Hi! Podcast host here. If you’re planning to be interviewed soon, here are four quick tips to keep in mind:

Turn off your phone or other distractions. Stay focused on the interview. Even if it’s audio-only, your tone conveys where your focus is. If you’re distracted, the audience will be too and loose interest.
Answer the question that is being asked and keep it concise. If it’s a recorded interview that will be edited, in some ways, you can choose who does the first round of editing: is it you? Or is it me? By planning out answers ahead of time, you can help craft the narrative of the conversation. If your answer is five minutes long, then I’ll edit that down in post-production.
Prepare for the interview ahead of time. Whether the host gives you questions in advance or not, be ready with your own set of soundbites and key takeaways.
Know the audience. You can ask the interviewer questions ahead of time about the topic, audience, show reach etc. so that you can make more relevant points.

Another way to think about it is that we’re choreographing a conversation that we want people to eavesdrop into. What are the elements of a good conversation? For me, the words that come to mind are: insightful, relevant, witty (perhaps), engaging. That is what we’re trying to emulate, while also elevating the conversation beyond party chit chat.

As a host and editor, I try to prepare guests as much as possible through pre-interviews and tech checks, and then make the conversation sound engaging in the final edit. I want to the guest to shine in the interview, but it takes two to make interview magic happen.

So go forth, be prepared, and good luck!