For many solo podcasters, the challenge isn’t just about finding the right content—it’s about how to deliver that content in a way that feels natural, engaging, and conversational.
While chat conversations and interview podcasts are popular for their conversational nature, finding dedicated guests or committed co-hosts can be challenging, especially when you’re just starting out.
This article will guide you through 7 quick practical tips to make your solo podcast feel more like a dialogue and less like a monologue.
1. Ditch the Script, Create an Outline Instead
One of the quickest ways to lose that conversational vibe is by sticking too closely to a script.
Unless you have the experience of a seasoned radio DJ or a voice actor, reading from a script can make you sound stiff and robotic.
Instead, consider working from an outline. This approach allows you to stay on track while giving you the flexibility to speak naturally. You’ll find that your words flow more easily, and your audience will feel more connected to what you’re saying.
One app I found recently to be really useful in helping your sequence your ideas for your podcast episodes more effectively is Mlianote. It even has a few handy podcasting templates that many other project management tools and notetaking apps are missing.
2. Imagine Really Having a Conversation with an Active Listener
Speaking into a microphone with no one in front of you can be daunting, especially when you’re just starting out.
The best podcasters make it seem like they’re having a one-on-one conversation with their listeners, even though they’re technically talking to “air.”
To achieve this, it’s essential to know who your audience is. Picture a specific person from that audience profile sitting across from you, nodding along and reacting to your words.
This mental trick can transform the way you communicate, making your podcast feel much more personal and engaging.
3. Use Questions to Guide Your Show
Questions are a powerful tool in making your podcast more interactive. They prompt your listeners to think, ponder, and stay engaged with the content.
Pose “what if” scenarios or hypotheticals, and then explore them as if you’re discussing them with someone.
Even rhetorical questions can invite your audience into the conversation, breaking the monologue pattern and adding depth to your discussion.
4. Mimic the Pace or Cadence of a Natural Conversation
A key element of sounding conversational is mimicking the pace and cadence of natural speech.
This means including necessary pauses for moments of reflection and allowing your personality to come through in your tone, pitch, and pace.
Varying these elements not only keeps the listener engaged but also helps convey your emotions and ideas more effectively.
When you sound more like yourself, your audience will feel like they’re getting to know the real you, which fosters a stronger connection.
5. Use Anecdotes and Personal Stories
People connect with stories.
Sharing personal experiences related to your topic can humanize you and make your content more relatable. You can also incorporate listener questions, comments, or stories into your episodes.
Responding to them creates a dynamic where it feels like you’re in an ongoing dialogue with your audience.
This back-and-forth interaction can significantly enhance the conversational tone of your podcast.
6. Post-Editing for a More Conversational Flow
It’s natural to stumble over words or take long pauses while thinking during recording. Smoothening these moments in post-editing will help you create a more polished and conversational flow.
Don’t fall into the trap that uploading your podcast raw and un-edited helps to keep it real and genuine. This is definitely one of the many mistakes podcaster should avoid.
Editing out unnecessary hesitations or awkward phrasing not only improves the delivery but can also make you appear more confident and articulate.
However, be mindful of over-editing. Maintaining some natural pauses and variations in tone can prevent your podcast from sounding too intense or unnatural.
Poor editing, especially by AI tools or inexperienced editors, can strip away the natural rhythm of speech, making your podcast harder to listen to.
7. Invite Guest Appearances or Sound Clips
As a bonus tip for solo podcasters looking to add variety, consider incorporating guest sound bites or clips, even if they’re pre-recorded.
Bringing in other voices, even briefly, can break up your solo segments and add another layer of engagement to your show. It’s a simple way to make your content more dynamic without detracting from the fact that it’s your podcast.
Examples of Excellent Solo Podcasts
To see these techniques in action, it can be helpful to study some successful solo podcasts that have mastered the art of sounding conversational:
The Creative Penn Podcast
This podcast hosted by award-winning author and entrepreneur, Joanna Penn, focuses on providing insights and inspiration for writers, covering a range of topics related to writing, publishing, book marketing, and making a living as an author.
Her weekly episodes feature a mix of solo discussions and interviews. You can check out the solo discussions as a good example of how to hold a conversational monologue for 20 to 30 minutes.
The History of Everything Podcast
Although it’s a history podcast, this solo episode “The Many Assassination Attempts of Adolf Hitler” by Steven Bell is far from a dry lecture. He engages listeners with his passion, rhetorical questions, and vivid storytelling, making complex historical events feel like an engrossing dialogue.
Check out the other episodes he’s done with his co-host Gabby, who plays the role of an “active listener” to ask questions to guide the flow of thoughts for the listeners.
Even as a solo podcaster, you can reference these episodes to learn how and when to ask the right questions to keep the level of discussion engaging.
The Savvy Psychologist's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Mental Health
Hosted by psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen, this solo podcast offers science-based tips for improving mental health and wellbeing.
Podcasts focused on education and advice often risk sounding didactic, but notice how Hendriksen uses varied intonation, inflection, and cadence to deliver what seems like prepared scripts in a conversational tone.
Trend SZN: Social Media and Marketing Podcast
Trend SZN is a podcast focused on social media marketing and strategies for e-commerce brands. Hosted by Nat Welfare, the solo podcast dives deep into effective marketing techniques and trends that are currently shaping the digital landscape.
This is a good example of how solo podcasts is a good medium for building yourself as a thought leader. By building her podcast content upon a lot of personal experiences to showcase her expert insights, Nat has created an engaging show that is as good as (perhaps better!) than a lot of casual interview / chat podcasts that aren’t properly outlined to deliver value for the listeners.
The Mindset Mentor by Rob Dial
Rob Dial delivers motivational solo episodes aimed at helping listeners develop the mindset needed to achieve their goals and dreams.
This podcast ranks in the top 0.01% globally according to Listennotes. Its sucesss demonstrates how a solo host can thrive by blending personal stories with his expert knowlegde in a conversational atmosphere that help forge a deeper engagement with his audience.
Macro Minutes by RBC Captial Markets
This podcast from RBC Capital Markets features solo commentary from the firm’s strategists on macroeconomic developments and financial market trends.
Even though each episode may feature segments from more than one expert, each segment is essentially a solo analysis on the latest economic data and its potential impact on investors.
This works in the same way as using guest sound bytes as suggested in Tip 7 above to break the monotony of a solo commentary show. At the same time, the solo- experts are seasoned presenters from whom we can learn the art of conversing with your listener like on a 1-on-1 even though we’re technically talking to “dead air”.
Conclusion
By modelling some of these examples show and applying the strategies as discussed, you can turn your solo podcast into a more engaging, conversational experience for your listeners. The goal is to make them feel like they’re part of a conversation, even when you’re the only one speaking.