

I might mix things up and create a bumper for that show eventually, but for now I like the existing structure. However, on my travel podcast, Postcard Academy, I only do an episode level intro over music. And then I also do an episode-level intro that varies from show to show. One of my favorite places to get music for podcasts is Epidemic Sound.Ī lot of podcasts have what’s called a bumper: A standard show-level intro that stays the same every week.

Play the music, then fade it out or reduce the volume when your voice comes in. I wouldn’t play more than five seconds of music by itself without you talking over it. It’s a nice way to brand yourself and set the emotional tone of your show. Music isn’t an essential for a podcast intro, but a lot of podcasters like to have music as part of their intro. On today’s episode, I’ll talk about how I got out of it…” I was you!” or “Have you ever gone through this? I feel you. “Are you feeling X?” “Well, what if you could feel Y? In today’s episode, I’ll help you.”Īnd if you’re using your show to promote your business, your episodes should be aligned to what you are selling. Use the word ‘you’ instead of ‘all you guys’ or ‘everyone who’s listening out there.’ The word ‘you’ creates a more intimate feel between you and your ideal listener. Just like in good sales copy, you want your listeners to feel like you totally get them.

Rhetorical questions are another strong way to open an episode, especially if you’re using your podcast to promote your brand and business.

These kinds of introductions usually take longer to tell than a direct intro that spells out what the listener will learn.Īsk a question. Your story should connect with the episode’s purpose and what’s in it for your listener. So sharing a personal story is gold, just make sure to bring it back to your audience in the end. Yes, they want you to help solve a problem, but they’ll keep coming back to YOU if they feel like you understand them. Do you have a personal story related to the episode? Leading with a story is a great way to hook your audience, especially if it’s related to a struggle they’re going through. Tell your listeners why they’ll want to stick around. They want to close that mental loop.Įven if you don’t use a clip at the beginning, when interviewing someone, it’s a good idea to record the intro later so you can reference what you talk about in the interview at the beginning of your show. You’ve suggested something to them and now they want the answer. If your guest has something to say that your audience is dying to hear, tease the best part to hook in your audience. You don’t want to give away the whole show. If you interviewed someone, you might want to start the show playing a clip of something brilliant or funny they said. So what can we do to entice our audience to stick around? Here are the top three ways to hook your audience with a compelling intro:
