The first part of the article focused on the initial preparation of a podcast before filming and the techniques involved. This time we will look at the actual course of the podcast and its effective publication, which will appropriately target the audience.
Questions
When preparing questions for an interview, be brief and avoid yes/no questions in order to develop a deeper discussion. To help a guest open up, ask specific questions. For example, instead of "Tell me what you do for a living", consider "What is it like to be a CEO of XYZ?" or "What does your normal day look like?" You will obtain more original answers.
Sometimes you may have to ask a difficult, sensitive or personal question. If you are unsure whether a certain topic or question will be acceptable to your guest, do some research or simply ask if, in general, there are certain issues that should not be discussed.
Details
Go over the details with your guest just before the start. The guest may say or reveal something unexpected that will move the conversation in a new and exciting direction, leading you to an unplanned question. Your prepared questions may serve as a guide but they should not be a dogma that cannot be changed spontaneously.
A good interviewer must also be an equally good listener. Be present. Listen to what guests are saying and don't focus too much on your next question.
Some guests may come over-prepared, especially if they know the questions in advance. If this happens, don't be afraid to add other sub-questions that will naturally emerge from the discussion and deviate slightly from the original plan.
Finally, ask your guests for a summary of the key ideas or some farewell words. You might also mention others way of connecting with these interesting guests. Or you may want to use this time to launch a new book, direct listeners to a professional website, or mention an article on the subject.
After the interview
Once you have completed the official interview, keep an archive. You never know what other uses it may have. It's also an excellent way to extract short audio clips you may need to promote your conversation.
You may have to make some adjustments to create a story, including accompanying descriptive text that will summarise the entire podcast episode. You can also include links and contact information.
Before the podcast starts, listen to it without interruption, as if you were a new listener. You can catch small mistakes, eliminate issues that deviate from the topic, and become more aware of the possibilities of conducting interviews and improve your skills for others.
Podcasts can range in length from a few minutes of thoughts to hourly recordings. In practice, they often last 20-30 minutes, but engaging longer podcasts on a current topic of interest are no exception.
You'll also need to find a place to place your podcast, such as Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Google Podcasts or Spotify, where listeners can easily subscribe.
Once the show is published, promote the podcast on your social media channels, newsletter and on the web according to your target audience.
Finally, send thanks to your guests, along with links to the podcast, and invite them to share the podcast on their own networks to expand its reach.
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