Why creating podcast episode artwork is a brand building strategy
Since the dawn of time in the podcasting industry, there hasn’t really been a compelling reason to create episode-specific artwork for your podcast. It was often put in the “I’ll do it later” basket and because podcast platforms couldn’t display specific artwork anyway, it felt like a bit of a waste of energy.
This is no longer the case, and with the changes coming to the latest version of iOS the artwork that you’re able to see on your podcast players can be specific to your episodes. This opens a whole new world of possibilities for podcast branding!
Today I’m walking you through five reasons why podcast episode-specific artwork is a great branding strategy for your show, and I’d recommend putting some serious thought into it.
1. Branding and Recognition:
Think of episode-specific podcast artwork as your show's signature style. Just like YouTube thumbnails change with each video, your podcast episodes deserve individual visual identities. Having unique artwork helps with branding, grabs attention, and makes your podcast instantly recognisable.
2. Attracting New Listeners:
In a sea of podcasts, catching a potential listener's eye is crucial. Episode-specific artwork is your secret weapon here. As people scroll through podcast apps, intriguing visuals can pique their interest. It might be a specific guest or topic that they love, and your artwork can be the spark that leads them to click and explore your content.
3. Engagement and Sharing:
Unique podcast artwork isn't just eye candy; it's shareable content gold. When listeners screen share your episodes, the artwork becomes a visual representation of your show. It's easily shareable on social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Plus, incorporating this artwork into your website makes your podcast more visually appealing and helps visitors quickly identify what interests them.
4. Professionalism:
Investing time and effort in creating episode-specific artwork showcases your commitment to professionalism. It's a clear sign that you care about your podcast's image and the experience of your listeners.
5. It's Just More Fun:
Let's not forget the fun factor! Episode-specific artwork adds a touch of creativity and uniqueness to your podcast. It's like a digital art gallery that reflects your episodes' diverse topics and themes. This creativity not only makes your podcast stand out but also enhances your brand's identity.
In a nutshell, episode-specific podcast artwork is a fantastic tool to level up your podcasting game. Don't feel overwhelmed by the prospect of creating artwork for every episode. Take it one step at a time, outsource if needed, and explore affordable design services. Remember, it's all about enhancing your podcast's branding, attracting new listeners, boosting engagement, maintaining professionalism, and having some fun along the way.
Transcript:
-
[00:00:00] Brianna: why episode specific podcast artwork is a fantastic thing to do for your podcast. I've got five different reasons why to share with you today, and let's get straight into them. Number one is the branding and recognition that having specific podcast artwork for episodes can provide you with. So each episode of a podcast usually discusses a different topic. It's like having a thumbnail, a different thumbnail for YouTube. You don't have the same thumbnail for every episode that you put out on YouTube.
[00:00:33] That would be bonkers. It does nothing for your brand, does nothing for the recognition, and it doesn't make you stand out at all. Same thing goes for episode specific artwork. And this is something that didn't used to matter as much because when you went to your favourite podcast player, They didn't showcase the separate artwork.
[00:00:52] Anyway, they just showed your actual podcast cover artwork, but now, and especially in the latest update from Apple iOS that is coming soon, if not released by the time you actually listen or watch this, they're going to be showcasing your artwork in more ways. And so it's a fantastic idea to actually make sure that you start creating this episode specific artwork.
[00:01:15] I'm going to put in the links here, the artwork recommendation that Apple advises so that you can send this to your graphic designer. Or if you work with us already here at Bamby media, if you can let us know that you really want to start doing that, we'll obviously know what we're doing here and can create that sort of stuff for you.
[00:01:32] But that first one being branding and recognition is super important. It showcases the episode. It at a glance shows you what it's going to be about and it will make it more clickable. Number two, reason number two as to why you would have episode specific podcast artwork is attracting new listeners. So if people are scrolling through their podcast apps, unique artwork for each episode can attract new listeners.
[00:01:59] Track [00:02:00] new listeners who might be interested in a specific guest or a specific topic, depending on the artwork that they see there. So when they see the artwork, it might spark in them, Oh, I love that person. And then it actually prompts them to go and listen to or watch that content.
[00:02:17] Again, same reason why thumbnails change on YouTube. You've got to grab the person's attention somehow. And this is a relatively new way to do it. for podcasts specifically. Number three, is engagement and sharing. Unique podcast artwork can be a really great way to actually make it more shareable for your listeners. So when they are listening to the show on their favourite podcast platform, they could screen share it and the episode artwork would be there.
[00:02:46] And then it shows up easier for them if they want to share it on Instagram, LinkedIn. In TikTok or whatever, and they want to share that artwork. It's so much easier to do. And it's specific to that episode. So that's one reason why it's really good, but then also using that artwork on your website. So you can change it out.
[00:03:04] You can have every episode display different artwork that's going to up level the way your podcast actually looks on your website, instead of it being just the same thing over and over again, an example of that would be our own website, bambymedia. com slash podcast. If you look in there, then you'll see that every episode has its own artwork and it just makes it more interesting for the person visiting the website.
[00:03:29] And at a glance, they can see what it is that they're actually going to go and listen to. number four, professionalism. If you take the time, or if you have a podcast production team like us here at Bambi Media, to create specific episode artwork, it means that you've thought about it. It means that you've taken the time and you feel value in creating an extra graphic.
[00:03:51] Something that is easily recognizable, something that has your branding, something that can be a draw in. And if you [00:04:00] haven't put any thought or time into the episode artwork, that's okay. Don't feel like, Oh my God, I have to do all these things. Just know that it does definitely give you that next level of professionalism by having extra artwork for each episode.
[00:04:15] And number five, the last reason why it's a great idea to have episode specific podcast artwork is It's just a little bit more fun. For me personally, I think it's really cool when I go to a podcast and I can see that they have episode specific artwork, that they've put some time and energy into them, and that they look different.
[00:04:36] It's the same reason, and again I'm going to bring it up, YouTube thumbnails, why they're different. Someone's thought about it, and I think that that is what makes it cool. That's what helps you stand out from others that don't do this. So if we tie that into that professionalism aspect, if you're being pitted against someone else, and you have really cool different podcast specific artwork, and the other person doesn't, then you're going to show up more organically to the person that's searching for a particular keyword and they see that artwork and they see that it's a little bit different or fun any opportunity that you have to increase your brand awareness by having episode specific artwork that feels more like what you're trying to create instead of just your standard podcast cover art.
[00:05:22] That's going to be a good thing. It's never not a good idea, I think, to spend a little bit more time on your branding, to get a little bit more professional with your show, and to spend a little bit of time creating artwork that is repurposable.
[00:05:34] Maybe don't just supply it in that 1, 400 by 1, 400 pixel. Do a widescreen version. Do a Reels version. Do a square version. Do different versions of the same artwork so that you have options and you can share them on different mediums. Again, if we use BAMU Media as the example, we create the same episode graphic In a number of different ways so that it's easy for us to share [00:06:00] on LinkedIn, in medium articles, on our website, as reels, on TikTok, and then on YouTube as thumbnails as well.
[00:06:09] and it's just that extra layer of, yes, you've got to think about it, but I think that it creates a better brand recognition and awareness overall. So don't get all up in your head being like Brianna, you're telling me to do too many things. I've already got too much going on in my life.
[00:06:24] My podcast already takes too much time. I'm not saying you should be doing all these things. Do baby steps. Outsource where you can. If you can't afford a podcast production agency like Bambi Media to help you create these things, then go to services like Fiverr. Go to services like Upwork. Maybe you could try some AI tools, although I haven't found any good ones yet for this kind of specific thing.
[00:06:52] I have found them to be quite clunky. The customization is a bit blare and I'm sure they'll get better with time. But for right now just look at what's sustainable. What is achievable for you for your budget and your brand And the roles that you have within your organization But know that any extra time that you put into the episode specific artwork is going to be time well spent.
[00:07:15] If you've enjoyed this episode, please hit the like button. If you're over on YouTube, subscribe to the channel. And if you are on podcast specific platforms, please hit the follow subscribe button. I love giving this information to you and I can't wait to give you more. My name is Brianna. I'm the head honcho here at Bamby Media, and thank you so much for joining me.
