Podcast trailers: the dos and don'ts with Arielle Nissenblatt

Timestamps

1:50 How did the idea for the show come about?
4:20 Why is it important to have a podcast trailer?
7:10 What makes a great trailer? Practical tips on how to create a trailer or beefing up an existing one
9:23 What pieces of information should the trailer contain?
11:30 A/B testing your trailer
12:43 The no-nos of podcast trailers
15:19 I started my podcast without a trailer. Can I/Should I add one mid season?
18:44 Trailers without shows: how is this even possible?

Key ideas:

How did the idea for the show come about?

• Arielle wanted to focus on discovering new podcasts and the concept of trailers intrigued her.
• She listened to trailers for every show listed in Apple Podcasts’ new and noteworthy section.
• She found that some trailers didn’t reflect the tone or content of the actual show.
• This led her to explore the idea of creating a show dedicated to podcast trailers.

Why is it important to have a podcast trailer?

• It forces the creator to distill the most important elements of the show into a short, enticing pitch.
• It allows the creator to mark the episode as a trailer, making it easily discoverable in podcast listening apps.
• It helps launch the show and populate the RSS feed, enabling early promotion and collaboration opportunities.

What makes a great trailer? Practical tips on how to create a trailer or beefing up an existing one.

Two approaches possible:

• In-universe trailer (using characters’ voices to tease the show).
• Producer-led trailer (introducing the show and its content).

A successful trailer should:

• mention the show’s name
• provide a glimpse into the show’s content
• highlight what listeners will gain
• mention the release date.

A/B testing your trailer

• Experiment with different versions of the trailer to see which one resonates better with the audience.
• Consider releasing two trailers using different approaches and analyzing the response to determine what works best.

The no-nos of podcast trailers

• Not introducing oneself or the show in the trailer.
• Poor audio quality in the trailer.
• Failing to match the tone and style of the trailer with the actual show.
• Leaving out important information such as the show’s name or release date.

I Started my podcast without a trailer. Can I/Should I add one mid-season?

• It’s not too late to create a trailer, even if you’re well into a season.
• A mid-season trailer can still attract new listeners and serve in feed drops to provide cross-promotion opportunities.
• Communicate with your audience transparently about the release of a mid-season trailer.

Trailers without shows: how is this even possible?

• Some trailers are created as proof of concept or to pitch the show for funding.
• They serve as a teaser to generate interest and support for the show’s production.
  

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