How to Be a Great Podcast Host
As an Amazon Associate, Pod Sound School earns from qualifying purchases made through the links provided on this website. This means we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you choose to purchase through these links. Your support helps keep the content coming. Thank you!
What makes a great podcast is a great podcast host who can entertain, educate, and connect with their audience.
You can have the most expensive equipment and the most talented production team, but if you don't have it together as a podcast host, it's going to be very hard for you to grow your audience.
Today you’re going to learn:
EXAMPLES from Amazing Podcast Hosts who are killing it with their shows and the 5 specific things they do that make them great.
What Makes a Great Podcast Host according to my podcast besties
Hey there, welcome to the Pod Sound School. I’m Veronica, the content marketing director and instructor in our programs.
My job is to help you make a podcast that attracts the right audience so you can hit your personal or business goals.
If you’re a business owner, this is a great time to:
start a podcast to educate prospects about what you do
become a trusted authority in your industry
connect with your customers
If you’re interested in learning more about how podcasting can help you grow your business, sign up for my minicourse Idea to Podcast Simplified for Business Owners.
Let’s get started!
To be a great podcast host, you need to be aware of what podcast listeners like and dislike.
And how do you get this information? Well, I’m going to give it to you right here.
A couple of years ago, we made a video about 10 Things that ANNOY Podcast Listeners.
We went into public forums, asked our audience, and published all our findings in the video. Since then, the video has gotten thousands of views and comments from people sharing their opinions about what not to do as a podcast host.
10 Things that ANNOY Podcast Listeners:
BAD AUDIO
RAMBLING: lack of focus, going off the topic
ADS
EXCESSIVE SELF-PROMOTION: pushing Patreon, reading 5-star reviews
SELF-DEPRECATING COMMENTS
INSIDE JOKES and talking about things the listener can’t see
INTERRUPTING GUESTS and hosts talking over each other
MONOTONOUS VOICE, robotic delivery, overly scripted
NO EDITING, too many filler words, sneezing/coughing, eating/drinking, mouse-clicks
POOR PREPARATION: too many opinions, not enough facts
BONUS: lack of listener engagement
BONUS: ghosting your audience
If you’ve done any of those things in your podcast, no shame whatsoever, I’ve done a few myself (like the ones circled above). The whole point is to learn what people like and dislike so you can become better at being a podcast host.
So now that we know what we’re NOT supposed to do, let’s uncover…
The 5 Traits Every Amazing Podcast Host Must Have
1. EXECUTE AND EMBRACE IMPERFECTION
The first one is the ability to execute and embrace imperfection.
One of the podcasts I listen to every week religiously is the Huberman Lab with Andrew Huberman.
You’re probably familiar with this show because it ranks near the top of podcast charts. Andrew Huberman has become a celebrity, being interviewed on The Tonight Show and having dinner with Bryan Johnson and the Kardashians.
But did he have it together when he started his podcast three years ago? No.
If you watched his first episodes, he was reading from a teleprompter or looking down at his notes on his laptop.
He didn’t have the best lighting or the most professional backdrop. But none of that stopped him from starting the Huberman Lab Podcast.
EARLY EPISODE EXAMPLE — How Your Nervous System Works & Changes (Jan 4, 2021)
RECENT EPISODE EXAMPLE — Dr. Gabrielle Lyon: How to Exercise & Eat for Optimal Health & Longevity (Jun 24, 2024)
The lesson here is that to become a great podcast host, you must let go of having everything perfect and focus on getting it done.
Execution is what’s going to bring you closer to the level of confidence and production quality you want to achieve.
You can watch or listen to all of the podcast episodes you want…
And take all of the courses about how to podcast…
…but it won’t be until you get your ass in front of the camera and start speaking into that microphone (even if it doesn’t come out perfect) that you’ll learn how to be a great podcast host.
HERE’S MY LOGIC
In order to be a great podcast host, you have to be a podcast host first. So if you don’t start recording, you won’t be a podcast host and then you’ll never be great.
If you’re already recording, good for you! It may not be perfect but at least you’re doing it and learning.
And this isn’t only for you. This is for me too. I’ll be reminding myself that execution is my ticket to becoming better at hosting my show.
2. AUTHENTICITY
Another trait that makes podcast hosts magnetic and attract massive audiences is authenticity.
It’s about showing up as yourself fully and unapologetically, embracing all parts of you while letting people decide whether or not they like you, and being okay with people not liking you.
I struggle with authenticity mainly because I want people to like me, and I feel like if I don’t show up having my shit together, I’ll be judged.
🤔 I’m curious, do you struggle with being FULLY YOURSELF when you record content?
➡️ Let me know in the comments below this video.
This may not be a good example of authenticity, but Bobbi Althoff, the host of The Really Good Podcast, does the complete opposite of what I would do in a podcast interview.
AUTHENTICITY EXAMPLE 1 — Saweetie: "Bobbi you act like you don't get out much"
In a podcast interview, I’m overly worried about my guests, I want to make them feel valuable and important, and I want them to know I’ve done my homework and the research.
But Bobbie is the complete opposite.
In her show, she interviews celebrities, and the things she does make me cringe.
During one of her interviews with the famous rapper Drake, she asked the most awkward questions, appeared completely disinterested, and acted like she did not know or care about Drake at all which was pretty hilarious.
AUTHENTICITY EXAMPLE 2 — Drake and Bobbi | FULL INTERVIEW, She Loves Entertainment
And yes, she has built her career as an influencer from the ground up, creating TikToks using deadpan humor and intentionally making her audience uncomfortable.
Some people may argue that it’s not as much about authenticity but more of a calculated marketing strategy to give her the fame she’s accumulated in only three years.
Hey, maybe this isn’t a perfect example of authenticity, but whatever it is, the only way to stand out is to lean into what makes us different.
So, how do we show up authentically for our audiences in a society that values authenticity?
“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are at the moment.”
Let’s all collectively work on stopping trying to be someone else who in our eyes is better than us, and lean more into who we are.
3. CONNECT THROUGH EMOTION
Another important quality of a great podcast host is the ability to connect with others through empathy, storytelling, active listening, and genuine curiosity.
One of my favorite podcasters Steven Bartlett, the host of The Diary of a CEO Podcast, does this pretty well.
I remember one episode where he was interviewing this hardcore divorce attorney from New York, a very eloquent, matter-of-fact, tough personality, someone you wouldn't think would cry easily, and towards the end of the interview, Steven asks his guest to define love and loss.
His guest shares the most beautiful definition of love and loss while getting choked up and fighting back the tears.
CONNECTION EXAMPLE (timestamp 01:24:29) — The Divorce Expert: 86% Of People Who Divorce Remarry! Why Sex Is Causing Divorces! The Diary Of A CEO
I got emotional and I’m sure everyone in the room was emotional too.
Steven’s emotional intelligence and ability to empathize with his guests create a genuine connection, making for compelling, heartfelt interviews that get you in the feels.
He’s also a master at storytelling.
He knows his audience, does his research, and shows up in each episode fully present and interested in his guests' personal stories.
HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?
This goes back to authenticity. The only way to connect with your guests and audience is by showing yourself as a human being.
X You don’t have to pretend you know everything.
X You don’t have to pretend to be anybody.
Be fully present knowing and trusting yourself and what you know, and then you press record.
4. GET YOU PUMPED AND EXCITED TO LISTEN
Another quality of a great podcast host is the ability to pitch new concepts and ideas to get you pumped and excited to watch or listen to the entire episode.
A good example of this is Mel Robbins.
The woman is a master at selling you her episodes and her guests. I’ll use the episode below as an example.
STEP ONE:
At the beginning of the episode, she starts with a personal story about the topic to help her audience connect with the topic.
EXAMPLE OF MEL TELLING A PERSONAL STORY: timestamp 02:02
STEP TWO:
Then she asks a thought-provoking question that starts like…
Have you ever….
The other day…
Do you struggle with…
EXAMPLE OF MEL ASKING QUESTIONS RELATED TO HER AUDIENCE’S INTERESTS: timestamp 05:42
STEP THREE:
After presenting the problem with a personal story, she introduces her guests, emphasizing that they are the world's authority on the topic and are there to provide the exact answers and solutions to the problem.
EXAMPLE OF MEL INTRODUCING HER GUEST: timestamp 06:29
Mel uses this formula for each episode without fail.
She understands that on every episode she has to pitch to her listeners so they stay and listen to the entire episode.
Mel does not assume that people will listen to her podcast just because she’s a well-known motivational speaker and always brings in the best topics.
She doesn’t take her listeners for granted.
🤷🏽♀️ So if Mel Robbins, with millions of downloads, uses this formula on each episode, why on earth do we assume we’re above this?
I do this exercise with my clients all the time. I tell them to convince me to watch their podcast episode within the first couple of minutes.
We all need to be more like Mel and spend the first few minutes of the episode pitching to our audience.
5. RELENTLESS COMMITMENT TO BEING CONSISTENT
Another personality trait great podcast hosts all share is a relentless commitment to show up weekly for their audience, no matter what.
I know these people have big production teams working behind the scenes to make the show possible but this is not an excuse for you not to show up consistently for your podcast audience.
And I’m telling this to myself too. We’ve been able to stay consistent with our content on our YouTube channel but not so much with our podcast.
That’s why we have over 90,000 YouTube subscribers and not so much to show for on our podcast.
This is why I found a simple workflow that allows me to stay consistent without compromising the quality of the episodes. And you can do this, too.
By the way, if you don’t know what podcast I’m talking about, we have a podcast called Content Jefe. I’m going to be the host for season two so if you want to follow me on that journey, make sure you subscribe to the Content Jefe Podcast.
⚙️ So what do you do? Look for ways to automate, outsource, and streamline your production so you too can accomplish your wildest goals and dreams.
What Makes a Great Podcast Host According to My Podcast Besties
Now let's see, what some of my podcast besties and by the way some of the best in the industry have to say about what makes a great podcast host.
LARRY ROBERTS, RED HAT MEDIA
So what is a good podcast host?
It's somebody that's super, super passionate about their content.
It's about somebody that's committed to showing up regardless of what might get in the way because consistency is absolutely critical.
It's somebody that really does their homework and prepares for each episode.
And here's the kicker. So many times I see podcast hosts that are trying to mimic somebody else in the industry that they see are successful. And that is not going to work.
🌟 You need to be yourself, be original, be you, and bring your energy, bring your excitement, bring your experiences, and your stories to the forefront — that will make you a good podcast host.
KRYSTAL PROFFITT, THE PROFFITT POD
When I think about a podcast host from hosting so many different people — whether it's a solo episode or an interview, or I'm asking questions — the big piece I always remember is “What does the audience care about?”
That's the biggest thing because I think everybody gets wrapped up in…
I have to show how smart I am…
Or how knowledgeable I am…
Or I can ask the best questions…
Or I can take what ChatGPT threw out to me and turn it into this groundbreaking interview.
At the end of the day, if you just keep asking yourself, “Does my audience care about this? Or what do they actually care about?” it is what creates the best content.
And I think about that too when I listen to episodes that I love — because I do this and we're in this industry — I ask, “Why do I love this so much? Why do I really enjoy it?” And it's like, oh yeah, the host knows how to be genuinely interested in their guests and the subject that they're talking about, but they also know how it relates to me.
🌟 Great podcast hosts know me as a listener and what I'm interested in.
So if you can just keep asking, “What does my audience care about? Why is this important to them?” and really address those things, you're more likely to keep them engaged in your content.
RICH CARDONA, RICH CARDONA MEDIA
I think the most engaging podcast hosts are the ones who are legitimately interested in their guests to the point where they've done excess research.
A good example of this is Patrick Bet-David. This guy talks about how he has not interviewed Michael Jordan but he has been preparing for that interview for over eight years.
He has notes and notes and notes knowing he might never get the opportunity, or not necessarily not knowing that, but when he gets the opportunity, he'll be ready.
So he stays ready so he doesn't have to get ready.
🌟 I think that is by far and beyond the biggest way to be an engaging host is to actually give a crap about your guest.
I hope you were taking notes because I learned a lot of lessons from five years of working in the podcast industry!
WATCH OUR YOUTUBE VIDEO:
How to Be a Great Podcast Host
Conclusion
Being a great podcast host is about more than just having a professional setup or a talented production team. It's about consistently showing up with authenticity, empathy, and enthusiasm.
Whether you’re a seasoned podcaster or just starting out, these 5 traits will set you apart:
Execution and embracing imperfection
Being true to yourself
Connecting emotionally with your audience
Engaging your listeners
Maintaining a relentless commitment to your craft
Embrace the imperfections, learn from the feedback, and keep refining your skills.
🌟 As Larry Roberts from Red Hat Media emphasizes, bring your unique energy and experiences to the forefront.
🌟 Krystal Proffitt reminds us to always consider what the audience cares about, ensuring our content remains relevant and engaging.
🌟 And as Rich Cardona points out, genuine interest in your guests, backed by thorough preparation, can make your podcast truly stand out.
So, take these insights to heart and apply them to your podcast.
Whether you’re aiming to educate, entertain, or inspire, being a great host is about creating meaningful connections and delivering value to your audience. Keep pushing forward, and remember, every episode is an opportunity to improve and make a lasting impact.
We Can Help You Design Your Studio and Launch a Professional Video Podcast
🎥 I know choosing the right equipment and learning how to use it in the process of producing a video podcast can be overwhelming, but you don't have to do it alone. We can help you put together your studio and give you and your team the training to launch a professional video podcast. Click here to learn more about how to work with us.
📸 Also, if you're looking for a compact video podcast setup for your home office, instead of a professional-sized one, let me show you how I turned my home office into a multipurpose video podcast studio. I shared all of the equipment I use to record audio and video and the lighting. Go check it out.
🚀 If you’re launching your podcast soon or want to get better at podcasting, in this guide, Starting a Podcast in 2024? Things I Wish I Knew When I Started, I share very important lessons and strategies every podcast host and producer should know before they get started.
