7 Podcasting Skills That Separate Good Hosts from Great Ones

What separates an average podcast interview from a bingeworthy one isn't the guest. It's the host. 

Sam Brake Guia, host of Mics to Millions and co-founder of PodWritten, has interviewed hundreds of guests and studied the world's best interviewers to uncover what separates average podcast hosts from the ones you can't stop listening to. He's about to share seven podcast hosting skills you can apply right away to ask better questions, lead more engaging conversations, and create interviews your audience actually wants to finish.

Whether you're just launching a podcast or you've been hosting interviews for years, you'll walk away with ideas you can put to work the very next time you hit record. 

Hit play and let's dive in.

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2:04 – The Interview Planning Mistake Most Hosts Make

2:44 – How to Ask Questions Your Guest Has Never Been Asked

5:08 – The Interview Skill That Unlocks Bingeworthy Conversations

7:23 – The Simple Communication Habit That Makes You Sound More Confident

9:43 – The Editing Skill That Turns Good Interviews Into Great Ones

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Episode Links:

Meet Sam Brake Guia: PodWritten.com | LinkedIn

Listen to Sam’s Podcast: Mics to Millions

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Other Shows Mentioned In This Episode: 

Where Should We Begin with Esther Perel

Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett

Creator Science with Jay Klaus

10% Happier with Dan Harris

Charisma on Command

The Tim Ferris Show

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Other Episodes You’ll Love: 

3 Things Top Hosts Look for Before Saying Yes to Your Guest Pitch

Why Most Podcast Guest Interviews Never Lead to Anything Else

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Most podcasters spend all of their time trying to reach new audiences who've never heard of them before. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. You've heard me say a million times here on the show that yes, you need to get your show in front of new listeners in order to grow your audience. But sometimes the faster way to grow your show is to build relationships with the creators who serve an audience similar to yours and to borrow their audiences to grow your own. So in this episode, I'm conducting an experiment with my friend Sam Bright Gia. He's the host of Mike's To Millions, and he is recording an episode for you where he shares not one, not two, but seven skills that he has zeroed in on after interviewing hundreds of guests that you can optimize as a host to make your show stand out from every other podcast. Now we don't know if our experiment's gonna work, but we are excited to test it together, and I'm even more excited to introduce you to his show, which is a wealth of knowledge for podcasters. Enjoy the episode. Welcome to Insider's Secrets to a Top 100 podcast. I'm your host, Courtney Elmer. Let's make your podcast binge-worthy.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Since 2018, when I recorded my first ever podcast episode, I've interviewed hundreds of guests. From New York Times journalists to high-level experts and athletes who have appeared on top podcasts like the Joe Rogan Experience and Huberman Lab. After hundreds of hours of recording interviews and a strong desire to improve, I've developed an insatiable curiosity about what makes a great interviewer. I want to be clear, I'm not claiming to be a perfect host, I'm just someone that's listened to thousands of hours of interviews, ranging from please turn this off to wow, that's incredible. And I've taken a lot of time to study what separates the best hosts from the rest, and just as importantly, what not to do. From all of this, I've identified a series of skills and techniques that you can implement to improve as a host and deliver better guest interviews. In this episode, I'll break down seven takeaways that will help you on this journey, covering

The Interview Planning Mistake Most Hosts Make

SPEAKER_01 2:04

a variety of areas such as what makes a great podcast host, how top interviewers make their shows stand out from every other podcast their guest has appeared on, and how you can start improving your hosting skills today. Number one, acknowledge you have work to do. Being a podcast host requires a remarkable amount of confidence. It means putting yourself out there, believing your voice matters, and trusting that people will want to hear what you have to say. This confidence is admirable, and it can drive you to achieve incredible things. But it can also be a double-edged sword. When you feel certain you already have what it takes, a natural talent for conversation, a deep passion for your subject, it's easy to overlook

How to Ask Questions Your Guest Has Never Been Asked

SPEAKER_01 2:44

areas where growth is needed. The hosts who rise to greatness are those who recognize their shortcomings, deliberately address them, and continuously strive to improve. This requires balance. Too much confidence can blind you to the work ahead, and too little can mean that you never take the brave steps needed to grow. The key is honest reflection. Understand your strengths, acknowledge your weaknesses, and chart a path for improvement. With that clarity, you can step forward intentionally, sharpening your skills and becoming the podcast host you aspire to be. Number two, understand where you want to go. Good interviews have a clear direction. Your interview should communicate why this guest earned a spot on your podcast in the first place, what your audience will gain, and it should leave a lasting impression. The latter can be gauged by your audience's response. Equally important is the connection between the host and the guest. Podcasting is unique because it allows human personal moments. Without that connection, an interview risks being forgotten the moment the listener clicks on something else. Understanding what you want from an interview isn't just about the overall outcome, it's about what you want from each individual conversation. Many hosts pick a guess and then create an episode title around that. I recommend reverse engineering this process. Start with a title or theme, then select the guess who best serves that goal. This approach leads to more insightful, useful interviews. Number three, go further than anyone else. To deliver a standout interview, you need to go further than anyone else. This means doing more research and showing up more prepared than any other host who has spoken with your guests before. Take Tim Ferris, for example, one of the world's most successful podcasters. He reads 1 to 4 books per week, even with a very busy schedule, and studies the work of his guests to craft precise, insightful questions. This preparation sets him apart and leaves a strong impression on the guest. I'll share a video in the show notes where he explains his process for speed reading if you want to improve in that area. I personally like to communicate to the guest right away that I am a professional and that this conversation is important to me. Therefore, for every guest on this podcast, I send an interview rundown document which includes background on the show, audience details, suggestions for the guest with details on what will serve the audience best with examples from past interviews, a bit of background on myself, and an understanding

The Interview Skill That Unlocks Bingeworthy Conversations

SPEAKER_01 5:08

of how the interview will flow and the questions that they can expect. Many guests have told me that they're really impressed by this level of detail and it immediately sets the tone for a successful conversation. Number four, your intro is your first impression. Make it count. Early in my podcasting journey, I used to let guests introduce themselves. My logic was who can explain their work better than they can. Over time I realized this approach was shortchanging both my guests and my audience. Introducing guests thoughtfully, highlighting achievements, credentials, and unique qualities makes them feel valued. When guests feel appreciated, they relax and open up more deeply, and the difference in the conversations that I was having is night and day. To do this effectively, I'd suggest that you firstly collect their bio and reword it to match your voice, research additional details from previous interviews, articles, or on their website, and check the pronunciation of their name and confirm with the guest before you start recording. This preparation allows the conversation to flow naturally and helps you ask deeper, more engaging questions. I know that some hosts prefer to just let it flow, but a lack of preparation often separates amateurs from top-tier hosts. For example, Stephen Bartlett, the host of Diary of the CEO, reportedly spends five hours researching each guest. While you don't need to match that exactly, sufficient research ensures you go beyond the surface level conversations that your guest has had on dozens of shows before you. Stephen Bartlett once shared a story of interviewing a guest he had not prepared for at all. On that day he had two interviews lined up and accidentally spent all his time researching the wrong guest. He went in knowing nothing, not even the guest's name. He started with the classic, for those unfamiliar with your work, can you tell us a bit more about who you are? From there he relied entirely on his ability to listen deeply and respond thoughtfully. And surprisingly, it became one of his most downloaded episodes ever. Now does that mean that preparation doesn't matter? No, absolutely not. Steven could only pull that

The Simple Communication Habit That Makes You Sound More Confident

SPEAKER_01 7:23

off because he's mastered listening. Most of us aren't, at least not yet at that level. The real magic happens when you combine research and that ability to remain present. I actually learned this lesson watching Trevor Noah interview 10% happier author Dan Harris. Trevor joked saying, Can you meditate for one minute, one second? Are you meditating right now? And Dan Harris and the audience laughed, and Dan replied saying that, well, yes, technically he was because he wanted to give Trevor his complete undivided attention. That really stuck with me, and then since that moment I've made it my mission to be fully present during interviews, and when you give your guest your undivided attention, the quality of your interviews skyrockets. Number six, nobody cares what you mean to say, so choose your words wisely. This is a sentence that has echoed around my head for years. Because unfortunately, due to the innate psychology of human beings, it is completely true. Intentions alone aren't enough. If you fail to articulate yourself clearly, you'll struggle to win over your listeners. This has personally been my biggest challenge as a host, overcoming all those filler words and nervous over-explaining. But in my quest to improve, I've found a game-changing strategy through the YouTube channel Charisma on Command. For those of you who are not aware of this, it's a channel that helps improve communication through words and body language. And in a video that I will share in the show notes, they explain that we only give ourselves about 30% of the time that other people are willing to wait for us to respond. In other words, if someone gives you 10 seconds to think, you feel pressure to answer it in 3. That realization helped me become more comfortable with silence, pausing before speaking, allows you to gather your thoughts and express yourself more clearly, and it actually makes you sound more confident. Keanu Reeves once paused for a full 10 seconds before answering a deep question at a red carpet event, and that moment made his response even more powerful. Again, you can find a link to that in the show notes, I'd highly suggest you check it out. Additionally, I once worked with a client who was a public speaking coach who shared a similar story. His friend, a presenter, forgot his line mid-talk pausing awkwardly, then continued when it came back to him. After the talk, he felt stupid for having forgotten his lineup on stage,

The Editing Skill That Turns Good Interviews Into Great Ones

SPEAKER_01 9:43

but an audience member told him that their favourite part was his dramatic pause for effect, and this person had no idea that he'd simply forgotten what to say. So what's the takeaway here? We're often far more self-conscious than we need to be. Most people aren't judging you, they're listening. Of course, confidence also means not over talking. I've been on shows where the host has asked a question, then talks for two minutes explaining it, sometimes veering into unrelated topics, leaving me unsure how to respond. Or they'll interrupt out of excitement, cutting off valuable insights. And I get it, I've been there, but the best interviews happen when you hold your tongue and you let your guests speak fully. Often just as you're about to jump in, they're about to share something that could be really incredible. This is just one example of how communication can fail us. I review hundreds of podcasts each month to secure guest spots for our clients on top shows, and I've analyzed a large number of Apple Podcasts reviews. When I see low ratings, the reasons usually fall into four categories. Number one, too many ads. Number two, the host expresses an opinion on something controversial that listeners disagree with. Number three, interrupting the guest. Number four, making the interview entirely about themselves. The last point is especially important. If you conduct interviews from a place of ego, listeners will sense it and you'll lose them. We have a responsibility to be mindful of how we communicate if we want to be the best version of ourselves as a host. On the flip side, if you're dealing with a guest who rambles or frequently shares inaccurate points, it's a signal to refine your research process. In other words, listen to their past interviews before booking them. And if you do get a guest episode like this, then you've got two options. Decide to scrap it entirely and not put the episode out, or strategically use post-production to salvage it. Number 7. Play God with post-production. Many podcasts you'll find online are simply recorded zoom calls. Editing is your superpower to truly stand apart with polished, memorable content. It lets you control what reaches your audience and can even be your lifesaver when things don't go as planned, because let's face it, we all have off days. For example, take Charlie Haupert of Charisma on Command, the channel I mentioned earlier. When he appeared on the diary of a CEO, he admitted that nerves got the better of him and he performed badly. Their conversation lasted over four hours, but the final cut was just two hours and 15 minutes. And yet the episode still came out great. Editing is your safety net. It allows you to craft a polished final product even if the raw recording has hiccups. If you can, I'd highly recommend you learn basic editing skills. You don't have to replace your editor, but reviewing your own recordings helps you identify habits, filler words, and pacing, improving your skills as a host over time. And if you can't edit, simply listening back to your raw interviews can still be highly useful. How you approach post-production can also help you create a unique listening experience. For example, relationship-focused podcasts are everywhere, but where should we begin with Esther Perrell stands out. Beyond her impressive credentials, the show's production is distinct. During episodes, Esther occasionally speaks directly to the audience, reflecting on what just happened, providing deeper context, and sometimes sharing how she felt or why she responded in a certain way. These moments add layers of insight that go far beyond a standard conversation. Another example is Creative Science. Host Jay Klaus frequently shares his thoughts, opinions, and reflections directly with the audience, giving listeners additional value beyond just the guest interview. Alongside this, your episode introduction and outro play a crucial role. They set expectations, frame the conversation, and leave listeners with the insights and feelings you want them to take away. So that's it. My top tips for becoming a great podcast host. But I want you to remember that this is a process. It can feel daunting to try and tick all these boxes, but with practice, these techniques will become second nature. And if you found this episode to be helpful, please share it with someone who could use it or post it on social media. Thank you for tuning in. Until next time, stay healthy, happy, and successful.

SPEAKER_00 13:59

And if you're listening to this right now and you enjoyed learning from Sam, go follow his show and let him know. You can find it anywhere that you listen to podcasts. Just type in Mike's two millions and hit the follow button. And if you're a podcaster listening to my voice right now, I want you to consider this your challenge to identify one creator who serves a similar audience to you and think about how could you create value together. And then stick around because in the next episode, Sam is going to be live right here in the studio with us to unpack the data he's analyzed after sending more than 2,000 podcast pitches. And he's going to give you his best advice for getting your podcast guest pitches opened, read, and replied to, including the exact word count you should aim for and what to say in your PS that makes them say, wow. All that's coming up next to help you make your podcast binge worthy.