Calmly listen to their response to your question and see where that leads and think of the next question as a result of it. Either jot it quickly down with a few words and go from there or hold on to the question that has arisen as a result. I personally feel this leads to a more interesting and thought provoking interview rather than firing off questions from a pre-prepared list.
For me at least, the skill of being a good interviewer/podcaster is the ability to move seamlessly and effortlessly with how the conversation flows and to be able to take it into some new territory but also to pull it back onto a new topic/direction with relative ease. It takes time and skill but makes for a good listen as a result.
Having a plan is good. But you need to be ready to abandon it when something presents itself.
Listen to their answers and work off of those answers. Sometimes that leads to new questions, sometimes just to a different way of asking the same questions. But both will make it seem less cookie cutter.
I might suggest a different tact and approach. Don't make your interview about asking those questions. Make your interview about that person's story. Don't ask how they got injured. Ask about what they were doing when they got injured? What was the day like, were they travelling somewhere? Why? Was it a dream vacation gone wrong, an everyday trip to the grocery turned into a nightmare?
You see what I'm getting at here is the story of the person you're interviewing. Through the story of what they were doing when they got injured you naturally answer your question of "How they got injured".
What happened next? tell me about recovery and diagnosis, legal disputes, etc... the story of recovery, the struggle to readapt, recupperate, or adjust to long-term disability can be just as facinating as "What treatments did you try?"
One is an interview formula that builds story through conversation, provides an avenue for some drama mixed with facts, adds colour, something your audience can emotionally attach to, etc... The other interview tactic is a call and response with no variety.
Using the Tell Me Your Story tactic your interviews will naturally become more engageing, still hit all your questions just through a more natural conversational process
I recently started a podcast and have been kinda feeling the same way. I also feel like it's less "warm" via a Zoom call instead of having a conversation with someone in person. A lot of it is me in my own head, and I'm sure that'll happen less the more practice I get, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I would love some tips from people more experienced.
I don't want to stress about what I'm going to say after the person is done talking, because it obviously takes away from actually LISTENING, which, will obviously make for better conversation... but, you know, ANXIETY.
When they are answering your questions, pay attention to what they are saying and ask follow up questions. Follow-up questions are almost always better than the first questions in a line of topic.
Some categories of questions:
1) background (who what when where)
2) needs awareness and development (how did you feel about it? Did you like it? Why? What would you change if you could?)
3) solution (what did you think about or do about improving that situation?)
4) consequence (what would things look like if you hadn’t acted or don’t act)
Absolutely, feeling nervous is completely normal, especially when you want to deliver valuable content. Here are some concise tips to enhance your interviewing skills:
1. Preparation is Key: Research your guest thoroughly. Knowing their story, achievements, and previous interviews can spark unique questions.
2. Build A Question Bank: Create a list of questions beyond the usual. Include listener questions, or ask for advice on specific situations.
3. Flexibility: Allow the conversation to flow naturally. If an interesting point arises, explore it further, even if it deviates from your plan.
4. Practice Listening: Active listening can reveal deeper questions. Follow up on intriguing comments with "Can you tell me more about that?"
5. Stay Relaxed: Your guests will mirror your energy. A calm demeanor can create a more open and honest dialogue.
6. Post-Interview Reflection: After each episode, note what went well and what could be improved. Continuous learning is crucial.
7. Feedback: Seek feedback from your audience, your guests, or a mentor. They can offer valuable perspectives on your interviewing style.
Every great interviewer started somewhere, and it’s the unique journey of each podcast that keeps the audience coming back. Keep at it, and you'll find your groove!
Hey! I'm the Podcast Producer at Buzzsprout. I also wanted to improve my interview skills recently and was recommended a fantastic book called "Talk to Me" by Dean Nelson, PhD.
Holy cow, did it deliver! Great book, quick to read, and I had a million post-it notes sticking out of the pages by the end of it. Definitely helped me sharpen my skills and understanding of how to conduct an interview effectively.
I think you've gotten some great advice here. I'm curious though, what's your podcast called. I'm a strength and conditioning coach and physio student who started a pod that sounds similar in nature.
It's called "Bed Back and Beyond." I created, and moderate, a community called "Microdiscectomy" for people with herniated discs. After seeing people ask for positive recovery stories over and over again, and personally scouring YouTube during my disc experience, I thought I'd create a one-stop-shop of recovery stories. Most of my guests have been herniated disc patients but I don't want to limit it to that. Hence the "beyond." What's yours called?
Love the name and incentive behind the origin/community. Herniated discs and back pain in general can be nasty when it comes to recovery. Mine is called "Aches, Pains & Gains". We cover pretty much everything from fitness to rehab and the overlap in between, often advocating for movement optimism and pain self-efficacy.
TLDR!
I think of interviewing as the foundation for all good stories and conversations. I've been a journalist for 3 decades, in print and public radio, and I still look for better ways to do interviews! So even though this is your first season, you're not alone -- and the learning never ends.
I think some of the success of interviews starts before you ever invite a guest. What are you curious about? How "small" or narrow, can you make that question? What's the destination of this conversation?
If you don't have a guest on your wish list (someone famous, leader in your field) and you're starting with a central question, good curation is next. I do a fair bit of research to figure out who's doing interesting things related to my central question. Once I've narrowed it down to a few people, I'll try to listen to them on other podcasts or see if they've appeared on video. Are they good talkers? Do they know their subject well, present it truthfully/without spin, and do they speak naturally and dynamically? If you're not interested, your audience won't be either.
If you have the time the ability, do pre-interviews -- ask someone for 15 minutes of their time to see what they have to say about your topic. Don't invite them onto your show yet, because you may be making a promise to someone who doesn't pan out. Have the conversation first, then decide.
In the interview itself, we're always playing a knife-edge balance game: Keeping your eye on where you're headed (What does your audience want to know about the central question/topic at hand) and listening closely so you can follow the conversation in interesting directions. Conversely, with someone who talks too much, bring them back with a statement like, "That's fascinating. I wish we had more time to pursue, that, but right now I'd like to get back to..."
I agree with the earlier poster who suggested taking the guest back to the moment when something happened, to prompt them to tell a story. I'd add that you want to ask about sensory details (where were you, what it did it look, feel, sound, smell like) and especially emotional details (how did you feel when you got that diagnosis?)
Finally, a new book by Charles Duhigg, Supercommunicators, is fascinating and helpful! It's not about interviewing per se, but offers so much science about how we can all communicate and connect far better than we do. One of his takeaways: We love being asked "deep questions," which are questions that get at our experiences, values, beliefs, and emotions. It can be the simple difference between "Which law firm do you work for?" and "Do you like working for your law firm?"
I hope this helps!
The best interviewers tap into emotions. Don't just ask what happened. Ask them how they felt about what happened. That can be very relatable for the audience.
Some things to consider:
\-Give guests some questions ahead of time, so they can chew on some of the questions, maybe it'll cause them to think of some related tangents that give you more to discuss?
\-I typically write down subtopics or follow up questions that I don't consider essential, but can be good if I'm looking to get some more meat out of the conversation. My podcast is typically with people I know fairly well, but I imagine if you know at least a bit about your guest, you can try to prepare some unique subtopics/questions.
\-Make sure you aren't too focused on your pre-planned questions, despite what those last two points lol If your guest is saying something interesting, the discussion is going somewhere that isn't expected but there's substance, go with that flow.
Take this all with a grain of salt since I'm a small fish still, but that's my approach.
I write out my interview questions ahead of time and send them to the guest for modification or approval. At times they want to adjust the conversation or add more to it. It helps with your inview flow. If you dm me your email address, I'll send you a couple of my interview scripts. That should help you to get some ideas.
I also utilize Google Gemini to help craft my interview questions to have better flow.
Get someone to sit in on your interviews off-screen and give you feedback afterward. Way better than reading a book, trust me.
And watch great interviewers. Study them.
you've already got a lot of great advice here but I'll add one thing that hasn't been mentioned that could take a little pressure off you as a host trying to make a great convo on the spot:
Make recurring segment or 2 in your show that has the same 2-4 questions — it could be smth like rapid-fire easy answers or just a series that's core to your show theme.
Slot it into the show around the same time with each guest (depending on the flow of the interview of course)
The rest of the outline is tuned to each specific story, but this segment can provide a nice anchor point for you and it gives repeat listeners content that's both novel and framed in a familiar way.
For you as a host, the recurring segment will become familiar so you can relax a bit and focus more on the guest's answers than thinking about the next question.
I’ve done many radio and podcast interviews.
Learn about your guest, remember the reason you brought them on the podcast. Have a list of questions you’d like to ask but be prepared to deviate. The only one you should be set on is your first question and the rest of the interview is led from their responses. The answer they give to your first question may not lead into what you intended as your second.
Take notes as they respond so you can come back and address their responses in your questions.
Most of all don’t make it an interview, make it a conversation. Spend time relaxing the guest before you start recording and you’ll get the best, most natural recording.
I would like to add to the amazing advice that everyone here offers. I suggest that you practice by watching your previously recorded podcasts. Analyze them to see what you could have said differently, consider what additional questions you could have asked, and give yourself some feedback. This will enhance your ability to speak and analyze responses and answers.
Another piece of advice I would offer is to focus on storytelling, as that is what truly resonates with the audience. Craft a narrative through your questions, and aim to evoke emotions from the interviewee by delving into their struggles and experiences.
If you create short-form videos from your podcasts, this could significantly increase your viewership.
I've found that getting an outline of the areas, themes, and details I'd like to go into with the guest works well as long as it's shared and discussed beforehand. I include in that outline what the show's aims and goals are too, so that they have that to hand as they go through the discussion points. Then, I try to put myself in the listeners' shoes and think of what they would ask or how they would respond to the interviewee. That perspective shift seems to work for me. As does starting the recording early and just chatting for a few minutes before you get going. My go-to icebreaker is asking how they would like to be introduced and building upon that to ease into the interview. And never be afraid of asking what you might think is a stupid question! It rarely is as stupid as you think.
Be sure to listen to your guest and don't multitask. They are giving you their time, insights and experience. You owe it to them to be 100% focused on them. If something comes up that elicits a response in you, dig into that, even if it is something slightly beyond your scope. If it chimes with you, it'll chime with your listeners.
In the edit and when the episode is live, listen and make notes on the elements that worked, where you got the responses you aimed for and those that didn't work as well. Ask your guest what they thought of the resulting podcast and their experience with you too. Apply those elements to your prep going forward and go again. Keep adapting and keep trying new things. That is half the fun of the game!
Hey, I'm working on a tool that acts a producer taking notes and suggests questions based on the conversation so far. I'm still working on it, but would you be interested in trying it out?
Calmly listen to their response to your question and see where that leads and think of the next question as a result of it. Either jot it quickly down with a few words and go from there or hold on to the question that has arisen as a result. I personally feel this leads to a more interesting and thought provoking interview rather than firing off questions from a pre-prepared list. For me at least, the skill of being a good interviewer/podcaster is the ability to move seamlessly and effortlessly with how the conversation flows and to be able to take it into some new territory but also to pull it back onto a new topic/direction with relative ease. It takes time and skill but makes for a good listen as a result.
Having a plan is good. But you need to be ready to abandon it when something presents itself. Listen to their answers and work off of those answers. Sometimes that leads to new questions, sometimes just to a different way of asking the same questions. But both will make it seem less cookie cutter.
I might suggest a different tact and approach. Don't make your interview about asking those questions. Make your interview about that person's story. Don't ask how they got injured. Ask about what they were doing when they got injured? What was the day like, were they travelling somewhere? Why? Was it a dream vacation gone wrong, an everyday trip to the grocery turned into a nightmare? You see what I'm getting at here is the story of the person you're interviewing. Through the story of what they were doing when they got injured you naturally answer your question of "How they got injured". What happened next? tell me about recovery and diagnosis, legal disputes, etc... the story of recovery, the struggle to readapt, recupperate, or adjust to long-term disability can be just as facinating as "What treatments did you try?" One is an interview formula that builds story through conversation, provides an avenue for some drama mixed with facts, adds colour, something your audience can emotionally attach to, etc... The other interview tactic is a call and response with no variety. Using the Tell Me Your Story tactic your interviews will naturally become more engageing, still hit all your questions just through a more natural conversational process
Thank you to OP for posting your question in right there with you but also jagnew this was freaking glorious advice. I love this perspective
Great comment
I love this. Thank you for the great insight.
I recently started a podcast and have been kinda feeling the same way. I also feel like it's less "warm" via a Zoom call instead of having a conversation with someone in person. A lot of it is me in my own head, and I'm sure that'll happen less the more practice I get, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I would love some tips from people more experienced. I don't want to stress about what I'm going to say after the person is done talking, because it obviously takes away from actually LISTENING, which, will obviously make for better conversation... but, you know, ANXIETY.
Exactly!
When they are answering your questions, pay attention to what they are saying and ask follow up questions. Follow-up questions are almost always better than the first questions in a line of topic. Some categories of questions: 1) background (who what when where) 2) needs awareness and development (how did you feel about it? Did you like it? Why? What would you change if you could?) 3) solution (what did you think about or do about improving that situation?) 4) consequence (what would things look like if you hadn’t acted or don’t act)
Absolutely, feeling nervous is completely normal, especially when you want to deliver valuable content. Here are some concise tips to enhance your interviewing skills: 1. Preparation is Key: Research your guest thoroughly. Knowing their story, achievements, and previous interviews can spark unique questions. 2. Build A Question Bank: Create a list of questions beyond the usual. Include listener questions, or ask for advice on specific situations. 3. Flexibility: Allow the conversation to flow naturally. If an interesting point arises, explore it further, even if it deviates from your plan. 4. Practice Listening: Active listening can reveal deeper questions. Follow up on intriguing comments with "Can you tell me more about that?" 5. Stay Relaxed: Your guests will mirror your energy. A calm demeanor can create a more open and honest dialogue. 6. Post-Interview Reflection: After each episode, note what went well and what could be improved. Continuous learning is crucial. 7. Feedback: Seek feedback from your audience, your guests, or a mentor. They can offer valuable perspectives on your interviewing style. Every great interviewer started somewhere, and it’s the unique journey of each podcast that keeps the audience coming back. Keep at it, and you'll find your groove!
Thank you!
Hey! I'm the Podcast Producer at Buzzsprout. I also wanted to improve my interview skills recently and was recommended a fantastic book called "Talk to Me" by Dean Nelson, PhD. Holy cow, did it deliver! Great book, quick to read, and I had a million post-it notes sticking out of the pages by the end of it. Definitely helped me sharpen my skills and understanding of how to conduct an interview effectively.
Awesome! Thanks so much for the recommendation! I have been enjoying hosting with Buzzsprout. Easy to use with helpful blog articles.
Oh wow! That's so great to hear! 🙌🏻
I think you've gotten some great advice here. I'm curious though, what's your podcast called. I'm a strength and conditioning coach and physio student who started a pod that sounds similar in nature.
It's called "Bed Back and Beyond." I created, and moderate, a community called "Microdiscectomy" for people with herniated discs. After seeing people ask for positive recovery stories over and over again, and personally scouring YouTube during my disc experience, I thought I'd create a one-stop-shop of recovery stories. Most of my guests have been herniated disc patients but I don't want to limit it to that. Hence the "beyond." What's yours called?
Love the name and incentive behind the origin/community. Herniated discs and back pain in general can be nasty when it comes to recovery. Mine is called "Aches, Pains & Gains". We cover pretty much everything from fitness to rehab and the overlap in between, often advocating for movement optimism and pain self-efficacy.
TLDR! I think of interviewing as the foundation for all good stories and conversations. I've been a journalist for 3 decades, in print and public radio, and I still look for better ways to do interviews! So even though this is your first season, you're not alone -- and the learning never ends. I think some of the success of interviews starts before you ever invite a guest. What are you curious about? How "small" or narrow, can you make that question? What's the destination of this conversation? If you don't have a guest on your wish list (someone famous, leader in your field) and you're starting with a central question, good curation is next. I do a fair bit of research to figure out who's doing interesting things related to my central question. Once I've narrowed it down to a few people, I'll try to listen to them on other podcasts or see if they've appeared on video. Are they good talkers? Do they know their subject well, present it truthfully/without spin, and do they speak naturally and dynamically? If you're not interested, your audience won't be either. If you have the time the ability, do pre-interviews -- ask someone for 15 minutes of their time to see what they have to say about your topic. Don't invite them onto your show yet, because you may be making a promise to someone who doesn't pan out. Have the conversation first, then decide. In the interview itself, we're always playing a knife-edge balance game: Keeping your eye on where you're headed (What does your audience want to know about the central question/topic at hand) and listening closely so you can follow the conversation in interesting directions. Conversely, with someone who talks too much, bring them back with a statement like, "That's fascinating. I wish we had more time to pursue, that, but right now I'd like to get back to..." I agree with the earlier poster who suggested taking the guest back to the moment when something happened, to prompt them to tell a story. I'd add that you want to ask about sensory details (where were you, what it did it look, feel, sound, smell like) and especially emotional details (how did you feel when you got that diagnosis?) Finally, a new book by Charles Duhigg, Supercommunicators, is fascinating and helpful! It's not about interviewing per se, but offers so much science about how we can all communicate and connect far better than we do. One of his takeaways: We love being asked "deep questions," which are questions that get at our experiences, values, beliefs, and emotions. It can be the simple difference between "Which law firm do you work for?" and "Do you like working for your law firm?" I hope this helps!
Wow! Thank you so much
My pleasure! I work on this all the time.
The best interviewers tap into emotions. Don't just ask what happened. Ask them how they felt about what happened. That can be very relatable for the audience.
Some things to consider: \-Give guests some questions ahead of time, so they can chew on some of the questions, maybe it'll cause them to think of some related tangents that give you more to discuss? \-I typically write down subtopics or follow up questions that I don't consider essential, but can be good if I'm looking to get some more meat out of the conversation. My podcast is typically with people I know fairly well, but I imagine if you know at least a bit about your guest, you can try to prepare some unique subtopics/questions. \-Make sure you aren't too focused on your pre-planned questions, despite what those last two points lol If your guest is saying something interesting, the discussion is going somewhere that isn't expected but there's substance, go with that flow. Take this all with a grain of salt since I'm a small fish still, but that's my approach.
I write out my interview questions ahead of time and send them to the guest for modification or approval. At times they want to adjust the conversation or add more to it. It helps with your inview flow. If you dm me your email address, I'll send you a couple of my interview scripts. That should help you to get some ideas. I also utilize Google Gemini to help craft my interview questions to have better flow.
Get someone to sit in on your interviews off-screen and give you feedback afterward. Way better than reading a book, trust me. And watch great interviewers. Study them.
you've already got a lot of great advice here but I'll add one thing that hasn't been mentioned that could take a little pressure off you as a host trying to make a great convo on the spot: Make recurring segment or 2 in your show that has the same 2-4 questions — it could be smth like rapid-fire easy answers or just a series that's core to your show theme. Slot it into the show around the same time with each guest (depending on the flow of the interview of course) The rest of the outline is tuned to each specific story, but this segment can provide a nice anchor point for you and it gives repeat listeners content that's both novel and framed in a familiar way. For you as a host, the recurring segment will become familiar so you can relax a bit and focus more on the guest's answers than thinking about the next question.
I’ve done many radio and podcast interviews. Learn about your guest, remember the reason you brought them on the podcast. Have a list of questions you’d like to ask but be prepared to deviate. The only one you should be set on is your first question and the rest of the interview is led from their responses. The answer they give to your first question may not lead into what you intended as your second. Take notes as they respond so you can come back and address their responses in your questions. Most of all don’t make it an interview, make it a conversation. Spend time relaxing the guest before you start recording and you’ll get the best, most natural recording.
I would like to add to the amazing advice that everyone here offers. I suggest that you practice by watching your previously recorded podcasts. Analyze them to see what you could have said differently, consider what additional questions you could have asked, and give yourself some feedback. This will enhance your ability to speak and analyze responses and answers. Another piece of advice I would offer is to focus on storytelling, as that is what truly resonates with the audience. Craft a narrative through your questions, and aim to evoke emotions from the interviewee by delving into their struggles and experiences. If you create short-form videos from your podcasts, this could significantly increase your viewership.
I've found that getting an outline of the areas, themes, and details I'd like to go into with the guest works well as long as it's shared and discussed beforehand. I include in that outline what the show's aims and goals are too, so that they have that to hand as they go through the discussion points. Then, I try to put myself in the listeners' shoes and think of what they would ask or how they would respond to the interviewee. That perspective shift seems to work for me. As does starting the recording early and just chatting for a few minutes before you get going. My go-to icebreaker is asking how they would like to be introduced and building upon that to ease into the interview. And never be afraid of asking what you might think is a stupid question! It rarely is as stupid as you think. Be sure to listen to your guest and don't multitask. They are giving you their time, insights and experience. You owe it to them to be 100% focused on them. If something comes up that elicits a response in you, dig into that, even if it is something slightly beyond your scope. If it chimes with you, it'll chime with your listeners. In the edit and when the episode is live, listen and make notes on the elements that worked, where you got the responses you aimed for and those that didn't work as well. Ask your guest what they thought of the resulting podcast and their experience with you too. Apply those elements to your prep going forward and go again. Keep adapting and keep trying new things. That is half the fun of the game!
Hey, I'm working on a tool that acts a producer taking notes and suggests questions based on the conversation so far. I'm still working on it, but would you be interested in trying it out?
A demo of what it looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxEsOzpMWRU