Do You Need a Trailer for Your Podcast? Here’s What to Know

If you scroll through the all episodes on a show—at least, some shows—you’ll land on one of their very first episodes: the podcast trailer. Some shows have them, some don’t, but the Moms Who Podcast Show does and you can listen to it here.

But, a podcast trailer is very similar to a movie trailer. With a trailer, you’re getting the overall vibe of what the show is going to be about and if you’re going to like it, if it relates to you, and if you want to tune in—or not.

Let’s dig into what a podcast trailer is and if you need one for your show:

As always, you can listen to the corresponding podcast episode from the Moms Who Podcast show here:

What is a Podcast Trailer? What Does it Include?

A podcast trailer is a short, 1-3 minute recording introducing yourself and your show that publishes as your “first episode.” It serves as a starting point for potential listeners and gives them a good idea if your show is meant for them.

Your trailer isn’t meant to share tips and tricks, it’s specifically meant to give a general overview of your podcast while at the same time being convincing enough that after someone listens to your trailer, they’re hooked and want to stick around and listen to more.

You also don’t want to add any time-sensitive information to your trailer, everything needs to be evergreen.

3 Reasons Why You Need a Podcast Trailer

While you can technically launch your podcast without a trailer, adding one can make it easier for listeners to subscribe to your show. It’s extremely valuable when preparing to launch a new podcast as you’ll have a head start in the podcasting platforms, which we’ll cover in a moment. 

Before you decide one way or another, here are three reasons why you need a podcast trailer:

#1. It’s Your First Episode

Your podcast trailer serves as your first episode and you need an episode to submit your podcast to Apple and all major podcast platforms before they’ll list your show. It not only helps you show up on these platforms during your launch, but you can generate more excitement around the launch of your podcast.

This means that you can have followers and subscribers before your “real” first episode (or first three, as I recommend you have three episodes when launching your show) who will get notified whenever a new episode is published.

#2. It’s Professional

I’ve been in the podcast industry for a while now and if someone doesn’t have a trailer, it makes you look like you don’t know what you’re doing or didn’t want one. A well-put-together trailer looks more professional.

#3. It Lives Forever

You would be surprised by the amount of people who scroll back to the beginning of your show to listen to your trailer and get to see (or hear) how it all started.  Sure, it can be cringy to think about, but it’s true.  

Plus, it’s nice to see the evolution of your show and people can still decide if they want to listen to your show just by checking out your trailer instead of listening to a full episode.

If You Already Have a Show, But No Trailer…

It’s okay! If you have over 50 episodes on your show, I wouldn’t worry about it. Leave it be and just focus on creating the same amazing content you’ve been creating. 

But, if you have less than 50 or you just recently launched your podcast, you can and should still record a podcast trailer. Record the clip and backdate it to be your first podcast episode. You can also update your trailer if you change the concept or name of your show! It’s not set in stone.

When to Publish Your Podcast Trailer

If you’re prepping for your podcast launch, try to publish your trailer one week before your show publishes. Remember, make sure it’s longer than your usual podcast intro and shares anything you plan to cover in your show. 

Plan for your trailer and show to evolve as you do, don’t expect it to last forever, just that it will make an impact on potential listeners now.

If you would like guidance on how to record your podcast trailer, what to include, or how to launch your podcast, reach out to work together here!