How to Make a Great Podcast Trailer
Coming Soon to a Podcast Player Near You
Podcast trailers are an easy way for potential new listeners to sample your show without committing the time to listen to a full episode. They're also a valuable marketing tool. You can share your trailer everywhere. Here's how to make a podcast trailer that stands out from the rest.
The ideal podcast trailer should be bite-sized and low commitment. It's a sample of your show. You want us to be long enough to share all of the relevant information, but short enough that it doesn't take up too much of your potential new listener's time. The ideal length is about one-to-two minutes.
To make a standout podcast trailer. Let's take some cues from movie trailers. We’re not saying your podcast needs to start with a deep voice saying, "in a world," but movie trailers do a few things that your podcast trailer should do as well.
They should reflect the tone and vibe of your show. Give the listeners a taste of what they can expect listening to a whole episode. Does your podcast revolve around you and your co-host's witty banter? Then your trailer should show off your rapport. If your podcast is fast paced and high energy, then your trailer should be the same.
The second thing movie trailers do is show you what the movie is about and who's in it. Make sure you cover who's on the podcast and why it's worth listening to. What can your listener expect to hear when they listen to a full episode? What value does your podcast provide?
Lastly, think about the end of a movie trailer. The "coming soon to a theater near you" moment. You want your podcast trailer to include all of that vital information that's usually up on the screen. When does the podcast come out? What days do new episodes drop? Where do you find the podcast? And then for a simple call to action, send people to your website. There you can list and link all the places they can listen. Be sure to emphasize that listening to your podcast is free.
Pro Tip
If you haven't released your podcast yet, it's a good idea to publish your trailer episode first. Apple Podcasts and other podcast players won't accept an RSS feed until it has at least one episode published. You can submit your feed with your trailer published before you publish your first episode. That way your podcast will be live and available on podcast players before your first episode even drops. Promote the release of your podcast and tell people to subscribe to the feed. That way when you do release your first episode, you'll already have subscribers.