Best Podcast Interview Techniques for Better Episodes

If your show revolves around interviewing guests, these podcast interviews need to be high quality. The reason? It can actually make or break your show.

Great podcast interview techniques are essential tools that directly impact listener retention, engagement. They ultimately determine the overall success of your podcast. 

According to industry experts, episodes with compelling interviews can see a much higher completion rate than those with mediocre conversations. We simply can't ignore the importance of hooking your listeners with great content that keeps them engaged from beginning to end.

You probably already know you need the right guests - and, this requires researching the best people in your industry to talk to. But, you also need people that are actually decent at telling their story.

Finding great podcast guests though - well, it's just the beginning. The real magic happens when we as podcast hosts develop the skills to unlock their best stories, insights, and expertise.

With this in mind, we're exploring the essential strategies that can help you create engaging conversations that keep listeners coming back for more.

Preparing for Interview Success: Essential Pre-Interview Techniques

The foundation of every exceptional podcast interview begins long before you hit the record button. Preparation helps you do so much more than avoid those awkward silences. Preparation is the art of creating the conditions for genuine moments of discovery that your listeners will love. 

Researching your guest thoroughly goes far beyond skimming their Wikipedia page or social media profiles. We need to dive deeper to find angles that other interviewers might miss. 

Start by creating a comprehensive guest profile document that organizes key information about their background, accomplishments, and interests. Listen to their previous podcast appearances to understand their communication style and avoid asking the same questions they've answered dozens of times before. The difference between a good podcast and a great podcast interview often lies in preparation. 

When researching your guest, pay particular attention to areas where their expertise intersects with your audience's interests. This allows you to craft questions that not only showcase your guest's knowledge but also deliver genuine value to your listeners. 

Look for recent projects, controversial opinions, or personal stories that might not be widely known. These hidden gems often lead to the most compelling content.

Use AI to Audit Past Podcast Conversations

To make quick work of investigating your potential guests, you could load their previous podcast appearances into a platform like Castmagic. This will give you a transcript of the conversation, and a GPT instance that you can actually use to find out what interview questions were asked. Simple steps like this can help you come up with new and exciting interview questions that are different from other episodes they appeared on! 

Developing a strategic interview structure is equally important. Rather than creating a rigid podcast script that feels mechanical, develop a flexible interview flow with thoughtfully sequenced topics. This approach strikes the perfect balance between direction and spontaneity.

Create open-ended questions that encourage storytelling rather than yes/no responses. Plan smooth transitions between topics to maintain a natural conversational flow, and always prepare backup questions for unexpected conversational twists and turns.

Building Rapport: Techniques for Creating Authentic Connections

The best podcast interviews feel less like formal Q&A sessions and more like fascinating conversations between friends. Building genuine rapport with your guests creates that authentic connection that listeners can feel through their headphones. 

Establishing trust with podcast guests begins before the recording starts. Consider implementing pre-interview engagement strategies like a quick phone call or video chat to break the ice and discuss the general direction of the conversation. 

This initial contact helps your guest feel more comfortable and gives you valuable insights into their communication style. Create a welcoming interview environment whether you're recording remotely or in-person. 

For remote interviews, this might mean sending detailed technical instructions in advance to reduce anxiety about the recording process. Be sure to include details of how to use your recording software of choice as well!

Active listening signals are crucial for making guests feel valued during the conversation. Make eye contact if recording on video, use affirmative nodding, and offer verbal acknowledgments that show you're fully engaged with their responses. 

If you can see each other, make sure you’re reacting to them as they speak. When you react you show them and your audience you are present. 

For example, smile, nod, shake your head, make eye contact. These non-verbal cues build instant rapport and encourage guests to open up more fully. 

And, you should do this even if the video is never going to be made public. Making your guest more comfortable will come through in the audio, and even if your audience can’t see it, they will hear it. It’s sometimes subtle, but it makes a profound impression on your listeners. 

Finding the right balance between professionalism and authenticity can be challenging. We need to develop our unique interviewing style while maintaining high standards for our content. 

Pro Tip: The best interviewers aren't trying to sound smart. Instead, they're genuinely interested in what their guests have to say. 

Being conversational doesn't mean relinquishing control though. What it really means is guiding the interview purposefully while allowing space for organic moments. Managing nervousness (both yours and your guest's) becomes easier when you focus on curiosity rather than performance. 

Advanced Questioning Techniques for Engaging Podcast Interviews

The questions we ask determine the answers we receive. Mastering advanced questioning techniques elevates your podcast from good to exceptional by unlocking stories and insights that might otherwise remain hidden. 

The art of follow-up questions is perhaps the most underutilized skill in podcast interviewing.

Great interviewers have an almost sixth sense for identifying response opportunities that deserve deeper exploration. Instead of robotically moving to the next question on your list, listen for answers that hint at unexplored territory.

When you hear something intriguing, don't hesitate to say something like, "That's fascinating. Can you tell me more about that?" or "What was going through your mind during that moment?"

These simple prompts often lead to the most memorable parts of an interview.

Pro Tip: Give your guests space to reflect and elaborate.

Strategic silence is another powerful technique in your interviewing arsenal. Many podcasters rush to fill every moment of dead air, but sometimes the most compelling content emerges after a thoughtful pause.

Count to three silently after they finish speaking before asking your next question. You'll be amazed at how often they'll continue with even more insightful thoughts.

Different question types serve different purposes in creating compelling content.

Story-eliciting questions like "Can you walk me through what happened?" or "What was that experience like for you?" captivate audiences through narrative.

Contrast questions such as "How does that approach differ from the conventional wisdom in your field?" highlight unique perspectives.

Hypothetical scenarios ("What would you do if...?") reveal deeper insights about decision-making processes.

Personal reflection questions create emotional connections by exploring the 'why' behind the 'what' of your guest's experiences.

Active Listening: The Cornerstone of Great Podcast Interviews

We often think of interviewing as primarily about asking great questions, but the magic really happens in how we listen. Active listening transforms good interviewers into great ones by creating the conditions for truly meaningful exchanges.

Developing superior listening skills requires training ourselves to focus fully on the guest's responses rather than mentally preparing our next question. This present-moment attention allows us to identify subtle cues – a change in voice tone, a hesitation, an unusual word choice – that signal unexplored valuable content.

Many of the best moments in podcast interviews come from following these subtle threads rather than sticking rigidly to a predetermined plan. 

Note-taking during interviews can also be incredibly valuable. But, it’s important that it doesn't disrupt the conversational flow. Develop a system of quick shorthand notes to remind yourself of follow-up points without losing eye contact or engagement with your guest. 

The goal is to balance attention between content and technical aspects during recording, ensuring both the conversation and the production quality remain excellent. 

Responsive interviewing techniques allow us to adapt on the fly based on unexpected revelations. If your guest mentions something surprising or particularly insightful, don't be afraid to temporarily abandon your planned questions to explore that new direction. 

Methods for gracefully steering conversations back to valuable topics are equally important. When a discussion veers off-track, use transitional phrases like "That reminds me of something I wanted to ask you about..." to redirect without making the shift feel abrupt or dismissive. 

Technical Excellence: Interview Techniques for Better Audio Quality

Even the most fascinating conversation will fail to engage listeners if they struggle to hear it clearly. Technical excellence is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of podcast interview techniques.

Setting up optimal recording environments begins with eliminating background noise. Choose a location with minimal ambient sound, and consider using sound-dampening materials if necessary.

For remote interviews, communication techniques that help guests optimize their audio setup are invaluable. Create a simple pre-interview guide with tips on microphone placement, headphone use, and minimizing environmental noise.

Encourage guests to use headphones to prevent echo and ensure they can hear you clearly.

Verbal cues during recording can minimize editing challenges later. Teach your guests to avoid talking over you by waiting for a brief pause before responding.

If you notice audio issues during recording, address them immediately rather than hoping to fix everything in post-production. This might feel awkward while you’re recording, but the ending result will be better for it!

Managing interruptions and technical difficulties professionally is a skill that comes with practice. Have a plan for common issues like internet connection problems or unexpected background noise.

If technical problems arise, stay calm and guide your guest through troubleshooting steps without making them feel responsible or uncomfortable.

Here’s an important thing to remember: How you handle these moments speaks volumes about your professionalism as a podcast host.

Also see: Our top 40 expert tips for recording a podcast.

Learning From the Best Techniques Used in Successful Podcasts

We don't need to reinvent the wheel to create amazing podcast interviews. Studying the techniques used by successful podcasters offers valuable insights that we can adapt to our own style.

Analysis of interviewing patterns from top-rated podcasts reveals some common elements. Many successful interviewers start with lighter, rapport-building questions before diving into deeper topics. They often use personal anecdotes sparingly to create connection points with their guests without making the conversation about themselves.

They're also not afraid to ask the questions that listeners are thinking, but might be too intimidated to ask. However, don’t go all Barbara Walters on your guests. It’s important to clear subject matter ahead of time. If they tell you they don’t want surprise questions, you need to honor that.

Exceptional opening techniques grab listener attention immediately. Some podcasters begin with a provocative question or statement about their guest's work. Others start with a brief story that contextualizes the interview's importance. Whatever approach you choose, the first few minutes of your interview should make it impossible for listeners to stop listening.

How leading podcasters handle challenging interview situations can teach us valuable lessons in grace and redirection. When a guest gives overly brief responses, great interviewers know how to probe deeper with follow-up questions. If someone goes off on tangents, they gently guide them back to relevant topics without making them feel cut off. The ability to navigate these tricky scenarios with professionalism is what separates amateur interviewers from the pros.

Your Path to Interview Excellence: Taking Action

Now that we've explored these essential podcast interview techniques, it's time to put them into practice. Becoming a great interviewer doesn't happen overnight. It requires intentional effort, practice, and a willingness to continuously improve.

Start by prioritizing which techniques to implement first. Rather than trying to transform your entire approach at once, focus on mastering one or two new skills per episode. Perhaps you'll work on your follow-up question technique for a few interviews, then move on to improving your active listening skills. This incremental approach allows for sustainable growth without overwhelming you.

Create a personal improvement plan for your interviewing skills. After each episode, take time to evaluate what went well and identify areas for growth. Listen critically to your interviews, noting moments where you could have dug deeper or redirected more skillfully. This self-reflection is invaluable for continuous improvement.

Measuring the impact of improved techniques on listener engagement provides tangible feedback on your progress. Watch your episode completion rates, listener comments, and social media shares to gauge how your enhanced interviewing skills are resonating with your audience. These metrics will help you refine your approach further.

Keep in mind, even the most skilled podcast interviewers continue to learn and grow. We're all on a journey toward creating more engaging, insightful, and impactful conversations. By consistently applying these techniques and remaining curious about your craft, you'll create podcast episodes that inspire and captivate your listeners!

The true mark of interview excellence is in the connections you foster, the stories you uncover, and the value you provide to your audience.

Want help creating those unforgettable podcast episodes that keep your listeners coming back for more? Click here to try Castmagic for free, and see for yourself why podcast hosts are using it in their workflow!