90 Podcast Questions For Interesting Interviews

Are you a podcast host who’s looking for good podcast questions to ask your guests? If so, you’ve come to the right place! 

As a podcast host, you’re always looking for interesting questions to ask your guests. But coming up with fresh topics can be tough. We’ve put together this list of questions to help get you started.

We’ve got everything you need to make your interview shine and keep the conversation flowing from traditional questions to more creative ones. So roll up your sleeves and get ready to wow your listeners!

How to come up with Best Podcast Interview Questions?

Coming up with great podcast questions to ask your guests can be tough. You want to make sure you’re asking questions that will lead to interesting conversations, but at the same time, you don’t want to come off as being unprepared or unprofessional.

So how do you strike the perfect balance?

Here are a few tips:

Set a Goal:

First, take a step back and think about what you want to achieve with your questions.

• What do you hope to learn from your guest?
• What topics do you want to cover?
• What kind of tone are you going for?

Once you have a good understanding of your goals, it will be much easier to develop interview questions for podcast guests that will help you achieve them.

Research is Key:

Before you sit down with your guest, do your research. This way, you’ll be able to develop questions that are specific to their work and interests. This will make the conversation more interesting, but it will also show your guests that you’re prepared and interested in what they have to say. So, to ask good podcast interview questions, you must do your research.

Be flexible:

While it’s important to have a list of questions prepared, don’t be afraid to deviate from it if the conversation starts unexpectedly. This will help keep the interview fresh and organic, and it will also show your guests that you’re open to hearing what they have to say.

Keep it casual:

Even though you’re interviewing someone for your podcast, try to keep the conversation as casual as possible. This will help put your guests at ease and make them more likely to open up and share interesting stories and insights.

Listen to your guests:

This might seem like a no-brainer, but listening to what your guests are saying is important. This will help you come up with follow-up questions, but it will also make the conversation more engaging and enjoyable for both of you.

Ask questions to clarify:

Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to clarify their answers if you’re not sure what they mean. This will help you understand their point of view, and it will also show your guests that you’re interested in what they have to say.

Ask a Signature question:

While it’s important to be flexible, you should also have a signature question to ask all of your guests. This is a question that you only ask guests on your show, and it’s a great way to make each interview unique.

It can be something as simple as,

1. What was your favorite episode of the podcast?
2. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?.
3. What’s your favorite movie and why?

Not only will this help make your podcast more recognizable, but it will also give your guests something to look forward to.

End on a high note:

Last but not least, make sure to end the conversation on a positive note. Thank your guests for their time and let them know that you enjoyed the chat. This will leave a good impression, making them more likely to come back to your show in the future.

If you are still in the brainstorming stage for your podcast, do not forget 77 Podcast ideas and tips that will make you a star.

Things to Avoid in a podcast interview:

While asking good questions is important, you should avoid a few things if you want to make a good impression.

Here are a few:

Asking leading questions

Podcast interviews should be conversations, not interrogations. Asking leading questions (i.e., ones that can be answered with a simple yes or no) will only make the conversation more one-sided and less interesting.

Asking hypothetical questions

Hypothetical questions can be fun to think about, but they’re not always the best interview questions for a podcast. They often lead to long-winded answers that don’t add anything to the conversation. If you want to ask a hypothetical question, make sure it can be answered quickly and easily.

Going off on tangents

Podcast interviews are meant to be focused conversations. This means that you should try to avoid going off on tangents. If you get sidetracked, simply bring the conversation back to the main topic.

Allowing awkward silences

Awkward silences are uncomfortable for everyone involved. If you struggle to think of something to say, simply ask your guest a question. Chances are, they’ll be more than happy to fill the silence.

Forgetting to follow up

If your guest says something interesting, make sure to follow up. This will show that you’re actually listening to what they’re saying, and it will also help keep the conversation flowing.

Interrupting your guests

Interrupting your guests is rude, but it can also make the conversation feel disjointed. If you need to take a break or ask a clarifying question, make sure to do so in a way that doesn’t interrupt the flow of the conversation.

Avoid Negative Questions :

Negative questions are those that begin with words like “don’t,” “didn’t,” or “aren’t.” They tend to put people on the defensive and make the conversation more difficult. For example,

1. Don’t you think that was a stupid thing to do?
2. Didn’t you hear what I said?
3. Aren’t you going to answer my question?

These types of questions should be avoided at all costs. If you need to ask a question that has a negative word, rephrase it more positively.

For example,

1. What made you decide to do that?
2. What was going through your mind when you heard what I said?
3. What can you tell me about that?

These questions are much more likely to get a positive response, and they’ll help keep the conversation flowing.

Podcast interviews can be a great way to get to know your guests and build rapport. However, it’s important to make sure that you’re asking the right questions. If you’re not sure what to ask, try using some of the tips and tricks above. With a little practice, you’ll be a pro in no time.

77 Podcast ideas and tips that will make you a star.

Podcast Interview Outline:

The podcast interview should consist of the following sections:

1. Introduction/ Break the ice

2. Expertise/ Career Questions

3. Life Questions

4. Fun Questions

5. Conclusion

6. Follow up Questions (if necessary)

List of Best Podcast questions for guests:

Finding great podcast questions isn’t always easy. If you’re struggling to develop the best podcast questions to ask, try using some of the questions below:

Icebreakers:

1. – Who are you according to the stars?
2. – What’s your story?
3. – How did you get into (topic)?
4. – What’s your favorite thing about (topic)?
5. – What’s the best thing that’s happened to you since we last spoke?
6. – What are you working on right now?
7. – What are you most excited about right now?
8. – What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced lately?
9. – What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do?
10. – What’s your favorite place in the world?
11. – Who is one person you admire and why?
12. – How do you start your day?
13. – What are some of your favorite things to do?
14. – Do you have any pet peeves?
15. – How do you like to relax and unwind?

Personal Questions:

1. What are some of your favorite books?
2. What’s your favorite movie?
3. TV show?
4. Actor or actress?
5. What music do you like?
6. What’s your favorite food?
7. Do you have any hobbies?
8. What’s your favorite place to go on vacation?
9. Do you have any pets?
10. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
11. Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
12. What’s one of your earliest memories?
13. What’s your family like?
14. Do you have any siblings?
15. Where did you grow up?
16. How did you spend your childhood?
17. What was your favorite subject in school?
18. Did you have any close friends growing up?
19. Is there anything that scares you the most?
20. What’s your favorite holiday?
21. What’s one thing you’re good at?
22. Do you have any hidden talents?
23. Do you have any fears or phobias?
24. What’s one of your favorite memories?
25. Have you ever had a job that you hated?

Expertise/ Career Questions:

1. What inspired you to pursue (expertise/career)?
2. What challenges have you faced in pursuing (expertise/career)?
3. What has been your proudest moment in pursuing (expertise/career)?
4. What do you think sets you apart from others (experts/professionals) in your field?
5. Do you have any advice for people who want to pursue a similar (expertise/career)?
6. What is your most productive time?
7. How do you manage distractions?
8. What’s your favorite work tool that helps you be productive?
9. Do you have any morning rituals that help you start your day off right?
10. Do you have any evening rituals that help you unwind and relax?

Common Podcast questions about life

1. What was your first job?
2. What are some of the things you’ve had to overcome in your life?
3. What are some of your biggest accomplishments?
4. What do you want to be remembered for?
5. Do you have any regrets in life?
6. Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?
7. How do you define the meaning of happiness?
8. How do you define success?
9. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in life?
10. Do you think that people can change?

Deep podcast questions:

1. What motivates you?
2. What challenges you?
3. How do you define success?
4. How do you define happiness?
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
6. How do you define love?
7. How would you describe yourself both physically and emotionally?
8. What is your idea of the perfect relationship?
9. What do you think are the most important qualities of a good friend?
10. What do you think are the most important qualities of a good partner?
11. What do you think are the most important qualities of a good parent?
12. What do you think are the most important qualities for a good leader?
13. What do you think are the most important qualities of a good citizen?
14. What do you think makes a good life?
15. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Fun questions to ask on a podcast:

1. If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be?
2. If you could be any animal, what would you be?
3. If you could have any career in the world, what would it be?
4. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
5. If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
6. If you could meet any celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be?
7. Do you prefer to stay in or go out?
8. What’s your favorite place to go on vacation?
9. What’s your favorite type of food?
10. What’s your favorite restaurant?

Podcast Questions For Friends:

1. What’s your favorite memory of us?
2. How did we become friends?
3. What do you think makes our friendship special?
4. What do you think is the biggest challenge we’ve faced as friends?
5. What do you think is the best thing about our friendship?

Should I send podcast interview questions in advance?

No, you shouldn’t necessarily send your podcast interview questions upfront. While it can be helpful to give your guest an idea of the topics you’ll be discussing, you don’t want to limit their answers or give them the opportunity to prepare scripted responses. 

Instead, try to keep your questions general and open-ended so that your guest has the opportunity to really share their thoughts and feelings on the topic.

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FAQs

What are some good podcast topic questions? 

Some good topics to discuss on a podcast are:

1. How to pursue your dream career
2. Overcoming adversity
3. What motivates you
4. What challenges you
5. How do you define success and happiness
6. Your idea of a good life

What are some of the best questions to ask during a podcast?

Some of the best questions to ask podcast interviewees are:

1. Is there anything people seem to misunderstand about you? 
2. How do you deal with personal or professional disappointment?
3. How would you describe your work ethic?
4. If you had the opportunity, what would you change about yourself? 

These are a few questions to ask podcast guests to get to know them better.

What are some funny questions to ask on a podcast?

Funny podcast questions could include:

1. What is your spirit animal?
2. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
3. If you could be any type of food, what would you be?
4. What is your favorite cheesy pick-up line?

These are some funny questions for podcast interviews that could lead to interesting discussions.

Should I use a podcast interview template?

A podcast interview template can help keep the interview flowing smoothly and efficiently. It can also help to ensure that all the necessary questions are asked. However, it is not required to use a template, and some interviewers prefer to go with the flow of the conversation.

Conclusion:

Interview questions for podcast guests should be thoughtful, engaging, and entertaining to produce a successful show. These questions should aim to get to know the interviewee personally and understand their motivations, passions, and challenges. Using a mix of serious and lighthearted questions, the interviewer can create a well-rounded picture of the person being interviewed.

We hope you enjoyed this article on podcast interview examples. For more information on creating a successful podcast, check out our other articles on the subject.