⚙️Crafting intros and outros to perfection

How to get and keep new listeners

Hello all!

We’re wrapping up our New Listener Month by discussing arguably the two most important parts of your episode – intros and outros. The first and last thing listeners hear. These bookend your episode, and should be crafted with special care. And that’s what we’ll be discussing today!

Psst…this is a joint issue between Shreya and Wil, which means it will be DOUBLE STRONG! And as always, if you like what we're doing here, we always appreciate a subscribe.

🛣️Why you need a strong intro in your podcast

Unless you make a serialized podcast (serialized podcasts, we LOVE YOU) there's a nonzero chance that new listeners won't start at the very beginning of your feed. They're more likely to jump in on an episode with a title or topic that catches their attention. When suggesting podcasts like Punch Up the Jam (original recipe) or Decoder Ring, getting hooked is easier when the hosts are already talking about a subject you have a stake in, like “Believe” by Cher or the concept of metrosexuals, respectively.

So these new listeners are coming in cold with little knowledge of the hosts, the format, the inside jokes, or anything else they can't immediately glean from your podcast’s description. If the first thing they hear is something they don't get, they're going to feel alienated.

But if the first thing they hear is an on-ramp specifically to orient new listeners, they're much more likely to feel excited – or at least, way less confused.

Unless you only want to cater to your existing audience – and given you're reading a podcast marketing newsletter right now, that's probably not the case – you should be thinking about the new listener experience in every single episode.

🎙️ How to craft strong intros

Well, here’s how:

• Say hello. Introduce yourself, your co-host, and any guests you might have. At the beginning of every episode. Plus, if you have a guest, share why you're talking about this topic specifically.

  • We really love the way The Newest Olympian, and The Stacks do this. It makes new listeners feel in the know from the get go.

• Set the vibe right. The intro is the first time new listeners encounter the energy of your podcast. Integrate that in little bits like how fast there's fade in+fade out, the tempo of the dialogue, host’s inflection, background sounds (or lack thereof), and the intro music itself.

  • Some podcasts that do this particularly well are Skyline Drive , Strangers on a Bench, and Poetry Unbound. These podcasts have a way of shutting off the world around you as soon as you hit play.

  • That Aged Well has hilarious cold opens that really set the tone for the episode. It pulls you in and keeps you until they do a formal intro.

• Set the agenda. Reiterate what the podcast is about, at the top of every episode. (Yes, every episode!). I often hear from creators that they don’t want to ‘give away’ what the episode is about. You don’t have to. You’re just telling them what they can expect to hear without sharing any spoilers.

  • This will make more sense with these examples – What Went Wrong, Reading Glasses, and Material Girls set the agenda quite well. New listeners can jump in from anywhere they wish.

  • Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet and Tiny Dinos are two podcasts that are improv-heavy. Yet, they give great sneak peeks of what’s coming up in the episode, without any spoilers. (Well you can’t really spoil an improv but you know what I mean!)

👋Why you need a strong outro in your podcast

Your outros deserve as much attention as your intros, if not more! After all, they determine if the new listeners will return or not.

when else is Shreya going to get to pull out a Jonas brother GIF come on

Are you the kind of person who stays back in the cinema until after the credits are done? Until the lights come on? (And I don’t mean just in MCU movies!) If you are, then you’ll understand why we need a little second to cool down from content.

(And if you’re not, just listen to my advice anyway. Trust me!)

Sometimes, when we consume content, even if it’s not heavy or serious we need a little second to assimilate ourselves back into the outside world. At this moment, your listeners are probably in a haze caused by the impact of your content. Whether they’re dying of laughter from your comedy or entering an introspective black hole you set them on. It’s a great time to leave them something to think about, and maybe something to do.

🎙️ How to make great outros

Here’s how:

• Leave them with fun and interesting Calls to Action(CTA). That. Just that. Wil’s return an entire issue on aligning your CTAs with your goals. Our favorite CTA is one we got from Lauren – text this to a friend who needs to hear it.

• Include outro music. And make sure that it aligns with that whole vibe thing we spoke about.

• Include credits. CREDITS. ALWAYS. We truly love love love credits. At the moment, there’s a trend of only doing end credits in the final episode. Why not put them in every episode? You and your team deserve to be celebrated for every episode you make. Here’s real footage of us at the end of every episode of a podcast we love, as we listen to the credits.

• The obvious, yes. Please remember to include your socials, website, etc.

• Consider having a fun and unique signoff. For instance, Wil and their crew did “protect your magic” as the very last thing in VALENCE and it became one of their big cornerstones of the show. (Also, we have a little signoff for every issue of PMM. We love ‘em!)

🔴 Key takeaways from new listener month

• Don’t ignore your metadata. Ensure your cover art is updated on your website, social media, and everywhere else you might be present. Plus, keep those episode descriptions fresh.

• Make a trailer (here’s how to make a good one).

• Here are some creative ideas on how to get new listeners and make them fall in love with you.

• Don’t forget that when new listeners find your podcast, literally all they know is what’s in the description. They don’t know who you are, they don’t know your inside jokes, and they especially don’t want to feel left out!

• Keep your CTAs quick and personal — tell them to send the episode to a friend!

If you have any questions on making intros, outros, or just any podcast marketing magic related stuff, you know where to find us.

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✨ More Magic

• Tinksters will be at Podcast Movement — including a KEYNOTE FROM LAUREN AND ARIELLE! Here’s our current schedule of Tink events at PM2025:

  • What Does Social Media Do For Your Audience, Anyway?

    • Tuesday, August 19th at 9 AM

  • The Busy Podcaster's Growth Playbook

    • Tuesday, August 19th, at 1 PM

  • Starting Small with Podcast Visuals

    • Thursday, August 21st, at 12:15 PM

  • Rapid Fire: The Best Podcast Growth Tips - KEYNOTE

    • TBD

🎧 From the Desk of Tink

We as humans know less about the ocean than we do about space. But there’s something that scientists know for certain (or at least as certain as science permits): we are not treating the ocean with the care, respect, and tending it deserves. Another thing we know about that? The state of our oceans is a terrifying detriment to all life on this planet. Every episode of Pine Forest Media’s new podcast Oceanography includes conversations about our oceans with the people who know and care the most: climate scientists, marine biologists, and oceanographers. Explore the unknown depths of the sea and learn about how we can be doing so much better.

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Later theāter! Next week, Andreea returns with some more podcast marketing magic. ✨

— Shreya & Wil 👯✨