What’s in a podcast interview? As it turns out, quite a lot. Whether you believe this was the year of the “podcast election” (a popular belief among many podcast industry leaders), there’s no doubt that interview podcasts are dominating and influencing the audio landscape.
Podcast interviews come in all shapes and sizes: comedic, spiritual, celebrity, self-help, and beyond. Each genre has its idiosyncrasies, such as “mic-drop” moments that help business and health podcasts achieve success when marketing on video platforms. While there are many tried-and-tested formats out there, don’t feel constrained by your category. Sometimes, the best way to stand out in a saturated marketplace is to blend genres. Consider the example of recording travel interviews on location.
Whatever your podcast, interviews are a great way of gaining new listeners and expanding the scope of your expertise. In a 2024 panel at Podcast Movement, industry experts shared what they believe makes a good interview podcast – from preparation to final cut.
Listen to the full panel on Podcast Perspectives
This Podcast Movement panel was moderated by Quincy de Vries (Senior Producer at Quill) and included Fatima Zaidi (Founder/CEO of Quill), The Podglomerate’s own Founder and CEO Jeff Umbro, as well as Jennifer Moss (co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at JAR Audio) and Annalise Nielsen (Head of Podcast Strategy and Development at Lower Street).
Don’t forget to listen to the full audio of this session on the Signal Award-winning Podcast Perspectives to get more tips and tricks on how to create a sensational podcast interview.
How to Create a Great Podcast Interview
The building blocks of your first podcast interview are simple. As The Podglomerate’s founder and CEO Jeff Umbro explains, it’s important to record an interview that people genuinely want to listen to.
“I know that sounds super obvious, but you’d be shocked at how frequently people are trying to make a show to meet a goal or an end. And not because it’s something that they’re actually intrigued by or interested in and want to learn more about.”
Put simply? Start with a topic or subject. Write down everything you’d expect to hear during an interview with that person. If you’re interviewing an athlete, it’s the convention to ask about their childhood heroes or their grueling training schedule. Instead of going for the expected angle, try coming up with unexpected (but respectful) questions.
For example, you could ask an athlete: “How has your sport shaped the way you approach challenges outside of competition?”
This will give your interview a fresh perspective that will engage your subject while also pulling in your listeners.
What Makes a Great Podcast Interview?
When it comes to creating a great podcast interview, Jennifer Moss believes you should find out as much as possible about your guest.
“The first thing I would do is just really consider what you’re working with – what raw materials are you working with? Who is your host? […] The second thing is who is your guest? Go look at other interviews that they have done. […] And then you ask yourself, do I want more of that or do I want to try and nudge them into something slightly different in order to offer my audience something special that’s unique to my show?”
Podcast guest research makes a difference
Once you have a fresh angle and have done your research, the next step is to approach your guest with questions that will get the most out of their expertise. And remember: not every interview will go exactly to plan. That’s okay! Be flexible in the interview to ensure your guest is comfortable. You’ll get a much better interview if your conversation feels relaxed.
Why not break the ice with a warm-up conversation? Most podcast software won’t start recording right away, so build in some time at the beginning of the interview to ensure your guest feels at ease.
How to Interview Someone For a Podcast
While you can’t anticipate every technical glitch, there are a few things you can do to ensure your interview goes as smoothly as possible. Check everyone’s mics, especially yours. Nerves can often lead to small mistakes that may cost you time and money in post-production. (If you need help with podcast production, The Podglomerate is here to help!). Here are some other things you should consider:
Find the right tone for your podcast guest
Jennifer Moss also offers a great reminder of why it’s essential to read cues and body language during your podcast interview.
“Athletes are infamously challenging to interview. Some are great, but there are many who. express themselves by throwing a ball, right? […] I find that it can be really helpful in those situations to ask for very particular pragmatic examples. And then you’re able to say, for example, ‘Hey, can you explain to me about the time that this happened and that you were able to achieve this thing?’”
Lean into your expertise (and passion)
It’s always easier to conduct a podcast interview on a subject you’re an expert in or are interested in learning about. But if you are a newbie to this topic, find another way to incorporate your skills. Are you a people person? Emphasize this while recording the interview by opening up or telling jokes (within reason, of course). If you’re a naturally organized person, invest time in preparation. If you’re a producer, pick a host that will compliment your interviewee. And if all else fails, your passion for the interview will carry you through.
How to Prepare For a Podcast Interview
It’s unlikely that your first interview episode will make it to publication, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. After doing your research and preparing excellent questions based on your expertise, you may think that you’ve done everything you can to prepare. Not true! As the panelists explained, there are other tips out there to help you nail that interview.
Make podcast episode plans
During the panel, the speakers universally recommended making episode plans to help you structure your interviews. Not only will this strategy help you produce and market your show across different media, but it will also give your interviews a level of consistency that listeners gravitate toward.
Fatima Zaidi recommends getting newbie guests or hosts on a call ahead of the interview. “A pre-call can sometimes really help because you can pre-draft the story arc and direction that you want to take your interview – and then you can create an episode plan based on the pre-call that you had.”
Have you considered thinking of your show as a series of mini-seasons? Even if you post every week, grouping your interviews thematically will help you plan. After all, structure can be a great solution to a lack of inspiration.
”You need to be a good Sherpa as an interviewer to try and guide people towards the direction that you want them to go,” recommends The Podglomerate’s own Jeff Umbro. “It’s nice to have that outline in the back of your head as you’re having these conversations. And hopefully, if you prepare enough, then you can prevent some of those tangents from occurring in the first place.”
Speaking of preparation, if you’re curious about how to be a great podcast guest yourself, be sure to check out our resource guide here.
Manage the expectations of your podcast guests
Here’s a difficult truth for some guests: not all of their content will make it into the final cut. Fatima Zaidi suggests managing the expectations of your guests ahead of time. “There’s so much footage that doesn’t make it into the final cut […] we’ll record for an hour, it’ll then be cut to about 25 minutes.”
Annalise Nielsen agrees with the idea of holding a pre-call ahead of your podcast interview. “ It’s helpful working with a producer or like an outside production company because then you can have somebody conducting that pre-interview [to] suss out and sort of guide that conversation.”
And as for staying on topic? “I’m okay with them veering off because ultimately it’s not going to make the final cut,” explains Fatima Zaidi. “The editors are responsible for manipulating the content for the final story arc, and that’s what you hire good sound engineers for.”
What if your guests ask for all of the questions in advance? Jennifer Moss doesn’t see this as an issue, especially if your guest is nervous, neurodivergent, or requires modifications for their recording. Just make sure it’s their preference, not just their controlling agents…
Set yourself up for podcast interview success
When it comes to getting the best possible outcome, Jeff Umbro has simple words of wisdom: “Practice. Prepare. Make sure you’re comfortable […] Also listen to a lot of podcasts.”
The best way to improve your podcast interviews is to record more interviews, whether they are video podcasts or simply audio conversations. After practicing with friends and brushing up on the subject, don’t be afraid to dive in. Even a “bad” interview can be salvaged in post-production.
5 Best Practices For Your Interview Podcast
- Ensure you’re adding value to your listeners.
- Aim for curiosity, rather than a pre-decided conclusion.
- Prepare questions with your guests ahead of time.
- Choose guests that suit your podcast audience.
- Break the ice with a pre-interview chat.
- Be respectful of your guest’s time.
Have questions? Interested in working with The Podglomerate to help improve your podcast interviews? Email us to learn more about our services.
