Quick Daily Podcasting Tips by Alitu

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about encouraging guests to share your episodes. Whether we like it or not, no guest is obliged to share your content with their audience. But if you follow the advice in the previous episodes, your chat should be memorable enough to make them want to. The key is to ask nicely, and to make it easy for them. Be sure to succinctly remind them why you think the conversation will be interesting and valuable to *their* audience. Some podcasters even pre-write a tweet so all the groundwork is done for them. If you go the extra mile and create some nice blog and social graphics around the interview, that’s going to make it more shareable, too. Oh, and one final tip - why not have some branded podcast swag sent over to them via a service like GuestBoxLove? For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/GuestSharing

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about “super” podcast interview questions. When you cover the basics well, you can go the extra mile to help make your guest stand out from everyone else. Here are some fun questions that can entertain your listener whilst still leaving them with a few useful insights, too. - What are you NOT Very Good at? - Tell me something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on. - When did you last change your mind about something? - Room, desk and car – which do you clean first? - What’s the very first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? These questions allow for that essential human touch. They can throw up humility, authenticity, wisdom, and even, a wee bit of controversy. They’ll leave a lasting impression in the minds of your listeners, and that’s ultimately what gets them sharing your content, and keeps them coming back for more. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/questions

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about core questions around the conversation topic. Here we can dig in and explore by asking your guest some seemingly provocative questions. They’ll usually be glad to answer these as it gives them a chance to counter claims they’ll hear a lot. “So, you’re a Vegan Baking Specialist – isn’t it really hard to bake without eggs?” Or “Doesn’t home schooling just deprive kids of making friends?” Here, you can pick out some common myths or misconceptions to talk through and clarify. You might also want to ask a question like “what’s the most common reason people fail at this?” which sounds negative, but can throw up some really actionable answers. Then there’s the classic “what’s the one thing you wish you knew when you were just getting started?” which puts a much better spin on the old “advice for folks just starting out” question. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/questions

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about core questions to ask your guest. This is another wing to your storytelling angle. It lets the listener focus on the guest themselves. People love to hear things in context, after all. “Believe in yourself and never give up!” is all well and good. But people often can’t see that applying to them… until they hear a story about it happening to someone else. Here are some examples of questions that can lead to engaging and insightful podcast interviews. - Which hurdles did you personally face and how did you overcome them? - Was it obvious or did you stumble upon the answers? - How did you get started? Talk me through it. - What compelled you to become a screenwriter? Again, this gives your listener a peek behind the curtain and shows them that the guest was once in a similar position as they are now. And what could be more encouraging than that? For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/questions

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about seeking out stories in podcast interviews. As we’ve mentioned on the show before, stories are the original and best type of shareable content. There’s a subtle but powerful difference between “here’s how to grow a business” and “here’s how *I* grew *my* business”. Stories are never just straightforward routes to success either. They’re littered with setbacks, conflicts, emotions, and even seemingly “all is lost” moments. Your listener wants to live through these with you and learn from the experiences, not just the end product. It’s worth asking your guest if they have any interesting or entertaining stories before you hit the record button, too. Don’t let them actually tell you the story there and then. All you need is a heads up so you can prompt them about it during their interview, then, introduce it naturally. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to ThePodcastHost.com/interviewprep

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re asking the question “should I send questions over to guests in advance?” You’ll probably have a list of pre-written questions as a framework for your interviews. But as we’ve covered already, you won’t want to ask these in a linear ‘game show host’ style. On top of that, sending a guest a list of questions in advance can cause them to overthink and rehearse answers. This doesn’t make for a very engaging or authentic conversation. Certain questions *are* worth pre-warning about, though. These are what’s known as “thinkers”. An example might be something like “what’s your favourite book?” or “what advice do you have for someone just starting out?”. It’s unlikely anyone can give genuine answers to questions like these on the spot, so they’re definitely worth a heads up in advance. But - these are the exception to the rule. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/interviewprep

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about asking follow-up questions. So your guest just finishes telling you they built a time machine, travelled back 70 million years, and shot a T-Rex. You take a look at your next question and ask “so, what’s your favourite WordPress plugin?”. Interviewers who actually listen to their guests and ask good follow-up questions often find the real gold. Questions like “why do you think that?” “what was that like?” Or, “could you explain what this means?” can lead you to some fantastic content. Sure, have a list of pre-written questions. But use these as a framework or backup if things fall flat. Always pick up on threads that seem interesting or curious. Even if you know the answer, your listener might not. And you’re here to bring value to them, not to make them feel dumb, left out, or wanting more. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/podcastinterviews

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about introducing your podcast guests. It’s those dreaded words “so, tell us a bit about yourself” that can lead to you waking up, six hours later, listening to an interviewee ramble on about his toy car collection. This isn’t the guest's fault. They’ve just been handed the mic and let off the leash with no real direction. They don’t know your audience. But you do. And it’s your job to succinctly introduce your guest to them with a quick rundown of who they are, and *why they’re here.* Remember we talked about the value your guest will bring? Well, let your listener know that as soon as possible. Keep them engaged and tuned in. Sure, there’s room to explore personal and off-topic stuff, but that should be done towards the end - after you’ve given your listener the content they’ve been promised. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/podcastinterviews

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re asking the question “why is this guest on my show?”. Now that might sound a little rude, but don’t worry, this is the question we ask ourselves *before* we even invite someone onto our podcast. In order to answer this question, you need to put yourself in the shoes… or earbuds… of your audience. Ask yourself “what value can this person bring to my listener?”. Will they teach them something? Motivate them? Make them laugh? Your listener’s attention is precious, and you’re one of the few people they trust with it. So once you know *why* you’re bringing a person onto your show, you can prepare properly to make sure they get the maximum value from that time. Everyone wins here - your audience enjoys it, your guest sounds great, and your show has its desired impact which helps it to grow. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/podcastinterviews

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about finding podcast guests. If you run an interview podcast, it can be challenging to get folks to come on your show at first. A great starting point is to approach other podcasters in your niche. They already know how it all works, and you know they’ll sound great, too. On top of that, if they share the episode with their own audience it’s going to send some early traffic your way. Then, there are YouTubers, bloggers, or authors who’re typically always up for a chat, too. There are even dedicated services to help you find interviewees. Or even, to get booked as a guest on other shows, too. Check out Podchaser Connect, PodcastGuests.com, or Matchmaker FM for three of our favourites. Or, get our full guide to this topic including links to the sites mentioned here, head on over to http://ThePodcastHost.com/guests