Trying to craft the perfect intro and outro for your podcast is enough to paralyze you into never publishing a single episode. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen. But even though your podcast episodes are technically evergreen, your intro and outro don’t have to be perfect.
Spoiler alert: Nothing can or ever will be perfect. Done is better than perfect in every way imaginable.
That said, there are some best practices that can help you move forward and even some things that you might want to include. In this episode, I’ll give you a short rundown so you can publish your first (or next!) episode.
Mentioned in This Episode Podcast
Transcript:
Welcome to episode 206 of the Content Experiment Podcast, a podcast for podcasters that supports the idea that content and marketing are ever-moving targets in any business, and it’s okay if you don’t feel like you’re doing it all right, all of the time.
Here we talk about podcasting and creating content for your audience that they want to hear in a way that’s sustainable for you, the business owner. Because I know that you have a lot on your plate. So I’ll give you the ideas and tools and tricks to publish your podcast consistently in a way that works for YOU.
I’m Abby Herman, former teacher and current podcast manager. When I went full time in my business in 2013, I struggled to find the help and support that I needed that also fit into my budget. That’s what this podcast and my membership, Podcast Ease, are all about. To help the business owner whose podcast is their primary marketing tool in a way that fits into your budget.
For more information about the membership,p and to find out how it can give you the accountability and support you need for a small $99 monthly investment, go to thecontentexperiment.com/ease.
The meat of the episode…
In the last few months, I’ve helped several clients launch or relaunch their podcasts. Part of that process is developing an intro and outro for their podcasts. The intro is the section that I just wrapped up here on this episode. And the outro is the ending, what happens after you’ve delivered your content or your interview. It’s meant to wrap things up.
It’s easy to let crafting that intro and outro paralyze you. It feels so permanent, like you have to get it perfect.
Here’s the thing though: Like anything and everything in business, your podcast is your podcast. There’s nothing you HAVE to do and say. And if your intro or outro isn’t resonating with you, you can change it at any time.
True, it’s already there on episodes you’ve published. But you can change it up on the next episode if you want.
I’ll get more into what this looks like in a bit, but let’s start with best practices. What should you include in your intro?
Your Podcast Intro
Podcast listeners will decide within the first few minutes if they’re going to listen to your whole episode, so having an informative (and even catchy!) intro helps keep them around. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point so you can get to the good stuff quickly. Here’s what to include:
- Who you are
- Your business name
- What you do and who you do it for
- Your hook into the podcast topic
- A call to action, if appropriate
- Link to your opt-in
- Ask them to rate and review
- Ask them to subscribe
- Ask them to share on social media
Where to find podcast intro and outro examples
Want some great examples of good intros and outros? Or some help with creating yours? First, I recommend listening closely to some of your favorite podcasts that are in the same space as you. If you’re a B2B, listen to B2B podcasts. If you’re a B2C, listen to B2C podcasts. And if your podcast is to highlight a cause you’re passionate about or it’s a hobby, listen in to similar podcasts.
Take notes on what you love and don’t love about those podcast intros and outros and start to use them as a guide for your own. You’re not copying anything; you’re getting ideas and using what you like to make it work for you.
And if you’re a long-timer listener, YES, I actually did change up my intro a bit on this episode. As I was preparing for this episode, I realized that I didn’t include my name in my intro. Fixed that!
I actually record my intro with every single episode, solo or guest. I have a script I use and I just copy and paste it from a template to my individual episode notes.
As I mentioned earlier, you can absolutely change up your podcast intro when you need or want to.
When to make a change:
- When your podcast or business have shifted and your current/old intro no longer tell the full story or an accurate story about what you do
- When you’re doing a series about a specific topic and you want to group all those episodes together
- Maybe your guest episode intros are a bit different from your solo episode intros because of the way they’re structured
- If your podcast is seasonal and you’re starting a new season
All that said, I do recommend being careful about changing your podcast intro. Just like your guests come to expect your podcast to come out at the same time every week, they get to know your intro too. They get confused if the music changes too much or if what you say to introduce each episode is different too often.
So just be cautious about changing your podcast intro too much. Keep it simple and less than three minutes, if possible.
Okay, what about the outro to your podcast?
Your Podcast Outro
According to a September 2022 report from BuzzSprout, 80% of listeners who start an episode will finish it and listen to the end. So having an outro of some sort is important, especially if you have an offer you want to share.
An outro offers closure and directs listeners about what to do next. I recommend recording an original outro for each episode because some of the information will change based on the topic. Here are some things to include, as appropriate:
- Some of your biggest takeaways (if you have a guest)
- A thank you to listeners
- A reminder that all links and resources are in the show notes (and tell them where on your website to get them)
- Remind them of the original call to action from your intro
That said, Think about what your primary goal is for your podcast. Are you looking to grow your email list? Have a freebie that you mention. Want to get your listeners over to social media? Tell them what to do there! Have something you’re selling that you want to move people into? This usually isn’t the place to try to sell high ticket offers, but lower ticket offers might do well with your audience.
Don’t change your podcast outro too often
Your outro is similar to your intro in that you don’t want to change it up too much. That’s less important for the outro, but you still want some consistency here.
For me, the thing I’ve been talking about in the outro these last few months is the Podcast Ease membership because that is my primary goal for each episode right now. Why? Because it’s the perfect complement to each episode. If you’ve been struggling with consistency or with knowing if you’re doing things “right” in your podcast. Or maybe you’re trying to grow or make a switch and have questions. Whatever the reason, the Podcast Ease membership is for you.
It’s part accountability, part expert-on-call to help you get your podcast out to your audience consistently and with confidence.
Each Tuesday you’ll get a 90 minute accountability session where you set your intentions on what you’ll work on for your podcast during the call, then you’ll spend the next 90 minutes doing that work. Maybe it’s outlining your next episode, researching guests, writing your show notes, or even recording a solo episode.
Then, every Thursday, you’ll have 60 minutes to ask questions and make connections with others on the call.
You’ve heard me talk about how important consistency is, and it’s true. Your audience expects to hear from you on a regular basis. They look forward to your episodes. But it’s also SO hard to prioritize our own work. We’re so busy making sure our clients and families are taken care of but the work on our own podcasts isn’t going to get done unless we make the time.
I’m going to help you with that.
More about Podcast Ease
This Podcast Ease membership is a month-to-month commitment, you can join or cancel at any time. Calls are at 8 a.m. Pacific on Tuesdays and Thursdays and you can join any time.
The investment is $99 a month for weekly Q&A sessions, weekly coworking sessions AND I’ll also pepper in some additional support and trainings here and there. Join now at thecontentexperiment.com/ease.
If you found value in what you learned here today, be sure to share it on social media and tag me at thecontentexperiment or give it a rating and review. The more you share, the more we can get the podcast into the earbuds of more business owners, just like you, who need to hear the message that they are not alone.
