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Table of contents:
Key takeaways
- The right podcast interview questions spark stories and keep listeners engaged.
- Start with icebreakers, then move into deeper, topic-focused questions.
- Keep your list flexible so you can follow up on interesting points.
- Research your guest to avoid overused questions and to find fresh angles your guest hasn’t covered before.
Unforgettable podcast interviews start with asking the right questions.
If you’re stuck on what to ask your next guest, we’ve compiled a full guide including 100+ podcast interview question ideas.
Ready to make your episodes more engaging and memorable? Read on.
How to ask good podcast interview questions
A reliable set of questions keeps your interview on track so you deliver the most value. But coming up with solid podcast interview questions isn’t so easy. A few missteps can quickly make people click away from your content.
Let’s start with some advice on how to prepare questions that drive an engaging conversation and keep your audience tuned in.
Learn more about your guests
Research your guest’s background, watch their recent work, and listen to past appearances. Check their social posts to see what topics they talk about most. Pay attention to questions they’re often asked and avoid repeating them.
“Our job as interviewers is to specifically pull out information that hasn't been shared on other shows.”- Travis Brown, HitPublish
Strong research helps you ask fresh, original questions that make your interview stand out. This matters even more when your guest is well-known and has been interviewed many times. For example, look at how Jay Shetty interviews Bill Gates.
Have a warm-up chat with your guest
To break the ice, schedule a quick, informal chat with your guest before the actual recording. Avoid asking them deep questions or anything you want to explore during the actual interview.
This sets the stage for a natural, comfortable environment on the day of the interview. Plus, you’ll often pick up invaluable insights that you may want to explore in your actual recording.
Ask gamified questions
Tossing a few gamified icebreakers is a great way to make the conversation feel funnier and more dynamic.
For example, in one episode of the Dead Meat Podcast, hosts play a fun round of rapid‑fire “Would you rather?” questions. Especially at the beginning of an interview, it loosens things up and reveals personality right away.
Don’t ask biography questions
It’s tempting to ask simple biography questions like where a guest is from or where they went to school—but skip them. Viewers can research that on their own on Wikipedia, and it only feels like filler content. If you want to share background, give a short bio in the first 10 seconds of the show, like Lex Fridman does on his podcast.
Ask for personal anecdotes
People love stories, especially when they’re personal and relatable.
Ask questions that build up a narrative. For example, enquire how your guest overcame a specific challenge they faced. These stories are inspiring, memorable, and stick with listeners.
On the Colin and Samir Show, the hosts asked Tim Ferris to recall his very first guest. That anecdote was a turning point in his career and an anchor for the rest of the conversation.
Stay flexible
A great interview is never rigid; it follows the flow. Your question list should never be a script, but a flexible roadmap. If a guest says something intriguing, dive in, ask a follow-up question to explore, and spark an interesting conversation. Such an unscripted moment can easily become the highlight of the episode.
For example, in the Heavyweight podcast host Jonathan Goldstein often drives terrific conversations with simple but powerful follow-ups. Questions like “And how did that feel for you, at the time?” or “What did you learn from that?” may sound basic. But when dropped at the right moment, they open the door to incredible storytelling.
Pro tip: If you’re recording remotely, use teleprompter software so you can see your questions without looking down. Or, if you’re using Riverside, you don’t need extra tools. There’s a built-in teleprompter.
Keep your goals in mind
When preparing for an interview, your episode goals are your guide. Are you expecting your interviewee to share life hacks, business advice, academic insight, or pure entertainment? Set your expectations, and use them to shape the questions.
Find a signature question
A signature question makes your podcast feel more unique. It’s something that listeners come to expect and enjoy. It gives your podcast identity. Plus, you’ll give your guests the chance to answer a question they don’t hear every day.
An example signature is the one that Guy Raz, host of the How I Built This podcast asks his guests every time: "How much of your success do you attribute to luck, and how much to hard work and skill?"
Free checklist: Did you plan your host interviews correctly? Check this checklist from Project Umoja to know if you are!
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.
100+ podcast interview question ideas for 2025
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
- Can you introduce yourself as if someone else were introducing you?
- What brings you here today?
- What's the story behind the name of your company/organization/show?
- What inspired you to [name an achievement on your guest’s resume]?
- Have you been working on any new projects lately? Tell us about that.
- What’s something our listeners might not know about you?
- Is there anything you’d really like to talk about on today’s episode?
Best personal questions
- What do people misunderstand about you most?
- What’s your favorite childhood memory?
- How did you meet your spouse/significant other?
- What was your biggest failure, and what did you learn from the experience?
- If you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?
- What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
- What’s an insult you’ve received and been proud of?
- How would your parents describe what you do?
- What’s a funny story your family tells about you that you’d like to share?
- What’s your favorite holiday movie, and what does it say about you?
- What has been your favorite job you’ve held?
- What has been your least favorite job to date?
- If you could give your 18-year-old self some advice, what would you say?
- Tell me about the three most influential people in your life and how they’ve impacted you.
- What does your morning routine look like?
Industry-related questions
- What’s one thing about your career that you didn’t expect?
- What was the turning point in your career?
- What’s a common myth about your job or field of expertise?
- What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing in your career right now, and how are you tackling it?
- What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
- In your opinion, what’s the most important strength or personality trait someone would need to be successful in your job?
- What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
- Who has been your most important professional mentor?
- What’s one lesson your job has taught you that you think everyone should learn at some point in their life?
- Did you always want to be a [guest’s profession]?
- What’s one thing about your field of expertise that no one agrees with you about?
- What’s your favorite productivity hack for entrepreneurs?
- At what time of day do you get your best work done?
- What underrated tools are indispensable for your job?
- If you could start a business tomorrow, what would that business be?
- What occupation, other than your own, would you like to try?
Best relationship podcast questions
- Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not?
- Tell me about some of the most important relationships in your life.
- When did you fall in love for the first time? What was that like?
- What are some of your biggest challenges in relationships?
- Do you remember your first date ever? Where did you go?
- What is the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for someone?
- Do soulmates really exist? What do you think, and why?
- What’s your best advice for someone navigating a breakup?
- How soon is too soon to tell someone you love them?
- What three things do you think are most important in a relationship?
Best health podcast questions
- What does health and wellness mean to you?
- What does your current self-care routine look like?
- Tell me about your dietary regime. How do you stay on track?
- What’s your favorite way to keep fit and active?
- What was your personal turning point in taking health more seriously?
- Can you name a wellness hack you’d recommend to anyone?
- How has your perspective on mental health changed over time?
- What inspired you to stay fit and healthy?
- Are there any health or wellness resources you really love?
- What’s the best decision you’ve ever made for your health journey?
Best business podcast questions
- What prompted you to start your business?
- Was there someone who helped you navigate early entrepreneurship?
- If you could start over in business, what would you do differently?
- Do you have any tips for new entrepreneurs just starting out?
- What do you enjoy most about your business?
- Tell me about a major business challenge you’ve faced and how you overcame it.
- Imagine you’re launching an outrageous business idea. What company would you bring to life?
- Can you speak to the ups and downs of managing a team?
- If you could rename your business, what would you call it and why?
- Which tools or systems help your business most day to day?
Best social media podcast questions
- Do you have a favorite social media platform?
- How much time do you spend on social media each day?
- Do you prefer text-based, photo-based, or video-based social media content?
- Do you use any particular tools to keep up to date with social media?
- What are the top three accounts you follow on social media right now?
- How do you navigate social media updates or algorithm changes?
- What was your first ever social media handle, and which platform did you use?
- Is there anything you wish you could change about the social media world?
- If you could start a new social media platform, what would it be?
- What’s next for social media? What do you think the future looks like?
Best sports podcast questions
- What are your top three favorite sports and why?
- When did you first get interested in playing sports?
- What were your major sporting goals growing up?
- Do you have a great sports accomplishment you’d like to share?
- Who are your greatest sporting icons?
- If you could speak to any sports player in history, who would you choose?
- What’s a lesser-known sport you’ve always wanted to try?
- Did you always want to be involved in sports professionally?
- What tips would you give to someone starting out in the sports industry?
- Do you think sports education is important for schools?
Controversial podcast questions
- What’s a widely accepted idea in your industry that you think is flat-out wrong?
- If you could ban one common practice in your profession, what would it be?
- What trend do you think is completely overhyped right now?
- Is there a movement or idea you think has gone too far, or not far enough?
- Have you ever changed your mind on a major belief? What triggered that shift?
- Is there a moment in your career you regret or feel ashamed of?
- What’s a hill you’ll die on, no matter how unpopular it is?
- What’s something your audience or fans would be surprised to hear you admit?
Whimsical and off-the-wall questions
- If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
- If you could have coffee with any historical figure, who would you choose?
- What was your favorite subject in school?
- What was your favorite trip you’ve ever taken?
- What is your star sign?
- Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
- If you won $10 million tomorrow, what would you spend it on?
- If you had to write a book tomorrow, what would you write about?
- What is your biggest pet peeve?
- What do you think the world will look like in 5 years?
- What do you think the world will look like in 50 years?
- If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- What would be the title of the book about you–-if your worst enemy wrote it?
- What’s your favorite color, and what does that say about you?
Great closing questions
- What are three books/movies/podcasts you’d recommend to listeners and why?
- What’s one question you wish I’d asked you, and how would you have answered?
- Where can listeners find you online?
- Did I miss any questions? Do you have any final thoughts?
FAQs on Podcast Interview Questions
Why should I create a list of podcast questions?
A strong question list gives your podcast structure and helps you keep the conversation focused and on topic. Questions can be prepared to build a story, keeping the episode aligned with an overarching narrative.
A good list should be flexible enough to draw out your guest insights without killing spontaneity. More importantly, it can help you ensure that every question should serve a purpose.
How do I prepare interview questions without sounding scripted?
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. Try to feel the flow of the conversation, and stay flexible throughout the interview. If the conversation naturally skips a question, skip it.
Keep the tone natural like you’re chatting over coffee, not asking questions during a press conference. 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.
Want to learn more about scripting? Read our full guide on podcast scripts.
How many questions should I prepare for a 30-minute interview?
A good rule of thumb is to prepare 6–10 open-ended questions for a 30-minute interview, including a warm up question and a strong closer. That gives you enough material to drive an in-depth conversation, but still leaves room for follow-ups and intriguing deep dives.
However, the range is quite wide because ultimately it depends on how talkative your guest is. For a fast-talking, media-trained guest, you might ask more, but if you’re interviewing a reflective introvert, fewer, deeper questions might be better. Just in case, always have an extra one or two ready if the conversation runs shorter than expected.
What makes a podcast interview question “good”?
A good podcast question should invite a dynamic, truthful conversation while leaving room for unexpected answers and follow-ups. It should be many things at once:
- Open-ended: A good question should invite a discussion or a reflection rather than a one-word answer. Eg. don’t ask “Do you like your job?”, ask: “What are the aspects of your job that you like the most, and why?”
- Specific: Questions should serve a purpose and set a context, so your guest knows where to go with their answer. The better you frame them, the more likely you’ll get a detailed response. Eg. don’t ask “How did you get started?”, ask: “What was the first project you worked on that made you realize you were on the right path?”
- Emotionally resonant: Try to encourage your guest to share deeper reflections and personal moments, instead of just surface-level facts. Eg. don’t ask “Was that a challenging time?”, ask: “What was going through your mind in that moment, and how did it change you?”
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.
