Recording a podcast with remote guests works really well if you sort out three things before you start: everyone has a microphone and headphones, everyone connects from a quiet spot with stable internet, and there’s a plan B if someone drops out. Distance is no longer an excuse not to have your ideal guest: you can talk with someone in another city or another country and get a result that comes very close to sitting at the same table.
Before the recording
Send your guest a short guide
Two or three days ahead, share a brief message with:
- The link to join and the exact time (with the time zone if they’re in another country).
- What they need: headphones, a microphone if they have one, a quiet room.
- What you’ll be talking about, without a locked-in script, so they come with ideas.
You can take inspiration from our guide on how to prepare a podcast guest.
Do a ten-minute test
Connect fifteen minutes before recording time. Check together that:
- Everyone sounds clear and echo-free.
- Nobody has constant background noise.
- Everyone’s volume is about the same.
Those few minutes save hours of editing.
Problem number one: echo
Echo happens when one person’s voice comes out of another person’s speakers and goes back into their microphone. The simplest fix is for everyone to wear headphones. It doesn’t matter if they’re just the earbuds that came with a phone: any headphones are better than speakers.
Other tips:
- Ask people to mute their mic when they’re not talking for a while, especially if there’s noise at home.
- Have everyone speak at the same distance from the mic, roughly a hand-span.
- Avoid fans and air conditioners nearby.
How to connect: options
| Option | Advantage | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Regular video call | Everyone knows how to use it | It looks like a work meeting |
| Local recording by each person | Top audio quality | You have to sync the files afterward |
| Virtual studio in the browser | Looks like a real show, nothing to install | Needs a stable connection |
A very common practice among podcasters is to combine them: talk on whatever platform you prefer and also have each person record their own audio locally as a backup. If something goes wrong with the internet, the local track saves the episode.
During the recording
- Start with a casual two-minute chat before “going on air.” It relaxes everyone.
- Take notes on the good moments and the stumbles, with the approximate time. They’ll help with editing and with pulling vertical clips.
- Don’t talk over each other. Remotely there’s a slight delay; leave half a second after the other person finishes.
- Keep an eye on the connection. If someone freezes, pause, wait for them to come back, and repeat the last idea.
What to do if the connection fails
Having a plan prevents panic:
- If your guest drops, keep talking for a few seconds so you don’t lose the thread, and invite them back in.
- If the quality drops a lot, ask them to close other tabs and downloads, or to move closer to the router.
- If nothing works, schedule part two for another day. Better that than publishing inaudible audio.
Before recording, check what internet speed you need to record remotely.
How to pass the floor when there are several of you
With two people, the conversation flows on its own. With three or more, someone has to moderate:
- Introduce each guest at the start and say their name when you ask them a question.
- Ask directed questions (“Ana, how did you experience it?”) instead of questions thrown out to everyone.
- If two people talk at once, laugh, apologize, and give the floor to one of them: it sounds natural and restores order.
We go deeper into this in how to moderate a panel discussion.
Backup: record locally too
Even if the conversation runs over the internet, ask each participant to record their own voice on their computer with any audio recording program. If the connection degrades, that local track keeps full quality and lets you rebuild the episode. When you’re done, have them send it to you through a file-sharing service, with each file named after the person and the date.
After the recording
- Thank your guest and tell them when the episode comes out.
- Share the clips with them so they can post them too.
- Save their contact details and a note on how the experience went. Good guests come back.
If you want a remote conversation to feel like being on the same set, you can bring your guests together in a 3D studio from the browser, where each person appears seated at the table as their own avatar. Create your studio for free and do a test run with a friend.
Frequently asked questions
What if my guest doesn’t have a microphone?
Ask them to plug their phone’s earbuds with a built-in mic into their computer and talk close to it. It’s not ideal, but it sounds much better than a laptop’s built-in mic.
How much delay is normal on a remote call?
A small delay is normal, especially between countries. That’s why it’s a good idea to wait a beat before responding and not to interrupt.
How many remote guests is reasonable?
One to three guests is manageable. With more people, you need a moderator who clearly passes the floor so nobody talks over each other.