How To Write A Podcast Intro To Sound Like A Pro (+ Script Template)
You only got 10 seconds to convince your listeners to stay on your podcast. How do you do that? The answer lies in your podcast intro.
By Niall Mackay
You only got 10 seconds to convince your listeners to stay on your podcast. How do you do that? The answer lies in your podcast intro.
The time is tight, listeners are impatient, and they KNOW when and how to bounce to the next show.
You don’t want them to do that, do you?
Plan and write your podcast introduction using these tips and free templates! Let your audience sit back and enjoy your show.
What Is A Podcast Intro?
A podcast intro is a mix of professionally edited music and voice-over audio that’s played right before the episode.
A podcast introduction gives information about your show and gets people excited for the episode! Thus, it’s crucial that your intro is tailored for your audience and gets YOUR podcast mission out right off the bat.
How To Plan Your Podcast Intro?
1. Know Your Listeners
First and foremost, understand WHO you are talking to. Understanding your ideal audience will get you started on your first podcast introduction and grow your listenership.
Ultimately, you need to know the audience’s main pain point that sparks a connection between you and the listeners. Or you could also name the ideal group of people right at the start, such as:
“I’m Niall Mackay, and I help businesses start their own podcast.”
It’s a simple start, but it is straightforward and identifies who I’m talking to and what my podcast will be about. If you are clueless initially, do try this simple exercise by understanding your crowd and who you are trying to help.
2. Pick Your Signature Music or Tune
Finding the ‘perfect’ tune can take a while. However, it’s totally worth your time. If you know your audience your demographics, you can pick a signature tune that most people know.
The listeners will immediately identify with your story by adding a familiar tone, such as a cool remix of the Harry Potter soundtrack on MuggleCast. They can connect their interest to your show, too.
For instance, at The Vietnam Podcast, I recorded Saigon’s most heard tune – the street food vendor! I mixed it with light hip-hop beats, and done! – Immediately resonated with the Vietnamese youth and ex-pats.
Listen to A Vietnam Podcast
Where To Find Music For Your Podcast Intro?
First of all, go for royalty-free music or produce your own.
To read more on podcast intro and outro music, check out Resonate’s blog.
Free Royalty Free Music For Podcast Intros:
- Pixabay
- YouTube Audio Library
- SoundCloud
- Canva
- Incompetech
- Free Music Archive
3. Add Your Slogan (or come up with one)
If you are a business owner or marketer, you got to have a slogan! What’s that one sentence or phrase that paints the best picture of your show or mission? How do the listeners remember you?
A catchy slogan can spike interest in your podcast and let people stick to your episodes.
For example, listen to this new fitness podcast: Fun and Gains. The slogan is “Let’s the gains begin” referring to “muscle gains” (since it’s a fitness show – duh!) and also referring to fun gains since its a very light-hearted show for women who want to get in better shape in a fun and sustainable way.
Listen to Fun & Gains Podcast.
How Long Should Your Podcast Intro Be?
Ideally, your podcast introduction should be around 30 seconds but not longer than 60 seconds. In these 30-60 seconds, you must include these critical elements:
- Podcast show
- Host’s name
- A Brief Description Of what the show is about
After the 30 seconds of your podcast introduction, it’s time to actually set the tone for the episode. You’ve got another 1-3 minutes convincing your listener to stay on for the next 40-50 minutes of your episode!
Start with the basics, like mentioning the episode topic and setting the tone for the rest of the show. I recommend preparing this introduction in advance as an introduction script. – Newbie podcasters often get nervous when they start an episode and start going off-topic really fast.
How To Write Your Podcast Intro Script
To write a successful podcast introduction:
- Keep it concise
- Get right into the topic of the episode
- How is this episode helping your audience in any way?
- Introduce your guest (if any)
How To Introduce Your Guest In The Podcast Introduction
If you are inviting guests to speak, do your homework and make sure you summarize:
- Guests Name and Title
- Their key accomplishments
- Why are these guests relevant to the episode
This way, any listener can understand the relevance of your guests to your podcast, which then gives them more reason to stay.
Image, if you are entering a talk show but don’t understand why the guests are on stage. What makes them unique that they are on the show, anyway? Think about this before you invite anyone, or make sure you are clear about this from the start so new listeners will get it too.
Podcast intro script template
Here is a podcast intro cheat sheet. I hope this one will help you kickstart your unique podcast intros and if you are interested in a personalized podcast setup in only 7-days, make sure you check out my free consultation!
