150 Best Podcast Interview Questions (Guide, Tips & Idea Generator)

You’re gearing up for your next podcast episode and want to nail it. 

The guest is lined up. 

The gear is ready.

But… what about the podcast interview questions? 

You know the kind that actually get your podcast guests talking, keep listeners hooked, and make the whole thing feel smooth and natural?

I’ve done this over 400 times, both as a guest and a host, so I know what works and what doesn’t. The truth is, good podcast interview questions aren’t about fancy scripts or questions that are way too deep even you don’t understand them. 

It’s about knowing how to ask what fits your guest and what your audience wants to hear especially when you’re hosting coaches, consultants, authors, or entrepreneurs looking to get noticed.

Luckily, this is not a list of cookie-cutter questions you’ll find everywhere.

You’re getting 150 practical, solid questions grouped by category, plus tips on prepping, building real rapport, and steering conversations that feel genuine and engaging. I’ll even walk you through using the Talks podcast question generator, a tool that takes the hard work out of preparing.

So, if you’re ready to run podcast interviews that connect and bring value without any nonsense, this is your playbook. 

Let’s get into it.

Podcast Interview Questions

One of the easiest ways to run a great podcast interview? Think in phases, not a fixed script.

A strong interview usually moves through four natural stages:

1. Warm-up.
2. Build-up.
3. Spotlight.
4. Close.

Each stage needs a different type of interesting podcast interview question to keep the flow smooth, engaging, and real.

1. Warm-up: These are low-pressure podcast interview questions to ask that ease your guest in and shake off any nerves. You’re not diving deep or asking personal questions here. You’re just helping them settle in. Something like: “What’s one small win you had this week?”
2. Build-up: Now you’re getting into their story. Questions that draw out backstory, motivation, or “why” behind what they do. For example: “What led you to create your first product or offer?”
3. Spotlight: This is where the real insight comes out. Think of questions to ask your guest like moments of challenge, key turning points, or unexpected lessons. A good question here might be: “Was there a moment where everything almost fell apart? What did you learn from it?”
4. Close: You’re wrapping things up with reflection and something useful for your listeners. Questions like: “What’s one practical step someone listening could take today to move forward?”

If you’ve ever gone blank mid-interview or unsure what to ask next, this four-part flow gives you a mental roadmap. It helps you stay present, shift gears smoothly, and keep your guest (and listeners) fully engaged without needing a long list of questions.

Start with one unique question per phase. That’s often all you need in podcasting. The rest comes naturally.

How to Prepare for a Podcast Interview

Getting ready for any podcast interview before you hit record makes all the difference. This step-by-step guide will help you prepare for the interview feeling confident, organized, and ready to run a smooth interview.

1. Research your guest: Watch past interviews. Know their background, expertise, and what they care about. It’ll help you ask types of questions that land.
2. Define your episode goal: What do you want your listeners to take away? Keep that clear in your mind.
3. Prepare your questions: Use this guide’s categories to tailor your podcast interview questions to hook your listeners and really engage your guest.
4. Test your podcasting equipment: Set aside time to prepare to ensure a perfect interview. Check your mic, headphones, and recording setup so nothing goes wrong mid-show.
5. Choose a quiet space: Cut out distractions and background noise for better sound quality and help your audience enjoy the episode more.
6. Send your guest an outline: Give your podcast guests ahead of time the questions for your podcast so they know what to expect.
7. Set expectations: Confirm length, format, and tech details upfront to avoid surprises.
8. Plan your intro and outro: Have your opening and closing ready to keep things tight and professional.
9. Have water nearby: Keep your voice clear by staying hydrated. I always make sure to have a glass of water ready before my podcast interviews.
10. Get in the right mindset: Take a moment to relax and focus before you start. A calm you is what makes a good podcast.

How to Be a Good Podcast Interview Host

Being a good host is about more than just asking questions. It’s about creating conversations that feel natural and engaging from start to finish. Here are ten ways to make that happen:

1. Listen actively: Don’t just wait for your turn to speak. If your podcast guest mentions a surprising detail, like overcoming a big setback, pick up on it and dig deeper instead of jumping to your next question.
2. Keep it conversational: Imagine you’re chatting with a friend over coffee, not firing off rapid-fire questions. This helps your guest relax and share more freely.
3. Be curious: When your guest shares an unusual insight, say, “That’s interesting. How did that change your approach?” Genuine curiosity paired with the right questions opens up fresh stories.
4. Build rapport early: Start with easy, light questions or a quick joke to break the ice. For example, ask about their morning routine or a hobby before diving in.
5. Manage time: If a podcast guest tends to go long on a topic, gently steer them back with phrases like, “That’s great! Let’s also touch on…” This keeps your episode tight and listener-friendly.
6. Stay flexible: Sometimes the best moments come from unexpected detours. If a guest shares a personal story that’s off your script but powerful, follow it to keep the conversation alive and keep the audience engaged.
7. Don’t interrupt: Even if your guest is taking a while to get to the point, wait patiently. Interrupting breaks the flow and can shut down valuable insights.
8. Use your guest’s name: As a podcast interviewer, this simple habit makes your guest feel seen and builds connection. Try saying their name when responding to a key point or when you ask them questions.
9. Avoid distractions: Turn off notifications and silence your phone. Imagine how it sounds if you’re mid-question and a loud ding interrupts your flow.
10. Close with a clear call to action: End by asking your guest to share a link, resource, or next step for listeners. For instance, “Where can folks find your latest book or course?”

Best Podcast Interview Questions

Asking your guest a smart podcast question can turn a routine chat into an episode listeners replay on the drive home. Here are ten traits that separate a standout question from a forgettable one:

1. Clear purpose: You know exactly what story or insight you’re fishing for before you ask.
2. Audience-centered: The questions that you ask lines up with what your listeners care about right now.
3. Guest-specific: It taps into the guest’s unique background instead of something you could ask anyone.
4. Open-ended: It can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” so the guest has to elaborate.
5. Story prompt: It nudges the guest to paint a picture (e.g., “Tell us about the day you almost quit.”) for instance.
6. Rapport builder: It shows respect or shared ground, relaxing the guest and setting an easy tone.
7. Follow-up friendly: The wording leaves space for deeper digs when the guest drops a golden nugget.
8. Insight sparker: It encourages reflection, surfacing lessons the guest hasn’t shared a hundred times.
9. Timely angle: It connects to a current trend or event, making the answer feel fresh and relevant.
10. Action takeaway: It tees up advice your audience can try before the next episode drops.

What Are Good Podcast Questions?

Good podcast interview questions don’t just fill time, they pull out stories your audience actually wants to hear. The best ones are open-ended, specific to the guest’s zone of genius, and shaped by the kind of conversation you want to create. 

They make guests think, reflect, and share something real.

One way to come up with better questions fast? Use the free Talks podcast question generator. You just enter a good podcast topic for your episode, say, “launching a coaching business”, and it instantly gives you five questions to work with. 

Here’s what it put out when I tested it:

• What inspired you to start your coaching business?
• Can you share a pivotal moment that motivated you to take the leap and launch your business?
• What challenges did you face when launching your coaching business and how did you overcome them?
• How do you differentiate your coaching business in a saturated market?
• What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own coaching business?

Whether you’re short on time or just need a creativity boost, it’s a fast way to go from stuck to brainstorming and creating.

Now, let’s get into 150 strong, ready-to-use podcast questions you can pull from anytime.

Business podcast interview questions

Business guests often have unique experiences, from starting up to scaling, marketing, and leadership. Use these questions to get to the heart of their journey, challenges, and successes and help your audience learn more about your guest.

1. What sparked the idea for your business? Was it a sudden lightbulb moment or a slow burn?
2. Tell me about the moment you knew your business had real potential.
3. What’s the wildest challenge you’ve faced while building your business?
4. Can you share a story about a time everything seemed to fall apart and how you bounced back?
5. What’s one mistake you made early on that taught you a lesson you still carry?
6. How do you stay motivated when things aren’t going your way?
7. What’s the quirkiest strategy you’ve used to land your first clients?
8. If your business had a personality, what would it be?
9. What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken and did it pay off?
10. What’s one thing your competitors don’t know about how you run your business?
11. How do you balance innovation with keeping the day-to-day running smoothly?
12. Can you describe a time when a failure actually opened a new door for you?
13. What’s your secret to keeping customers coming back?
14. How do you handle criticism, especially when it stings?
15. What’s the best unexpected advice you ever received?
16. How has your business changed since you first started?
17. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve done to stand out in a crowded market?
18. What does success look like to you beyond just revenue?
19. How do you keep your team motivated on tough days?
20. What’s a habit or ritual that helps you get in the zone?
21. Can you share a client story that still makes you smile?
22. How do you measure growth beyond the obvious numbers?
23. If you could give your younger self one piece of business advice, what would it be?
24. What’s the biggest myth about entrepreneurship you want to bust?
25. How do you decide which opportunities to chase and which to pass?
26. What role does failure play in your business strategy?
27. If your business had a soundtrack, what song would be playing right now?
28. How do you balance taking bold leaps with playing it safe?
29. What’s one challenge you hope your competitors face, but you don’t?
30. How do you keep your creative energy flowing under pressure?
31. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
32. Can you describe a turning point where everything clicked?
33. What’s the best way to stay resilient in a rollercoaster industry?
34. How do you keep your personal life separate from your business, if at all?
35. What’s your go-to method for brainstorming new ideas?
36. How do you keep your values at the core of your business decisions?
37. What’s your proudest “against all odds” story?

Podcast interview questions for business owners

Here are questions designed specifically for business owners to dive deeper into their journey, leadership style, and business philosophy.

38. What’s the story behind your “why” that keeps you pushing forward?
39. Can you describe your craziest “all in” moment where you bet everything on yourself?
40. If you had unlimited time, what would you spend more hours doing?
41. What’s the hardest leadership lesson you learned, and how did it shape you?
42. How do you spark creativity when the day-to-day feels like a grind?
43. What’s one decision that felt risky but changed everything?
44. Can you share a customer story that transformed your perspective?
45. If you had to pick a theme song for your leadership style, what would it be?
46. What’s your secret to spotting opportunities others miss?
47. When was the last time you surprised yourself with a bold move?
48. How do you juggle competing priorities without dropping the ball?
49. What’s your favorite way to celebrate small wins?
50. How do you handle tough conversations with your team?
51. What’s a personal habit that keeps you sharp as a leader?
52. Can you share a moment where mentorship made a big difference?
53. What’s the biggest misconception people have about owning a business?
54. How do you keep learning and growing while managing a busy schedule?
55. What’s one tool or resource you couldn’t live without?
56. What’s your go-to strategy when you’re stuck on a problem?
57. How do you balance customer needs with your business vision?
58. Can you describe a time you had to pivot quickly?
59. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten about scaling?
60. How do you build trust with your customers?
61. What’s a risk you took that almost didn’t pay off but taught you something valuable?
62. How do you stay authentic while marketing your business?
63. What’s the one question you always ask yourself before making a big decision?
64. How do you foster a culture of innovation in your company?
65. Can you share a story where failure led to a breakthrough?
66. What’s your approach to work-life balance, and does it actually work?
67. How do you stay focused amid constant distractions?
68. What’s the most important leadership quality you strive for?
69. What’s a recent trend in your industry that excites you?
70. Can you talk about a time when a mentor helped you avoid a major mistake?
71. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a new business owner?
72. How do you motivate your team during challenging times?
73. What’s a lesson you learned the hard way but now consider a gift?
74. How do you measure success beyond dollars and cents?
75. What’s a story that perfectly sums up your leadership style?

Podcast interview questions examples

Sometimes it helps to have a grab-and-go list of solid, versatile questions that work across industries and guest types. These are flexible and proven to get conversations flowing.

76. What’s a fun fact about you that no one expects?
77. How did you accidentally find your career path?
78. Tell me about a failure that turned into a defining moment.
79. Who’s been your biggest cheerleader behind the scenes?
80. What’s a daily habit that keeps you on track?
81. If your life had a highlight reel, what would be the top moment?
82. How do you handle criticism that actually makes you better?
83. What’s a recent project you’re ridiculously proud of?
84. If you could talk to your younger self, what would you say?
85. What’s the best “aha” moment you’ve had about your work?
86. What’s something you do differently from most people in your field?
87. Tell me about an unexpected mentor or role model.
88. What’s one thing most people misunderstand about your work?
89. What’s a personal story that shaped your professional approach?
90. How do you recharge when burnout hits?
91. What’s your proudest “against the odds” success?
92. What’s the weirdest advice you’ve ever gotten that actually worked?
93. How do you push past self-doubt?
94. What’s one passion you have outside of work?
95. Can you share a story where a “no” turned into a better “yes”?
96. What’s a book, podcast, or resource that changed your perspective?
97. How do you stay curious in your industry?
98. What’s a recent lesson you learned the hard way?
99. What’s your favorite way to celebrate milestones?
100. If you had to describe your work in a tweet, what would it say?
101. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
102. What’s a question you wish people would ask you more?
103. Can you share a moment where you took a big leap of faith?
104. How do you handle tough feedback?
105. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through your work?
106. What’s your favorite way to disconnect and reset?
107. What’s one thing you want people to remember about your story?
108. Can you share a funny or awkward moment that taught you something?
109. What’s the one piece of advice you always give others?
110. How do you stay inspired on difficult days?
111. What’s a cause or mission close to your heart?
112. How do you maintain confidence when stepping into new territory?
113. What’s the best decision you ever made that felt risky at the time?

Questions to ask in a podcast interview

These questions work well across a range of guests, especially coaches, consultants, authors, and entrepreneurs who want to get noticed and share value.

114. What’s the defining story behind your work?
115. How do you explain your “secret sauce” to someone new?
116. What’s the biggest myth about your industry that drives you nuts?
117. Can you share a breakthrough moment with a client?
118. How do you keep up with fast changes in your field?
119. What’s one mindset shift that transformed your results?
120. If you could hand listeners one quick tip, what would it be?
121. What’s your “north star” when things get tough?
122. Tell me about a setback that became a comeback.
123. What’s the story behind your proudest client success?
124. How do you balance innovation with proven methods?
125. What’s the biggest challenge your clients face?
126. How do you build trust quickly with new clients?
127. What’s a recent innovation in your field that excites you?
128. How do you measure impact beyond numbers?
129. What’s one thing you wish clients understood better?
130. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve given a client?
131. How do you stay grounded in a noisy industry?
132. What’s your favorite success story that no one knows about?
133. How do you tailor your approach for different clients?
134. What’s a trend you think is overhyped?
135. How do you keep learning and evolving your practice?
136. What’s your biggest “aha” moment as a professional?
137. What’s the story behind your favorite tool or method?
138. How do you manage client expectations realistically?
139. What’s one question you always ask your clients first?
140. How do you celebrate client wins?
141. What’s a tough lesson you’ve learned from working with clients?
142. How do you handle difficult conversations with clients?
143. What’s your approach to building long-term relationships?
144. What’s the biggest misconception clients have about your work?
145. How do you help clients break through limiting beliefs?
146. What’s your go-to podcast content strategy that always works?
147. How do you balance empathy with accountability?
148. What’s the story of your proudest professional moment?
149. How do you stay motivated when client progress slows?
150. What’s one thing every client should know before working with you?

Interview Podcast Script

Having a simple script helps keep your podcast on track without sounding stiff. Here’s a basic template you can copy and tweak for your own show.

Intro
“Welcome to [Podcast Name]. I’m your host, [Your Name]. Today, I’m joined by [Guest Name], [Guest’s Role or Title]. We’ll be talking about [Main Topic] and sharing some great insights.”

Warm-Up Questions

• “[Guest Name], can you share a bit about your background and how you got started in [Industry/Field]?”
• “What inspired you to focus on [Specific Area]?”

Main Interview Questions

• “Can you explain [Key Concept] and why it matters to [Audience/Industry]?”
• “What’s one challenge you faced with [Topic] and how did you handle it?”
• “How do you see [Trend/Topic] developing over the next few years?”
• “What advice would you give to [Target Audience] looking to improve in [Skill/Area]?”

Closing Questions

• “Where can listeners find you online or get in touch?”
• “Any final thoughts or tips you want to leave us with?”

Outro:
“Thanks for joining us today, [Guest Name]. For everyone listening, check out [Guest’s Website/Socials]. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. See you next time on [Podcast Name].”

Need a quick outline on the fly? Pop your episode topic and format (solo, co-hosted, or guest interview) into the free Talks podcast script generator and it’ll draft a full rundown for you in seconds.

How to Do a Good Podcast Interview

Running a great podcast interview comes down to how you connect with your guest and keep things flowing. These steps make it easier.

1. Start with a strong intro: Set expectations by clearly introducing your guest and what listeners will gain. Picture saying, “Today, we’re diving into social media strategies with Jane Doe, who grew a 1 million follower audience in a year.”
2. Create comfort: Spend 3-5 minutes chatting before you hit record to help your guest relax. Ask something casual like, “How’s your day going?” This eases nerves and sets a friendly tone.
3. Ask open-ended questions: Instead of yes/no queries, ask questions like, “What’s the biggest lesson you learned launching your first business?” This invites stories, not just facts.
4. Listen more than you talk: One of my favorite podcast interview tips to share is this: Imagine you’re the host but also the audience’s ears. Give your guest space to explain fully without cutting them off.
5. Use follow-up questions: When your guest drops a line like “That was a turning point for me,” ask, “Can you tell us more about what made it so pivotal?” This draws out details your listeners want.
6. Keep energy up: If the conversation slows, change your tone or ask a more lively question. Picture shaking off a lull with a quick, upbeat story or joke.
7. Mind the time: Keep your guest’s schedule in mind and plan your questions accordingly. If you promised a 45-minute chat, avoid going way over to respect their time and your audience’s attention.
8. Handle tech glitches calmly: If your guest’s audio cuts out or something goes wrong, stay cool and reassure them. A quick “No worries, let’s try that again” keeps things professional and relaxed.
9. Summarize key points: After a complex explanation, briefly recap what your guest said. For example, “So, to make sure I got it right, you recommend focusing on building relationships over chasing quick sales?” This helps listeners follow along.
10. End with thanks: Close with genuine appreciation. Thank your guest for their time and insights, reinforcing a positive connection for future episodes.

Game-Ready Questions

You don’t need a big audience to get booked on great podcasts. You need great podcast interview questions and the right place to use them.

That’s where Talks comes in.

We help coaches, consultants, and creators get featured fast. 

No pitching. No chasing. 

Just create your profile, show off your best topics and questions, and start showing up in the searches of top podcast hosts.

Create Your Free Talks Profile and start landing interviews that grow your brand, list, and income.

Don’t let your next big opportunity scroll past you. Set yourself up to get found, featured, and followed.