100+ Podcast Interview Questions for an Engaging Episode [2024]

TL;DR

• Creating a list of podcast questions keeps your interviews engaging and unique.
• Start with introductory questions that break the ice with questions like: What's the story behind the name of your podcast?
• You can then bring in questions related to your niche and guest. For example questions around health, relationships or businesses.
• To come up with your own questions research your guest well and go for questions they haven’t been asked before.

Ever wondered what sets unforgettable podcast interviews apart? It all starts with asking the right questions. 

The perfect questions not only make your episodes shine but also keep your audience eagerly anticipating what's next. 

Feeling stuck on what to ask for your upcoming episode? 

Below, we’ve compiled over 100 podcast interview questions for all different topics.  

Table of Contents

• Why should you create a list of podcast questions?
• 100+ podcast interview question ideas for 2024
• ‍Best introduction questions‍
• Best personal questions‍
• Industry-related questions‍
• Great closing questions‍
• Whimsical and off-the-wall questions‍
• How to come up with better podcast interview questions‍
• Podcast questions to avoid asking‍
• Should you send podcast interview questions upfront?‍
• A Great Interview Question Provides Value to Your Audience

Why should you create a list of podcast questions?

Did you know that 44% of podcasters follow an interview format over other styles? 

This means it's important to stand out, and with interviews it all begins with the questions you ask. 

A reliable set of questions can keep you on topic, ensuring you get the most value out of your interview. 

Preparing questions ahead of time can also give you time to do your research properly. This can make your interview more unique, allowing you to ask your guest questions they haven’t heard before. 

100+ podcast interview question ideas for 2024

Searching for dynamic and interesting podcast interview question ideas you can add to your list right now? 

 Here are more than 100 ideas to get you started!

Best introduction questions

1. Can you introduce yourself as if someone else were introducing you?
2. Explain what brings you here today?
3. What's the story behind the name of your podcast?
4. What inspired you to [name an achievement on your guest’s resume]? 
5. Have you been working on any new projects lately? Tell us about that.
6. What’s something our listeners might not know about you?
7. Is there anything you’d really like to talk about on today’s episode?

Best personal questions

1. What do people misunderstand about you most?
2. What’s your favorite childhood memory? 
3. How did you meet your spouse/significant other?
4. What was your biggest failure, and what did you learn from the experience?
5. If you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?
6. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
7. What’s an insult you’ve received and been proud of?
8. How would your parents describe what you do?
9. What’s a funny story your family tells about you that you’d like to share?
10. What’s your favorite holiday movie, and what does it say about you?
11. What has been your favorite job you’ve held?
12. What has been your least favorite job to date?
13. If you could give your 18-year-old self some advice, what would you say?
14. Tell me about the three most influential people in your life and how they’ve impacted you.
15. What does your morning routine look like?

Industry-related questions

1. What’s one thing about your career that you didn’t expect?
2. What’s a common myth about your job or field of expertise?
3. What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing in your career right now, and how are you tackling it? 
4. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
5. In your opinion, what’s the most important strength or personality trait someone would need to be successful in your job?
6. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
7. Who has been your most important professional mentor?
8. What’s one lesson your job has taught you that you think everyone should learn at some point in their life?
9. Did you always want to be a [guest’s profession]? 
10. What’s one thing about your field of expertise that no one agrees with you about?
11. What’s your favorite productivity hack for entrepreneurs?
12. At what time of day do you get your best work done?
13. What underrated tools are indispensable for your job?
14. If you could start a business tomorrow, what would that business be?
15. What occupation, other than your own, would you like to try?

Best relationship podcast questions

1. Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not? 
2. Tell me about some of the most important relationships in your life.
3. When did you fall in love for the first time? What was that like? 
4. What are some of your biggest challenges in relationships?
5. Do you remember your first date ever? Where did you go? 
6. What is the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for someone? 
7. Do soulmates really exist? What do you think, and why? 
8. What’s your best advice for someone navigating a breakup? 
9. How soon is too soon to tell someone you love them? 
10. What three things do you think are most important in a relationship?

Best health podcast questions

11. What does health and wellness mean to you? 
12. What does your current self-care routine look like? 
13. Tell me about your dietary regime. How do you stay on track? 
14. What’s your favorite way to keep fit and active? 
15. What was your personal turning point in taking health more seriously?
16. Can you name a wellness hack you’d recommend to anyone? 
17. How has your perspective on mental health changed over time? 
18. What inspired you to stay fit and healthy? 
19. Are there any health or wellness resources you really love?
20. What’s the best decision you’ve ever made for your health journey? 

Best business podcast questions 

21. What prompted you to start your business?
22. Was there someone who helped you navigate early entrepreneurship?
23. If you could start over in business, what would you do differently? 
24. Do you have any tips for new entrepreneurs just starting out? 
25. What do you enjoy most about your business? 
26. Tell me about a major business challenge you’ve faced and how you overcame it.
27. Imagine you’re launching an outrageous business idea. What company would you bring to life? 
28. Can you speak to the ups and downs of managing a team? 
29. If you could rename your business, what would you call it and why? 
30. Which tools or systems help your business most day to day? 

Best social media podcast questions

31. Do you have a favorite social media platform? 
32. How much time do you spend on social media each day? 
33. Do you prefer text-based, photo-based, or video-based social media content?
34. Do you use any particular tools to keep up to date with social media?
35. What are the top three accounts you follow on social media right now? 
36. How do you navigate social media updates or algorithm changes? 
37. What was your first ever social media handle, and which platform did you use?
38. Is there anything you wish you could change about the social media world? 
39. If you could start a new social media platform, what would it be? 
40. What’s next for social media? What do you think the future looks like?

Best sports podcast questions 

41. What are your top three favorite sports and why?
42. When did you first get interested in playing sports? 
43. What were your major sporting goals growing up?
44. Do you have a great sports accomplishment you’d like to share?
45. Who are your greatest sporting icons?
46. If you could speak to any sports player in history, who would you choose? 
47. What’s a lesser-known sport you’ve always wanted to try? 
48. Did you always want to be involved in sports professionally? 
49. What tips would you give to someone starting out in the sports industry? 
50. Do you think sports education is important for schools?

Great closing questions

1. What are three books/movies/podcasts you’d recommend to listeners and why? 
2. What’s one question you wish I’d asked you, and how would you have answered?
3. Where can listeners find you online?

At the end of your interview ask your guest if you missed any questions and if they have final thoughts.

Whimsical and off-the-wall questions

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
2. If you could have coffee with any historical figure, who would you choose?
3. What was your favorite subject in school?
4. What was your favorite trip you’ve ever taken?
5. What is your star sign? 
6. What Enneagram type are you? 
7. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
8. If you won $10 million tomorrow, what would you spend it on? 
9. If you had to write a book tomorrow, what would you write about?
10. What is your biggest pet peeve?
11. What do you think the world will look like in 5 years?
12. What do you think the world will look like in 50 years?
13. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
14. What would be the title of the book about you–-if your worst enemy wrote it?
15. What’s your favorite color, and what does that say about you?

How to come up with better podcast interview questions

No matter what your podcast is about or who you’re interviewing, your goal should be the same. You need questions that will encourage your podcast guests to reveal who they are, how they think, or what they know in ways that provide value for your audience. 

“Our job as interviewers is to specifically pull out information that hasn't been shared on other shows.”- Travis Brown, HitPublish

Hopefully, this list of podcast questions has kicked your mind into gear. But chances are, you may need to tailor your approach so that your interview is specific, both to your niche and to your interviewee. 

So how do you come up with great questions for a high-quality remote podcast?

Do your research

Know the basics! 

Researching your guest ahead of time helps you demonstrate professionalism and respect for the interviewee’s time. You can also use this information to spark more tailored, specific question ideas. 

Before you start your interview, check out your guest’s social media profiles, and research their professional achievements. Listen to past interviews to make sure you’re not repeating questions. 

Instead, bring up a unique perspective and expertise your guest can offer your audience. 

Keep your goals in mind

When it comes to creating a successful podcast episode, your goals are your guide. Remember to focus on providing value for your audience while ensuring your guest enjoys a positive interview experience. 

Are you expecting your interviewee to share life hacks, business advice, academic insight, or pure entertainment? 

Set your expectations, and use them to select interview questions that align well.   

Find a signature question

Make your podcasts unique with your very own signature question! This is a great way to maintain branding consistency. Plus, you’ll give your guests the chance to answer a question they don’t hear every day. 

Think about the unique perspective your podcast interviews bring to the market. Frame your question around your niche. 

For example, if your podcast is all about productivity, you can ask each guest to share their favorite productivity tricks!

Stay flexible

Podcasts are interesting because of the interplay between interviewers and interviewees, not to mention listeners! Staying flexible allows you to host organic conversations that adapt and change as you go. 

If your social media followers want to ask questions, consider adding some of these to your interview! 

If your guest says something interesting during your conversation, don’t be afraid to follow up and ask more. Listen to your guests when they speak, and allow your interview to run as a two-way interaction.

Podcast questions to avoid asking

Asking the right questions is paramount, but how do you avoid asking the wrong questions? Keep these things in mind!

• Avoid repetition: If your guest is a regular interviewee on other shows, they’ve probably heard the same questions a million times. Try to take a unique approach and offer something a little different to make your interview memorable.
• Steer clear of negativity: Ask your questions from a positive point of view and be careful about your phrasing. Even when you’re discussing negative experiences, like heartbreak or failure, try to steer guests in an optimistic direction. 
• Don’t start with personal questions: Even regular interviewees need time to warm up to you! Avoid asking personal or invasive questions upfront. Save these for the end of the interview, when you’ve built up a sense of rapport and trust.
• Avoid double-barrel questions: No one likes to be overwhelmed in an interview. Avoid double-barrel questions, instead calmly asking one question at a time. This provides guests with more scope for meaningful responses. 

Should you send podcast interview questions upfront?

While you don’t have to send your guests a copy of your questions list ahead of time, it is polite to give them a heads-up as to the topics you want to discuss. Some high-profile guests might even insist on reviewing questions before they’ll take your call!

Remember, podcast interview preparation offers benefits for you both. When guests know what to expect, they can prepare thoughtful responses and avoid rambling that could cost you hours in editing. They’ll also feel more confident, making them more likely to share!

It’s also a good idea to send your guests a checklist of anything else they should prepare before recording. Luckily, if you’re recording with Riverside guests can set up with a few quick clicks from anywhere in the world. See for yourself and try Riverside for free. 

Are there any disadvantages to this kind of planning? Maybe. Over-preparation might make your interview sound more scripted and less from the heart, so you’ll need to be careful to keep prioritizing authenticity.

If you’re worried about skipping over important questions or missing steps from your script, don’t panic. You can rely on the Riverside teleprompter tool to remind you of what’s up next and keep your chat on track.

A Great Interview Question Provides Value to Your Audience

An interview episode is only as good as the questions you ask – and, of course, the audio quality of your production. 

Prepare carefully planned questions that set you and your interviewee up for success. Take steps that put your guests at ease and provide the value that keeps your listeners coming back for more. 

Play your cards right, and you’ll be able to produce informative, dynamic podcast interviews with an amazing point of difference. Find more tips on the blog, or get started recording your next podcast episode with Riverside!

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