Ending on a grateful, positive note leaves everyone feeling great about the experience.
Key Takeaways for Crafting Engaging Podcast Interviews
- Research your guest extensively to identify unique angles.
- Structure your interview thoughtfully to provide maximum value.
- Ask backstory questions first to introduce your guest properly.
- Dive into specifics around podcast processes, production, guests and business.
- Don’t shy away from challenges. Being vulnerable resonates.
- Wrap up with fun lightning round questions to end on an upbeat note.
Preparing compelling podcast host interview questions requires effort. But it pays off in spades through episodes that captivate audiences and guests alike. So be intentional, get creative and craft questions that uncover fascinating insights.
Your listeners will thank you for it!
50 Podcast Interview Question Ideas for 2024
Did you know that interview formats are preferred by 2044 percent of podcasters? This makes it important to stand out, and with interviews, it all starts with the questions you ask.
There may be more than one best podcast question, depending on your niche and the guests you talk to. Do you talk to famous people, experts in your field, authors, friends, and family? Podcast topics can be serious or funny, personal or professional, or academic or casual. Because of this, some of these questions may be better for your show than others. But a good podcast interview question always has the same goal: what will your guest say that will be useful to your audience about who they are, how they think, or what they know?
Start with the video below and then check out our list on podcast question ideas.
There are four types of possible interview questions on our list: personal questions, silly or off-the-wall questions, questions about their industry or area of expertise, and closing questions that will show professionalism and style.
- What do people misunderstand about you most?
- Whatâs your favorite childhood memory?
- How did you meet your spouse/significant other?
- Who or what was your biggest mistake, and what did you learn from it?
- What would you like people to remember most about you?
- Whatâs the best compliment youâve ever gotten?
- Whatâs an âinsultâ youâve received that youâre proud of?
- How would your parents describe what you do?
- What’s a funny story your family tells about you?
- Which holiday movie is your favorite? What does that say about you?
- What has been your favorite job youâve held?
- What has been your least favorite job to date?
- What would you tell yourself if you could go back and talk to yourself when you were 18?
- Talk about the three most important people in your life and how they changed you.
- What does your morning routine look like?
- Where would you choose to live if you could?
- Who would you want to have coffee with from history if you could?
- What was your favorite subject in school?
- What was your favorite trip youâve ever taken?
- What star sign are you?
- What Enneagram type are you?
- Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
- What would you buy with $10 million if you won it tomorrow?
- What would you write about if you had to write a book tomorrow?
- What is your biggest pet peeve?
- In five years, how do you think the world will look?
- In fifty years, how do you think the world will look?
- What would you eat if you could only have one meal a day?
- What would the title of the book be called if your worst enemy wrote it?
- What does your favorite color say about you?
- What was one surprise that your business or venture did that you didn’t expect?
- Which of the following is not true about your job or field of expertise?
- What is the hardest thing about your job, business, or project right now, and how are you dealing with it?
- Tell me about the most important thing you’ve learned at work.
- What do you think is the most important personality trait or strength someone would need to work in your field and do well at your job?
- How would you help someone who is just starting out in their career?
- Who has been your most important professional mentor?
- What is one thing that your job taught you that you believe everyone should know?
- Did you always want to be a [insert profession here]?
- What is one thing that almost no one agrees with you about in your job or field?
- Whatâs your favorite productivity hack for entrepreneurs?
- What time of day do you work best?
- What underrated tool(s) are indispensable for your job?
- What kind of business would you start if you could?
- It’s not your job, but what job would you like to try?
- Which three books do you think my readers should read, and why?
- Which three movies do you think my audience should see, and why?
- Which three other podcasts would you suggest I listen to, and why?
- Who or what would you have asked me if I had asked that question?
- Where can listeners find you online?
Do Your Research
You should not go to the interview without knowing some basic facts about your guest; it will appear rude and unprofessional. But beyond that, learning about your intervieweeâs life and achievements will likely spark more question ideas.
Are you interviewing the CEO of a company? Research their industry as well. Find out as much as you can about your guest’s area of expertise. This will help you come up with interesting questions that your guest may not have been asked a hundred times before.
Social media can be a great research tool, too. Find your intervieweeâs Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn feeds and see what theyâre posting about. You can also ask your fans to send you questions for an upcoming interview and tag them in a post on your own page, as long as they agree.
Top 5 UNCOMMON Interview Questions to Ask On Your Podcast or Video Interviews
FAQ
How to ask good interview questions for a podcast?
