Podcast cover art is an essential element for any podcaster. It can be the first impression that someone has of your podcast. Knowing how to design a compelling cover art for your podcast can lead to increased downloads and, in turn, more listeners.
1. Understand the purpose of your design
The purpose of podcast cover art is to generate awareness. It should be descriptive and attractive so that people will not only find your content, but promote it as well.
By descriptive, the cover has to be a good representative of the podcast content. A common mistake for designers is to design something cool instead of something true to the podcast’s purpose.
2. Consider the colors to use in your design
Podcast cover art is a chance for your listeners to see what they can expect from your podcast. The colors you use should reflect the theme of your podcast and be in line with the overall look. For example, if you’re running a blue-themed podcast, then purple or teal might work better than pink or yellow.
We talk more about color theory and color psychology in our full podcast cover guide.
3. Where to place text on the cover art
The cover art should include a clear and concise title for the show. The title should stand out from the background and be easy to read.
If you have a picture of the host, it can be helpful to put this on the cover art as well, especially if your podcast is centered around the host’s background, experience, or influence.
4. Where to place branding elements on the podcast cover art
For consistency purposes, podcast branding elements should always be placed in the same place on your cover art.
The Apple Podcasts guidelines recommend that you put your podcast name and episode number in the center of the artwork in white font. You should also include your podcast logo next to the episode number in black font, and an art credit in the lower right corner of the artwork.
5. How will you create your design?
When designing your podcast cover art, it is best to be creative and try different styles. Take advantage of your creativity and have fun with it! You can use visual effects editing software for this or any other design software you prefer to create a professional-looking cover.