You’ve written an original, informative, entertaining podcast that you can’t wait to air, your recording sounds fabulous, and you even have a couple of sponsors -what more could you need? How about a catchy, engaging podcast intro script to excite your listeners and draw them in?
The intro to your podcast is the tease that brings your listener in to stay. It’s the open door offering that tasty cocktail and warm fire. This will be their first taste of the podcast to come, so let’s see how we can make it irresistible.
Podcasts and Their Popularity
Podcasts have taken off in the past few years. With a podcast out there to cover most any topic, it’s where many people are going to learn about something, to be entertained, and to get a handle on the current world issues. Brandastic shares some information about the popularity of podcasts in 2020, including these statistics:
- Over 55% of the US population have listened to a podcast
- In 2020 over 155 million people listen to a podcast every week
- Around 24% of the US population (68 million) listen to podcasts weekly
- Podcast listeners consume an average of seven different shows per week
- There are over 700,000 active podcasts and 29 million podcast episodes available
- The most popular age group for podcasts listeners is 25-44 which make up 49% of total listeners
We know podcasts are popular because they are so varied and they also are easy. They are easy to listen to. In fact, they are the perfect multitasking medium. People love to listen while driving, working out, walking the dog, cooking dinner… you name it. There’s also a podcast for everyone as we mentioned. So no wonder people love creating podcasts. Whatever you want to talk about, there’s someone to listen to it.
Reaching Your Audience
So much of the success of your podcast depends on reaching the right audience. You could have an amazing podcast, but if you don’t reach the audience who wants it, well, no one will listen. Maybe you don’t even know what you want your podcast to be about, you just know you have something to offer. This article shares some fabulous information and questions to ask yourself to brainstorm the perfected podcast. Often people choose an audience before even choosing a topic. Maybe you know you want to reach the working mom audience, but aren’t sure what to talk about. Ask yourself, “What do they want to hear?” And the answer to that question will help you reach a topic.
Another part of reaching that audience is letting them know what your podcast is about, and you can do that in the intro. Creating a compelling podcast intro script is key to your podcast’s success. Do you know how you may read the first pages of a book and then decide to keep going or put it down? That’s the same with a podcast. The intro can be the deciding factor for your audience to keep listening or find another podcast to listen to.
Creating a fabulous podcast intro script
So now we know we have to create a fabulous podcast intro script. One thing you need to do is think about the length of your intro. Most intros are either 15-seconds, 30-seconds, or a minute long. You really don’t want any longer than that. The length of your script could very well depend on the length of y our podcast, in other words, the longer your podcast itself, the longer your script may be.
15-second podcast intro script
Here’s a great 15-second podcast intro script:
Welcome back, Name of Show friends. Ever wonder about the symbolism of Stark direwolves or Lannister lions? Stay tuned, today we’re uncovering cool secrets about house sigils and banners.
30-second podcast intro script
Now for the 30-second script for a longer podcast:
Lions, direwolves, dragons. Sure, we know their obvious meanings to the Houses in Game of Thrones, but what about deeper symbolism? Today on Name of Show we’ll talk about the sigil animals, the banner colors of each house, and their mottos. Think you know the houses well? Think again, friends, we may uncover some secrets you’ve never even thought of.
60-second podcast intro script
And finally, the podcast intro script for a longer podcast. This one is a full minute:
Cunning lions, loyal direwolves, fierce dragons, honorable falcons. We know the obvious meaning of these creatures to the individual Houses in Game of Thrones, but what about hidden meanings and deeper symbolism? Today on Name of Show, we’re covering the sigil animals along with the banner colors of each house and their mottos. Did you wonder why Tyrion’s hair gets longer, curlier, more mane like as the seasons go on? Maybe you noticed that the House Baratheon has a former and current sigil banner where the current stag is wearing a crown? Think you know the houses well? Think again, friends, we may uncover some secrets you’ve never even thought of today on Name of Show.
Details, details, details
Sure, it may be tough to add detail in a 27-word script, but give it a go. Remember, many of your listeners know at least a little about what you’re going to talk about, so don’t be afraid to use some detail. See how we mentioned direwolves and lions even in our shortest script? And of course, the longer your script is, the more details you can add.
If you want, for your longer scripts, you can touch on what was talked about last time. Using some detail here lets you say a little with few words. And words are important in these podcast intro scripts. Make sure you use at least some detail to reel your listeners in. Remember, they want to come in for that tasty cocktail, not something bland and watered down.
Though this article is mainly geared towards writing longer scripts, you may still find some great information for podcast intro script writing.
Podcast Intro Scripts for multiple hosts
Hosting a podcast with a buddy is fun for many reasons. For one, you don’t have to do all of the talking! Another is that you can create a great dynamic banter. You can also pose questions to one another, and bring in each other’s insight and experience. That’s why people like to bring in guest hosts, too. But another great advantage of having multiple hosts is that you can share the intro. A little dialogue can often make things even that much more interesting.
Here’s an example with that mid-length 30-second script:
Host 1: Hey, Jane, have you thought about the signet animals in Game of Thrones?
Host 2: Oh yeah, like the stag killing the direwolf in season one.
H1: Yeah. And there’s more underlying symbolism. That’s our focus today on Name of Show.
H2: Ooooh, I love that. It adds so much. You don’t miss it if you’re not aware, but when you know it’s there – I love it!
This conversation works in any length script and can add a great dynamic to the podcast intro.
Podcast intro script goals
Pop Up Podcasting offers us some great tips for setting your podcast intro script goals. When you have goals, you have a better idea of what it takes for successful scripts. Three main goals that you should probably have for your intro are:
Branding yourself and the show
Getting people excited to listen/hook listeners and draw them in
Orienting new listeners
You also can set the tone and show who it’s for in your intro. This is where we can see the host’s personality and get a vibe on the tone of the show. You can see from our example intros that our podcast is for fans of Game of Thrones. You can add a greeting for this to address your audience. These are some other things that are good to include in your intro according to Pop Up Podcasting:
Name of the show
Host Name(s)
What is this show? (a one-line description)
Why we should listen / why you’re excited about the show
Set the tone for the show (upbeat? serious? etc…)
Remember, not all of these have to be blatantly listed; they can be construed from the intro. For instance, you don’t need to tell your audience the tone, they should be able to discern that from your intro. It’s also good to keep in mind that this can always be someone’s first time listening to the show and you not only want to keep them listing to this particular show, but your longterm goal should be to make them a regular listener. In turn, this is also probably not many listeners first time listening, so you want to have that little bit of welcome back, we’re already friends tone as well.
You can see, even though this is a relatively short piece of your script, the intro needs to count. And though it’s short, it’s not always easy to craft.
Using a voice actor for your podcast intro script
Some podcasters like to use a voice actor for their intro. If this is you, think about what type of voice you’d like. Do you want the actor’s voice to be similar to yours or completely different? Maybe you want it to exemplify the announcer’s voice, or be something spooky for a paranormal podcast. You could use a throwback voice for a vintage type podcast or just have fun with the intro to really showcase your topic.
The Big Takeaway
Creating great podcast intro scripts can be a little challenging, but by knowing your goals and your audience, plus the voice you want, you can do this. Remember, your intro is your invite to your podcast world. It’s what will draw your listeners in and make them want to stay. Keep your intro short, yet full of information. Don’t waste a word, here. Let your audience know what they are stepping into, and use this moment to make it so warm and welcoming they won’t want to leave.
Contact us at Bunny Studio for any help in choosing a voice actor for your podcast intro. We’d love to help you find the perfect voice!
