Why Your Podcast Needs a Trailer: The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Own Podcast Trailer
Whenever you start a new podcast — or even if you're just rebranding a podcast that already exists — you need something big and dramatic to get people's attention. This is a crowded and competitive field, with millions of active podcasts available for the audience’s listening pleasure. A podcast trailer is your way of standing out in the field.
Imagine a movie trailer, but for podcasts, and you've got the gist. You'll be creating a preview of your entire podcast, its contents, themes, guests, and anything else of importance. The trailer won't be very long — under two minutes — but it'll cover a lot of ground… and garner a lot of attention.
Let's take a deeper look.
The Benefits of Using a Podcast Trailer
Trailers are an essential part of the podcast launching process. They announce your brand and vision to the world, preview the type of content you'll put out, and let everyone know, “This is something to look forward to.” It's a taste that encapsulates the essence of your show in terms of production quality and content.
Building anticipation is critical for launching any new product. People want to know what to expect from a new production. They like knowing there's something exceptional to look forward to, something to get excited about. A trailer does this and more, giving them a reason to sign up to receive updates from you well before launch day.
Use a trailer to:
Build momentum ahead of a new podcast launch.
Generate buzz and get people talking.
Get a head start on your subscriber and listener counts.
Set the tone for a future production.
Introduce topics and guests in advance of their appearance on the show.
Are you targeting a specific type of person? Your trailer can put them on the alert that something great is on the way. That's especially useful when you're going after a niche audience. Create an interesting teaser, and you'll have a loyal fan base even before you have a complete podcast.
Trailers are a place to start establishing your identity and voice. Use this time to introduce yourself, explaining what you're all about and what you can offer. If you've created another podcast (or any online content at all) before, now's the time to mention it.
In other words, the trailer is your first impression. This will be one of the first things people see about your show before it goes live. The success of the trailer can determine how visible your podcast will actually be on launch day, as well as the level of interest it sparks.
Getting Content Moderation Out of the Way
There's another consideration many people forget about, and that's content moderation. Some of the most popular content hubs (Apple, Spotify, etc.) have fairly lax standards, but that's no reason to get complacent. Especially if you're a new kid on the block, you'll want to play by the rules and make sure your content meets their guidelines.
Plus, uploading a single podcast and just saying, “Here I am!” isn't really how Apple does things. They need to check and approve the material before passing it to their audience. Submitting a trailer while the other future episodes remain in production can be an good strategy. It begins the process quickly so that you can upload new shows without delay when the time is right.
Creating a Great Podcast Trailer
What do you want from your podcast audience? It's not enough for them to just listen, say nothing, and never interact with your brand again. No, you want them to listen and enjoy themselves so much they don't hesitate to subscribe… and then go tell everyone they know to listen and subscribe as well.
That's the goal, right? A trailer helps you get there. Grabbing the audience's attention and keeping it is your primary goal from now on. You can't interest the entire world, but you can utterly fascinate that core group of people who share your interests. They're your niche, and they're also the source of any future podcasting profits you might make.
To get people's attention, your podcast has to be:
Unique, memorable, and informative
Full of valuable insights into the subject matter — don't rehash what's come before.
Exciting and even emotional in some way, whether through story, music, or just the nature of the subject.
Well-crafted and well-delivered. Provide only the highest in production quality.
Trivia: Which of these doesn't apply equally to your podcast's trailer? That's right — the trailer reflects everything about your show, down to the last detail. It sums it all up into one short package, whetting the appetite and laying the groundwork for great things to come.
Anyone can start a podcast, true, but no one deserves an audience. There has to be some draw, some kind of benefit that clearly states, “You need to hear this.” And that's your responsibility, as the host, to provide. Your expertise and your charisma will drive the show.
Who are you and what expertise do you bring? Why do you have something worth saying about this subject? No one's saying you need a PhD here, but you should have some qualifications or credentials to bring to bear. Don't worry, “Street Cred” and even just “Fanatical Enthusiasm” also count!
“I'm not an expert, but I—” Fill in the blank.
The Call-to-Action
Your trailer needs a stirring call-to-action (CTA) to inspire people to sign up for your content. A call-to-action is simply an explicit statement saying what you want them to do: “Sign up for my mailing list,” “Follow my show on Spotify,” and so on. These should be simple actions that offer some unmistakable benefit to your audience.
Don't overextend yourself by offering too many options. It creates confusion among your listeners, making them more likely to either hesitate or forget the whole thing altogether. Not ideal. Keep the options easy to understand, prioritizing the most important channels you want them to follow you on.
Keep a primary CTA in your trailer that directs the audience only to your foremost channel. That should be the focus of your funnel. You can use other channels, but save those CTAs as other forms of messaging, like a newsletter sent out to existing subscribers.
Script Writing
The script is the foundation on which you build the rest of the trailer. Let your brand identity shine through in your script, illuminating your podcast's unique qualities through and through. Make the script concise, but informative — substance over style is the name of the game.
Make your podcast's value clear. The script can take many forms, but the show's value proposition has to be there at every level. This is your chance to excite people and show them why they should tune in, so hold nothing back. Include material about:
Who you are and why you're doing this show.
The themes you plan to cover in your podcast.
The kinds of guests you'll invite — are they known figures in the industry?
What will you offer people for tuning in?
Think about the tone you want your podcast to convey. The trailer should embody that tone fully, as well as your mission as a podcast host. These core elements will be the backbone of your podcast's overall brand, so don't take them lightly. Take your time and don't rush the process.
Recording the trailer is easier than you might think. Use software like Audacity to record the audio. Do a few practice runs before trying to record the entire thing — you'll probably have to tweak some settings or make adjustments to your mic before achieving the sound quality you want.
From there, it's time to start editing.
Editing
Dreams are made in the editing room. Good editing can turn poor material into something great, and bad editing can have the reverse effect. Programs like Audacity make it easy to cut and splice different audio clips together, but consider watching some YouTube tutorials before beginning.
Edits shouldn't go too long. The entire trailer should be no more than two minutes long, and that's if you're dealing with a complex subject. More than likely, you're looking at 60 seconds or less of running time. Keep the clips short, maintain a logical flow between them, and avoid jarring, abrupt cuts. Make the kind of trailer you'd want to watch yourself.
Take a look at these trailers for inspiration, they're some of our favorites:
But editing can be troublesome. It has a bad habit of bringing out the inner perfectionist — the one who never actually finishes a job because it's “not good enough.” The women at The Wave Editing can help you professionally edit your podcast, bringing it to life with all the potential your podcasting baby deserves.
Creating a Podcast Trailer Is the Start of Something Great
It's your chance to let loose with all the creativity you can muster. Whatever message you want to send, your trailer has the power to spread it across the entire internet and beyond. It prepares your audience, inspires them to be there on launch day, and gives everyone a glimpse of this magnificent diamond you're forging.
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