Podcasts are now a significant part of our news, entertainment, educational, social, and pop culture landscape. 28% of the U.S. population over 12 years old listens to podcasts. A solid podcast intro and podcast outro help define a show’s identity. The intro and outro often include a well-crafted voice over that enhances the listener experience and sets the tone for the content. 

The intro and outro become a kind of unofficial trademark for your podcast and its brand. Let’s discuss how to create a podcast intro and outro that excites your listenership and helps you stand out from the melange of competitors. Here are the steps to take.

Define Your Brand and Target Audience

Ideally, the intro and outro you record should tie into the larger plans and considerations you’re thinking about as you build your podcast. Before you start creating your voice over, you want to clearly define your brand and target audience. Knowing precisely who you’re speaking to helps you understand how to create a podcast intro and outro that your listeners will receive with eagerness and appreciation. 

The tone and style of your intro and outro, including its music and voice over, are all related to the type of content you’re producing, your target demographic, and the larger messaging you’re working to deliver.

Choose a Voice Actor

Once you’ve defined your brand and target audience, it’s time to choose a voice actor who can deliver that specific podcast intro voice over. You want someone whose voice fits your brand and target audience. Academy Voices puts you in touch with many talented artists and gives you access to demos of their work. 

You might ask if a particular artist has ever done any intro-for-podcast work. You can also look for relevant samples within their portfolio. As you choose your voice actor, listen carefully to their portfolio or demo reel and ask yourself if their voice is the right fit for your podcast.

Write the Script

Once you’ve chosen a voice actor, it’s time to write the script. As you learn how to create a podcast intro and outro, you’ll quickly recognize the importance of authoring a strong script your voice talent will use to impart the essence of your podcast and your brand. Keep the script brief, between 10 and 30 seconds, and make sure it’s engaging and memorable. 

Your intro should set the tone for the episode and potentially introduce the content, while your outro should cap off the episode and possibly summarize the preceding content. At some point, it’s imperative to invite listeners to engage with your podcast in some way, such as by leaving a review or subscribing.

Record the Voice Over

With the final script as a blueprint for how to create a podcast intro and outro, it’s time to record the voice over. Most voice actors will record the voice over in a professional recording studio, but some may also be able to record it from their own studio. 

When recording the voice over, make sure to provide clear and concise direction to the voice actor. You can give recommendations for the desired tone, pace, and inflection. Find a take that you like, and when you use that certain intro-to-podcast voice on multiple episodes of your show, your audience will come to look forward to it every time they press play.

Edit and Refine the Voice Over

Everyone that learns how to create a podcast intro and outro will also learn the importance of perfecting them. Once the voice over has been recorded, it’s time to edit and refine it. This may include removing background noise, adjusting the volume, and trimming any unnecessary parts. You may also want to add sound effects, such as music or sound bites.

Incorporate the Voice Over Into Your Podcast

Once the voice over has been edited and refined, you’re ready to incorporate it into your podcast. You can use audio editing software, such as Adobe Audition or Audacity, to mix the voice over with your existing audio content. Make sure the voice over fits well with the content, enhances listener enjoyment, and conveys the impression you want it to. 

Review and Revise

Finally, it’s essential to review and revise your voice over as needed. You should listen to the voice over in the context of your podcast, make any necessary adjustments, and seek out listener feedback to gauge how the intro and outro are landing.  

Take these steps, and you’ll have a dynamite intro and outro on your hands — or, at the very least, a useful draft you can work with. But it’s worth investing the effort and energy. For podcast listeners, a good intro and outro can be one of the most fun and infectious elements of their experience.