By Jeremy Helton, VP Marketing & Communications at Audioboom
Cover art can make the difference between your podcast getting listened to or passed over. Like books, we judge podcasts by their covers, making a split-second interpretation of what the podcast is about, if it’s of interest, and if it looks like a well-produced show (or not).
Great art is critical in signaling to others that your show as worth listening to. Make the perfect podcast cover with our top design tips, below.
Know how your podcast name will impact cover art
The name of your podcast will likely be the key design element in your artwork: it’s the first things listeners will read and see, and it should pique interest and set the tone.
When you brainstorm a name, consider how it will impact cover art from the outset. Name length, for instance, is a huge factor. If your podcast name is long, it may be difficult for potential listeners to read it as they browse through shows. If you opt for a long name, you’ll have to get creative to make it legible in your cover art.
With their long names, the podcasts The Allusionist and Murder She Spoke get clever with letter arrangement.
On the other hand, Outside/In, a show about the natural world and how we use it, abbreviates its name for visual impact and design simplicity.
Work with a designer to maximize the space you have, making sure your podcast name is easy to read and reflective of your show’s brand.
Comply with iTunes requirements
Podcasts available for download on Apple Podcasts — the most popular podcast directory — need to follow Apple’s artwork requirements. Podcast art must meet the following specifications:
- Must be a JPEG or PNG file
- Must be in the RGB color space
- Must be between 1400 x 1400 pixels and 3000 x 3000 pixels at 72 DPI
And Apple Podcasts is upfront about just how important artwork is:
Artwork can help build an audience for your content and illustrate the central idea behind the podcast. Be sure podcast artwork is high quality and as clean and appealing as possible. Simplicity is key. If the image is complicated, it might be difficult for users to understand what the podcast is about. Some of the best images rely on no more than a simple picture and a few words against a plain background.
Artwork is also a key factor in whether or not Apple will consider featuring your podcast in the coveted New and Noteworthy section. In a list of a handful of features your podcast should have in order to be selected, Apple includes: “Attractive, original artwork that does not include Apple-branded content.”
Design for scalability
Your cover art needs to be able to scale down — way down — and still hold up. Even though Apple requires artwork at at least 1400 by 14000 pixels in size, your cover also needs to look good in much smaller versions, like at just 125 by 125 pixels on the directory page:
And, you should plan for your podcast cover to most often be viewed as a thumbnail on a smartphone screen — tiny!
“Before you publish your art, take a piece of paper that’s one inch by one inch, and sketch your cover. How does it look? Can you read it?” This is the advice that producer Bryan Orr — host of Podcast Movement: Sessions and producer of Accelerator — says he always offers podcasters. “If you can’t design it on a stamp, it’s too complex.”
It’s Happening with Snooki & Joey and Al Fin Solo are great examples of podcasts with covers that render well at small sizes: the designs are simple with bold colors, clean lines, and easy-to-read titles.
As you finalize your cover design, export it at different sizes — and try Bryan’s trick of sketching it on paper — until you’re confident it will look great both large and small.
Reflect your brand
The objective of your cover is to visually communicate what your show is about. The trick is to keep it simple while still evoking your show’s central theme. The colors, font, and art you choose should reflect the tone of your brand, from serious to modern to playful to whatever is true to your podcast.
Mission To Zyxx — an improvised sci-fi comedy following a team of ambassadors establishing diplomatic relations with distant alien cultures — does a great job of pairing a playful (legible) font with a retro 80’s backdrop of the team’s sentient space ship.
Likewise, 99% Invisible, the podcast about the invisible things that shape our world, has an incredibly clean, simple design (and data visualization) that perfectly encapsulates the concept of the show.
Both covers are conceptually simple and easily legible, but well-executed design brings them to the next level, communicating something about the show even for someone quickly scanning through a list.
Use contrasting colors
Color is a key way to stand out in a crowd. If a lot of podcasts in your category have white backgrounds, for example, choose something else to make your art visually contrasts against others. Your show should be easy to pick out in a list.
Similarly, creating contrast within your cover optimizes readability, like using a black font on a white background, or vice versa.
“Orlandia is a great example,” Bryan Orr pointed out to us (he helps produce the show, which shares stories of Orlando’s influential residents and movements). “It has a background color that stands out — you’ll be able to spot it if you’re looking for it. The typography is clear. And the art is true to the brand: the orange color and font both make sense for the city of Orlando.”
Similarly, InBox, challenges guests to offer up access to their digital correspondence and allow their personal lives to be mined for comedy gold. The show’s cover art uses a bold font, and a skillful, simple design to set it apart.
When in doubt, narrow your color palette to just two contrasting colors and focus on a uncomplicated, elegant design.
Prioritize legibility
A well-designed, typographic cover might be all you need. “If you are a new podcast, without a huge audience, don’t get too cute,” Bryan advises. “Focus on people being able to understand what they can expect from you vs. being artistic.” Undisclosed, which investigate wrongful convictions, sticks to two colors and an easy-to-read font that’s legible from a distance.
This American Life’s iconic cover is just text — but it’s a cleverly organized, the font is just right, and the colors pull it all together.
As you consider typography, avoid trendy or gimmicky fonts as well as ones already in use for other podcasts. Match the tone of your brand, and work with a designer to make customizations that will complete your design. And don’t clutter the space with extra words. Note that most the podcast covers we’ve featured in this post use just a single font and no extraneous language.
Wrap up: Don’t skimp on podcast cover art
The truth is, people are going to take note of your podcast artwork before anything else: it’s the first thing they see. With the podcasting space as saturated as it is, amateur cover art can be crippling to your success. It’s critical to make a good first impression, and design is a key differentiator. Follow these design tips to ensure your cover is professional, legible, and one-of-a-kind.
To see more examples of podcast cover art we love, check us out on Instagram at @audioboom.
