What’s the first and last thing a listener hears every time they hit play on your podcast? Your intro and outro. Every episode has them, and when they’re built with intention, they do far more than bookend your content — they become one of the most consistent, repeatable touchpoints in your entire business. Getting them right takes a plan, so here’s a breakdown of exactly what to include.
Quick note: this framework is built for educational and business-based podcasts — shows designed to teach, share expertise, or grow a brand. If you’re producing a narrative podcast, your intro and outro will lean more into story and tone-setting than the elements below.
Before you dive too far into this blog post, make sure you download our free Podcast Scripting Worksheet, which will help you script your podcast intro, outro, and trailer.
Now, I think it’s important to recognize that every podcast structure is different, and you do not have to follow a specific template or structure to have a successful podcast. I am a firm believer that if you don’t want a podcast intro and outro, you don’t need them, but if you are looking to build brand recognition, leverage a section of a show for specific needs of your business, then an intro and an outro are a great place to put them.
Writing Your Podcast Intro
The goal of your intro isn’t just to say hello — it’s to build brand recognition and create what we call a curiosity gap: enough intrigue that your listener sticks around instead of skipping ahead. Every intro should be treated like the first time you’re meeting someone, even if it’s your 200th episode.
Tip: For easy listening, keep your intro around a minute long.
Welcome your audience to your podcast
Whether it’s your first episode or your fiftieth, open with a genuine greeting that speaks directly to your listener and pulls them into the episode.
Introduce yourself as the podcast host
This step humanizes your show. Your listener should feel like they’re getting to know you personally, not just hearing a voice.
Describe what your podcast is about
A quick description of your show is especially valuable for new listeners who found the episode because of a specific guest or topic — it orients them and gives them a reason to keep listening past the first minute.
Call to action for your audience to head to your show notes
You don’t need an elaborate ask here — something as simple as “let’s dive in” or a nod toward your show notes is enough to move listeners past the intro and into the content.
Conditional: highlight your podcast sponsor
If you have a sponsor, this is typically the place to mention them, unless they’ve specified otherwise. Many sponsors will provide their own script — if so, trim the rest of your intro to make room for it. If sponsorship is part of your monetization strategy, it’s worth thinking about how you approach sponsor integration holistically rather than just as a line in your intro.
Writing Your Outro
As your episode wraps, it’s time for the outro — your last (and arguably most important) chance to turn a first-time listener into a returning one. This is where most of your primary calls-to-action live.
Thank your audience for listening
Start with a genuine thank you. If you had help producing the episode, this is a great place to credit your team — just be sure to thank your audience last, since they’re the reason the episode exists in the first place.
Point listeners to your show notes and social channels
You put real work into every episode, so don’t let that effort dead-end. Direct listeners to your show notes and social handles so they can dig deeper, connect with you, and share the episode with their own audience.
Encourage a subscribe and a review
Ask your audience to subscribe and leave a review. There’s no built-in incentive for them to do this beyond staying in the loop on new episodes, which is exactly why this ask tends to land best with your loyal, returning listeners rather than brand-new ones.
Selecting Your Music
Before your intro and outro are complete, choose music that fits both your podcast’s brand and the tone of your content — and make sure it’s royalty-free to avoid any legal headaches down the road. Aim for a track between 20 seconds and a minute and a half, and if you plan to talk over it, choose something without vocals so it doesn’t compete with your voice.
A strong intro and outro take real thought to get right, and not everyone comes to podcasting as a natural scriptwriter — especially in short form. That’s exactly the kind of strategic groundwork our team helps clients nail down, because these few minutes of audio are doing more legwork for your business than most podcasters realize.
Your intro and outro aren’t just a formality — they’re part of a bigger content strategy that determines whether your podcast actually moves the needle for your business. If you’re ready to build out a show — and every piece of it, sponsor integration included — with strategy at the center, our team can help.
Download My Free Podcast Scripting Worksheet
If you’re ready to get started on scripting your podcast intro and outro, make sure you download my FREe SCRIPTING WORKSHEET! Inside this worksheet, you’ll find a template to not only help your script your intro and outro, but your podcast trailer as well!
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