An interview episode is only as good as the conversation, and most of what makes a conversation go well happens before anyone presses record. Guests who know what to expect, have the right link, are sitting in a quiet room and are wearing headphones are easier to record. Hosts who have done their homework ask better questions.
This checklist pulls together the guest-preparation advice published by podcast platforms and by a magazine that records guests for its own shows. Use it as a starting point and adapt it to your format.
1. Research the guest
The first part of guest prep is on the host's side. Matchmaker.fm, a platform that connects podcast hosts with guests, advises learning the guest's background and what they care about before the recording; a guest who sees you have done your homework will appreciate it.
A useful extra step, also suggested by Matchmaker.fm, is to find out what the guest has been asked on other shows. Matchmaker.fm's reasoning is that this helps you avoid rehearsed answers.
2. Prepare questions, and consider sharing them
Write down a list of questions or talking points. Matchmaker.fm notes that a planned list helps keep the conversation on track.
Whether to send the questions to the guest in advance is a matter of style. Matchmaker.fm suggests doing so because it gives guests time to prepare, and says it lets them raise concerns, especially on sensitive topics. You do not need to script the whole conversation; a short list of themes is often enough.
Also confirm small details that are embarrassing to get wrong on air, such as how to pronounce the guest's name, which Matchmaker.fm includes on its pre-interview checklist.
3. Send clear logistics
Many recording problems are really communication problems. A confirmation email sent well ahead of time, and a reminder a few days before if the booking was made weeks earlier, should cover:
- The date, time and time zone of the recording
- The link they need to join the call, and the recording tool you will use
- How long the session will take
- What the episode is about and who the audience is
- Whether they should wear headphones (the answer is almost always yes)
- How and when the episode will be promoted
Matchmaker.fm's checklist covers several of these points, including the recording software, the join link, the audience, whether the episode is audio or video, headphone needs and promotion plans, and suggests sending a reminder if you booked weeks ahead.
4. Help the guest set up their space and equipment
Your guest probably does not record audio for a living. A short, friendly set of setup instructions can make a large difference to the final sound. St. Louis Magazine publishes a guide for guests on its podcasts that is a good model. Its recommendations include:
- Use a computer rather than a phone, and close other applications.
- Avoid public Wi-Fi.
- Silence the phone.
- Use a wired headset with a built-in microphone. The magazine does not recommend wireless or Bluetooth headsets and earbuds, and asks guests to use wired headphones to listen to the host.
- Choose a quiet room. Pay attention to background noise such as air conditioning, heating and traffic, and close the windows.
- Avoid echoey rooms.
- Tell household members or colleagues about the recording, and shut the door if possible.
- Do not shuffle papers near the microphone; the mic will pick up the noise.
If you also publish video, the same guide suggests placing the camera at eye level and making sure the guest's face is well lit.
You can turn a list like this into a short guest guide of your own and send it with every booking confirmation, so you are not repeating the same advice by email each time.
5. Check your own setup
Guest prep is not only about the guest. Matchmaker.fm's checklist reminds hosts to test their own equipment, to choose a quiet location, and to keep their questions in their eye line so they can refer to them without breaking the flow.
Marc Thiele, a podcaster who published the checklist he usually keeps in his head, adds a few steps worth borrowing:
- A pre-talk. By email or chat before recording, tell the guest what to expect, how you usually run the interview and how long episodes tend to be. He also suggests asking whether there are topics the guest would prefer not to discuss, offering to let them hear the recording before it goes live, and sharing the planned publication date.
- Microphone position. If the guest has a proper microphone, make sure they know how to hold it, since some mics are meant to be spoken across the side. If they do not, he notes that a headset mic, such as the earbud mic that comes with an iPhone, usually sounds better than a laptop microphone.
- Headphones, always. Without them, the guest's microphone can pick up your voice and create echo that is hard to remove later.
- A final comfort check. Ask whether the guest is comfortable, whether the headphone volume is right and whether they can hear you clearly.
- Record locally too. Even when using a remote recording service, he recommends recording locally as well, as a backup.
Writing your own version of such a list, and actually running through it each time, is one of the simplest ways to avoid losing a recording.
Before you start, have a short introduction for the guest ready. Matchmaker.fm suggests preparing it in advance and picking out the parts of the guest's bio that matter most to your audience, rather than reading out everything.
6. During the recording
St. Louis Magazine's guide gives its guests some reassurance worth repeating to yours:
- Energy matters, because listeners judge a guest by audio alone.
- Short, focused answers work best.
- The episode is lightly edited, so small imperfections are expected.
- If something goes wrong, it is fine to ask for a do-over.
- Keep a glass of water nearby.
7. After the episode
Preparation continues after the recording ends. If you offered the guest a chance to hear the recording before release, send it with a clear deadline for feedback.
When the episode is published, let the guest know and make sharing easy. St. Louis Magazine, for example, emails guests instructions on how to share the episode on social media after it is released. Matchmaker.fm suggests politely asking guests to share the episode, and not pressuring them if they decline.
Printable guest prep checklist
Before booking confirmation
- Researched the guest's work and previous interviews
- Drafted questions or talking points
- Checked pronunciation of the guest's name
Confirmation email
- Date, time, time zone and expected length
- Join link and recording tool
- Topic, audience and how the episode will be promoted
- Setup guide: computer, wired headset, quiet room, no public Wi-Fi
- Questions or themes (optional)
Day of recording
- Reminder sent with the link
- Pre-talk: format, length, topics to avoid, publication date
- Own equipment tested
- Guest wearing headphones, mic positioned, comfort check done
- Local backup recording started
- Guest introduction ready
- Quiet room, phone silenced, questions in eye line
- Water for host and guest
After publishing
- Guest notified with the episode link
- Shareable clips or text provided
- Thank-you note sent
Sources
- Matchmaker.fm, “Podcast Interview Checklist: How to Prepare for Guests”
- St. Louis Magazine, “Podcast Guest Best Practices (Virtual Recording)”
- Marc Thiele, “Podcasting Checklist”
