ChatGPT Prompts for Podcast Hosts

Build a guest research dossier I can use for episode prep. Focus on what's PUBLICLY available and verifiable. The goal is to know enough to ask sharp questions, not to know everything about them.

Guest name: [name]
Guest's primary public role: [what they're known for — author, founder, executive, expert, creator]
Episode topic / angle: [the specific angle we're recording]
Episode length: [30 / 45 / 60 / 90 min]
My show's tone: [direct/journalistic / warm/conversational / debate/challenging / educational/explanatory]
Source materials to check: [list any books, talks, articles, podcast appearances you know exist]

Output the dossier as:

**The 30-second version:** Who is this person to my audience?
**Key public claims (3-5):** Specific positions or arguments they've made publicly — with the source or year
**Recent activity (last 12 months):** What have they done, said, or published recently that's relevant?
**Where they've contradicted themselves or evolved:** Public moments where their view changed (this is where the BEST interview questions live)
**Topics they've talked about A LOT:** What they default to (so I can steer AWAY from these and toward fresher ground)
**Topics they've NEVER addressed publicly:** Areas of expertise they've never been interviewed on
**Personal context safe to mention:** Anything public-domain about their background that informs their work (don't speculate or include rumor)
**Three uncomfortable but fair questions:** Questions a thoughtful interviewer would ask, that they probably haven't been asked before
**Three "easy" questions to open with:** Conversational openers to warm up the conversation before the harder questions
**Production note:** The 2-3 things I should mention I've checked / read before the recording starts so they know I did my homework

Build an episode outline I can interview from. The output should look like a roadmap, not a script — I need flexibility to follow where the guest takes the conversation, while having structure to return to.

Episode title (working): [title]
Guest: [name and 1-sentence credential]
Episode length: [30 / 45 / 60 / 90 min]
Show format: [solo interview / co-host interview / panel / educational solo episode]
The ONE thing the audience should remember after listening: [the takeaway in one sentence]
The three things the audience should LEARN: [bulleted facts/insights]
Specific question I'm hoping the guest will answer (if any): [the one question only this guest can answer]

Output as:

**Cold open (60-90 sec):** A specific question or moment that hooks the listener immediately. NO show intro yet. Just the hook.

**Intro (30 sec):** Show intro + guest intro. Brief and energetic.

**Section 1 (10-15 min): [Open ground]**
- 2-3 opening questions to warm up the guest
- The transition cue to move to Section 2

**Section 2 (15-20 min): [The core territory]**
- 3-4 questions covering the main subject
- ONE follow-up question I should be ready to ask based on a likely answer
- The transition cue to move to Section 3

**Section 3 (15-20 min): [The depth or challenge]**
- 2-3 sharper questions that go deeper than what's been said publicly
- The ONE question I'm hoping they'll answer
- The transition cue to wrap

**Closing (5-10 min):**
- Reflection question (gives them space to take the conversation wherever they want)
- The "where to find you" practical info
- A specific call-to-action for the audience

**Buffer questions (3-5):** Extra questions I can pull if conversation runs short

**Cut signals:** Three things that would tell me a section has gone too long and I should move on — be specific (e.g., "if the guest gives a 5+ minute answer with no concrete examples, ask one followup and move to next section")

Write 3 versions of an episode title and subtitle for podcast platforms. The title appears in the listener's feed; the subtitle appears in show notes and on social. Both need to do work.

Show name: [name]
Guest name (if interview): [name]
Episode topic in 1-2 sentences: [what the episode is actually about]
The audience this episode is FOR: [be specific — e.g., "B2B SaaS founders considering AI tools", "creative writers who feel stuck", "lawyers under 35"]
Show's title convention: [e.g., "GUEST NAME — TITLE" / "TITLE (GUEST)" / Punchy standalone titles]
Episode genre: [interview / solo / panel / educational / news/timely]

Output 3 version pairs (title + subtitle), each optimized for a different style:

**Version A — Curiosity / Question lead:**
- Title leads with a question or surprising claim
- Subtitle elaborates

**Version B — Specific outcome lead:**
- Title states what listeners will get
- Subtitle previews the structure

**Version C — Name/Authority lead (only useful for interviews with known guests):**
- Title leads with the guest's name and a sharp angle
- Subtitle elaborates

For each version, include:
- Title (under 70 characters where possible — podcast players truncate)
- Subtitle (under 150 characters)
- Which audience segment this version is best for
- Which platforms it works best on (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube — they truncate at different lengths)

From an episode transcript, identify 5 pull-quotes worth turning into audiograms (30-90 second clips for social).

Episode transcript: [paste the full transcript or section]
Episode topic: [1 sentence]
Audience: [target listener for this episode]
Audiogram strategy: [single platform — e.g., Instagram Reels / multi-platform / clip for show notes only / promotional teaser for an upcoming episode]

For each of the 5 pull-quotes, output:

**Pull-quote #1:**
- **Quote** (verbatim from transcript, with speaker name)
- **Length** (seconds it would take to read at natural pace)
- **Why this works**: what makes this clip-worthy (surprising claim / specific data / vivid metaphor / contrarian view / emotional moment)
- **Best platform**: where this should run (Instagram Reels, TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter audiogram, YouTube Shorts)
- **Pre-roll setup** (1 line of caption text that primes the listener for context)
- **Post-roll call-to-action** (1 line: where to listen to the full episode)
- **Visual style** (if making an audiogram with text overlay, what should the text say in 5-7 words?)

After the 5 pull-quotes:

**The clip NOT to use:** The most viral-seeming moment that you should actually skip, with the reason (e.g., requires too much context, takes out of context, harms guest relationship, exposes a confidential moment)