How A-grade visual assets are an absolute must for your corporate show.
You wouldn’t skimp on the visual identity you create for your business, so why hold back when it comes to your podcast?
If you want to create branded content that truly moves the needle, you have to put your best foot forward…
And trust us when we say that your audience will notice if you choose to cut corners.
Design has a massive impact on almost every area of our lives, and graphic design is absolutely paramount in our digital world.
Yes, the podcast is an audio format, and that’s one of the things that makes it so special, but make no mistake….
Your visual assets should not be an afterthought.
In this post, we explain why a killer esthetic will be key to your long-term success, and why you shouldn’t launch a corporate podcast without an expert designer’s help.
1. A sea of competition
We’ve mentioned this more than a few times, and that’s because it really matters…
When you enter the podcast world, you’re throwing your hat in the ring with more than 2 million other shows.
No matter your niche, you’re likely to have direct competitors — nevermind the shows in other niches that will appeal to the folks you plan to attract.
We’re all complex people with a wide array of interests, and most of us can find dozens, if not hundreds of shows we connect with.
Bottom line? You need to go the extra mile if you plan to stand out.
2. A big ask
When you’re creating a podcast, it’s important to remember that you’re asking a lot of your listeners, especially at the start of your relationship.
Most podcasts land somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour in length, and in the era of TikTok and Instagram, that’s a serious investment on their end.
Think about it. We’ve come to expect value (and a complete picture) in 60 seconds or less. Continuous focus has to be earned, and attracted.
Many of us decide whether a piece of content speaks to us almost instantaneously, and when dealing with long-form content, you have to grab your audience at first glance.
Can your listener bail if they don’t love an episode? Sure, and they know that, but we’re stingy with our attention these days — and that’s actually a good thing.
Why? Because it raises the bar for everything everyone creates.
3. Establishing trust
Along the same vein, your visual identity will be imperative to establishing trust.
Consumers are uniquely distrusting of branded content these days — and with good reason.
There’s a mountain of subpar stuff out there, and your cover art and design choices will be one of the easiest, earliest ways to convince them that your show doesn’t land in that pile.
Remember, exceptional content marketing is a gift you’ve made for your audience.
If you really want to show your good intentions and whole-hearted effort, you need to pay attention to how that gift is wrapped.
By taking great care with the content you create, you lay the foundation for a lasting, reciprocal relationship…
And great design will help you meet their expectations, and make them feel valued from the start.
4. A unique entity
For these and other reasons, a visual identity that is harmonious with your brand — but can still hold its own — will be very important to longevity and growth.
Slapping your existing logo on your podcast cover art can look lazy, and may compromise the trust of your prospective audience.
While you do want your listeners to connect your podcast with your brand, you need to keep the focus on your content and your target market.
Your brand identity should be present, but it shouldn’t be so in your face that your listener expects a 30-minute sales pitch.
A great graphic designer or podcast agency can help you craft a visual identity strong enough to stand on its own, with or without your brand — and that’s what you should want for your show.
Remember, the bar is high here, and the point is to create a series that will compete with other podcasts, and won’t make your listeners doubt its value.
This is a top-to-bottom process, and can be a bit of a delicate balance. A seasoned pro can help you hit the right note so you can grow your brand with an audience-first approach.
5. Value over profit
It’s important to remember that great content marketing puts value over profit — and that the corporate podcast is no exception.
Again, the strategy here is to build a relationship.
In order to do that, you need to create something polished, something valuable, and something made entirely for your audience.
By creating a great series, and investing in all of the team members you need for that process, you lay the foundation for lasting trust, reciprocity, and commitment.
That is where the reward comes in, and great design is imperative to every stage of the process.
Value comes first, and as time goes by, engagement, community, and profit should follow.
The bottom line
Ultimately, design matters in every part of your business — but is especially important when you’re met with a sea of competition, and a savvy and scrupulous audience.
Your podcast cover art isn’t something you should slap together in Canva, or outsource to the cheapest bidder.
You should be looking for a designer that understands your brand identity, the podcast space, and how exceptional content marketing functions.
They need to strike a balance between the needs of your brand, and the wants of your audience…
Their design choices shouldn’t be dictated by their past work or the esthetic preferences of your CEO.
Your podcast’s visual identity, like every part of this process, should be value-led, audience-centered, and entirely strategic.
A branded podcast isn’t a small investment, and you shouldn’t be cutting corners when it comes to your first impression — because again, that first impression counts.
Ready to take your visual identity to the next level? In this post, we share some of the assets you’ll need for a top-performing show.
