Why your podcast needs a trailer episode

Before you can submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc, you'll need to have at least one episode published in your feed. We recommend that you publish a trailer episode right away so you can submit it to all the apps, and start building anticipation (and subscribers) for your podcast. You should do this well ahead of your podcast's official launch!

What is a podcast trailer?

A podcast trailer (sometimes called a "teaser") is a short, promotional episode meant to quickly give potential listeners a preview of your show, and what they can expect.

Trailer episodes are typically short (30 seconds - 5 minutes long), and often include clips from upcoming episodes. In many listening apps (like Apple Podcasts and Spotify) they are highlighted on your podcast's profile page.

Here's an example of a trailer episode:

Why do I need a trailer episode for my podcast?

Here are three reasons to publish a trailer as early as possible:

1. You need at least one episode published in your feed. A trailer is a perfect "coming soon" episode.

2. It can take 8+ days for Apple to manually review your podcast submission. If you publish a trailer to your feed right away, you'll be able to submit your podcast to Apple well in advance of your first official episode.

3. Once you've submitted your podcast to Apple, Spotify, etc, you can start building anticipation for your podcast's official launch.

How do I create a podcast trailer?

First, prepare a script for your podcast trailer. Be sure to answer these questions:

• What is your podcast about?

• Who is it for?

• Why should people listen?

Here is a sample script:

Next, record and edit your audio (see software options here). Export the audio as an MP3 file.

Finally, upload your MP3 to your podcast hosting provider. Podcast hosts, like Transistor, allow you to choose "Trailer" as an episode type:

Once your trailer is published, be sure to submit your podcast to the various apps (Spotify, Apple Podcasts) and directories.

Examples of good podcast trailers

Here are some of our favorite podcast trailer episodes you can use as inspiration:

• Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal – in his first sentence, Ali encapsulates what listeners can expect from the show.

• The Mindset Mile – this trailer makes a compelling promise: "we'll help you build better habits by making small mindset shifts and walking or running a mile a day for 30 days." That simple premise has helped propel her show to the top of Apple and Spotify's podcast charts.