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10 Tried and True Podcast Questions to Ask Your Guests

Creating a podcast requires more than just a microphone and some editing software; it requires thoughtful, interesting questions. But where do you find good interview questions? How can you make your conversation with your guest feel natural? With over 2 million podcasts in existence, the market is saturated with new shows. The best way to stand out from the crowd is to provide something unique to listeners. In order to do this, you need to be sure that every episode of your podcast has something special. That special something is quality content that interests and excites your audience – and that begins with great questions. With so many podcasts on the market right now, listeners are more selective than ever before. Great questions are mutually beneficial for both parties involved in the interview process. To give you some ideas, we’ve listed 10 Tried and True Podcast Questions to Ask Your Guests that will help you get the most out of your interviews:

1. What’s something about you that most people familiar with your work wouldn’t know?

This is a great opportunity to humanize your guest and let listeners know they are not just a spokesperson for their work. This question is great because it shows the host’s interest in the guest, it shows their intent to create a natural sounding conversation and it allows the guest to open up about something that may not be in the public eye. This question is also a great segue into future questions and allows for your guest to flow from one topic to the next with ease.

2. What’s the biggest challenge facing you right now?

This question can help your guest open up and share something they may not have otherwise. It can also help you understand your guest’s challenges and how they are handling them. This information can be great fodder for follow-up questions or let you know if the guest needs extra time to respond to a particular topic.

3. What advice would you give to someone pursuing a career path similar to your own?

This is a great way for your guest to offer real, helpful advice to listeners and tie it directly back to their own experience. This question also ties in naturally to follow-up questions and can lead to a much more in-depth conversation.

4. Who has been your biggest supporter or role model over the course of your career?

This question is a great way to learn about your guest’s support system and their relationships with others in the industry. It may also lead to a discussion about mentors and who they have looked up to over the years.

5. What motivates you to get up in the morning and go to work?

This question is a great way to understand your guest’s drive and motivation. It can also lead to a discussion of personal life versus professional life and how those two can be blended together.

6. What do most people misunderstand about your field of work?

This is a great way to get your guest to open up about their field of work and explain something that many people may not understand. It may also allow your guest to explain what your show is about and what you do as a podcaster.

7. When did you first become passionate about your chosen field?

This question is a great way to learn about your guest’s childhood and may lead to a discussion about their upbringing. It can also lead to a discussion about how their passion has grown over the years or how it has evolved into something new.

8. If you could give advice to your 16 year old self, what would it be?

This question allows your guest to reflect on their past and can help listeners gain a better understanding of where they have come from. It can also help your guest open up about something they may have struggled with as a teenager.

9. What’s an example of a mistake or failure that you experienced, and what did you learn from it?

This question is a great way to learn more about your guest’s life and their experiences. It can also help your guest open up about something they may have struggled with. It may also give you a chance to share a mistake or failure you have experienced.

10. How can our listeners connect with you online?

It’s always a good idea to end a podcast interview with this question. Not only is this a sort of reciprocity for taking the time to appear on your podcast, but it also gives your audience the chance to learn more about your guest. Consider this question a sign of respect — your guest has lent their name and expertise to your show, so you should return the favor by letting them promote their social media profiles.

Conclusion

By the time your podcast guest has finished the interview, they may have given you a host of new ideas for your show and you may have a new friend. You may also have gotten to know them better and have earned their trust as a fellow podcaster. You now have a guest who is ready and willing to become a part of your podcast community and share their voice with others.  By using these 10 questions, you can help make every episode of your podcast feel like a brand new experience for both you and your guest. These questions will help you create engaging, thoughtful content for your show without having to overthink the interview process. You’ll be able to create a conversation that flows easily and sounds natural. Your guest will feel comfortable and engaged, and your listeners will be able to connect with both of you. So what are you waiting for? These questions are just waiting to be asked.