As podcasts appeal to the auditory sense, hosts should be purposeful and engaging to listen to especially during an interview. Who would want to listen to a dry, seemingly unpolished, and sleep-inducing show? No one. Podcast hosts have a crucial role in podcast successes. Before you get to your next, if not first, interview here are some tips on how to become a great podcast host.
Know Your Audience
A great podcast host has a profound understanding of the audience who will be consuming the content. An interview may help raise awareness about your brand while helping the person being interviewed get some exposure. However, the ultimate goal is to cater to your audience's needs. That is why it is significant to know what your audience cares about and give enlightenment about the matter through the interview. Always remember that people consume something for their benefit, not yours.
Do Your Pre-Interview Homework
Behind every smooth and substantial interview is keen preparation. Dig deeper about the person you are to interview. Something that your audience does not know and would be happy to know about. Familiarize yourself with the behavior, style, and tone of the person you are to interview and create your interview strategy around that.
Before the interview, ensure that the details are confirmed with the person you are interviewing. Avoid no-show by confirming the date and time. Confirm platform to be used during the interview and the approximate length of the interview.
Prepare Your Questions
Great podcast hosts conduct engaging interviews and in turn, engage listeners as well. A good set of questions must be prepared as a reference. Something that will act as a template for the interview. These questions are not set in stone. You can play around them depending on the response you get.
In asking questions, remember to do away from those answerable by a yes or no. Ask one question at a time, avoid irrelevant questions, and refrain from asking questions that will make the person you are interviewing uncomfortable.
Communicate and Build Rapport
Great interviews require good communication skills. A good communicator makes the person being interviewed feel warm and comfortable just like having a conversation with a friend.
A great podcast host allows the person interviewed to talk. Remember that a host is like a facilitator. Someone who throws the questions and gives the person the chance to talk without being interrupted.
As a podcast host, you are not just there to throw questions but to actively listen. Actually understand what the person is trying to say and where he is coming from. This is your very method to ask relevant follow-up questions and to ask for clarifications if any. You don't want to ask questions about something that has just been said, do you? So listen.
Just Enjoy the Show
Conversation flows naturally when you are comfortable and prepared. Enjoying the show means you are pretty sure that your audio is of excellent quality. This means that you have done your research regarding the person you are interviewing and prepared questions you are to throw. This means also that you are mentally and physically prepared before the show.
Enjoying the show means pouring your heart and attention to the interview. That will truly resonate with the person you are interviewing and your audience.
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