If you're thinking of starting a podcast, there's perhaps no better time. Over half of the population of the USA alone has listened to a podcast, and in countries such as South Korea, almost 60% of the population listen to podcasts at least once a month.
However, due to the continued increase in popularity, podcasting is incredibly competitive. Globally there are more than two million shows and more than 48 million episodes for people to tune in to! That is a LOT of competition!
Thus, you need to work incredibly hard to stand out from the crowd to gain traction, attract sponsorships, and develop a successful podcasting business. But fear not! With some creative storytelling, some great audio, some high profile guests, and a solid podcasting business plan, you can build your reputation as a podcast host.
The best way to set the tone for your podcast and make it as slick as possible is with a professional voice over for your intros, outros, and bumpers.
If you're just getting started in the podcasting game, you might not be familiar with these terms or their importance to your podcasting success. So, let's walk you through them and bring you up to speed.
What is a Podcast Intro?
A podcast intro (sometimes referred to as a podcast opening) is an approximately 30-second podcast introduction that sets the tone for your show, tells listeners what the podcast is about, and gives listeners the name of your show and the host's name.
You want to keep your podcast intros short and to the point. You don't want them to be long-winded and superfluous. You just want to hit the main points such as the name of the podcast, episode number, name of the host (and/or guest), and perhaps a short podcast tagline.
It's important to match the voice and music to the overall brand of your podcast. For instance, if you are a yoga instructor talking about the virtues of serene and minimal living, you don't want a gruff male voice with thrashing heavy metal as your intro!
What is a Podcast Bumper?
A podcast bumper is a short transition to preview a show segment, introduce a special guest, or smoothly transition into and out of commercial breaks. These are typically much shorter than an intro and serve a specific purpose. However, if you are on a tight budget, you could repurpose your bumper to use as either an intro or outro.
Adding a bumper before welcoming guests and other important podcast segments adds yet another layer of professionalism for a relatively small outlay (given they are so short). Having a third voice adds sophistication and credibility to your show.
What is a Podcast Outro?
A podcast outro is your opportunity to wrap up your show with information about you or your company, where to find you on social media, invite you to listen to previous shows, and build anticipation toward the next episode.
It's also an excellent place to include some sort of call-to-action (CTA). Whether to check out your website or follow you on social media, the outro is a great place to capitalise on the attention you've built during the show.
Once again, this is the place to keep it short and sweet. You don't want listeners turning off before you've delivered your key messages. Avoid recapping the show or going through the handle of each and every one of your social media pages. Use the KISS principle – Keep it Simple Stupid!
When it comes to the voice over for the outro, using a professional voice over artist brings the same benefits you gained for the intro and bumper sections, such as enhanced professionalism and credibility.
However, it also carries extra weight if you have your CTA delivered by a third party. It avoids having to do any awkward self-promotion at the show’s end that can come across as cheesy or arrogant.
Make Your Podcast Stand Out From the Crowd With a Professional Voice Over Artist
If you want your podcast to be the real deal, then hiring a professional voice over artist is a necessary investment that will likely pay for itself several times over in the long run. It will help you gain traction, add professionalism and credibility to your show, and increase conversions from your listeners when giving them those all-important CTAs.
I offer a range of podcast voice over services, including but not limited to podcast intros, bumpers, outros, commercials and even hosting!
So, if your show requires a female voice over artist, I would love to work with you to provide that extra slickness that will take your show up a notch.
You can purchase my podcast voice over services here or book a discovery call with me to discuss your podcasting project in more detail.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Nicky Griffiths
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