As a podcast host, you want to make sure that your guests are a good fit for your show and that the conversation flows smoothly. One way to do this is by conducting pre-interviews with your guests. In this blog post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of pre-interviews and help you decide if they’re right for your podcast.
Pros of Pre-Interviews:
- Helps to Establish a Connection
One of the benefits of conducting pre-interviews with your guests is that it allows you to establish a connection before the actual interview. By getting to know your guests on a personal level, you can build rapport and create a more comfortable atmosphere for the interview. This can help to improve the quality of the conversation and make your guests feel more at ease.
- Ensures Relevant Content
Conducting pre-interviews can also help you to ensure that the content of the interview is relevant to your audience. By discussing potential topics with your guests ahead of time, you can identify areas of mutual interest and avoid discussing topics that are not relevant to your listeners. This can help to improve the quality of your content and make your podcast more appealing to your audience.
- Saves Time
Another benefit of conducting pre-interviews is that it can help to save time. By discussing potential topics and questions ahead of time, you can streamline the interview process and avoid going off-topic during the actual interview. This can help to keep the conversation focused and ensure that you cover all of the important points within the allotted time.
Cons of Pre-Interviews:
- Limits Spontaneity
One of the downsides of conducting pre-interviews is that it can limit the spontaneity of the conversation. When you already know what your guest is going to say, it can be more difficult to come up with follow-up questions and engage in a natural conversation. This can make the interview feel more scripted and less engaging for your audience.
- Can Be Time-Consuming
While pre-interviews can help to save time during the actual interview, they can also be time-consuming in and of themselves. Coordinating schedules with your guests, conducting the pre-interview, and preparing for the actual interview can take up a significant amount of time. This can be challenging for podcast hosts who already have a busy schedule.
- Can Create Pressure
Finally, conducting pre-interviews can create pressure for both you and your guest. Your guest may feel nervous about the interview and may worry about saying the wrong thing during the pre-interview. Similarly, you may feel pressure to come up with engaging questions and keep the conversation flowing smoothly. This can make the interview feel less organic and more stressful for both parties.
Pre-interviews can be a useful tool for podcast hosts who want to establish a connection with their guests, ensure relevant content, and save time. However, they can also limit spontaneity, be time-consuming, and create pressure for both the host and the guest. Ultimately, whether or not to conduct pre-interviews is a personal decision that depends on the needs of your podcast and the preferences of your guests. By weighing the pros and cons, you can determine if pre-interviews are right for your show.
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