How to Make a Strong Podcast Introduction
Making a Good First Impression
How many podcasts have you tried out that started with something like:
"Hey, Sarah, how are you?"
"I'm good. How are you?"
"How was your weekend?"
"It was good."
It's just not a compelling way to start. Your introduction is super important. It's the first thing your listeners hear. And if it doesn't grab them, they're not going to stick around. Let's talk about creating a podcast introduction that pulls listeners in and doesn't push them away.
One of the biggest things that separates a professional sounding podcast from an amateurish one is the podcast's introduction. When starting a podcast, people tend to focus on the middle of the show, like where the interview goes, or what the main topic is discussed. And they don't think about the introduction until the last minute. But the introduction is the first thing a listener will hear. And if they're a new listener, it's their first impression of the podcast. The introduction of your podcast should bring the listener in and make them want to keep listening.
And that's a good thing to keep in mind. Every episode you create could be someone's first episode that they hear. So the introduction should introduce the episode, but also welcome in new listeners to the podcast itself.
Your introduction doesn't need to be elaborate, but it should do these things.
Welcome your listener into the show.
Introduce the host of the show.
Tell your audience what they're about to hear.
The "Hey, how are you? Good. How are you?" approach doesn't do any of these things. It just feels like you're overhearing very boring, small talk. You'll see positive results with your podcast if you value your listeners time. Most podcasts are free as in they don't cost money, but your listeners are paying with their time. So let them understand right at the top of your podcast that you value their time and get to the point right away.