First impression does count, so they say. While some people claim it is not appropriate to judge a book by its cover – first impression plays a significant role, especially as far as podcasts go. A professional and appealing podcast cover art can help you get featured in Apple Podcasts, which is the new identity and branding from iTunes, and gain a host of new listeners.
Essentially, podcasts are not all about a great auditory experience but also impressive visuals. That is absolutely right. Cover arts that appear unprofessional are likely to set your show up to fall flat on the surface, and more so if the audio quality is not up to bar.
So, when it comes to starting a podcast for your personal brand or your company, it is fundamental to accompany your amazing audio quality with a professional and stunning cover art. Make good use of the Podcaster Tools.
The reason is that your podcast cover is the very first thing listeners tend to lay their eyes on even before listening to your words. When your listeners look at their iPods or browse Stitcher, the first thing they would see is your podcast cover artwork.
An excellent podcast cover art is a visual first impression and a requirement for getting featured on podcast iTunes. Today, we want to help you design a professional podcast cover art to accompany your content so it can influence your listeners to stick around long enough. Below is an ultimate guide for designing podcast cover art professionally for your Vlog.
Get the Artwork Dimensions Right
Artwork dimensions have a huge role to play in terms of attracting new listeners. You must ensure your artwork is coherent with some basic requirements regarding dimensions in order to gain acceptance across the various podcast directories. First off, ensure your image can fit Apple Podcast requirements.
While Google, Stitcher and all others are great, Apple Podcasts appear to be the biggest platform. That is why most other platforms have followed the same Apple Podcast requirements concerning artwork dimensions. Business Print recommends the following album artwork specs:
- 1400 x 1400 pixel resolution minimum requirement
- 3000 x 3000 pixels recommended
- JPEG or PNG file is a must
- RGB color space is mandatory
Also, finalize your design check by looking at how it appears in smaller formats. You must ensure your podcast cover art is easy to read and the resolution stays crisp when displayed in various dimensions on different Apple Podcast sections. Moreover, make sure the cover artwork looks impeccable when scaled down to thumbnail size on mobile gadgets.
Choose Contrasting & Vibrant Colors
Using pops of vibrant colors for your podcast cover art can literally help your podcast listing to stand out from the competition. To make this a reality, always highlight your vibrant colors with a contrasting color scheme. A dark podcast art is not appropriate because it can be difficult to read through it.
A bright yellow cover art is a great option as it effectively catches your eye and inspires you to read more. A good podcast art color is the one that visually communicates the subject of the podcast itself. Warm colors are often linked to brightness, energy, and action, whereas cool colors are associated with making one feel serene, calm, and at peace.
Limit the Number of Words
Too many words can negatively affect your podcast cover artwork. Podcast artwork has to look fantastic when it is small and when it is big. A good rule of thumb revolves around keeping the words in your cover artwork to a minimum.
Remember, you have no obligation to explain whatever the podcast is about on your cover art, or even to highlight whoever is the host. Keep it as simple as possible by slashing out some unnecessary words. For instance, instead of saying “The Ray Edwards Show”, you can simply truncate it to “Ray Edwards”.
Use Relevant Imagery
A first-rate podcast cover art tends to communicate the content visually. You want to summarize everything your podcast is about using 1-3 specific terms along with relevant images. Let us assume your podcast is about “outdoors”, “children”, and “dog training”.
In this case, find a relevant image to accompany it so it can clearly communicate these keywords. If you are lucky enough, you can find an image that reveals a child training a dog outdoors. Also, you can utilize a photo that conveys a sitting dog on a leash to imply “dog training”.
Avoid Clichés
Using clichés in your podcast is a big NO. For podcasting, this involves the use of the RSS icon, a microphone, or a pair of headphones. Avoid doing this at all cost. You can only make use of these elements if the theme of your podcast can actually fit these clichés.
Each industry actually has a variety of clichés to avoid. In business marketing, a common cliché that has been used over the years is a handshake photo. Try to steer clear of that cliché, of course, unless your podcast talks about handshaking! Nevertheless, never be afraid to use anything called a cliché if it actually communicates the theme of your podcast.