After considering the benefits of refreshing your podcast branding, it’s worthwhile to determine when it is the proper time to take action. Listed below are some recommendations!
A metaphor you could possibly think about is that podcast branding is like your wardrobe. When do you alter what sorts of garments you put on? You probably try this based mostly on climate, present kinds, match, and situation. You possibly can consider your podcast branding in the identical manner!
What’s “podcast branding”?
Your “podcast branding” is a number of options that uniquely establish your podcast. It is the primary impression for brand new audiences, and it is how your loyal viewers acknowledges your podcast distinctly from others.
Podcast branding is greater than solely your cowl artwork. It may very well be the emblem inside your cowl artwork (and that emblem can be utilized for every kind of issues)—and a logo is difference from cover art. It is the audio and video parts you utilize all through your episodes. It is your podcast description. It is in your repeated phrases. It is even in how you talk and host your podcast.
A “branding refresh” would then be updating all or any of those parts, however preserving the core of your podcast the identical. A “rebrand” would be if you change much more of your podcast, together with what you discuss and whom you attempt to attain.
1. When your podcast considerably adjustments
All podcasts will change and—I hope—mature over time. However you may determine to considerably change your podcast in a brief period of time. For instance:
- Area of interest/focus: as an alternative of speaking about cake-decorating, you turn to specializing in the enterprise of cake-baking.
- Topic: as an alternative of being a podcast about courting, you alter it right into a podcast about advertising and marketing and networking.
- Individuals: you add or take away a daily cohost, otherwise you change your audience (whereas preserving the remainder of your podcast principally the identical).
- Model: you do greater than solely a “branding refresh” however an entire rebrand.
These and different vital adjustments are a great time to refresh your branding to make it match and assist the brand new adjustments.
2. When your branding stops rising with you
Like with clothes, you may sometime outgrow your branding. This is not the results of an instantaneous, vital change (like #1 above), however the gradual technique of how your podcast adjustments over time. So that you’re on the lookout for one thing that matches higher now and with the hopes that it’s going to final for a very long time.
Though not podcast branding, it is a huge purpose I am rebuilding My Podcast Reviews and really rebranding it this 12 months. I at present discuss with it by the codename “v2,” and will probably be constructed on all-new code that may develop a lot better with the service, a brand new model that may develop with the options, and plenty of all-new options that may develop with you and your podcast! I hope you will try My Podcast Reviews and look ahead to v2 launching in summer time 2023!
You might have been an amateur podcaster when you started, but you’re now a highly skilled host. Be sure your branding suits the way you and your podcast have grown!
3. While you enter new “seasons”
I believe “podcast seasons” are a generally misunderstood factor in podcasting. Hearken to my episodes, “Should You Podcast in Seasons?” and “Should You Include Seasons in Podcast Episode Titles?” to be taught extra about successfully utilizing seasons together with your podcast.
In case your seasons carry new themes, then that may be a good time to do some delicate brand-refreshing. I do not imply an entire redesign that makes your podcast unrecognizable, however one thing that continues a number of the identical parts whereas giving them a recent look—similar to how each new menu merchandise from Taco Bell is identical few components merely in a distinct kind!
Should you change the art work for each podcast season, attempt to hold the general look constant. For instance, have a look at how some TV reveals preserve the identical look in every season’s bodily packaging. You possibly can have a look at any season of the branding and clearly acknowledge it, however you will additionally see apparent variations between every season.
Even when your podcast would not publish on a seasonal schedule or have thematic seasons, you may nonetheless search for new “seasons” of your podcast. Similar to how we discuss totally different seasons or chapters of life. These “seasons” won’t have particular beginnings and endings (however they might), and so they’re far much less inflexible than conventional seasons.
For instance, I used to say that my former clean-comedy podcast had 4 “seasons,” based mostly on our method to the content material. The one manner our viewers knew about these seasons was from our speaking about them. Even these pseudo-seasons might have been good occasions to refresh our branding—and that is precisely what we did with a type of “seasons.”
4. When you’ll be able to enhance the standard
One in every of my favourite issues I’ve heard my older brother say is, “You do not have to be a rocket scientist—regardless that I’m.” And in podcasting, you do not have to be a graphic designer, skilled audio engineer, or acclaimed advertising and marketing and branding supervisor to have nice podcast branding. Should you’re impartial and podcasting as a pastime, you most likely cannot put money into high-quality stuff. That is okay! You possibly can improve your branding later, both when you have got extra abilities, or when you’ll be able to afford to get the proper assist—or perhaps even have somebody in your viewers who would love to present again to your podcast with some nice branding!
This and purpose #2, “when your branding stops rising with you,” have been the most important causes I refreshed the branding of The Audacity to Podcast just a few years in the past. I knew the outdated visible branding did not convey how my podcast had grown—each in professionalism and in function. The outdated branding appeared dated, low high quality, and was really very troublesome to work with in my very own graphic design—and I used to be the one who made the branding!
And regardless that I’ve used the identical music for The Audacity to Podcast for the reason that starting (“Vegas Shuffle,” by Charlie Crowe), I improved the standard of my audio branding by really lowering it. It used to take me as much as 90 seconds simply to get by my audio and spoken branding earlier than entering into the distinctive episode content material. Now, you hear one thing distinctive from the primary second, after which I am often absolutely into the episode content material solely about 10 seconds later.
So perhaps your podcast branding might use a refresh to be a lot better!
5. When there’s sufficient compelling suggestions
I’ve seen podcasters swayed by solely a single piece of destructive suggestions. I’ve even seen podcasters swayed by solely a single piece of constructive suggestions. Sadly, these have typically not been in the proper path.
So I am not suggesting that you just refresh your branding each time anybody says one thing destructive about your current branding. As a substitute, I recommend on the lookout for how compelling the suggestions is: both by breadth or by depth.
That suggestions will often come out of your viewers, but it surely may additionally come out of your friends, your cohost(s), your visitor(s), folks you’ve got employed to work with you (like hiring me!), and even from your personal thoughts! Every of those has its personal weight that you have to decide your self.
Simply keep in mind that some folks hate change, and a few folks simply like to hate.
Probably the most useful suggestions (and attempt to apply this each time you give suggestions) is what gives potential options, particularly with causes. For instance, low-value suggestions may very well be, “Pink is unhealthy; do not use pink.” However high-value suggestions may very well be, “Your present is all about development and friendship, so as an alternative of pink, you may need to contemplate greens or blues, which convey development and friendliness. Or perhaps even a heat orange that might really feel such as you’re huddled round a campfire.”
6. While you decide the advantages outweigh the “prices”
It won’t be a powerful single purpose that helps you determine to refresh your branding however the sum of a number of issues. Hearken to my earlier episode, “6 Benefits of a Podcast Branding Refresh,” to be taught extra about a few of these good issues a branding refresh may carry you, your podcast, and your viewers.
For a fast assessment, these 6 issues are:
- Appeal to a brand new viewers
- Improve your perceived high quality
- Adapt to the newest developments
- Strengthen or reset your podcast’s id and message
- Infuse new power in your viewers and your self
- Stand out from others
When you’ll be able to objectively decide your podcast would enormously profit from a branding refresh, and it is a good time to do it, then press on and make it nice!
Prime sources to assist refresh your podcast branding
There are numerous locations you’ll be able to rent designers that can assist you with a visible branding refresh. The 2 I like to recommend most extremely are my friend Mark Des Cotes from Podcast Branding, who’s a extremely expert designer and a podcaster (I earn a fee from referrals who point out they heard about Mark from me or The Audacity to Podcast). I additionally less-frequently suggest 99designs (I earn commissions from qualifying purchases right here, too), the place you may get designers to compete for your corporation. 99designs provides you with extra choices, however perhaps not from individuals who perceive podcasting; and Podcast Branding will work with you to know your entire podcast’s branding.
For audio branding, I like to recommend Music Radio Creative.
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Disclosure
This publish could include hyperlinks to services or products with which I’ve an affiliate relationship. I could obtain compensation out of your actions by such hyperlinks. Nonetheless, I do not let that corrupt my perspective and I do not suggest solely associates.
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