50 Podcast Interview Questions to Hook Your Listeners

If you’re planning to interview guests on your video podcast, you’ll want to prepare the right questions to set the tone for the discussion. For instance, icebreakers get conversations started, while thought-provoking deep dives keep viewers hooked and guests engaged. Coming up with the right podcast questions is the best way to create episodes that will attract new listeners.

In this guide, you'll find a list of questions to ask on a podcast, whether you’re an interview pro or just starting out.

The 50 Top Questions To Ask During Podcast Interviews

A string of interesting prompts and follow-up questions can make all the difference in a good podcast interview. Here are 50 questions in various categories so you have podcast topics for any situation.

Icebreaker Questions

Set the tone for a relaxed, open discussion with these fun interview questions.

1. What's one thing about you that people don't know or wouldn't expect?
2. How would you describe your ideal day off?
3. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
4. If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
5. What's your most memorable travel experience?
6. What's your hidden talent you don’t get to show off often?
7. What's a hobby or interest you're passionate about outside of work?
8. What’s something on your bucket list you haven’t gotten around to yet?
9. What's the most unexpected thing that's happened to you this year?
10. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be?

Personal Questions

Dive deeper into your guest's journey and uncover meaningful stories and facts people might not know about them.

1. Can you share a defining moment that changed your perspective on life?
2. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome, and how did it shape you?
3. Who has had the most significant influence on your journey?
4. How do you stay motivated during tough times?
5. What’s a lesson you wish you’d learned earlier in life?
6. Can you describe a failure that turned out to be a blessing in disguise?
7. How do you balance personal and professional priorities?
8. What’s a daily habit or ritual that keeps you grounded?
9. What’s a piece of advice you’d give your younger self?
10. What’s a recent achievement that’s brought you joy?

Industry-Related Questions

Highlight your guest's experience and encourage them to share insights your audience might find helpful.

11. What's a misconception people have about your line of work?
12. What's the most rewarding part of what you do?
13. How do you approach challenges unique to your industry, especially new obstacles?
14. What advice would you give someone just starting out in this field?
15. Can you share a project or initiative you're particularly proud of?
16. What's a skill that you think is crucial for success in your industry?
17. How do you think your industry will evolve in the next five years?
18. What's one thing you wish more people understood about your work?
19. Who do you look to for inspiration or mentorship in your field?
20. What's the most important lesson you've learned from your career?

Rapid-Fire Questions

The entire conversation doesn't have to be serious or career-focused. To make your guest feel more comfortable, keep things fun and light-hearted with a few fast-paced questions.

21. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
22. What’s your go-to comfort food?
23. What’s your favorite social media platform?
24. How would you describe yourself in one word?
25. What TV show or movie is your guilty pleasure?
26. What’s your favorite way to spend a weekend?
27. What’s a skill you wish you had?
28. If you could teleport anywhere right now, where would you go?
29. What’s your favorite app on your phone?
30. What’s the last song you listened to?

Closing Questions

A good podcast interview ends on a thoughtful or reflective note, leaving a lasting impression on the audience and promoting the next episode.

31. What’s one thing you want our listeners to take away from this conversation?
32. Who or what inspires you the most right now?
33. What’s a question you wish more people would ask you?
34. What goal are you currently working toward, and is there anything our viewers can look forward to in the near future?
35. How can listeners connect with you or learn more about your work?
36. What’s next on the horizon for you, personally and professionally?
37. How do you hope to impact others through your work?
38. What’s one thing you’re grateful for today?
39. Can you share a book, resource, or tool that’s made a difference in your life?
40. What’s a project you’re excited about right now?

How To Craft Compelling Questions for Better Podcast Interviews

The best interviews start long before hitting the record button. In addition to asking questions, follow these top podcast tips for better conversations.

Know Your Guest

Understanding your guests' backgrounds will help you ask personalized and meaningful podcast interview questions. To learn more about them:

• Research thoroughly — Look into your guest's professional work, social media presence, and past interviews. This shows your dedication and helps you avoid repeating topics they've already covered extensively in previous conversations. When your guests see you've put the work in, they'll be more willing and enthusiastic to chat with you.
• Focus on unique angles — Find lesser-known parts of their journey or achievements to discuss. Guests appreciate the effort, and your audience gains fresh insights that they won't be able to find elsewhere. Plus, you can cut the podcast into shareable snippets and use them to promote the interview.

Define the Purpose of Your Interview

Know your goals from the beginning so every question ties back to the theme, keeps the guest as the central character, and serves the bigger picture. Keep the following in mind:

• What's the takeaway? Identify what you want your audience to learn or feel by the end of the episode. This might be inspiration, actionable advice, or a deeper understanding of a topic your guest has expertise in.
• Focus on your audience — Consider what your listeners want to know and how your guests fit into those interests. To find out, run a poll on your social media platforms to ask your audience for inspiration. This encourages repeat listeners, which can help your podcast make money.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. Instead, they encourage guests to share detailed and authentic responses, making for richer conversations. Here are a few tips:

• Encourage storytelling — Questions like “Can you share a moment that shaped your perspective?” invite guests to dive into personal experiences. You can also ask for a backstory or the inspiration behind specific answers.
• Balance depth and levity — Mix thought-provoking questions with lighter ones to keep the conversation dynamic. This will improve the listening experience for your audience while making your guests feel comfortable and more engaged during the interview.

Podcast Interview Mistakes To Avoid

Even the best podcast hosts can make mistakes that lower the quality of their interviews. Recognizing and avoiding these pitfalls will help you have meaningful discussions.

Asking Leading Questions

Leading questions can bias your guests' answers, limiting their opportunity to provide authentic, heartfelt responses.

• The mistake — Using phrases like, "Don't you think this strategy is the best way to approach the problem?" pushes your perspective onto the guest, making the conversation feel one-sided. It also makes them think they have to provide a specific stance to avoid being argumentative.
• How to avoid it — Phrase questions neutrally to give your guest space to share their genuine thoughts. For example, instead of leading with an assumption, ask, "What's your take on the best way to approach this issue?"

Ignoring the Flow of the Conversation

Sticking rigidly to a pre-prepared script can make the interview feel robotic and stilted. Instead, here's what to look out for and how to keep it natural.

• The mistake — Interrupting a guest's exciting tangent to move back to your planned questions disrupts the natural rhythm of the conversation. 
• How to avoid it — Let your guests speak freely, and don't hesitate to pivot and keep the topic going if you can get more out of it. If a guest unexpectedly jumps into an interesting topic, lean into it by asking follow-up questions that explore the new direction.

Dominating the Discussion

An interview is about showcasing your guest, not yourself. Taking up too much airtime with your own stories or opinions can alienate your audience and overshadow your guests.

• The mistake — Overexplaining your perspective or frequently cutting your guest off to share your thoughts leads to imbalanced episodes.
• How to avoid it — Practice active listening. Keep your comments short and relevant, and ask open-ended questions that invite guests to share more. Remember, you’re the facilitator, not the main event.

Create and Edit High-Quality Podcast Interviews With AI

Well-written questions spark meaningful conversations, show your guest's unique perspective, and keep your listeners engaged from start to finish. However, the perfect interview doesn't stop when the conversation ends — how you edit and present your final recording is equally important. 

That's where Captions can help. Our Video Podcast Editor feature uses AI to edit your videos so they look and sound professional. You can trim clips, add subtitles automatically, and share your post directly from the app to multiple social media platforms. 

Try Captions today to keep your listeners coming back for more.