How to be an effective podcast guest

Studio and recording tips from a seasoned professional.

A bad host will ask closed-ended questions that lead to conversational dead ends while a good host will set you up with open-ended questions that help the interview flow and your message to be heard.

Not all hosts are created equal and the range of skills you encounter may range from unskilled hobbyist, through adequate interviewer to seasoned pro.

Hello, I’m Gavin Kennedy, founder and CEO of Solid Gold Studios. You’re likely listening to this podcast because you’ve been invited to be a guest on one of the channels we produce. Congratulations! And welcome to the exciting world of podcasting.

Our vision is to be the podcast partner of choice and our mission is to help people, like you, and the organisations you represent, to be heard, through quality, creative storytelling.

Whether this is your first time on air, or if you’re a regular guest, we want to help you deliver your message effectively. Over the next few minutes, Melanie will…

What we’re covering today applies to more than just podcasts and can (and should) be used for television and radio interviews as the principles remain the same. There is no difference between live or recorded podcasts, radio and television programs.

Have you ever arrived at a studio for an interview not knowing what to do? Where to go? And how to approach the recording? Do you get nervous that you don’t really know how to use the equipment such as headphones, foldback levels or microphone technique? Do you dislike looking like an amateur guest?

Let’s help you get to know the gear so you…

The most important rule in any recording studio is to regard the microphones as “live” at all times. If you don’t want something recorded, don’t say it.

Do not enter any studio without permission and invitation from the host or their technical team. Many studios have a red light at the door indicating that a recording is in progress. Wait for a green light to show that the recording has either stopped or is paused, and confirm we’re OK to enter. Enter the studio cautiously and don’t say anything until you have established that the studio is not live.When in doubt, remember rule #1 and regard…

Not all hosts are created equal and the range of skills you encounter may range from unskilled hobbyist, through adequate interviewer to seasoned pro.

Let’s talk about three main types, “aggressive”, “bad” and then “good” hosts so you’ll know how to deal with them.

Aggressive hosts are the most frustrating to deal with. They mostly like to hear their own voice and believe that they know your product or message better than you do. With these hosts, you need to use your knowledge to move from their ”self-indulgent babble” and back to your message. At this stage you will already know how to…

A bad host will ask closed-ended questions that lead to conversational dead ends while a good host will set you up with open-ended questions that help the interview flow and your message to be heard.

Simply put, closed-ended questions are those which can be answered with a "yes" or "no," while open-ended questions require more thought and engaged answers.

That said, closed-ended questions do have their place in a good interview, usually when the host is trying to compare the answers of different guests or only have time for a quick response.

Closed-ended questions do not allow the…

In order to effectively deliver your message, start by ensuring the chair is comfortable and you can sit easily with the microphone close to your mouth. Set your headphones to the right level and keep your surroundings non -threatening.

You may see other people in the studio that you would prefer were not present, so if they annoy you, ask them to leave. However, be aware that it may be a sound controller attending to the technical side of the recording who cannot leave.

You will find pens and notepads in the studio. You should use these to make notes of discussion points that arise during…

During a recording, silence is better than uuumms, eerrrss and aaahss. Often when people think of what next to say next, they start a sentence with um or aah, and then say their piece. Rather breathe, pause, and concentrate on saying the first word of each sentence without a throw-away sound. Take your time before starting a sentence. During editing, silence is easier to remove that trying to remove noises that don’t add any value and may contribute to you sounding less knowledgeable than you really are.

Always be very clear about the core message you are here to deliver.
Stay on topic and,…

Congratulations on completing the express version of “Podcast Guest 101”

Although we’ve only just scratched the surface of how to be a great guest, you’ll find these tips useful for any broadcasting situation you find yourself in in future. We recommend that you listen to them again a few more times (especially just before an interview) as they’ll make more sense after you’ve been through a few interviews.

If you’re going to be a regular podcast guest (and the explosive growth in this arena suggests that’s highly likely), we invite you to join us for our Podcast Guest Master Class where…