Dos and Don’ts of Podcast Cover Art
You do NOT need to include a microphone in your podcast cover art for people to know it's a podcast. I know you see it everywhere but it doesn't mean it's helping anybody. And you shouldn’t use any ol’ font on your cover art either, so let's get into this.
I'm going to break down the dos and don'ts of great cover art so you can capture your new audience's attention and build a stronger connection.
At Isa Media Inc., we’ve designed dozens of cover art for podcasters in business, mental health, and entertainment spaces.
And regardless of the industry, we believe your cover art should look much more like a book cover than any old Canva template.
Because the goal with your cover art is to capture someone's eye and establish interest in your subject.
With that, let’s get into the first don’t…
1. DON’T Use Fonts That Are Impossible to Read
That means avoiding fonts that are cursive, too thin, or too abstract.
These fonts might look cute to you, but these types of fonts are hard to read when taking a quick glance. While we might hope a listener would take the time to decipher what the words say, the truth is, if they can't read it, most will scroll right past your show in their podcast app.
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Instead, what you want to DO is choose fonts that are bold and easy to read from far away. Make your letters bigger than you think you need to!
Cover art is the size of a dime on most podcast platforms. Without the in-app option to zoom in on the design, you have to make the words bigger than you think. With that being said, this concept brings me to my next DON'T…
2. DON’T Stuff Your Cover Art with Words
You only need to have your podcast name, your name, and, under rational circumstances, your company logo. You don't need to include your tag line, your topic, your social security number or anything else.
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This isn't just me, Isa, saying so. If you look at the top global podcasts you'll see that they have very little extra text on their cover. Take many these many examples: Call Her Daddy, Now What with Trevor Noah, The Mel Robbins Podcast, The Daily, Serial, New Heights. All of them have intentional text, just enough to tell you the name, the host, and the production company.
Want to know another thing most of those shows have? A clear and inviting photo of the host! That brings me to my next DO…
3. DO Use a Clear and Inviting Photo of Yourself
A good headshot is essential to your show. I love finding a picture where you are smiling, laughing, and looking excited. You can get playful with the pose and the angle, but make sure it's something where you look happy to be there. Also, make sure it's big enough for people to see clearly.
People connect with people more than logos and text, so have a face for them to connect to. This is especially important for small business owners who rely heavily on their personal brand to attract leads. You want people to be able to connect your face and brand across all platforms.
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Also, your face can help you stand out in the podcast market that you are entering. Most of my clients are women or women of color in spaces that are dominated by White men, so the reality is adding their picture to their cover immediately let's new audiences know they are there to add a fresh perspective. If you don't already have a great photo, it's worth investing in for your overall engagement.
So now you know to put a great picture of yourself and use large, clear fonts with limited text on your cover art. Next up will cover colors.
4. DON’T Use Low-Contrast Colors
Take the example of a white transparent text over a light blue background. It's going to be very difficult to read. It all comes back to making it as easy as possible for your listeners to see it, understand it, and click it. With that, watch out for white text over light colors or very neon colors with shadow.
As an alternative, DO use high-contrast colors that stand out, despite the cover art being only a small picture. Think of your cover art the way you would a billboard, you want it to be high scannable and pleasant to look at.
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Essential Questions
Now, take your current cover art or the cover art you've been designing and ask the following questions:
Does it have a microphone in it? Is it absolutely essential?
Probably not… Take unnecessary microphones out of the picture to make room for bigger text and your photo.
Are the fonts easily legible when zoomed out?
Discard any cursive or thin fonts and swap them for bold ones.
Is there any excess text on screen? Are you including more than just your title, name, and logo?
Anything beyond that can be removed.
Is there a clear photo of you that invites people to engage with your podcast?
Remember that people connect with other people and faces, not logos.
Are the colors cohesive and contrasting well with your text?
We want to make sure your audience can easily see and read it.
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By going through these dos and don'ts, you can drastically improve your cover art, which will attract more new listeners, ultimately leading more people to your offers!
Cover art design is included in all Isa Media Inc podcast packages! You can check out some of our previous designs on our home page.
And if you're interested in working together on your podcast cover art, book a consult.
