160 Good Podcast Questions to Ask (+ Generator & Interview Tips)

What if your next podcast interview didn’t feel like an interview at all?

Just a great conversation. Zero awkward pauses. No script-reading. And your podcast guest is actually excited to open up. That’s the power of asking the right questions.

As someone who’s done 400+ podcast interviews (on both sides of the mic), I’ve seen how good questions set the tone. They build trust, get real answers, and turn average episodes into ones people actually remember and share.

In this article, I’ve pulled together 160 good podcast questions to ask, especially if you’re a coach, author, consultant, or expert. Plus, you’ll get access to the Talks podcast question generator, so you never run out of strong questions again.

Let’s make your next episode feel easy and natural.

Good Podcast Questions to Ask at the Start of Your Podcast

The first few minutes of a podcast can feel a bit tense for both hosts and guests. Starting with some easy, fun icebreaker questions helps everyone relax, get comfortable, and build a genuine connection right away.

Try these light, friendly questions to warm up your guest and kick off your conversation smoothly:

1. What’s something fun or unexpected that happened to you this week?
2. If you could instantly become an expert in something totally random, what would it be?
3. What’s your go-to comfort food after a long day?
4. Have you picked up any new hobbies or habits lately?
5. What’s one thing you’re really looking forward to this month?
6. If you could chat with any fictional character for 10 minutes, who would it be?
7. What’s a song that’s been stuck in your head recently?
8. Coffee or tea? How do you take it?
9. What’s the most unusual place you’ve recorded or done an interview from?
10. What’s one small thing that always makes you smile?

15 Questions to ask during a podcast

This list of questions to ask your guest is perfect for creating flow, building trust, and keeping the energy high while recording:

1. What’s something you’ve changed your mind about recently and why?
2. When do you feel most in your element?
3. What’s a belief you held 5 years ago that no longer serves you?
4. Who do you call when everything feels like it’s falling apart?
5. Can you remember a moment that completely reshaped how you view success?
6. What’s the question people should be asking you but usually don’t?
7. What’s something you’ve mastered that people think is luck?
8. Have you ever had to walk away from something really good to make space for something better?
9. What’s a tiny habit that’s had a massive impact on your life or business?
10. What’s a scar you carry that became a strength?
11. Who sees the real you and what do they understand that others don’t?
12. What’s a decision that scared you, but you made it anyway?
13. How do you know when to push forward vs. pull back?
14. What’s something recent that made you laugh way harder than you expected?
15. What’s a moment of silence you’ll never forget?

What are good podcast questions?

Great questions are specific, unexpected, and open the door for vulnerability or insight. Here are some examples that dig deeper:

1. What’s a mistake you’re glad you made?
2. If we looked at your calendar, what would it say you value most?
3. What’s something you know now that would’ve saved you 3 years if you learned it earlier?
4. How do you bounce back when things don’t go your way?
5. Who’s someone you admire but for reasons most people overlook?
6. What does “enough” look like for you?
7. What’s the best piece of advice you ignored at first?
8. Is there a story you used to tell yourself that you’ve outgrown?
9. What’s your go-to response when imposter syndrome shows up?
10. If everything disappeared tomorrow, what would you rebuild first?
11. What’s a truth you’ve only recently made peace with?
12. What’s an unpopular opinion you quietly hold?
13. How do you decide what advice to listen to and what to ignore?
14. What’s one belief that’s been surprisingly freeing?
15. What part of your life do most people misunderstand and why?

15 Podcast questions about love

These work beautifully for relationship coaches or any guest talking about personal growth, connection, or human behavior:

1. How has your definition of love evolved?
2. What’s something love taught you that nothing else could?
3. When did you first learn what emotional safety feels like?
4. What’s a conflict that brought you closer instead of driving you apart?
5. What do you think most people get wrong about love?
6. How do you love someone well even on their worst day?
7. What’s something romantic that had nothing to do with flowers or candles?
8. What kind of love did you need growing up, and how has that shaped you now?
9. Have you ever had to unlearn love to relearn connection?
10. What role does love play in your work, if any?
11. How do you know when love is safe vs. familiar?
12. What does real emotional intimacy look like to you?
13. What’s a moment where love surprised you?
14. How do you repair connection after a big fight?
15. What’s one way your relationship with yourself has deepened recently?

Why Good Podcast Questions Are Important

A solid question is the bridge between small talk and genuine insight. Ask well, and guests relax, stories land, and listeners stay to the last whistle.

Here’s what solid questions do:

• Build trust: Your guest feels seen, not just booked.
• Bring out the gold: Real stories, not surface-level advice.
• Keep people listening: A sharp question = a juicy answer = shareable moment.
• Make you look like an expert: Listeners can tell when you’ve done your homework.

Ask better questions, get better answers.

What Makes a Good Podcast Interview Question?

Interesting podcast interview questions don’t come from Google. Great questions for your podcast come from actually listening and caring about the person across from you.

Here’s what works:

• Skip the vague stuff: “What’s been your hardest moment as a coach?” beats “What’s your story?”
• Ask open-ended questions: Give them space to tell a story, not just yes/no.
• Keep it guest-first: Make it about them, not about you flexing your knowledge.
• Find the fresh angle: Tailor your questions and ask what other podcast hosts haven’t.
• Mix it up: Some light follow-up questions, some deep podcast interview questions to ask, some surprising closing questions. Keep it flowing to avoid awkward silences.

10 Tips for asking great podcast interview questions

Great podcast questions come from a mix of curiosity, a little podcast content prep, and the right backup. Here are ten quick wins I lean on every time the mic goes live:

1. Begin with your target audience in mind. Decide what you want them to feel or try after the episode, then shape interesting questions that get you there. Think of it like outlining your own podcast script template before kick-off.
2. Research your guest and their freshest work. A recent post, less popular podcasts they’ve been on, or a product launch often hides a story no other host has touched (see these extra podcast interview tips for digging deeper).
3. Fire up the Talks podcast question generator. Type a niche phrase (“fitness burnout,” “mindset blocks,” “funny questions to get an expert chef laughing”), skim the output, and grab two or three juicy questions or angles you hadn’t considered.
4. Draft five anchor questions in advance. That’s usually enough structure; everything else can flow from follow-ups. If you like more structure, learn how to prepare for a podcast interview here.
5. Pocket one curveball. The podcast question generator’s wildcard tag is perfect for jolting energy when answers start feeling rehearsed.
6. Listen for verbs. Action words in a reply (“quit,” “built,” “lost”) point to moments worth digging into.
7. Use silence on purpose. Count to three after each answer. People often drop the real insight right after the pause.
8. Flip closed replies open. If you get a yes/no, follow with “What made that moment stick?” or “How did it change your day-to-day?” to help your guest with specific questions.
9. Flag your transitions. A quick “switching gears for a sec…” during an engaging interview keeps the guest relaxed and the podcast listeners oriented. Especially handy when you’re juggling different types of podcasts in your line-up.
10. Close with reflection. Ask for a lesson, ritual, or tiny habit listeners can try tonight; something the guest hasn’t shared a dozen times already (the generator’s “unexpected” tag helps here too).

How to prepare for the interview

A touch of structure to the new questions that you ask keeps the flow natural during your podcast episode.

1. Handle the paperwork: Send a concise podcast guest release form right after booking so consents are squared away before you hit record.
2. Research for real: Read or watch the guest’s latest work; note a line you can quote or a good podcast topic you can tie it to.
3. Outline, don’t over-script: Aim for 5-7 anchor questions and leave space to ask follow-up questions.
4. Tech check early: Mic, levels, backup recording; sort it before the call starts for a good interview.
5. Pre-chat minute: Outline timing, sensitive topics and questions beforehand, and your goal for the episode.
6. Mind the clock: Flag key timestamps so you can steer smoothly toward the finish.

15 Best Podcast Interview Questions

Here are standout questions that consistently lead to deep, memorable conversations:

1. What would the 10-year-old version of you think of your life today?
2. What’s something you’ve said “no” to recently and how did it feel?
3. What are you currently working on that no one sees?
4. What’s a story that’s shaped your business but rarely gets shared?
5. When was the last time you felt completely out of your depth and what did you do next?
6. Who or what keeps you grounded when things get chaotic?
7. What do you wish more people knew about your industry?
8. When do you feel most misunderstood and why?
9. What does success look like when no one else is watching?
10. What’s something you learned the hard way, but wouldn’t trade?
11. What’s a question you’ve never been asked but wish you were?
12. What moment made everything click for you?
13. What keeps you going when results are slow?
14. What do you want to be remembered for?
15. What’s the weirdest (but most effective) decision you’ve made in your career?

Need more ideas like these? 

Fire up the Talks podcast question generator to get instantly creative, bold, and unexpected podcast questions by theme, tone, or niche. 

Just type in a phrase like “creative burnout” or “money mindset” and get a list of fresh prompts to create deeper conversations.

How to Ask Good Questions for a Podcast

Think of it like a good pick-up game. Be sharp, stay loose, and keep it moving.

• Frame it with purpose: “I noticed you said…” > random question out of nowhere.
• One question at a time: Don’t stack five in one go.
• Be specific: “In your TEDx talk…” hits harder than “When you speak…”
• Pause on purpose: Silence invites depth; resist filling the gap. Let them think. Don’t rush the gold.
• Follow up naturally: Their answer is usually your next question.
• Watch for signals: Tone, pace, and body language hint at where to probe or ease off.

Podcast Questions to Avoid

Some engaging questions might sound like good conversation starters but often slow things down or make guests and listeners uncomfortable. 

Here are ten types of questions to leave out of your list of potential questions:

1. “Tell us about yourself.” It’s too broad and often leads to rambling or rehearsed answers that don’t add focus.
2. “What’s your biggest weakness?” This classic interview question puts guests on the defensive and rarely leads to authentic responses.
3. “So, what’s going on lately?” Too general, it can stall the conversation with vague or surface-level answers.
4. “Is the market hard right now?” This yes/no question doesn’t encourage storytelling or detailed insights.
5. “Ever think of quitting?” It can feel confrontational and make guests uncomfortable sharing vulnerability.
6. “Why do you think you’re better than others?” This comes off as arrogant and puts guests in an awkward position.
7. “What would you change about your past?” It often leads to regret or negativity instead of inspiring reflection.
8. “What’s something your team doesn’t know about you?” Personal questions like this can feel too intrusive if the guest isn’t ready to share.
9. “Any last words?” It sounds odd and can make the ending feel awkward rather than natural.
10. “Anything I forgot to ask?” This puts unnecessary pressure on guests and can cause repetition or awkward pauses.

The key? Ask questions you genuinely care about. If it feels forced, skip it. Great conversations come from real curiosity.

Best Podcast Questions by Category

Want to go deeper with a guest who has a specific focus or area of expertise? 

These category-based questions help you spark more relevant, thoughtful conversations. They’re great for guiding interviews while keeping things personal, honest, and engaging.

For coaches and consultants

Coaches tend to hold space for everyone else. These questions help spotlight their inner world and unique process:

1. What led you to become a coach and what kept you going when it got hard?
2. What’s the biggest internal shift your clients need to make?
3. How do you help people get results when they’re stuck in fear?
4. What does a breakthrough actually look like?
5. What question do you ask your clients that always stirs something up?
6. How do you personally keep learning and growing in your work?
7. What’s the hardest type of client for you and how do you navigate that?
8. What’s something that changed once you started charging more?
9. What’s your personal process for creating transformation?
10. What fills your cup that no one sees behind the scenes?

For authors and speakers

Pull back the curtain and explore what it really takes to write, speak, and share ideas that resonate:

1. What’s a chapter you wanted to write but didn’t?
2. What’s the most honest line you’ve ever spoken onstage?
3. What’s your writing process really like?
4. How do you know when your story is ready to share?
5. What’s a story you’re still living through right now?
6. What scares you most about putting your ideas out into the world?
7. What role does your audience play in how you shape your message?
8. What’s something people romanticize about your process that isn’t true?
9. How do you balance storytelling with privacy?
10. What’s a piece of writing or a talk that changed you the most?

For entrepreneurs

These interview questions for your podcast uncover what’s happening behind the scenes: the grit, vision, and tough calls that define entrepreneurship:

1. What’s a hard decision that turned out to be a blessing?
2. How do you keep momentum when motivation disappears?
3. What’s a time your business forced you to grow as a person?
4. What problem are you secretly obsessed with solving?
5. How do you decide what not to do?
6. What was a turning point where you almost quit?
7. How do you define freedom now compared to when you started?
8. What’s your favorite part of the process no one talks about?
9. What’s the very first product you ever sold?
10. When have you had to bet on your gut over logic?

For spirituality and mindset coaches

These deep questions lead to deeper reflections on identity, trust, belief systems, and inner change:

1. What practice has changed your relationship with yourself the most?
2. What does intuition sound like to you?
3. How do you stay grounded during big transitions?
4. What’s something spiritual you resisted at first but now embrace?
5. What mindset shift keeps showing up for you again and again?
6. How do you guide people through fear of the unknown?
7. Where in your life are you being invited to surrender more?
8. How do you handle spiritual bypassing when it shows up?
9. What’s a teaching that challenged your worldview in a good way?
10. How do you integrate your inner work into your everyday life?

For career and leadership coaches

These are my favorite questions for encouraging guests to share the raw, behind-the-scenes of making something from nothing:

1. What’s the most underrated skill in leadership?
2. How do you help clients navigate uncertainty in their careers?
3. What’s one piece of feedback that changed how you lead?
4. What’s a common leadership trap and how do you help people avoid it?
5. How do you balance ambition with burnout prevention?
6. How do you develop leaders who lead themselves first?
7. What’s one belief that limits most professionals and how do you shift it?
8. What role does self-awareness play in your work?
9. What’s a moment that changed how you see leadership?
10. How do you define meaningful success in someone’s career?

For health and wellness experts

Go beyond surface-level advice and explore the psychology, habits, and breakthroughs behind true well-being:

1. What part of wellness has surprised you the most in your own life?
2. What small habit creates the biggest ripple in health?
3. How do you help people break through self-sabotage?
4. What’s a moment you saw someone reclaim their health in a powerful way?
5. What does a sustainable approach to health actually look like?
6. What does your personal health practice look like on your worst day?
7. How do you talk about health without shaming or fear tactics?
8. What’s one myth in your field you wish more people questioned?
9. What’s the link between emotional health and physical well-being in your experience?
10. How do you define a healthy life now vs. when you first started?

For grief and life transitions coaches

These are good podcast questions to ask and gently invite guests to speak on tender, powerful, and often avoided topics:

1. What’s something people don’t understand about grief until they experience it?
2. How do you hold space for someone who doesn’t have the words yet?
3. What’s one question that gently opens up the conversation around loss?
4. What’s a transition you didn’t see coming and how did you grow from it?
5. How do you help people trust their timing in the middle of change?
6. What does healing look like when it’s not linear?
7. How do you avoid rushing someone’s grieving process?
8. What does honoring grief look like in everyday life?
9. What role does community play in life transitions?
10. What’s something surprising you’ve learned from walking through grief with others?

For creatives and artists

Perfect for getting guests to share the raw, behind-the-scenes of making something from nothing:

1. What’s your relationship with inspiration?
2. How do you keep creating when you’re not feeling inspired?
3. What’s a piece you made that felt like a turning point?
4. What’s the story behind a piece of your work that people usually overlook?
5. What does creativity feel like in your body?
6. What does your creative process look like when no one’s watching?
7. How do you handle creative rejection?
8. What fuels your creativity when it runs dry?
9. How do you know when something you made is done?
10. What’s a boundary that’s helped protect your creative energy?

Questions that flip the mic on podcast hosts

These questions help uncover their evolution behind the scenes, how podcasting has shaped them, stretched them, and what keeps them in the game:

1. What’s a question you always love asking guests and why?
2. How has hosting a podcast changed how you show up in other areas of life?
3. What’s a moment on your show that stayed with you long after the mic turned off?
4. What’s your secret to drawing out honest stories from guests?
5. What do you wish more podcasters focused on?
6. What’s something unexpected you’ve learned from podcasting?
7. How do you prep for interviews without over-planning?
8. What role does your audience play in shaping the show?
9. What kind of guests challenge you in the best way?
10. What does podcasting make possible in your life that nothing else does?

Better Questions, Faster Bookings

Good podcast questions to ask are simple: they spring from genuine curiosity. Lead with that spark, and your guest relaxes, stories flow, and listeners stay till the whistle blows.

Ready for that energy in every episode and more bookings for yourself? 

Set up a free Talks creator profile. 

In a few clicks you’ll show up on the radar of hosts looking for fresh voices and guests who match your vibe.

Skip the email tennis. 

Connect, record, repeat.

Create your free Talks profile today.