Your Guide to Podcast Trailers: What They Are and How to Make Them

Finally ready to launch your podcast? You’ll want to create a trailer for it. And just like a movie trailer, it should convince your target audience to want to listen or subscribe in a very short timeframe.

Podcast trailers give potential listeners a taste of your voice, format, and promise. They’re your elevator pitch in audio form, so they should reveal just enough about your show to get people interested, but without giving away too much. So how do you achieve this delicate balance?

Below, we walk you through everything you need to know about podcast trailers, with practical steps to plan, record, and promote yours.

Why do you need a podcast trailer?

A good podcast trailer does several jobs at once:

• It’s your audience’s first impression: In directories like Apple Podcasts or Spotify, your trailer may be the first thing someone hears. It introduces your show’s themes far better than a generic description, not to mention it’s way more engaging.
• Give a taster before you launch: To submit your podcast to directories, you need to upload at least one audio file. A trailer fulfils that requirement, so you can promote your podcast elsewhere and gain some subscribers before your official launch.
• Cross-promotion: A trailer can be shared on social media, embedded on your website, and even featured on other podcasts within your niche. All this extra visibility greatly increases your podcast’s chances of success!
• Sponsors and media outreach: A professional trailer can help you secure sponsors and media coverage. It’s much easier for a busy brand manager to listen to a two-minute clip than a full episode!

Types of podcast trailers

Not all trailers serve the same purpose. Knowing which type best suits your goals will help you take the right approach. Here are the most common types of podcast trailers and what they’re used for:

• Coming-soon/teaser trailer: Just like a movie trailer, this helps build anticipation and encourages people to subscribe to your feed before you launch your podcast.
• Show trailer (highlight reel): This is an evergreen piece of content that helps introduce your overall podcast. It might feature a montage of your best moments, a description of your show’s mission, and a taste of the energy your listeners can expect. This kind of trailer is very shareable and doesn’t feel overly salesy, making it great for organic social posts.
• Episode trailer: This is a short preview for a specific episode – usually just 15-30 seconds long. It’s aimed at existing subscribers to encourage them to listen to the next show.

If you’re brand new to podcasting, you’ll want to start with a coming-soon or show trailer (you can add episode teasers later when you’re more comfortable with the process).

How long should a podcast trailer be?

How long your podcast trailer should be depends on the kind of trailer you’re creating, but most experts recommend keeping trailers between 30-90 seconds. This is usually long enough to convey the essentials but short enough to hold attention.

You could also create two versions of a podcast trailer: a 1-3 minute trailer for directories where listeners might want more context, and a shorter 30-45 second version for social media or cross-promotions.

If you’re feeling confused, you can’t really go wrong aiming for about a minute, but just remember – a trailer is supposed to tease your audience, not explain every detail!

Planning and scripting your podcast trailer

A great podcast trailer starts with a clear plan. So before you start writing your script, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is unique about my podcast? What sets your podcast apart? Do you offer deep dives into obscure topics, or candid conversations about mental health? Knowing your USP will help you choose the right moments to highlight.
• Who is my ideal listener? Picture the sort of person who would love your show. Are they busy or time-poor? Are they your age? How much do they already know about the topic you’re discussing? Getting to know your listener can help you speak to them more effectively and build a better connection.
• What tone and format should I use? Solo monologue? Two co-hosts bantering? Narrative storytelling? It’s a good idea to use a similar tone and format to your actual podcast, so that listeners know what to expect.
• What will my listeners gain from my podcast? Will they learn something new, laugh, cry, or feel empowered? Identify the key takeaway of your podcast – this will help you create a compelling call to action.

What to include in your podcast trailer

Your trailer should convince future listeners to subscribe and listen. Therefore, it should provide enough information to meet that objective, without being too long or drawn out. So how do you know what to include? Just be sure to cover the following points, and you can’t really go wrong:

• Your name and credentials: Sharing your name instantly builds familiarity and trust. You should also mention any relevant credentials or why you’re passionate about the topic of your podcast.
• Podcast description or logline: Sum up your show in one sentence and avoid complex jargon to make it easy for anyone to understand in an instant.
• Target audience: Explicitly call out who the show is made for e.g. “If you love true crime stories with a huge twist” or “this podcast is for busy entrepreneurs who need a dose of motivation”,
• Value proposition: Let potential listeners know right off the bat what they can expect to gain from your podcast. Aim to highlight the benefits rather than the features.
• Release schedule: Tell listeners how often episodes drop to encourage subscriptions.
• Where to listen: Instead of saying “wherever you get your podcasts”, mention specific platforms. This can help direct people who might hear your trailer outside of a podcast app (or someone who doesn’t usually listen to podcasts).
• Call to action: Finish by inviting listeners to follow, subscribe, or visit your website. If your show hasn’t launched yet, be sure to include the release date to attract the biggest audience when that day comes!

Scriptwriting tips for your podcast trailer

A good script reads like natural speech, not an advertisement. Here are some tips to help make your podcast trailer sound more human:

Start with a hook

We all tend to zone out when we hear an ad – that’s why it’s vital to grab your audience’s attention right away with a good hook. Here are some ways you might want to begin:

• A cold open: Use a compelling soundbite or quote from your show – this could be a funny line, dramatic moment, or intriguing question. This is a great way to pique curiosity before you formally introduce yourself.
• Greet your listeners: If your personality is your selling point, or you already have a large following, lead with a greeting from you and/or your co-host.
• An interesting fact: Opening with a surprising statistic or fact can be very effective for educational podcasts – listeners are instantly drawn in when they hear something jaw-dropping!

Keep it clear and concise

Use short sentences and plain language throughout your script to keep your listeners engaged. Remember – you only have about a minute to make your case, so you’ll want to make use of every second.

Keeping things short and straightforward will also make reading your script a lot easier. Practice reading your script aloud first – if you trip over a sentence or find it a bit long-winded, rewrite it.

Speak directly to the audience

Your trailer should feel like a conversation with your listener – like you’re talking to a friend, rather than giving a lecture. Use ‘you’ and ‘we’ to help build a connection.

Use voice notes or improvise first

If you’re much better at speaking than writing, try dictating your ideas into voice notes before transcribing them. This will also help preserve your natural tone of voice and cadence.

You could also upload a loose outline of your script into a free teleprompter app like Teleprompter Pro and fill in the blanks spontaneously when recording. This can make things feel more authentic if you aren’t used to reading from a script.

Use delivery notes

If you’re worried that reading from a script might make you sound too robotic, you might want to consider making delivery notes. You can mark up your script with cues to pause, emphasise or inflect your words.

With Teleprompter Pro, your script is fully customisable, so you can easily indicate speech cues with stylised text like italics and underlining.

Ask for feedback

Before you hit record, send your script to a friend or a fellow podcaster. Fresh ears can catch any awkward phrasing or missing details before you commit to recording.

Sound design and music

When it comes to podcast trailers, vibes matter just as much as information. Choosing the right music and sound effects can take your podcast trailer from boring to brilliant:

• Choose on-brand music: The track you pick can signal the genre straight away. Think upbeat guitar riffs for comedy chat shows, or dark ambient pieces for true crime. Background music should play throughout your trailer (but not overpower the vocal audio!).
• Keep it in the background: Ensure your audio levels are correct and that your voice is clearly audible. Your music is there to support what you’re saying, not compete with it.
• Use sound effects purposefully: A phone ringing, door creaking, or applause can add texture. But be careful not to overdo it on the sound effects, which can be distracting (and take way more time to source and edit!).
• Check licensing: Use royalty-free or licensed music to avoid any copyright issues. Check sites like Pixabay and Mixkit for free podcast soundtracks.

Recording and editing your podcast trailer

You don’t need to hire a studio to create a great podcast trailer, but audio quality matters. Here’s how to ensure your recording sounds professional:

Recording your podcast trailer

For consistency, you should record your trailer in the same environment as you recorded your podcast, using the same gear too.

If you’re recording a video trailer, load your script into a free teleprompter app (like Teleprompter Pro) to make recording quicker and easier.

Want more tips on recording and audio quality? Check out our guide on How To Get Great Sound Quality For Your Podcast On A Budget.

Editing your podcast trailer

By planning and scripting your podcast trailer thoroughly, the editing part shouldn’t take too long. Here’s a simple checklist you can use to make sure your trailer sounds polished and flows smoothly:

• Trim and tighten: Remove long pauses, filler words, or any stumbles. While it’s okay to leave some of these in on your actual podcast, you want to keep the trailer polished and fast-paced.
• Balance audio levels: Adjust your voice and music levels so that they complement, rather than compete with each other. Don’t forget to wear your headphones!
• Remove noise: Use noise reduction tools sparingly to clean up background hiss or hum. Avoid overprocessing your voice, though – you don’t want to sound robotic.
• Align your audio and music: Have your music play under the entire narration, but lower it slightly during dialogue and bring it up between sections.
• Export at high quality: Save your final file as a 128 kbps MP3 or higher. This size will provide good sound quality and is compatible with most hosting platforms.

When to release your trailer

Knowing when to release your trailer can improve its chances of success. Here are a few ideas of when to release your trailer:

• Before launch: Upload a show trailer 1-4 weeks before your first episode. This will give directories time to distribute your feed and allow listeners to subscribe.
• Before a new season: Release a fresh trailer to re-engage existing listeners and remind them you’re back.
• Before special episodes: For big guests or hot topics, release your trailer a day or two before the episode drops.
• Any time: Evergreen trailers (your main podcast trailer) can attract new listeners, even after your show has been live for a while. Place it at the top of your feed so that newcomers can get a taste for your show right away.

Distributing and promoting your trailer

Here’s how to get your podcast in front of the right audience after publishing:

Publish to your podcast feed

Upload your trailer directly to your podcast host just like a regular episode. Mark it as a ‘trailer’ if your platform allows – this helps directories categorise it correctly and ensure it will appear prominently.

Share it on social media

If your trailer is under a minute, share it directly on social media, or create a shorter version of it. We recommend filming your recording sessions to get behind-the-scenes footage that you can pair with your trailer audio. However, if you don’t have any suitable footage or if time is tight, you can use tools like Headliner to create audiograms – videos that create a waveform over your artwork.

Cross-promote

Swap trailers with other podcasters in your niche – you play their trailer at the end of your show, and they play yours. Choose partners whose audiences would genuinely be interested in your content (this is why the same niche is always a good idea).

Use it as an ad

Trailers usually fit neatly into ad slots, making this one of the most popular and effective ways to market a podcast trailer. Many podcasters accept paid trailer placements, and some will even do it for free if you also advertise their podcast on yours.

Optimise it for search

Write a compelling and SEO-friendly title and description for your podcast trailer, including keywords that describe your show’s topic. This can help search engines and podcast directories show your trailer to the right audience.

Use video platforms

Upload a video version of your trailer to YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to extend your reach beyond traditional podcast listeners. Don’t worry if you don’t have any video footage of your podcast – you can always use an app like Headliner to create an audiogram from your sound file.