There are currently more than 700,000 podcasts available to listen to. According to the statistics, both the number of people listening to podcasts and the number of people listening to podcasts are growing, which makes perfect sense. If there are more people who are potentially interested in watching shows, then there should be more of those shows, right?

As a result, we’ve put together this short guide to being a fantastic podcast guest, complete with a companion checklist that you can print out. I wish you a scintillating conversation, perfect audio, and no retakes!

Be a Great Podcast Guest: Before the Show

Here are 6 things you should do before the interview commences:

Listen to at least two full episodes

You need to get a sense of the podcast’s cadence and rhythm before you start guesting. Do your assignment and research!

Note any consistent segments or “bits” the show uses

A great number of television programs adhere to a format that consists of one or more parts that are repeated on a weekly basis. For example, to wrap up each episode of the Hire A Millennial Virtual Assistant Podcast—which has been running for two years now—the hosts always ask their guests the same two questions. As a podcast guest, you want to know what these segments are, so you’re prepared to participate.

Read the reviews of the podcast

You can read reviews of the podcast by going to iTunes or Chartable and searching for it there. This will provide you with a better understanding of the audience and what it is about the show that they enjoy (or dislike).

Write down a description of the typical listener and why he/she listens

You’ll be a much more relevant podcast guest if you understand the audience and their reasons for listening to THIS show rather than any of the others if it were available to them. Make sure you give yourself enough time to sit down and literally write down a description of the typical listener.

Prepare at least three stories you can unfurl at any time

The fact of the matter is that telling stories rather than responding to questions is the key to being a successful guest on a podcast. Make sure you have at least three relevant stories stored away that you can tell in any situation and at any time.

Do the requested podcast prep

The hosts of podcasts are increasingly asking their guests to fill out a pre-show questionnaire so that they can gain information and insights prior to the recording of the podcast. This is the method that talk show hosts utilize in the “pre-interview” with the producers of the show. Before each episode of Hire a Millenial Virtual Assistant, we have our guests fill out a survey.

Be a Great Podcast Guest: During the Show

Have the best possible audio set-up

Bad audio is the single most effective way to kill a podcast, and it becomes an impossibly difficult task when there are multiple hosts and guests on the show, all of whom are located in different places and must call in via the Internet. Pay attention to the background noise (even the hum of the air conditioning or heating system), get yourself a good microphone, and do a quick dry run before the show to make sure that you have it hooked up correctly. To ensure that our customers have the best possible experience with our services, we provide each of them with a complimentary USB headset that includes a microphone. We’d rather spend an extra hundred dollars on each episode than have the quality of the audio suffer.

Podcast guests should always assume they will be on camera unless they are specifically told that this will not be the case. Another reason podcast guests should always assume they will be on camera is that more shows are using video snippets as promotional assets. Invest in a high-quality webcam, such as the Logitech c920 for example.

Use the host(s) name

Although it may sound obvious, you’d be surprised. As a podcast guest, you are just a guest. Include the name(s) of the host(s) in at least some of your answers. Maintain an atmosphere that is friendly and conversational. This is not a testimony that will be presented in court!

Keep your answers concise

The majority of podcasts aim to record for a specific amount of time each episode, which is usually specified in advance. For my show, the time limit is 39 minutes, but we almost always go over and end up with 43 or 44. When you are a guest on a podcast, you should tell interesting stories, but you should also try to keep your answers succinct and punchy whenever possible. This allows the host(s) to have more air time and allows them to ask more questions, as well as get to their standard segments, etc., without the show needing to be rushed or running short on time.

Don’t ask for a do-over, unless….

Podcasts are recorded in real-time, but they are not streamed live. As a direct result of this, it is possible to make edits to the episode after it has already been recorded. Some podcasts undergo a significant amount of editing in order to ensure that every statement is flawless. Others, including mine, perform only light editing and mostly correct for major problems, such as a dropped Internet connection, a barking dog, and other similar issues.

You have the option, as a guest, to request to redo a portion of the quiz if you feel that your response to a question was incorrect. However, you should only make this request if you are ABSOLUTELY certain that you made a mistake. Each edit requires the host to invest time as well as financial resources. They are open to starting over when it is necessary, provided that there is a valid reason for doing so. In addition, if you would like a fresh start. Demand it to be given to you IMMEDIATELY. Not the following day after you’ve had time to think about it, and most definitely not after the show has already aired.

Reference prior episodes, if relevant

If you have listened to previous episodes of the show, it is a nice touch to mention one or more of those shows when you are having a conversation, provided that it is contextually relevant for you to do so.

Have a specific call-to-action for listeners

It is typical for the host to inquire about the guest. Tell the audience how they can get in touch with you or something similar. The most effective way to deal with this situation is to design a straightforward landing page that is accessible JUST TO LISTENERS OF THAT SHOW and to provide them with a unique incentive. For instance, when Daniel Lemin and I were doing the podcast tour for the launch of our book, Talk Triggers, we frequently created landing pages for podcasts on which we appeared. These pages included information about the podcast, as well as a link to the episode in which we appeared.