Level-up your podcast interview game
10 professional dos and don’ts for people serious about improving their podcast hosting skills
I’ve created this guide based on learning the hard way how to interview people from many different backgrounds and professions—the hard way, by the way, was throwing myself in the deep end with an iPhone, a mic, and a whole bunch of bemused CEOs and politicians who knew nothing about social media back in 2008. Since then, I have interviewed hundreds of people and learnt what makes an interview pop and what makes it suck. You can focus on the pop and ditch the suck by following these simple tips…
Tip #1: Never introduce someone by their first name only
Never introduce someone by their first name only — in society, first-name introductions are reserved for children, waiting staff, retail assistants, call centre agents, domestic servants, chauffeurs, sex workers etc. Meanwhile, everyone you have ever met with relevant professional status or personal standing of some description has at least two names. Unless it’s Zendaya.
And don’t forget to introduce yourself the same way unless you want to sound like a waiter at a cheap chain restaurant.
Tip #2: Never ask guests to introduce themselves
There are places where you have to introduce yourself. For example, expert witnesses in court cases are often asked to introduce themselves. People in rehab therapy groups do it, newbies at company meetings, journalists at press conferences, and various other settings. However, you have never heard a professional interviewer ask anyone to introduce themselves. Why? Because it’s basically the same as asking your guest this question
“Who are you and why should we bother listening to you?”
It’s storytelling 101 — give it a simple “Hello, I am <forename surname>, and my guest is <forename surname>, who is a <description description>…”
Also, sometimes people lie and exaggerate about what they do. I once interviewed someone who claimed to have invented a financial instrument called a Tri-Party Repurchasing Agreement (which is one mechanism by which large commercial banks and central banks lend and borrow stocks, bonds and cash through an intermediary to finance their operations). Guess what? She didn’t invent it. If people introduce themselves and lie, you, as a host, are screwed because your show is promoting a fake.
A little scene setting — through the host’s introduction — transforms the listening experience for audio podcasts. It makes a more professional introduction for people on video. It also achieves useful, practical goals like using the correct pronunciation for the name (sadly, many people think everyone knows how to pronounce names, which is a particularly white English problem — I recently interviewed someone with the surname Juskeviciute and it doesn’t sound anything like the spelling), the correct job title, the correct pronouns and all those little things that make the difference between a show and a shitshow.
Tip #3: Explain what your show is about
Interviews are one of our oldest storytelling forms. The concept of a two-way conversation is the basis of theatre (dialogue), religion (call-response prayer, biblical stories, etc.), songs (duets) and nursery rhymes (“What Big Eyes You Have, Granny”, etc.) Interviews like all storytelling formats, require exposition — or, in simple terms, what you are talking about and why.
This week we’re talking about <topic>, which is <simple explanation>, and it’s important because <reason 1, reason 2 etc.>
Never worry about telling people things they already know. Context is reassuring. Context helps people settle down into the rhythm of the show. If you dive in without enough explanation, you sound like a snake oil salesman, compare these two openers:
Version 1: This week we’re talking about ETFs and their role in Sec-lending programmes, but of course, only eligible ETFs where the underlying assets are considered HQLA. Bob, take us through it…
vs.
Version 2: This week, we’re discussing ETFs—exchange-traded funds—and their eligibility for use in securities lending. Of course, not all ETFs are eligible; only those based on high-quality liquid assets like government bonds are eligible. Robert Johnson, our ETF expert, is here to tell us about this new development…
The first version makes you sound like a management-speak jargonist and arguably a bit of a show-off. The second version sets-up a discussion about the issue, and makes you sound like a sensible professional. In my experience, people who use acronyms and technical terms outside their proper workplace context are trying to differentiate their knowledge and experience from your own. That’s a really bad strategy for a host who is trying to draw the audience in closer and break down those barriers. We’ve all done it; we’ve all heard it used for dramatic effect too — “Quick, intubate, start an IV, I want five milligrams of epinephrine and an ECG, GS is 4, BP 90 over 70, begin CPR and get a crash cart” is fine for a TV emergency room show, it’s a lousy interview script.
Do the math.
Tip #4: Be precise, be specific, don’t be vague
The problem with language is it’s recursive. That means we often start speaking without knowing what we really want to say, then the process of speaking helps us work out what it was we wanted to say when we started speaking. That is why we often have verbal ticks like “mmm, yeah, I suppose, but, like, you know, at the end of the say, on balance… etc.) That’s just how our language brains work. Sadly, this sounds like shit on a podcast. What you need to do is use your words effectively. Ask questions. Ask follow-up questions. Make comments that require a response — discursive points.
Each one must be clear.
Each one needs to be asking a specific point.
It doesn’t matter if you add context, ask multifaceted questions, or do it in your own style, just make it clear that it is a question about something.
I heard a show recently where someone said, “So… testing?” and then paused. It wasn’t a question really, it was clearly an indicator of the script they were using. The guest responded by saying, “Yes, testing,” because most people mirror the tone of the question or the prompt to speak. An awkward moment followed as the guest, obviously blushing and feeling wrong-footed, fumbled for words as they gathered their thoughts — trying to remember the script. That is a typical prompt-response scenario we usually see when learning lines in drama — like so:
“Dagger?”
“Oh shit, right, ahem… is this a dagger which I see before me? Come let me clutch thee, I have thee not but… er… I see thee still”
“Mind?”
“…oh yeah… Art though a dagger of the mind?”
That’s not an interview. ASK A QUESTION. ABOUT SOMETHING. Then the guest will answer clearly, and you all look professional. Hints, inferences, knowing looks and a million other conversational nuances that work in face-to-face chats don’t translate into a podcast or video podcast.
Never refer to people, clients, customers, stakeholders or any other entity as “them” unless it’s subordinated to the noun in the same sentence and linked to a specific result i.e.
“And when it comes to customers, how does your solution help them do x,y and z?”
but never say
“And how does your solution help them?” unless you have explained who they are and how they relate to your solution in the first instance. Assuming is a killer because even if you think it’s obvious, that sort of sloppy, imprecise language will prompt the guest to talk using similar sloppy, imprecise words like them, stuff, thing, all that, that sort of thing, that kind of type thing, etc. It works fine with a shared frame of reference in an informal chat, but it is really bad for an audience to listen to it.
It’s basically making your expert guest sound like a boring person down the pub, talking about boring work stuff, as opposed to a technician from the dev team discussing features on the new server platform.
Tip #5: Don’t read, don’t recite, just talk.
Reading sounds different from normal speech. The patterns and pace are different, the intonation is different. Everyone can hear you are reading. Nobody wants to hear you reading. Similarly, don’t recite words you have learned verbatim like an actor. Again, that never quite meshes with the tone of a conversation. You need to be authentic and sound spontaneous.
This is how the pros do it:
- Write down a bunch of questions for your guest
- Send them to the guest so they can prepare and also feedback to you
- Rewrite your questions, and simplify them if you can.
- Practice them a few times so you know what you want to say, how you want to say it, and what the key point is.
- On the live recording, ask the question. Don’t read it or recite it. It doesn’t need to be word perfect.
- If your guest answers and misses out a key piece of information they should talk about, ask a specific follow-up about that piece of information.
There really is no escaping the fact you need to know your script, you need to know the topic, you need to know where the show is going, you need to follow the answers of your guests and adjust as you progress to make it all hang together. It is a skillset, it takes experience, it requires work and improvement, so take it seriously.
I have a lot of people approach me for advice and then back off from training or assistance. All of them — as in 100% — no longer host their shows. One, in fact, came back to me and said, “No, podcasting isn’t for me. I listened back to it, and it was really boring and slow. I don’t think executive coaching works as a podcast topic.” — what he meant to say was, “I don’t think I have the skills to host a podcast” because there are hundreds of great executive coaching podcasts so… er… math.
Tip #6: Set the tone, don’t accidentally pressurise your guests
This one is subtle but crucial. Guests follow the mood of the show, which the host creates. If you start serious, with a serious tone of voice and a slow pace, the guest will probably respond the same way. If it’s a video podcast, and you sit with your legs crossed and arms folded, they will probably do the same. It’s called mirroring. We do it when we are nervous. We do it to fit in. We do it for many reasons — but seldom because we are relaxed and confident. And you want your guests to be relaxed and confident because that makes for much more authentic interviews. There are a few ways to achieve this:
- Don’t start rolling straight away. Relax your guest. Explain that the show is edited, so there’s no pressure to perform. Ask them about their weekend. Talk to them about your studio set-up—anything at all. What is important is that you strike up a bit of rapport, which will then dispel the nerves and help people relax.
- Don’t let colleagues interview each other. This is because people behave differently with colleagues depending on a host of factors like seniority. I once recorded a show with a CEO, and the guests (all junior to him) behaved like they were having tea with the Queen. They were anxious and stiff. The CEO, with whom I’d had the usual “hey nice to meet you, this is how the show works, no pressure” etc. chat, was relaxed and we had a great show. Except for the forced laughter and arse kissing that the other guests engaged in.
- I always send this kind of email to guests:
“It’s a very informal and relaxed recording session. We edit the show so we can do extra takes, correct any mistakes, or re-record answers. It’s zero pressure and lots of fun, hopefully. Here’s a bunch of questions to keep us on track, but if we wander off on interesting topics, that’s also great. And don’t worry—I make loads of mistakes and get things wrong—all the bloopers get edited out. Just be yourself and have fun.”
It is amazing how these little things go a long way.
Tip #7: Rush makes mush
Again, this one is nuanced, but the bottom line is this: if it’s worth discussing, don’t rush it. Just don’t. Sometimes, people try to squeeze everything into a short show because they believe, without any data or actual knowledge, that everything has to be the same length as a TikTok to be watchable. Nope. That is true only of the sort of shit you see on TikTok. If it’s honest, authentic, useful, or entertaining content, it’s usually longer than a few short minutes. In fact, it could be ten minutes per question if it’s really interesting.
You need to ask yourself what your goal is. If it’s posting content for promos and marketing, put up short snippets and soundbites to get clicks to the main show. If it’s actually trying to engage people it must be an appropriate length for the topic if you want to engage people, build an audience, and build meaningful customer engagement. People are generally marketing resistant, so the old 200-word blog or Insta doesn’t cut it for conversion unless you sell a photogenic product. Or cheap goods. If it’s a service, the only services that take 10 minutes or less to sell are blowjobs, drug dealing and new underpants when you have diarrhoea.
TikTok-length videos promote products in laughably fake infomercials: “Hey guys, I’ve just found this great way to organise my desk without the need for complex desk organiser stuff, and now I am sharing it with you… look, it’s so cool. It does this and this. How cool is that? Get a tidy desk with a widget like this! Laters…” Honestly, if anyone in your marketing team suggests that, sack them. Immediately.
Tip #8: Don’t let them shill
This one is a no-brainer. Do not push your shit at people. Don’t tell and sell. Don’t be too on message. Don’t let your guests do it either. Relax. If they are listening, they are already on side. Don’t treat them like sheep.
This is for a simple reason — confidence. For example, which doctor do you want to see in this thought experiment:
“Hello. I am Dr. Smith, and I am a great doctor. I am very highly qualified. I use diagnosis and lots of important complex tests to determine the best way to treat patients, with my own unique skills and approach, making me an excellent choice to deal with your problem.”
OR
“hello, I’m Dr. Smith. Take a seat and tell me how I can help.”
The second one, clearly, works best. Why? Because that second Dr. Smith confidently reassures you. The first Dr. Smith is selling way too hard. You are already at the doctor’s surgery, so why sell? The same works for podcasts. If the listener is there, listening or watching, then you can take the foot off the gas a little and discuss the issue. You don’t need to present everything regarding your products and services. That is cheesy and disingenuous.
So, by all means, discuss the issue and discuss your solutions and products within the spectrum of products and services out there in the world. Don’t talk like there are no others or you are only interested in making sales of your inventory. Nobody likes a hard sell, especially if it’s being sold as an interview because it’s not an interview at this point, it’s a TV shopping channel, and you are that cheesy bloke with capped teeth holding up a shitty piece of polished crap and saying
“ooh, this looks like something ten times more expensive from a top jeweller like Tiffany’s, but at a fraction of the price, call 0800-SHIT-TIN-TAT now…”
Tip #9: Manage time in the edit if you can’t in the recording
One regular issue is you have two or more guests, and one speaks a lot more than the other, adding more to other people’s answers, interrupting, etc. This can be annoying if you have a nicely laid-out script that gives everyone equal airtime, but it’s okay. Let them do them, and you can do you and edit the shit out of the show when you come to post-production. Except, that requires some more hosting skills.
You need to read the room. I did a show once with about 8 people (all stakeholders in a big event) and I had to ask them all a question or two. This was a bad idea because one person — let’s call them Sam — commented on EVERY SINGLE OTHER QUESTION. They were having a great time, making remarks, doing a bit of shtick, making witty remarks. Ha ha. Great for them, but shit for the listener because — of course — it recorded like a shouty soup of random crap.
In that situation, the host needs to do one thing — pause, and create pauses. I asked a question, waited for the chatty person to make their predictable remark, and then asked it again. Not in an awkward way, I just said, “Thanks, Sam, that’s great… now, Bob, what about x, y, z.” Then, between questions, I used another pause tool — I said, “Okay, Sarah, I am coming to you next; it’s about topic x,” and waited for Sam to say “Hur hur, because it’s blah blah”, and Then we all laughed and carried on. In the edit, it meant there were clear silence gaps around Sam’s annoying interruptions to make them easy to edit out. Phew.
Another version of this problem is the reverse, you have one guest who gives short answers and is hard work. For that kind of guest, ask them extra questions to expand on their point. Again, just leave lots of space in the recording to edit around it or combine their answers from a question and follow up into one answer. That way, you get balance in voice airtime.
Tip #10: End properly — thanks, goodbye, sign-off call to action
Just like the beginning, sign off the show properly. Don’t just let it end. Introduce your guests, the show, the topic at the start, and remind people at the end, thank your guests, end the show and whatever you need to add, add.
Sometimes, bad shows just end. Or the end music starts. Or they cut off. Videos just fade to a logo or whatever. This is jarring — unless you do it for dramatic effect, like a cliffhanger ending on a weekly soap opera. And if you do it for dramatic effect, there needs to be a call to action — a link, a “find out next time on…” or whatever. It needs to be structured, thoughtful and strategic.
If you can’t think of a call to action, say “join us on our socials” or “see you next time” or something. This is important because it unconsciously tells the user the show is ending, and they expect it to end. Fading in the theme music has a similar effect. It makes people more engaged and completes their user journey.
And remember to thank your guests, use at least both their forenames and surnames, job title and all the stuff you used before. This is key to ending on a positive, professional note.
These little things are like furniture — they serve as signposts and clues as to what the whole room (or show) is for. If you walk into a room with soft lounge chairs and a TV, you know it’s not a formal dining room. It helps people orient themselves with the experience on offer. If someone asks you back to their house and takes you upstairs into their bedroom immediately, you can guess it’s not the same experience on offer as if they took you into their home office, and so on. In audio and video, intros and outros, theme music, lighting changes, and explanations of the show (etc.) all perform the same function of connecting the user with the experience and engaging them better.
Your job as host is to ensure those things are clear and accessible. It seems like an esoteric point, but it’s not. It is basic common sense. However, doing it well is a skill, and everyone should review and improve on their last version.
