How to Write a Great Intro and Outro for Your Podcast Channel
Updated: Mar 12, 2022
Because the intro and outro of your podcast are the first and last things your listeners hear, you want to make sure they stay.
Your podcast's intro and outro are the first and last things your listeners will hear, so make them memorable.
Intro to Podcast
The podcast introduction, as previously stated, is the very first thing that listeners will hear once they press the play button, and if there's one thing we know about humans, it's that we don't have very long attention spans. This means you have a limited amount of time to pique their interest and engage them.
We'll explain the difference between a podcast intro and an episode intro before we get into the elements to include in your podcast intro. A podcast intro serves as the introduction to your entire series, and it can be used in each episode. Your episode intro is a brief introduction to the episode that your listeners are about to hear. You could go over the guest's biography and some key points that the listeners can take away from this episode.
For the time being, we'll concentrate on podcast intros.
The Vital Elements of Your Podcast's Intro
Podcast Title
This one is self-evident. Let your listeners know what show they're listening to right away.
Logline of the Podcast
The logline of your podcast is essentially a one-liner that explains what your series is about. Following your logline, some intros will provide a more detailed description of the series, explaining why listeners should tune in. They might even talk about some of the topics covered in the podcast or what listeners will take away from the series.
The Guest of Honor (s)
Make it clear to your listeners who the voices they're hearing belong to. Make sure to include not only the hosts' names but also a brief explanation of why they are important to the show. This could help establish their credibility or connection to the series' topics. Doctors, entrepreneurs, lawyers, marketers, influencers, and other professionals could be among the hosts.
Acknowledgment
Perhaps your series is better suited for older audiences, or perhaps you need to inform your viewers about something related to the content before they can fully engage with it. This disclaimer should be placed in the introduction.
Sponsors
Don't forget about the people who are paying for your podcast. If you have sponsors for your podcast, the podcast intro is one place where they can advertise. Just keep in mind that the ad should be consistent with the overall personality of your series.
Music
It's not as simple as throwing in some Creative Commons music and calling it a day when it comes to adding music to your podcast. You should select music that complements the overall tone of your series and adds value to your podcast rather than detracting from it.
The following are some things to keep in mind:
1. Make sure your music isn't so loud that it drowns out your podcast intro
2. Avoid music with lyrics, as this can detract from the hosts' ability to speak
3. Either use Creative Commons music or purchase a music library subscription.
Free Music Resources
1. Free Music Archive
2. Freesound
3. Bensound
Paid Music Libraries
1. Artlist
2. Music RightsClearance
3. Audiio
Everything You Need to Know: Podcast Intros
Your listeners don't want to have to wait long for you to get into the content of the podcast, so keep your podcast intro short, around 30-60 seconds. They only want a short, catchy intro that will pique their interest in hearing the rest of the episode.
Overall, you should try to pique the interest of both existing and potential listeners. Even if you've been podcasting for a long time, new listeners will come across your series, and you'll need to engage them and give them a reason to stick around for the rest of the episode.
Everything You Need to Know: Podcast Outros
Now let's focus on the outro, which is on the opposite end of your podcast. The elements of your podcast outro will be similar to those of your podcast intro, and it will be just as important. Your outro is where you wrap up your episode and tell the audience what you want them to do next (your CTA).
The Essentials of a Podcast Outro
Podcast Title
Restate what series your listeners are listening to (a.k.a. the title of your podcast). This is just another way to remind them of the series' name so they don't forget it.
Logline of the Podcast
Restate your podcast's logline, which is the one-liner we discussed earlier in the article. You can also explain what the series is about in this section.
The Guest of Honor (s)
Introduce the series' host(s) once more. Take a moment to remind your listeners who you are and why you are the show's host.
Sponsors
If your series has sponsors, the podcast outro is another place to thank them and read their advertisements.
Express gratitude to your visitors
Thank your guests for appearing on the show, and let listeners know how they can contact them (if the guest has consented to this).
CTA (call to action)
What's your rallying cry? What do you want your listeners to take away from this and what do you want them to do next? Some examples of CTAs include:
Telling listeners to subscribe to the series, leave a review, or rate it
Directing them to your website
Directing them to a service, product, or even a webinar that you want them to buy
Instruct them to contact you, whether through social media or another means of communication
Tease out your next episode and tell listeners to tune in on whatever day it airs
Direct listeners to your show notes.
Music
The music you use should be the same as your intro music so that listeners can tell when the podcast starts and stops. Your podcast music can become a memorable tune that listeners will remember long after the episode has ended, helping to keep your series fresh in their minds.
Summary of Podcast Outros
The last thing your listeners will hear before moving on to another podcast or episode of your series is the podcast outro. Keep them interested in what you're saying and make them want to keep listening.
Because you have some additional information to provide, your podcast outro can be a little longer than your intro. We recommend keeping your outros between 60 and 90 seconds long, so they're not too long that the listener gets bored but long enough that you get all the information you need before closing the episode.
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