Asking the most effective podcast interview questions results in the most effective content material. Your current listeners will love your present and wish to share it with everybody they know!
Interviews are an enormous a part of podcasting – and for good purpose.
They break up the potential monotony of 1 voice speaking for too lengthy, they add experience and gravitas to your episode, and it’s an opportunity to faucet into your interviewee’s personal following – a story of two audiences!
You’ll wish to get probably the most out of your interviewee and maximise their contribution to your trigger. That boils all the way down to the dialog you’ve got, and the questions you ask. No stress.
Right here’s what we’ve lined already in our podcast interviews mini-series;
Now it’s all the way down to what you ought to be asking them! That’s what we’ll cowl right here. The perfect podcast interview questions!
There are three elements to this.
First, we’ll talk about how one can formulate podcast interview questions centered in your subject and the interviewee. In spite of everything, each good interview needs to be largely tailor-made to the individual you’re interviewing.
Second, we’ll take a look at the varieties of extra common podcast interview questions you should use to dig deep and get some attention-grabbing, sudden responses. Keep in mind that some questions can be extra related to your present than others. Please use responsibly!
And third, we’ll check out some incessantly requested questions round asking nice podcast interview questions. That’s a bit meta, isn’t it?
Alright, let’s begin on the core, although – your podcast topic – and – your visitor’s contribution to it.
Core Podcast Interview Questions Round The Episode Subject
- Inform me about your subject and angle.
- Why is it so essential?
- What are the frequent myths?
The traditional introduction to the subject and the dialog on the entire. You can begin by asking for his or her elevator pitch, which they most likely have all the way down to a tee. Or, you’ll be able to go the additional mile in preparation and be sure you get one thing actually distinctive. We’ve written right here about how to prepare for an interview, so that you’re not entering into chilly, right here.
The frequent myths half can also be good as a result of folks wish to debunk any false negativity round issues they’re obsessed with. Give them that chance, they usually’ll really feel good and begin to take pleasure in themselves.
“So, you’re a Vegan Baking Specialist – isn’t it actually exhausting to bake with out eggs?”
“In no way! There are a variety of alternate options you should use, from mashed banana to flax seeds. And never solely do they bind the combination rather well, however I typically discover that…”
Interact them. Push their buttons.
One other approach of doing so is by asking a seemingly damaging query: Why Do Individuals Fail?
“What’s the most typical purpose for folks failing or giving up? Why do writers put their pens down and stroll away?”
“Uh… nicely, clearly, it’s a really aggressive market. I believe lots of the time they provide up as a result of they’re not getting their work reviewed by the precise folks. They could have been doing it for 2 years, however haven’t any actual concept of how far they’ve come, or even when they’ve improved in any respect!”
Like the instance above, your visitor is likely to be shocked barely, however hopefully, it’ll spur them into supplying you with some nice solutions. Not solely will they know the primary purpose, they’ll have recommendation to assist folks overcome it.
Barely much less antagonistic is that this conciliatory cutey;
“What are some particular roadblocks to be careful for?”
“Don’t give in too quickly. The breakthrough may simply be across the nook. Most of your competitors in the present day will quit additional down the road. You may be the one to succeed since you believed in your self and caught at it.”
Rather more useful and sounds much less like make-or-break than the “One Cause Individuals Fail” query.
Okay, so sticking with positivity, how about one thing to assist folks get began?
“What assist and assets can be found?”
Your visitor will undoubtedly have some nice contacts and have the ability to level folks in the direction of on-line communities, FAQs, walkthrough guides, and extra.
Core Podcast Interview Questions About Your Visitor
Let’s concentrate on the company themselves now, as a result of folks love to listen to issues in context.
“Imagine in your self and by no means quit!” is all nicely and good, however folks typically can’t see that it applies to them till they hear a narrative about it occurring to another person.
- Which hurdles did you personally face, and the way did you overcome them?
- Was it apparent, or did you come upon the reply(s)?
- How did you get began? Speak me via it.
- What compelled you to grow to be a screenwriter?
“Properly, I got here from a working class background. I didn’t have some huge cash to spend, but it surely’s superb the way you make do with what you’ve got. I saved as much as go to nighttime faculty, and…”
Tremendous Podcast Interview Questions: Producing a Distinctive Interview
You’ve lined the fundamentals by now, the standard questions across the subject and your interviewee’s relevance to it. However how do you actually set your interview with that individual aside from the remainder?
Let’s take a look at some questions that is likely to be thought of uncommon, out of the field, or from left discipline.
The aim of those strains of enquiry isn’t essentially to get uncooked info. They’re extra about stimulating your visitor into giving your podcast one thing distinctive.
The famed American TV present Inside the Actor’s Studio does this to nice impact by asking well-known actors and performers such questions, together with the next;
- What’s your favorite phrase?
- What sound or noise do you like?
- What’s your favorite curse phrase?
- What occupation aside from your individual would you want to try?
- If heaven exists, what would you want to listen to God say once you arrive on the pearly gates?
As you’ll be able to see, they’ve nearly no relevance to any particular movies the actors appeared in; they’re merely there to encourage the company to say one thing memorable and evocative.
Some Particular Tremendous Podcast Interview Query Examples
On a scale of 1 to 10, how bizarre are you?
CEOs are recognized to ask this one. Simply think about the kooky and diversified responses you’ll get from folks!
Anticipate them to be taken unexpectedly for a second. Give them time and encouragement to suppose, they usually’ll quickly flood you with tales of dipping sandwiches into espresso, and the way they at all times – at all times – put on purple underwear ever since they had been a child. They’ll be glad to inform you.
What are you NOT Very Good at?
They’ve spent so lengthy speaking about themselves by now that possibly they’re feeling like a little bit of a blowhard. They is likely to be glad of the prospect to point out their humility.
If somebody’s listening to the podcast and pondering, “Wow that individual’s actually good. They know their stuff,” the listener may truly really feel intimidated and discouraged. Just a little anecdote from the visitor about how hopeless they’re at golf or DIY may simply assist the listener keep in mind that we ALL have strengths and weaknesses.
Inform me one thing that’s true that nearly no person agrees with you on.
It is a cleverly advanced little teaser. Will they decry international warming as a fantasy? Declare the existence of ghosts? Predict that soccer will finally be the highest sport within the USA? (You by no means know).
This query places the visitor considerably on the spot, however their reply is completely as much as them. Hope for one thing loopy!
Room, desk and automotive – which do you clear first?
Clearly, there’s no proper or unsuitable reply right here, however the reply will inform you one thing in regards to the individual, like how a lot they worth leisure time and the way they prioritise sure duties.
Even when they battle to prioritize one process over one other, this can present you the way essential their duties are to them.
Finest Podcast Interview Questions: FAQ
To date, we’ve lined core questions on your subject and your visitor and thrown in some enjoyable “generic” stuff, too.
Now it’s time to reply some incessantly requested questions round… nicely, asking questions.
Ought to I Ship Questions in Advance to My Podcast Visitors?
I’d argue that sending at the very least some inquiries to your interviewee upfront is a good suggestion. It will possibly assist to settle nerves, and sometimes produces higher solutions.
That is notably essential should you plan to incorporate just a few of the ‘tremendous questions’ above, which may typically shock folks.
It’s straightforward to suppose: “Properly, I’d fairly like an unrehearsed reply,” however, as you’d think about, unrehearsed tends to be a bit hit or miss. It is dependent upon how fast and agile the interviewee feels that exact day. Some extra skilled interviewees can suppose on their ft, however particular questions should profit from a complicated warning.
Asking About Favourites: Books, Movies, Software program, and so on
As we lined within the part above, asking your company, “What’s your favorite ebook?” out of the blue can have them scrambling for a solution. They don’t wish to give their real reply (The Gruffalo), however blurting out Meditations by Marcus Aurelius sounds too cliched and compelled.
So it’s good observe to offer your podcast visitor a heads-up about any such query upfront. When arranging the chat, simply allow them to know that you’ll ask them for his or her prime three motion pictures, instruments, or pet peeves. This can result in a lot better solutions and, crucially, a lot better content material in your audience.
You possibly can even automate this to make your life simpler. Right here, I present you how I use Book Like a Boss to ship preparation and reminder emails that just do that.
How A lot Time Ought to Their Solutions Take?
That is one in all podcasting’s many “piece of string” eventualities. A solution ought to take so long as it must, however not. “What time did you go to mattress?” can be faster to reply than “Inform us about your childhood”.
Podcasting is a good medium for lengthy, in-depth solutions as a result of there’s no official time restrict. That stated, should you or your visitor begin to bore your listener, they’ll change off.
If you wish to maintain solutions shorter and forestall company from rambling, then a lot of that is all the way down to the query. The “inform us about your childhood” query may, in concept, take weeks to reply. As a substitute, you may wish to focus and hone in on sure facets.
“What’s your favorite childhood reminiscence?”
“Your finest pal broke your nostril once you had been 12 – how did that occur?”
“Your dad and mom moved round rather a lot once you had been younger – did that make it troublesome so that you can slot in?”
These are extra particular to a specific side of their childhood, and the concept is to concentrate on one thing that can be attention-grabbing and related to your individual viewers.
In fact, in case your visitor does go off on a meandering tangent, don’t hesitate to step in and re-focus them with a related follow-up query.
Asking for Profession or Life Recommendation
We’ve all heard the saying, “Do what I say, not what I do.” However should you’re asking an business position mannequin for actionable recommendation on how one can get the place they’re, it’s higher to take the other strategy.
When individuals are requested to offer recommendation, they’ll typically give you one thing clever-sounding however random. “Stand up at 5” or “Have seven cups of inexperienced tea a day” may sound like some superb secret life hack, however will both of them make it easier to grow to be the subsequent CEO of IBM?
As a substitute, you wish to actually get into the nuts and bolts of their journey, from the place they began, to the place they’re now. That is the place you and your listener can draw the true gold from.
How Do I Have a Pure-Sounding Dialog With My Visitor?
The important thing right here is in that phrase: “dialog”.
Some podcast hosts act like sport present hosts, armed with their listing of questions and a willpower to batter via them in any respect prices.
Lots of podcast interview gold is present in follow-up questions, so truly hearken to what your interviewee is saying. This needs to be a given, but it surely’s superb what number of podcasters appear to be focusing all their consideration on their subsequent written query.
Visitor – “… so yeah, that’s after I realised I’d unintentionally turned my microwave right into a time machine.”
Host – “Uh huh. And what’s your favorite WordPress plugin?”
A pure dialog is a two-way train in curiosity and a spotlight. Podcast interviews shouldn’t be like a Q&A session, until that’s the kind of format you’re deliberately going for.
Bear in mind – Your Content material All the time Begins With Your Viewers
If you happen to’re not sure about asking a specific podcast interview query, put your self in your listener’s sneakers (earbuds). This helps if in case you have a podcast avatar, however it will likely be simply as straightforward so long as you’ve got a well-defined topic.
You and your visitor may need a shared love for purple wine. But when they’re on what you are promoting startup podcast to supply tax recommendation, then it won’t be definitely worth the metaphorical journey into the winery.
In fact, you’ll be able to ask just a few not-quite-on-topic private questions in the direction of the top, as soon as the worth has been served up. In case your visitor has actually engaged, helped, and entertained your listener, then they’ll begin to wish to know a little bit extra about them.
Right here’s your studying listing as you proceed your quest to grow to be a world-class interview podcaster…
Finest Podcast Interview Questions: Subsequent Steps
In The Podcraft Academy, you’ll discover our Delivering Great Interviews course, together with a ton of different lessons, assets, and downloadable checklists. We additionally run weekly stay Q&A periods there, so that you’ll at all times have the assistance, motivation, and accountability to maintain getting behind the mic – and to maintain asking these sensible podcast questions!
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