How to Interview Someone for a Podcast Remotely

Key Takeaways

1. Standard video conferencing tools aren't designed for podcast recording

Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams compress audio aggressively to save bandwidth, creating permanent quality loss that can't be fixed in post-production. Professional podcasters use specialized platforms like Riverside.fm, SquadCast, or Podcastle that record audio locally on each participant's computer before uploading high-quality files to the cloud.

2. Your microphone and environment matter more than expensive gear

A $100 dynamic USB microphone positioned three to four inches from your mouth will dramatically outperform a laptop's built-in mic. Equally important is controlling reverb by recording in rooms with soft materials like carpet, curtains, and upholstered furniture that absorb sound instead of reflecting it.

3. Professional meeting spaces solve problems home offices can't

For high-stakes interviews with industry executives or flagship content launches, Davinci Meeting Rooms provide enterprise-grade internet, acoustic treatment, and professional backdrops for $50 to $100 per two-hour session. This eliminates unpredictable variables like family interruptions, neighbor noise, and unstable home internet that can derail irreplaceable interview opportunities.

4. A five-minute pre-flight checklist prevents most recording disasters

Hardwiring internet via ethernet, enabling "Do Not Disturb" mode, verifying audio input settings, recording room tone, and doing a clap sync takes minimal time but prevents common failures. These simple steps catch issues before they become unfixable problems in your final recording.

5. Guest preparation determines half of your audio quality 

Most people have never been podcast guests and don't understand technical requirements for good audio. Sending clear pre-interview instructions, conducting mandatory tech checks, and explaining how local recording works prevents guests from accidentally closing their browser before uploads complete or using incorrect microphone settings that ruin otherwise perfect content.

Why Audio Quality Makes or Breaks Remote Podcast Interviews

Great podcast content fails when the audio sounds like a phone call from 2010. Listeners bail quickly on poor audio quality—often within the first thirty seconds, before they ever evaluate the actual conversation. This isn't superficial pickiness; audio quality signals professionalism and credibility. When interviewing industry leaders, potential clients, or high-profile guests, sounding like you're recording from a tin can destroys credibility before the conversation begins.

Remote podcast interviews have become the standard approach for coordinating schedules across time zones without requiring travel. But most people approach them exactly like Zoom meetings with their team, and that's where everything falls apart. Laptop built-in microphones weren't designed for broadcast-quality audio, and home Wi-Fi isn't optimized for uploading large audio files. 

Professional-quality remote interviews don't require leasing a studio or investing thousands in equipment. They require understanding what actually affects audio quality and controlling those variables: recording software, gear setup, and environment. For high-stakes interviews where failure isn't an option, dedicated professional meeting rooms—such as Davinci Meeting Rooms—provide the acoustic control and reliability that most home offices can't match.

Why Standard Video Conferencing Tools Fail Podcasters

Recording directly through Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams is the most common mistake new podcasters make. These platforms excel at facilitating quick business conversations, but they weren't designed to be recording studios.

Video conferencing platforms compress audio aggressively to save bandwidth and keep conversations flowing smoothly. They prioritize stability over audio fidelity, which creates the "Zoom voice" effect—that robotic, thin quality that immediately signals to listeners that this wasn't recorded professionally. Once compression is baked into your recording, it's permanent. No amount of post-production editing can restore lost audio quality.

When someone's internet connection gets spotty during a video call, you hear those glitches, freezes, and artifacts in real-time. Those same problems are being recorded directly into your audio file. Editors can't magically reconstruct lost audio data.

The Double-Ender Solution: Recording Locally

Professional podcast recording uses "double-ender" recording. Instead of recording audio after it travels through the internet, specialized podcast software records the audio directly on each person's computer—locally—and uploads high-quality files to the cloud in the background.

When you speak into your microphone, the audio quality on your end is pristine. Degradation happens during transmission. Local recording captures that pristine version before anything gets compressed or lost. Even if your guest's video feed freezes during the conversation, the audio file being recorded on their computer remains perfect.

The most reliable platforms for local recording:

Riverside.fm

The industry standard, particularly for podcasters who also publish video content. Records up to 4K video and uncompressed WAV audio locally on each participant's device. The interface is intuitive enough that first-time podcast guests won't panic. The built-in editor handles creating social media clips, adding captions, and exporting multiple aspect ratios. The "progressive upload" feature means that even if someone's connection drops mid-interview, everything recorded up to that point is already saved.

SquadCast

The reliability-first option. The "Green Room" concept is a pre-recording holding area where you test audio levels, verify microphone selection, and have casual conversation before hitting record. This prevents the disaster of discovering twenty minutes into an interview that a guest's built-in laptop mic was selected instead of their external USB microphone—embarrassing when interviewing busy executives with limited time.

Podcastle

The AI-powered editing solution gaining ground with entrepreneurs and solo podcasters. Combines local recording with a text-based editor—edit your audio by deleting words from the automatically generated transcript, exactly like editing a Word document. The "Magic Dust" one-click AI noise removal tool effectively cleans up less-than-perfect guest audio. For entrepreneurs without dedicated audio engineers, this all-in-one workflow saves significant time.

Table 1. Remote Recording Setup Options

Hosting Your Podcast: Where Your Episodes Actually Live

Recording software and hosting platforms serve completely different functions. Recording software (Riverside, SquadCast, Podcastle) captures the conversation. Hosting platforms store finished episodes and generate the RSS feed that Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other directories subscribe to for distribution.

Buzzsprout

The most beginner-friendly hosting platform, with a clean, intuitive interface. The Magic Mastering feature acts as an automated sound engineer—leveling volume, removing background hiss, optimizing files to match Apple Podcasts and Spotify loudness standards. For people without audio engineering experience, this bridges the gap between "I recorded this in my home office" and "this sounds professionally produced." Also automatically generates audiograms (short video snippets with waveform animations for social media) and provides straightforward analytics. Free tier offers two hours upload monthly; most serious podcasters upgrade to paid plans.

Libsyn and Transistor

Libsyn (Liberated Syndication), established since 2004, offers rock-solid reliability with detailed analytics and robust distribution partnerships with every major podcast directory. Storage-based pricing can be advantageous for shows with long episodes or frequent publishing. Well-suited for established podcasters wanting granular control over distribution.

Transistor excels for business podcasts and operations running multiple shows. Allows unlimited podcasts on all plans—unusual in an industry where most hosts charge per show. The analytics dashboard breaks down listener behavior in actionable ways. Private podcasting capabilities work well for exclusive client content or internal company podcasts.

Other viable options include Podbean (middle-ground with monetization features), Anchor (completely free but basic analytics and limited customization), and SoundCloud (built for music, not recommended for podcasting).

The Gear: What You Actually Need

Professional podcast audio doesn't require thousands of dollars in equipment, but it does require clearing a minimum quality threshold. Laptop built-in microphones fall well below that threshold—they're designed for Zoom calls and dictation, not broadcast media.

Dynamic USB microphones are the standard recommendation because they're plug-and-play (no separate audio interface needed) and they reject background noise better than condenser microphones. The Audio-Technica ATR2100x and Samson Q2U are both around $100 and deliver professional audio quality. As dynamic mics, they're less sensitive to room noise and more forgiving of imperfect recording environments like home offices.

The Blue Yeti deserves special mention as probably the most popular USB microphone in podcasting. It's a condenser mic, which means it captures more detail but also picks up more background noise. In a quiet, controlled environment with acoustic treatment, the Yeti sounds exceptional. In a typical home office with street noise or HVAC hum, it can be too sensitive. Other solid options include the Rode PodMic (requires audio interface but sounds phenomenal), the Shure MV7 (hybrid XLR/USB allowing room to grow), and the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+. Choose dynamic mics for noisier spaces, condenser for quiet, treated rooms.

Microphone proximity matters enormously. Position the mic about three to four inches from your mouth, angled slightly off to the side so you're not breathing directly into it. This "eating the mic" technique creates proximity effect—a natural bass boost that makes voices sound fuller and more authoritative. Laptop built-in mics sit two feet from your face, which creates thin, distant sound quality.

Headphones are recommended for monitoring audio quality in real-time and preventing feedback loops. Without headphones, microphones can pick up sound from speakers, creating echo or feedback that's difficult to fix. Over-ear wired headphones like the Audio-Technica ATH-M20x provide good monitoring quality, though basic earbuds work fine. Avoid Bluetooth headphones—they introduce latency that throws off conversation rhythm.

Table 2. Essential Gear Checklist

Environment Problem: Acoustics and Control

This is where most remote podcasters fail. You can own a $300 microphone, but if you're recording in a room with hardwood floors, bare walls, and large windows, you'll sound like you're recording in a bathroom.

The issue is reverb—sound reflecting off hard surfaces. When you speak in a room with tile, hardwood, glass, or bare drywall, your voice bounces around before being captured by the microphone. This creates hollow, distant audio quality.

Professional studios solve this with acoustic treatment: foam panels, bass traps, and diffusers. But home recording doesn't require transforming a spare bedroom into a studio. The simple solution is adding soft materials: carpet, curtains, upholstered furniture, bookshelves full of books. These absorb sound instead of reflecting it back into the microphone.

When home or office conditions can't be fully controlled—because of noise, shared space, or limited acoustic treatment—the most reliable solution is to step into a purpose-built environment such as a professional meeting room.

When Professional Space Makes Sense

Davinci Meeting Rooms and similar professional meeting spaces solve multiple problems simultaneously: enterprise-grade internet that won't drop during critical interviews, acoustically treated spaces that eliminate reverb, professional backdrops that signal credibility to high-profile guests, and complete environmental control that removes all unpredictable elements.

Home offices have limitations that can't always be controlled. Family members who don't understand that "I'm recording" means complete silence. Neighbors mowing lawns during interview windows. Internet speeds dependent on how many people in the building are streaming. For high-stakes interviews—investor pitches, thought leadership content, conversations with industry executives—environmental control becomes critical.

Consider a specific scenario: a remote interview with a Fortune 500 C-suite leader that anchors a new podcast series. Booking a Davinci Meeting Room in a central business district guarantees stable internet, controlled acoustics, and a setting that matches the executive's professional expectations. For a two-hour booking (typically $50 to $100 depending on location and market), this ensures the interview won't be derailed by barking dogs, dropped internet connections, or poor room acoustics. That's not an expense—it's insurance against failure when the stakes are high and the opportunity is irreplaceable.

The decision framework is straightforward: casual weekly podcasts with familiar guests where there's flexibility to reschedule work fine from home offices. Episodes representing significant opportunities—launching a new series, interviewing someone with a massive platform, creating flagship content for major promotion—justify booking dedicated space at professional meeting rooms by Davinci Meeting Rooms. Consider your guest's perspective. Recording in a professional environment signals respect for their time and investment in your content.

Table 3. Recording Environment Comparison (Home vs. Ad Hoc vs. Davinci Meeting Rooms)

The Pre-Flight Checklist

Small technical oversights ruin otherwise perfect recording sessions. Run this five-minute protocol before every interview:

1. Hardwire your internet connection via ethernet cable. Wi-Fi is inherently unstable compared to direct ethernet. The upload speed and stability difference is dramatic, particularly when recording software is uploading large local audio files in the background. In professional environments such as Davinci Meeting Rooms, enterprise-grade wired internet usually comes standard, removing one of the biggest failure points in remote recording.

2. Enable "Do Not Disturb" mode on your computer and phone. Slack notifications, iMessage pings, calendar reminders—these will appear in your recording as tiny notification sounds that you won't notice during conversation but will be glaringly obvious during playback.

3. Verify your audio input settings. Countless people have recorded entire interviews using their laptop's internal microphone because they forgot to select their external mic in the recording software. Spend thirty seconds confirming your software is grabbing audio from the correct source.

4. Record ten seconds of "room tone"—absolute silence. This gives your editor a sample of the ambient background noise in your environment, which can be used to reduce hiss or hum in post-production.

5. Do a "clap sync" at the beginning. Have both you and your guest clap simultaneously. This creates a sharp audio spike on both local recordings that makes it easy for editors to sync the tracks if the software's automatic syncing fails.

Table 4. Pre-flight Checklist. 

Preparing Your Guest

Send a pre-interview email covering the basics: find a quiet room, close unnecessary applications to free up bandwidth, join five minutes early for a tech check. Most people have never been podcast guests and don't know what "good podcast audio" sounds like technically. Frame it this way: "Imagine you're calling into a radio show. We want you to sound like you're in the radio studio, not calling from a car phone in the 1990s."

The tech check is essential. Test their microphone, verify headphone usage (if applicable), check internet speed, ensure they're not backlit by windows if recording video. For high-profile or time-constrained guests, scheduling the session in a Davinci Meeting Room can remove uncertainty about noise, background distractions, and connectivity on both sides of the conversation. Explain how the recording software works—that audio is being recorded locally and uploaded to the cloud in the background. Without this context, many guests panic when they see an upload progress bar after the interview and instinctively close their browser, potentially losing the entire recording before the file finishes uploading.

Making Remote Sound Professional

The gap between amateur and professional remote podcast production is smaller than most people realize. It's not about expensive gear or complex technical setups. It's about understanding what affects audio quality and controlling those variables.

A good microphone positioned close to your mouth. Headphones for monitoring or low speaker volume to prevent feedback. Software that records locally instead of capturing audio after internet transmission. An environment that doesn't create reverb. Stable internet connection via ethernet. These five elements account for roughly 90% of the quality difference between a podcast that sounds like professional production and one that sounds like a Skype call from 2010.

The remaining 10% is about eliminating variables and removing last-minute surprises. For podcasters conducting high-stakes interviews with irreplaceable guests, Davinci Meeting Rooms provide strategic advantages: guaranteed enterprise internet, acoustic treatment, professional backdrops, and complete environmental control. When interviewing CEOs, industry leaders, or prominent thought leaders, the question isn't whether you can afford to book a meeting room—it's whether you can afford the risk of technical failure during an opportunity that won't come twice.

Audio quality is the first impression. Listeners make snap judgments about whether a podcast is worth their time in the first thirty seconds, before content or interview style gets evaluated. The formula is straightforward: local recording, solid gear, a controlled environment, and—for critical episodes—professional meeting rooms such as Davinci Meeting Rooms that remove last-minute surprises. When those pieces are in place, remote interviews sound as polished and trustworthy as anything tracked in a studio. The technology should be invisible, allowing audiences to focus entirely on what's being said rather than how it's being captured.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use Zoom to record podcast interviews?

Zoom and other video conferencing platforms compress audio aggressively to save bandwidth, which creates permanent quality loss that sounds robotic and unprofessional. While Zoom works fine as a backup communication channel, professional podcasters use specialized recording platforms like Riverside.fm, SquadCast, or Podcastle that record audio locally on each computer before uploading uncompressed files. This local recording approach captures pristine audio quality even if internet connections fluctuate during the conversation.

2. What microphone should I buy for remote podcast interviews?

Dynamic USB microphones like the Audio-Technica ATR2100x or Samson Q2U (both around $100) are ideal for most remote podcasters because they plug directly into your computer and reject background noise effectively. The popular Blue Yeti is a good option if you have a quiet, acoustically treated space, but it's more sensitive to room noise and may pick up unwanted sounds in typical home offices. The key is positioning any microphone three to four inches from your mouth to capture full, authoritative voice quality instead of the thin, distant sound of laptop built-in mics.

3. Do I need to rent a professional studio for high-quality remote interviews?

Professional studios aren't necessary for most podcast recordings, but controlling your environment is essential for quality audio. For casual weekly episodes, a home office with soft materials like carpet, curtains, and furniture to absorb sound works fine. For high-stakes interviews with industry executives or flagship content launches, booking a professional meeting room like Davinci Meeting Rooms ($50-100 for two hours) provides guaranteed enterprise internet, acoustic treatment, and professional backdrops that eliminate unpredictable variables like family interruptions or neighbor noise.

4. How do I fix echo or reverb in my podcast recordings?

Echo and reverb are caused by sound reflecting off hard surfaces like tile, hardwood floors, glass windows, or bare walls before being captured by your microphone. The best fix is prevention: record in rooms with soft materials that absorb sound—carpet, curtains, upholstered furniture, or even bookshelves full of books. If you're stuck with a reflective space, adding temporary soft materials or recording in a closet full of hanging clothes can dramatically reduce reverb without expensive acoustic treatment.

5. What's the difference between podcast recording software and podcast hosting?

Recording software (like Riverside.fm, SquadCast, or Podcastle) is what you use during the interview to capture high-quality audio files from both you and your guest. Hosting platforms (like Buzzsprout, Libsyn, or Transistor) are where your finished, edited episodes are stored and distributed to listening apps like Apple Podcasts and Spotify through an RSS feed. You need both: recording software to create the content, and hosting to make it available to your audience across all podcast directories.

6. How do I prepare my guest for a remote podcast interview?

Send a pre-interview email explaining that they should find a quiet room, close unnecessary applications, and join five minutes early for a tech check—most people have never been podcast guests and don't know what good audio requires. During the tech check, verify their microphone selection, test audio levels, check internet speed, and explain that the recording software saves audio locally and uploads in the background (so they don't panic and close their browser when they see an upload bar). For high-profile or time-constrained guests, consider booking a Davinci Meeting Room to eliminate uncertainty about environmental factors on your end.

Additional Resources

What Does Every Conference Room Need

https://www.davincimeetingrooms.com/blog/what-does-every-conference-room-need

Unexpected Uses for Meeting Rooms

https://www.davincimeetingrooms.com/blog/unexpected-uses-for-meeting-rooms

How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Meeting Room

https://www.davincimeetingrooms.com/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-rent-a-meeting-room

10 Flexible Workspaces 

https://www.davincimeetingrooms.com/blog/10-flexible-work-spaces

About Patrick Spencer

Patrick Spencer (Ph.D.) is the President and Founder of TIRO Communications that helps companies develop, build, and manage content, customer, advocacy, and demand-gen programs. Included in its offerings is TIRO Cognition Insights, a data analytics tool that enables B2C and B2B businesses to pinpoint what their customers and competitors’ customers are saying and to identify corresponding actionable product, services, competitive, sales, and marketing intelligence. LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn Website: www.tirocommunications.com