Podcast Guest Checklist

Podcasts can be overwhelming, especially when you’re having guests and aren’t sure what to do. To help you out, we’ve compiled our top tips for preparing yourself and guest(s) for your podcast!

1. Explain the Main Topic for the Discussion

Without a clear, distinguished topic, your podcast may sound disorganized and come across as messy. We suggest choosing a topic your listeners will be interested in. After choosing your topic, write it down along with 3-5 bullet points for related discussion. The bullet point format will prevent you from overplanning and keep the podcast conversational without it sounding rigid like you’re following a written script. It will also keep you on topic throughout your podcast.

2. Give an Estimated Length of Time

Creating a goal for the length of the podcast will prevent you from turning an hour conversation into 2+ hours. It will also help you and your guest know when there’s time to expand on discussion points. But keep in mind, this is just an estimate, so if your conversation is flowing and there’s more to discuss, keep talking until it feels natural to stop.

3. Provide Potential Questions

It’s always a great idea to send your guest a list of potential questions you may ask. This ensures they have time to prepare some answers and talking points. If you don’t send these over ahead of time, during the podcast there might be moments of awkward silence while your guest thinks of how to respond.

4. Double Check Talking Points

Take another look at your talking points to see if there’s anything you may have missed. You can do some quick research on your topic to make sure you’re covering what you want to. Bonus points for tying some points directly to your guest(s)!

5. Provide Information To Guest(s)

Now that you’re prepared, send all of your talking points and potential questions over to your guest(s). It doesn’t have to be fancy, you can just type everything in an email or attach a document. Be sure to include a link to previous podcasts for them to listen to and get a feel for the flow of conversation. Preparing your guest(s) will ensure your podcast runs as smoothly as possible. It will also make your guest(s) feel more comfortable and relaxed.

Now you’re ready for a great and engaging conversation, but is your setup going to allow the best recording quality? Read our Podcast Housekeeping Rules before hitting record or learn more about our podcast services here!