How to host a podcast: 10 habits of good hosts

A good host is not the most interesting person in the conversation. A good host is the listener's stand-in: asking what they would ask, slowing down when something is unclear, and keeping the episode moving. Everything below comes back to that.

Research the guest, then write an outline: the opening question, three or four areas to cover and a closing question. Bullet points keep you natural; a full script makes you sound like you are reading. For question ideas, see podcast interview questions. Spend five minutes chatting before you press record so the guest is relaxed when it starts.

Ask one short question and stop. Double-barrelled questions get half an answer. The best material usually comes from the follow-up: 'what happened next?', 'why?', 'what did that feel like?'. Leave silence after an answer; guests often add the most interesting part when you do not rush in.

Listeners cannot see a table of contents, so tell them where you are: 'let's move to how you grew the business'. Explain jargon the guest uses. Keep an eye on time and agree a length in advance; see how long a podcast episode should be.

When you stumble, pause and say the sentence again; it is easy to cut later, especially when you edit by transcript. Never stop the recording to apologize. To close, ask a final question that lets the guest land the conversation, thank them by name and tell listeners how to find them.

It is uncomfortable, and it is the fastest way to improve. Listen for where you interrupted, where you talked too long and where a follow-up was missing. For your voice itself, see how to improve your speaking voice.