You should never judge a book by its cover, but we used to do it—for podcasts, too. The potential audience believes the design, colors, and quality even before giving it a play. So, there are a few fundamental recommendations for your podcast cover art that will make your audience want to dig deeper into your audio content. Learn how to create a podcast cover with top tips to design a thriving art.
There is no magic formula for podcast cover art. However, if you scroll through the Apple Podcast’s most popular podcasts, you will see many good tips and things in common.
Here are 3 of the key Apple Podcasts dimensions to look at:
- iTunes Store Podcast Page on desktop displays at 220 x 220 pixels.
- iTunes Store New and Noteworthy Section on desktop displays at 125 x 125 pixels.
- Apple Podcasts on mobile displays at 55 x 55 pixels.
Why Podcast Cover Art Matters: Top Tips
Podcast cover art serves as the visual representation of your podcast. It’s often the first thing potential listeners see, making it a crucial element in attracting and retaining an audience. An eye-catching cover can:
- Draw attention and pique curiosity
- Reflect your podcast’s theme and tone
- Enhance brand recognition
- Improve discoverability on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Key Elements of Effective Podcast Cover Art
Before diving into the creation process, it’s essential to understand the key elements that make up effective podcast cover art:
- Title and Subtitle: Ensure your podcast title is clear, readable, and prominent. A subtitle or tagline can provide additional context.
- Imagery and Graphics: Use high-quality images or graphics that reflect your podcast’s theme.
- Color Scheme: Choose a color palette that aligns with your branding and evokes the right emotions.
- Typography: Select fonts that are readable and consistent with your brand identity.
- Simplicity: Avoid clutter. A simple, clean design is often more effective.
Be Original
Try to edit a free image that’s probably already appearing in thousands of places. Use your imagination to create something new. Combine things up to generate your own cover. As a result, you can get good podcast cover art following best tips.
Talk About Your Podcast Idea
Your podcast’s art is the first touchpoint your listeners will have with your podcast. That’s why it’s vital that you immediately communicate what your podcast is about, the topic, theme, or ethos of your podcast using imagery, visuals, and colors. Your podcast artwork has to evoke the content of your podcast to your listeners visually. So, consider the answer to this question, and it might help inspire you: What is my podcast topic?
Review Your Competition
/If you’re looking for inspiration and trends, you can always review what your pars and competitors are doing to get some ideas.
If your podcast is about music, why not try selecting the Apple Podcasts category for ‘music’ to see what’s already on it? Click the ‘What’s Hot’ section for ‘music’ and think about why those particular podcasts stand out from the crowd. Take a moment to review the top podcasts, look at the topics, and look at the cover art.
Design Tools For Podcast Cover Art Creation
If you’re quite a creative person (lucky you!) and you’re wondering how to create your cover art using a specific tool, well, we’ll show some of the best design tools available for developing your podcast album artwork. Like most of us, you somewhat lack artistic creativity. No worries, outsourcing is also a great option. The best options for both categories of people are below.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Podcast Cover Art
1. Define Your Brand Identity
Start by defining your podcast’s brand identity. Consider the following:
- Target Audience: Who are your listeners? What are their interests and preferences?
- Podcast Theme: What is your podcast about? Comedy, education, true crime, etc.
- Brand Personality: Is your podcast serious, playful, professional, or casual?
2. Research and Inspiration
Research other successful podcasts in your niche to gather inspiration. Analyze their cover art for common themes, colors, and styles. Note what works well and think about how you can differentiate your cover art using out tips to design a podcast cover art.
3. Choose the Right Tools to Create Podcast Cover Art
You don’t need to be a professional graphic designer to create stunning cover art. There are several user-friendly tools available:
- Canva: Offers a variety of templates and design elements.
- Adobe Spark: Provides customization options and professional-quality templates.
- Fotor: An easy-to-use tool with numerous editing features.
4. Set the Dimensions
Podcast cover art must adhere to specific size requirements to be accepted by platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify:
- Size: 3000 x 3000 pixels
- Resolution: 72 dpi (dots per inch)
- Format: JPEG or PNG
5. Create a Rough Draft
Start with a rough draft to get your ideas down. Focus on the following:
- Layout: Plan the placement of your title, subtitle, and imagery.
- Color Scheme: Choose colors that align with your brand and are visually appealing.
- Typography: Experiment with different fonts to find the perfect match.
6. Refine Your Design to Create Podcast Cover Art
Once you have a rough draft, refine your design by:
- Adjusting the Layout: Ensure all elements are balanced and harmonious.
- Enhancing Readability: Make sure your text is clear and readable at both full size and thumbnail size.
- Incorporating Feedback: Get feedback from friends, colleagues, or your audience and make necessary adjustments.
7. Optimize for SEO
To ensure your podcast cover art appears on Google’s first page, optimize it for SEO:
- File Name: Use descriptive, keyword-rich file names (e.g., “comedy-podcast-cover-art.jpg”).
- Alt Text: Add alt text to your image that describes the content and includes relevant keywords.
- Title Tag: Use a clear and concise title tag for your image.
8. Finalize and Save to Create Podcast Cover Art
Once you’re satisfied with your design, finalize and save your cover art in the correct format (JPEG or PNG) and resolution (72 dpi). Ensure the file size is not too large to avoid slow loading times.
How To Change Podcast Episode Image (Thumb Artwork) on Spotify?
FAQs
Q1: What software should I use to create podcast cover art?
There are several tools you can use, such as Canva, Adobe Spark, and Fotor. These tools offer templates and easy-to-use features that make designing cover art accessible to everyone.
Q2: What size should my podcast cover art be?
Your podcast cover art should be 3000 x 3000 pixels with a resolution of 72 dpi. This ensures it meets the requirements of major podcast platforms.
Q3: How can I make my podcast cover art stand out?
Focus on a clean, simple design that clearly represents your podcast’s theme. Use high-quality images, readable fonts, and a consistent color scheme. Make sure your cover art aligns with your overall brand identity.