How to Interview Someone for a Podcast

The key to learning how to interview someone for a podcast is realizing your job is to draw out a great conversation, not to perform. The best interviewers prepare thoroughly, then listen hard enough to follow where the conversation actually goes. Do that and even a nervous guest sounds compelling.

Here’s how to prepare, run and capture an interview that listeners stay with to the end.

Do your research before recording

Preparation is what separates a sharp interview from a generic one. Before the recording, learn enough about your guest to ask questions only they can answer. Read or listen to their recent work, note what they’ve already said elsewhere (so you don’t ask the same tired questions), and identify the angle that will be most interesting to your audience. Good research also signals respect, which relaxes the guest.

Prepare questions, but hold them loosely

Write more questions than you’ll need, then treat them as a safety net rather than a script. Strong interview questions are open-ended — they invite a story, not a yes/no answer. Group them into themes so the conversation has a shape. Lead with something easy to warm the guest up, save the most interesting or challenging questions for the middle, and end on a forward-looking or reflective note. Our guide to structuring a podcast episode helps you map this flow.

Listen more than you talk

The most common beginner mistake is mentally rehearsing the next question instead of listening to the answer. The gold is almost always in the follow-up — “why was that?”, “what happened next?”, “can you give an example?”. These unscripted follow-ups are where guests say things they’ve never said before. Resist the urge to fill every silence; a short pause often prompts the guest to add their best line.

• Ask one question at a time — stacked questions confuse guests.
• React naturally, but avoid talking over the guest (it’s hard to edit out).
• Don’t make it about you — your stories should set up theirs, not replace them.

Set the guest up for success

A relaxed guest gives a better interview. Spend a couple of minutes chatting before you hit record, explain roughly where the conversation will go, and reassure them you can edit out stumbles. Make sure their audio is solid before you start — bad guest audio is the number one thing that sinks interview episodes. If you’re booking guests in the first place, our guide on getting guests on your podcast covers the prep note that smooths all of this.

Capture clean audio

A brilliant interview is wasted if it sounds bad. For in-person interviews, mic both people separately. For remote, use a tool that records each person locally so the guest’s audio isn’t degraded by the call quality. Our walkthrough on recording a remote podcast interview covers double-ended recording and the common pitfalls. Record a few seconds of silence at the start of each side so you can clean up noise later if needed.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions should I prepare for a podcast interview?

Prepare more than you expect to use — a dozen or so open-ended questions grouped by theme is plenty for most episodes. You likely won’t ask them all, because good follow-ups will take the conversation in directions you didn’t plan.

Should I send questions to the guest in advance?

Sending themes or a few sample questions helps nervous guests prepare without making the conversation feel scripted. Avoid sending an exact word-for-word list if you want spontaneous, natural answers.

How do I handle a guest who gives short answers?

Follow up immediately with “why?”, “tell me more about that,” or ask for a specific example. Open-ended follow-ups and a comfortable pause usually coax a one-line answer into a full story.