An Ultimate Guide to Write a Great Podcast Script
Introduction
If you want to make sure that your podcast turns out awesome, you should script it. Improvisation and talking on-the-spot have their flair, but you will be able to provide a much better value and clearer information to your listeners if you go with a script.
No matter if you’re a rookie or a seasoned podcast producer, you can always benefit from getting some fresh ideas and including a new approach. In this guide, we will be looking at how you can produce an amazing podcast script for a talk show. Let’s take a look!
1) Prepare questions thoughtfully
When you’re hosting an interesting guest, you probably already have hundreds of questions popping up in your head. Well, a great way to start is to do a bit of a brainstorming session with all these questions and just put them all to paper. After that, you’ll do some organizing. Prioritize the questions that are most likely to trigger interesting responses.
You have to keep in mind that you’re catering to a specific audience. This means that you will sometimes have to exclude some questions you’re curious about if they will likely be uninteresting to your audience. You know your audience the best, so pose the questions they would most likely ask your guest.
2) Determine time slots
Believe it or not, all talk shows have time slots for their scripts. When you ask a question, set aside a specific amount of time for your guest to answer it. If they start going too far and wide, gently move them away from the topic and go further to the next one. If they’re being scarce with words, entice them to continue speaking by asking additional questions related to the first one.
When you start getting closer to the end of the recording, you’ll be able to estimate whether you can expand on some questions or skip some of them. Nevertheless, timing and scheduling is a great way to remain in control of the concept of your talk show episode.
3) Include listeners’ questions
There are two ways to go about this. You can either announce your guest in advance and start collecting questions for your guest from your audience. A drawback to this is that, in case your guest cancels or postpones, you’ll disappoint the people who prepared questions.
As an alternative, you can start collecting general questions related to the speaker’s niche without sharing who the guest is. You can also include some of the questions you get in your comments and social media.
4) Consider working with writing experts
You can also hire professional content creators and podcast scriptwriters who can help you craft the best questions and structure for your talk show episode. Check out the list of the best writing services and ask them whether they have any podcast experts in their team. Make sure you work with a credible agency with experience in podcast writing.
5) Prepare research and stats
What’s most valuable for listeners when they listen to a podcast is its educational and informational value. Entertainment is just a spice that makes things more fun and light-hearted, but what will actually make your podcast stand out is the sharing of useful, credible information.
Check out Statista, for example, for numbers about any topic you and your guest will be covering. Numbers and research results have a powerful effect on boosting credibility and trustworthiness. It’s also what makes the difference between an improvised talk show and one that’s well-prepared and clean.
6) Remember to interact with the audience
While you are developing your script, remember to include some points where you will ask for a response from your audience. For example, if your guest mentions a controversial topic or a discussion point, use it to ask your listeners a question and trigger engagement.
For example, if your guest says they moved out of their parents’ home at 18, you can do a quick digression and say “let’s do a little poll with listeners – how old were you guys when you moved out?” This kind of questions and comments can do wonders for listener engagement after you publish the show.
7) Inform yourself about your guest
This sounds like a given, but many talk show hosts often get into embarrassing situations because of this. We have even seen several examples of this in cases of movie stars and mega celebrities. When you’re a podcast producer who’s hosting several guests every week, it can be challenging and time-consuming to keep up with all the info and have enough time to learn about each person in-depth.
However, the more you know about your guest beforehand, the more fruitful and informative your show is going to turn out. Based on your knowledge about your guest, you can ask them questions that you already know have interesting answers and refrain from stuff that’s ordinary or expected.
Conclusion – Scripts for Podcasts in a Nutshell
Podcast scripting can be just as fun as the production itself, especially when you’re prepping for a talk show. The key is to actively focus on your guest. Remember not to hog the mic and let your guest fully express themselves. Choose your guests wisely according to your audience’s interests and preferences. Lastly, remember to have fun and stay relaxed – organic talks with a natural flow are always much more enjoyable, and your audience will appreciate this approach!
About the Author
Daniela McVicker is a writer and editor at TopWritersReview. She has a master’s degree in English Literature, and she is truly passionate about learning foreign languages and teaching. Daniela works with the students helping them to reveal the writing talent and find one true calling.