Many people listen to podcasts, and of course, some of those people are interested in creating their own. It may be to inform or educate people about something, or it may be just to talk about life and have fun, but no matter the topic, creating a podcast is far from impossible.
Once you have figured out a topic for your podcast, the next important step is to create the podcast’s artwork. The artwork is the first impression listeners will get on what your podcast is about. First impressions are extremely important and most listeners know right off the bat whether or not they are interested in only looking at your artwork, so it’s necessary to put forth your best work. This DIY podcast creatives guide will help you learn everything that you need to know.
Develop Your Podcast Branding
The number one place to start when developing your podcast brand is your audience. Since you can’t be everything to everyone, it is important to back up, breathe, and identify your ideal audience. By knowing who your ideal listeners are, you will be able to meet your listeners’ needs more accurately. It’s also important to know what your vision or mission is, and you have to be one hundred percent certain of what they are in order to accurately brand your podcast channel.
A-List of Elements for Podcast Branding
- What will your podcast be called?
- Figure out who the host or hosts of the show will be.
- You need a unique slogan that people will remember your brand by.
- Figure out what your logo will be.
- What color palette will you use?
What Will Your Podcast Be Called?
The name of your podcast channel needs to interpret what you are talking about in the podcast itself. Make it appealing to listeners, but also keep it short and to the point while maintaining as much creativity as you possibly can. It can either be in regards to the topic of your podcast show, or it can be in regards to the benefits of tuning in to your podcasts.
Your Podcast Logo Design
After choosing your podcast channel category and your original podcast channel’s name, it is time to pick out your logo. It is important to take the time to figure out a creative concept for your podcast’s logo because it is your trademark. First, choose your color palette and then the font you have selected for your unique and original slogan. Your logo will be used for your cover photo and your profile photo and will be all over social media, as well as various podcasting platforms.
Selecting Your Color Palette
While there are tons of different ways that you can combine colors, there are three key principles that work extremely well for podcast artwork designs.
Analogous Color Combinations
This means to choose one main color for your brand and two or more colors that sit very close to it on the color wheel. These colors are easily matchable to the main color.
Complementary Color Combinations
Complementary colors are for the brave and the bold! These colors sit opposite in the color wheel but work well when placed next to one another.
Triadic and Tetradic Color Combinations
This color combination is made up of colors that are evenly placed on the color wheel. You can use a triangle to find the triadic colors and a square to find the tetradic colors. They are extremely easy to find right next to the complementary colors.
Your Typography
Depending on what font is used, a word can give you the impression of a wide range of different emotions. This being said, the typograph that you select should fit your brand’s personality. Say you are a life coach or a business coach, you should choose a font with a more serious tone. To create a firm and consistent brand, you should select one or two different fonts and stick with them. Once you have selected your font(s), use them on all of your social media and podcast platforms.
Your Slogan or Call To Action
The slogan adds personality to your podcast and completes your brand’s identity. A slogan can be many different things, such as your brand’s emotional or non-emotional promise to its customers, a definition of the brand, or a metaphor.
Other Elements to Use in Your Artwork & The Host(s)
You must include elements related to your brand in your podcast artwork. For example, if your podcast is about love and relationships than you would likely choose heart images or various couple images, or something loving for your artwork. If you are the host, you can also use a picture of yourself in your artwork. This is especially perfect if your show is focused on you and who you are as a person.
What Images You Should Avoid on Your Podcast Artwork
When creating your podcast artwork do not use any overused images such as headsets or microphones. There an abundant amount of microphones and headphones across podcast artwork everywhere. Your microphones and headsets are what you use to create the podcast you use to express your thoughts, not the subject of it. This only makes sense if your podcast is actually about podcasting.
Designing Your Profile Photo
Every single podcasting platform allows you to add a profile picture. It is important to create an image that will catch people’s eyes and make them want to listen to your podcast over others. Remember that people will use many different types of devices to listen to your podcast and you definitely want your profile picture to look excellent on all of them. Keep this in mind when selecting the dimensions of your photo.
Designing Your Cover Photo
Some podcasting platforms give you the option to add a cover photo as well as a profile photo. Soundcloud is only one example. And a safe and well-known dimension to use for any platform is 3000 x 3000 pixels for both of the profile picture and the cover picture. These dimensions also future proof your podcast artwork.
You Can Research Other Successful Podcasts to Gain Inspiration
If you aren’t exactly sure about what you should do for your podcast artwork, then you may want to check out other podcast channels to help you get some ideas. For example, if your show is about music, you should research music podcast channels on different podcasting platforms, such as Soundcloud or Apple.
Here Are Some Free Tools To Use When Designing Your Podcast Artwork
If you are creative and want to design your own podcast cover art than you will be happy to know that there are a few free design tools available. Some examples are:
Canva
On Canva you create your own photos using one of the many custom templates that are available to you. There is a free version and a paid version of Canva’s stock photos and some cost only one dollar. And luckily, you only have to pay once you are satisfied with the artwork you have created.
Snappa
Snappa is completely free and offers over 500,000 images that you may choose from.
Desygner
Desygner can be used on not just your computer, but your tablet and phone as well. It’s a free graphic design software that offers hundreds of thousands of templates that are customizable and can be shared within minutes.
The main key to all podcasts is the actual content, but your podcast artwork is the key to draw listeners in. Remember to make it simple but keep it interesting. As long as you keep in mind these important tips, your podcast artwork will be a hit!