Launch videos for podcasts
Published 28 September 2026.
A new podcast, or a new season, needs a 15-second trailer that works with the sound off. That is an odd brief for an audio show, but a video in a feed may well play muted, so the show's name, what it is about, who it is for, when the first episode lands and where to listen all have to be on screen. Make it vertical for Shorts, Reels and TikTok, and 16:9 for YouTube and your show's website.
A video for each moment
- The announcement. The name, the premise and the launch date, so that people follow the show before episode one exists.
- Launch day. "Out now", with the first episode's title and where to listen, aimed squarely at first plays.
- A new season. What's different this time, and when it starts, to bring lapsed listeners back.
What to show, beat by beat
For a 15-second announcement:
- 0 to 3 seconds: the show's name. Big, bold and on screen long enough to read, even for someone scrolling quickly.
- 3 to 8 seconds: the premise. One line on what each episode gives the listener.
- 8 to 12 seconds: who's on it. The hosts, and a guest or two only once they've agreed to be named.
- 12 to 15 seconds: when and where. The day and date, and "wherever you get your podcasts" or a short link to the show page.
Which shape and length for which channel
- YouTube Shorts: 9:16, 15 seconds, especially if the full episodes are on YouTube too. See our YouTube Shorts specs.
- Instagram Reels and TikTok: 9:16, 15 seconds. See our Instagram Reels specs and TikTok specs.
- Threads: post the video with a line about the first episode. See our Threads video specs.
- Your show's website: 16:9, 30 seconds, above the subscribe links.
What a launch reel can and can't do
Our reels are motion graphics with music and sound effects generated for each video. They do not use your recorded audio, so they will not play a clip of the hosts talking. That is the job of an audiogram, or of a video clip cut from the episode. What a launch reel does well is make the show's name, premise and date stick, and look like a designed trailer rather than a still image with a waveform (the usual audiogram look). You may well want both: the reel for the announcement, clips once episodes are out.
Facts first
Only name a guest once they've agreed, and only give a launch date you're sure of. Once a trailer has been shared, you cannot recall it when a date slips. If you mention download numbers or chart positions for an earlier season, use the figure your site already publishes, with the chart and the date. And do not promise "weekly" unless you have recorded enough episodes to keep it up.
Mistakes to avoid
- Relying on sound. Assume it plays muted, which means the words on screen have to carry it.
- Listing every app. Six logos in two seconds are impossible to read on a phone, so use one link to a page that lists them.
- No date. "Coming soon", on its own, gives nobody a reason to follow today, so give the day and the date.
- A name that flashes past. If people cannot read the show's name, how will they search for it?
How Launch Video Maker would make it
Give us your show's web page and we'll list the facts we could show (the name, the premise, the hosts, the launch date) with the words and the page each came from, for you to approve. Nothing you don't approve goes on screen. If the show doesn't have a site yet, use the builder: write the facts, add your cover art as the logo and pick a call to action. A 15-second vertical reel is the Short, £9; the Bundle (£49) adds a 16:9 cut for YouTube and a 4:5 cut for feeds. Start with your show's page.
For the order of beats in a longer video, see how to make a launch video.