What is an interview podcast?

Episode 0008: Jonny Hoffner - Good > Safe

Jonny Hoffner of Paper Antler Photography and Good Lion Golf on 17 years of wedding photography, building two creative businesses, and why good doesn't have to mean safe.

An interview podcast is an audio or video show where a host has one-on-one (or small group) conversations with guests. The host asks questions and explores the stories, ideas, and experiences that make each person worth hearing from.

The format is one of the oldest in broadcasting and one of the most enduring in podcasting. Some shows focus on professional expertise. Others are deeply personal. Many are both. What they share is a simple premise: two people talking, and an audience listening in.

At its core, an interview podcast is a conversation with a purpose. The host shapes the direction, the guest provides the content, and the listener gets a window into a perspective they might never encounter otherwise.

Unlike solo podcasts or scripted audio dramas, interview podcasts are driven by real-time dialogue. They often feel personal, unscripted, and spontaneous. At their best, they go well beyond a Q&A session. They become windows into who someone is and what they’ve lived through.

How does an interview podcast differ from other formats?

A solo podcast features one host sharing knowledge, opinions, or stories without a guest. A narrative podcast is scripted and produced, closer to audio fiction or documentary. An interview podcast sits between the two: it has structure and intention, but the best moments come from the unpredictable parts of a real conversation.

Interview podcasts also differ from broadcast radio interviews. Radio interviews tend to be short, fast-paced, and topical. A podcast host typically spends 30 to 90 minutes with a guest, exploring ideas well beyond the news cycle. The pace is slower, the questions are more personal, and the host is often a subject-matter expert rather than a generalist journalist.

Podcasting has grown into a major medium. There are over 464 million podcast listeners worldwide, and the global industry is valued at around $23 billion. Interview formats remain one of the most popular genres because they require relatively little production overhead while still delivering a compelling, human-centered experience.

Why do people love interview podcasts?

Interview podcasts are popular because they tap into something universal: curiosity. We want to understand each other. We want to learn from people who think differently or see the world in unexpected ways. And sometimes, we just want to hear a good story told honestly.

Whether the topic is entrepreneurship, art, identity, grief, joy, or something in between, interview podcasts invite us into someone else’s life for a little while.

There is also something about the format that encourages honesty. A 60-minute conversation is hard to fake. Over time, walls come down, and guests say things they wouldn’t say in a press release or a 5-minute radio spot. That is a large part of why people return to their favorite shows week after week.

What makes a good interview podcast?

A great interview podcast isn’t just about asking the right questions. It’s about listening. It’s about slowing down, staying curious, and creating a space where people feel safe to share something real.

Good interview podcasts tend to include:

• A thoughtful host who prepares but stays flexible
• Guests who bring unique perspectives or life experiences
• Conversations that go beyond the surface
• A balance of structure and spontaneity

Some podcasts are light and funny, others are deep and emotional. Many are both. The common thread in the best ones is that the host genuinely cares about the person across from them.

What types of interview podcasts are there?

Not all interview podcasts work the same way. Here are the most common formats:

• Conversational interview: Loose structure, casual tone. Think long-form conversations between peers. Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard is a good example.
• Deep-dive interview: The host researches extensively and asks specific, detailed questions. Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR is a classic model.
• Panel interview: Multiple guests at once. This works well for debates, roundtables, or themed group discussions.
• Narrative interview: The interview content is edited into a produced story. Think This American Life or documentary-style podcasts.
• Q&A interview: Rapid-fire, shorter episodes focused on a single topic or question set.

Most successful shows land somewhere on the spectrum between conversational and deep-dive. Knowing where your show sits helps you prep guests and set audience expectations.

How do you structure an interview podcast episode?

A typical interview episode follows a loose three-part structure:

1. Opening: The host introduces the guest, provides brief context, and sets the tone. Keep this under two minutes. Listeners came for the guest.
2. The conversation: Follow a prepared arc of questions, but let tangents develop if they’re interesting. The best moments often arrive unplanned.
3. Closing: Wrap with a reflective or forward-looking question, then thank the guest and give listeners a clear next step (subscribe, follow, visit a link).

Preparation matters more than people expect. Researching your guest, reading their work, and preparing 15 to 20 questions (even if you only ask half of them) makes a real difference in the quality of what you get on tape.

A few structural tips that help most hosts: record a short pre-interview call to build rapport before the real recording starts, agree on any off-limits topics in advance, and always end with something open-ended. Questions like “What’s something you rarely get asked?” or “What do you want people to know?” often produce the most memorable answers.

Active listening is the skill that separates good interviewers from great ones. Libsyn’s guide to podcast interviews puts it well: most of the best follow-up questions come from paying close attention to what the guest just said, not from sticking rigidly to a question list. The prepared questions give you a safety net. The conversation gives you the episode.

How do you find guests for your interview podcast?

Finding the right guests is one of the hardest parts of running an interview show. A few approaches that work:

• Your existing network: Start with people you already know or have crossed paths with professionally.
• Listeners and community: Your audience often knows interesting people. Ask.
• Guest matching platforms: Tools like Podmatch and Matchmaker.fm connect hosts and potential guests.
• Inbound via your feed: As your show grows, guests start reaching out. A clear “be a guest” page on your site speeds this up.

Focus on finding people with a compelling story or perspective, not just credentials. The most memorable podcast guests are often not the most famous ones.

When you reach out, keep the ask short. Tell the potential guest who you are, who listens to your show, and why you think they’d be a good fit. Attach a media kit or episode sample if you have one. Most people who say no are not opposed to podcasts. They’re just unsure if your audience is a good match for them.

Should you start an interview podcast?

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, the interview format has some real advantages. You don’t need to generate all the content yourself. Each guest brings a new perspective, a new audience, and a new set of stories. That variety keeps the show fresh for listeners and for you as a host.

The format also scales with your skills. A beginner can record a solid episode with a USB microphone, Zoom, and Audacity. As you improve, you can invest in better gear, a professional editor, or a producer. But none of that is required on day one.

The main challenge is consistency. Booking guests, scheduling recordings, editing audio, and publishing regularly takes real effort. Most podcasts don’t fail because the host ran out of interesting people to talk to. They stop because the workflow becomes unsustainable.

A few questions worth asking before you start:

• Do you have access to people worth interviewing, even a small network of ten to twenty people with interesting stories?
• Are you genuinely curious about people, or are you more interested in performing or teaching?
• Can you commit to one episode per month for at least a year?

If the answer to all three is yes, the interview podcast format is probably a good fit. The barrier to entry is low. The ceiling is high. And the conversations you record often end up meaning more than you expected.

Examples of popular interview podcasts

Here are a few examples of well-known interview podcasts:

• WTF with Marc Maron – Honest, unfiltered conversations with comedians, musicians, and actors.
• The Tim Ferriss Show – In-depth interviews with high performers across many fields.
• On Being with Krista Tippett – Thoughtful discussions about meaning, faith, and the human condition.
• Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard – Warm, funny, and often revealing chats with celebrities and thinkers.

Of course, there are thousands more niche indie shows alongside the household names. The University of Toronto’s podcasting guide notes that great interviews come down to active listening, thorough preparation, and a genuine curiosity about the person in front of you. Those qualities show up across every show listed above.

Frequently asked questions

So Many Questions: A new kind of interview podcast

If you’re looking for an interview podcast that blends depth with humor, structure with surprise, check out So Many Questions…. Hosted by Kendall Guillemette, the show explores what makes people who they are beyond the labels, titles, and roles.

It’s about the moments that shape us, the questions that intrigue us, and the things that bring us joy. We don’t always find clear answers. But we do find connection.