As podcasts grow in popularity, so do their numbers. This is due to their interesting content that everyone can find a topic they enjoy and the easiness of consuming this medium. With that, the chances of being a guest in one are surely high.
The podcasts are made to entertain the audience and provide interesting topics. If you don’t prepare yourself with both equipment and information, the whole interview will be boring and you’ll miss an opportunity to let the world know about your work.
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the things that make you a great podcast guest. This is beneficial both for your representation and for acquiring a chance to have an episode in the future again. Keep reading and find out more.
1. Be on time
Although this applies wherever you have to show up, be sure you are on time. Many times, it happens that guests are not only late but also no-shows. To that end, don’t agree to go if you are not sure you can make it. Also, be early on and ready so there are no interruptions during the show.
Being late or not showing up seriously damages your reputation, and will result in not receiving invitations anymore. However, in this busy lifestyle everything can happen, so be sure to inform the host in case you’ll be late.
2. Get appropriate audio equipment
Although the content you’ll produce together with the host is the biggest factor of popularity in podcasts, pay attention to the audio as well. Nobody wants to spend an hour or more listening to bad-quality dialogue. For that reason, purchasing an appropriate microphone and audio equipment is essential.
Sure, you don’t have to spend a fortune on audio gear, but at least get a mic that produces good vocal quality. At last, everything is better than the mic that comes with your laptop, or the stock mic inside your phone.
3. Consider the recording location
Besides the mic, there is another factor that surely impacts the quality of the recorded voice. That is the location where you’ll get to record. Background noise is highly distracting and will bother the listeners. In addition, a reflection of the soundwaves and reverb can also become problematic.
For that reason, do not record while you are outside since vehicle noises and public speaking can interrupt the show. In addition, recording in empty rooms is also not advised. Station yourself somewhere with rugs and curtains, as well as furniture. That removes the resonance contributing to a better-quality input.
4. Analyze the show
After going through the basics, it’s best to prepare for the episode you will be on. For that reason, watch a couple of previous episodes and see how the whole process goes. As good folks from Norrinradd suggest, understanding the podcast format you will be attending is helpful during the preparations to represent yourself accurately.
That should help you learn the behavior of the host, the type of usual questions, and how long the recording lasts. In addition, the host analysis can help in finding common ground including hobbies and other things of interest. This contributes to better chemistry that the audience will surely feel.
5. Preparations for the main topic
When you are agreeing to be a part of an episode, you have to talk about the thematics that will be discussed during the show. Since the main purpose of this medium is entertaining the listeners while representing your brand and products at the same time, the topic is usually close to your expertise.
For that reason, look for the questions in front and take them as homework. Be sure to answer them uniquely to make the episode interesting and provide content to the audience they never heard before.
6. Consider providing questions of yours
Another thing you should consider doing is providing some questions you would like the host to ask you. You cannot expect them to dig questions, especially ones you thought of without consulting with them.
The questions you’ll provide help in running their show better since they can be used as a gateway to present your firm and products easily. In addition, they will make you relax and represent yourself nicely.
7. Be brief and concise with the answers
During the episode, you should not lecture and speak the whole time. This can become boring and it loses all the dynamics of a host and interviewee. For that reason, try to be brief and concise in answering the question. Do not speak too fast and try to have diction to help the listeners understand you better.
When you get the feeling of talking the whole time you can pause, and let the host take control of the episode. If you notice that the host is interrupting you to go on to another question, it’s a sign to be brief in the next questions.
8. Ask the host something of your interest
The podcasts are not usual interviews and they feel more like a basic conversation you are having. The difference is that through the conversation you are promoting your product or firm or representing something you worked on.
For a great dynamic, you should incorporate a couple of things to ask the interviewer. Be sure to let them know on time so they can prepare as well. This keeps the whole conversation smoother and feels better for the listeners. That way the audience gets to hear both opinions which makes everything more interesting.
9. Promote your episode
Lastly, you should focus on the promotion of the episode you have been a guest in. Before the podcast gets published, you should inform your followers or fan base that you’ll attend a podcast so they can tune in.
Right after the recording or when the episode gets published, you can show that you have finished and talked about certain topics they might find interesting. Promoting the episode helps you to present your products to a greater audience while also promoting the growth of the podcasts.
