Getting invited to be a guest on a podcast can be exciting, and it can be nerve-wracking, but either way it’s a great opportunity for promoting your own podcast or business or simply for sharing value.
But how do you make the best impression and deliver real value during your interview? And give the podcast host something they’ll be proud to share.
In this post, we’re sharing 5 tips on how to prepare for a podcast interview as a guest. So, if you’re ready to level up your guest appearances, let’s jump in!
1. Research the Podcast and Host
Before getting on a podcast interview, take some time to understand the podcast you’ll be appearing on. Listen to a few episodes, get a feel for the show’s tone, and most important, find out who their ideal listener is.
If for example you run a YouTube channel based around cooking, and you’ve been invited on a YouTube centred podcast which listeners tune into to learn how to grow a YouTube channel, but you’re spending the whole time talking about cooking. The audience will switch off, and the episode probably won’t perform well. Which isn’t good for you or the host.
So this is something to get clear on before joining the interview, and ideally before booking.
Get to know the host and what they expect. Bonus points if you can bring up something specific you enjoyed in a past episode—it shows you’ve done your homework!
2. Know Your Host’s Interview Style
Every podcast host has a different approach—some are laid back, while others follow a structured Q&A format.
Find out how your host runs their interviews so you can mentally prepare. Are they going to ask rapid-fire questions or allow for longer, more reflective answers? This will help you feel more at ease and flow better in the conversation.
A good host should provide you with this info before the interview, but if not, again, listening to a few episodes before hand should help.
And if each episode tends to following a slightly different style, it might be best to ask for a couple of example questions before hand, as well as some info on what the host and listeners expect.
3. Prepare Your Message
Before the interview, consider the message you want to put across. What do you want the ideal listener that we mentioned in tip number 1 to take away from your appearance?
And this should just be ‘I want to promote my podcast or business’. Think value first. If you already have a lot of speaking experience, this shouldn’t be too challenging as your guest will likely expect you to be sharing a message similar to what they’ve seen of you already.
If you don’t have too much experience, though, practice delivering your key points. This doesn’t mean memorising a script—just get comfortable speaking about your main ideas so they flow naturally.
It can help to structure things in threes. Almost like a beginning, middle and end of a film. For example, if we think about the cooking YouTuber again, what are three takeaways you want the listener to remember. It could be
- How to come up with an idea for a channel that aligns with your values and that there’s demand for.
- How to stay consistent with content creation and maybe a couple of stories of where you’ve struggled with this in the past and how you’ve overcome the challenge.
- And finally how to connect with your audience and some specific examples of the value the audience has got from you and that you’ve gotten from your audience.
And lastly what do you want the listeners of This podcast to do when they finished listening. I’d keep this to one single, simple Call To Action, whether that’s visiting your website subscribing to your podcast or YouTube channel, or following you on your main social media channel.
The more familiar you are with your message, the more confidently you’ll come across during the interview. And the less likely you’ll be to get flustered.
4. Prepare Your Setup
This one’s often overlooked, but your setup really matters.
Make sure you’re in a quiet, distraction-free space (with good lighting if it’s a video podcast).
Again, your host should give you clarity on what they expect, but try to make it easier for them by considering how your recording will look to the listener.
Test your microphone and internet connection before the interview starts.
Make sure you’re wearing headphones or earphones. And if you’re wearing earphones, try not to turn them up to loud. If your mic picks up your host speaking, either through your speakers or your earphones, it’ll make the editing process more difficult and the end result worse.
Also, have a drink nearby—it’s the little things that can make or break your delivery.
5. Promote Your Appearance
And finally, help promote the episode! Ask for the release date so you can share it with your audience on social media or in your newsletter.
Not only does this help the podcast reach a larger audience which is a benefit for both of you, but it also positions you as someone who values the collaboration.
Don’t Sweat It
We hope these five tips have been helpful. All that’s to say, you don’t have to get things perfect, especially if you’re new to this. If you have a good host they’ll be patient and allow you to pause or retake answers if needed. And finally, all good podcasts should be edited anyway to make sure they flow naturally.
You’ve got this!
