The first thing that comes to your mind when you think about a podcast script is probably a play or a movie script. You might think script involves writing every single word in advance, and for this reason, there are chances that you are hesitant to write a script. Do you think that scripting your podcast might ruin the casual, free-flowing conversation feel of your podcast? Or are you thinking reading from your script will make it sound monotonous? Well, this is not always the case.
One thing you need to remember is that the podcast script doesn’t necessarily have to be the word-for-word transcript of what you are about to talk about in your show. Podcast scripts, unlike stage scripts, can be about anything you want to – from having the rough sketch of details or the complete details of your show. As long as the podcast scripts give you an idea of what you should be talking about during the audio recording, it doesn’t matter if the scripts scratch the surface of what you talk about or cover the full details.
The podcast script is primarily the roadmap for your podcast, and you can add as many details as you want to help you out during the recording. A well-written script gives your podcast episode structure, direction, and clarity. Having an outline and an idea of the direction for your podcast show will help you feel comfortable and focus on recording, rather than stressing you out on what you need to tell after 30 to 45 minutes. The podcast script also helps you reduce mistakes and save your time considerably while editing.
How long should a podcast script be?
Just as I mentioned before, the length of your podcast script doesn’t matter as long as you get an idea of what you need to speak when you look at the script. Some podcasters choose to write about all the details they will be covering in their podcast, while others write down a few bullet points that will help track themselves while recording.
WHAT ELEMENTS MAKE THE ‘PERFECT PODCAST SCRIPT’?
It would be better to use the same basic template for all your podcasts, but make sure that it is flexible enough to make room for changes for each episode. In this way, the basics for each episode will be the same, and the audience will get an idea of what they can expect from your podcast.
Now let us analyze the main components of a perfect podcast script.
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Intro for Podcast (including the Music)
If you are a vivid listener of podcasts, you would have noticed that many podcasters have the same introduction every time. A good intro will include some kind of theme music, and it will be short and won’t take much of the time.
The most simple intro template is like this:
“Welcome to the [podcast name], where we are about to discuss [podcast’s topic]. I am [host’s name], and today, with me, we have our [co-host name]. Today’s episode will be talking about [episode’s topic] with our special guest, [guest’s name]. Let us get started!”
Most audiences will prefer short intros like this, and they would like to hear what they can expect from your episode.
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Guest Introduction
Next step, if you plan to do any guest interviews, you will have to introduce your guest. This is quite an important part of the podcast because your guest would expect a respectful introduction. And this is where scripting what you’re about to speak in your episode will be helpful.
Write information about your guest and confirm it with them to ensure it is correct. Also, add contextual information about your guest so that the audience will understand why the guest’s opinion on the topic is important. You don’t have to worry about writing this information because you need to reveal their profession or give a little depth, like telling your audience a little backstory to prove that your guest is credible.
The guest introduction can be something like this:
“Today on our show, we are delighted to have [guest’s name], [their profession, role or title]. She/He/They are going to share their knowledge on _____, their story, and some advice about ____, etc.] Hi, [guest’s first name] and welcome to the [name of your podcast]!”
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Message from Sponsors
Some of the sponsors for your podcast send you a word-for-word script of what they want you to tell, and then you can insert the name of your podcast’s episode. And other sponsors give you points of what your co-host and you can discuss, and you are given the freedom to say it in a way that suits your show’s style.
In both cases, it is good for you to plan what you will say and make the advertisement sound natural (not like a hostage video) so that the audience will listen to the ad and purchase the products. In this manner, your sponsors will continue to sponsor you too!
An idea for the basic sponsor message should sound something like this:
“[Podcast’s name] is brought to you by [sponsor’s name]. [Sponsor’s name] is [explain why the product is beneficial and why you consider it so. Tell the audience your positive experience of using this product. Explain why the audience should try to use this product, and include the discount or promo code, if applicable].”
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Segue
Since in a podcast, there are several different components, it is important to ensure that you plan to make the podcast transition from one component to the next naturally and seamlessly. To make the transitions smooth, you can use several ways, including some sound effects or a catchphrase. You can even use a short clip from the theme music of your podcast. There are no given rules; you can choose whatever suits your podcast’s tone and matches your preferences!
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Outro and Call to Action
The outro of the podcast is usually the conclusion of whatever you spoke about in the podcast. Just think of this outro as a quick recap of what you discussed and how this is helpful to the audience. Also, make sure that you are thanking your listeners for joining you in your podcast.
And you can give your audience a teaser of what they can expect in your future episodes. Some podcasters mention that the resources about the topics they discussed that day are available for their view in the show’s notes. The end of the podcast is a good place to add your call to action (CTA). Do you have something in your mind for the audience to do? Then you can ask them! The common CTAs are:
- Rate and review the episode on Apple Podcasts
- Join your Facebook Podcast group
- Get in touch with the audience for feedback
- Sign up for the weekly newsletter
And last but not least, it is good to add credits towards the end of the outro. Anyone who has contributed in producing the podcast should be credited.
Here is a basic template for the outro script:
“This brings us to the end of today’s episode! A hearty thanks to our [guest’s name] for joining us during the [adjective] discussion of [topic]. We hope that the audience found today’s episode beneficial. As always, thanks for tuning to our [podcast’s name].”
“If you enjoyed our show, please rate and review our episode on Apple Podcasts, and make sure you join us next week for a discussion of [next episode’s topic]. Until then, this is your [host’s name], and don’t forget: [the slogan or catchphrase for your podcast]!
[Over the Outro music]: This podcast was created by [creator’s name]. It was recorded and produced by [name], researched by [name], and edited by [name]. This [podcast’s name] is a product of [studio’s name].”
INTRO TEMPLATES THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW FOR YOUR PODCAST
The areas you need to focus on primarily are the beginning and the end of the podcast. In the limited time you give your intro and outro, you need to sound convincing enough for your audience to continue listening to your podcast. Here are our five favourite podcasts which have striking intros.
1. Impact Theory
Opening Music
“When people first encounter the science that we have and also the idea of messing with these intuitions it can be uncomfortable, and some people don’t like going down this path, like to make a little disclaimer or to say that I think people can feel very out of control and there’s something jarring about learning that the things that feel most true to you about reality are possibly not structured that way..”
Intro
“Hey everyone, welcome to Impact Theory. Today’s guest is a New York Times bestselling author who is challenging some of our most fundamental notions of what it means to be a conscious being. She is an editor and consultant for many esteemed science writers and specializes in making the notoriously difficult to comprehend topics of neuroscience and physics accessible to the masses. Her writing has not only appeared on the bookshelves far and wide, but has also been featured by some of the most prestigious outlets in the world, including the New York Times. From best-selling author Adam Grant to theoretical physicist Sean Carroll some of the brightest minds on the plant have publicly championed her work, her ideas, and her uncanny ability to explain hard things well..”
The Template
Impact Theory starts with their logo and a bit of music which together lasts only for just two seconds. But this short time is enough to establish what the show is for the audience. Next is a 30 to 60-second teaser clip, which is taken from the show. Then the 10-second intro showcases who the host is and what the show will be about. So overall, in a minute, Impact Theory tells you what the show is about, serves a small clip as a starter for the episode’s topic, then gives a quick view of their intro so that the audience is emotionally ready for the podcast. After this, there is a brief explanation of who the guest is (as mentioned above) and tells the audience why they should commit to listening to the podcast till the end.
How to Make It On Your Own
To begin with, you need to make your teaser clip. The main trick to establishing your show is to get to the teaser content and set up what the main event is about in a minute or less. When choosing the teaser clip, make sure that you are only selecting the clip, which will be enough to invoke curiosity in the audience about the podcast’s episode and don’t give away much information. If you want to give your guest an extended introduction to engage the audience, ensure that the introduction stays relevant to the content of your podcast.
2. MarieTV
[Fun music into with Marie dancing along with the title of the show]
“Hey it’s Marie Forleo, and you are watching MarieTV, the place to be to create a business, and life you love.”
“Today, we are talking with an incredible actress, businesswoman, mother, and wife. Like so many of us, she is multi-passionate and she’s here to share a bit about her journey to creating a life she truly loves.”
[Clips of the guest with more explanation about her accomplishments.]
The Template
In Marie’s show, we can see that the intros are switched up in between at times. In some episodes, Marie jumps right in and starts talking about her guests, while in the other episodes, there will be a long intro which will include an ad for her book or adult language warning sometimes. More often, you will see a short sentence in which she explains the purpose of her podcast. This format will benefit those audiences who are willing to wait and listen to the main content of the podcast.
How to Make It On Your Own
The main benefit of Marie’s template is that it is easily customizable according to the episode’s needs. Whenever necessary, the components can be removed or added. This paves the way for you to experiment freely and gives you the experience of mixing up things. Sometimes you can promote a product, and at times you can try a reel for the teaser. To make good use of it, try not to fix it on one approach.
3. Hot Ones
[Clip of the guest wiping their nose, “I’ve gotta approach this like Buddha would”]
[Quick logo with calm music and a one-second ad]
“Hey what’s going on everybody, for First We Feast I’m Sean Evans and you are watching Hot Ones, it’s a show with hot questions and even hotter wings, and today we are joined by…”
[As the host explains the guest’s accomplishments, a slideshow gives visual clues to what they have done.]
The Template
Hot Ones take the established rule by Impact Theory and change their style. They jump straight into showing the audience the logo, followed by the intro, and right into a cold clip from the show. As the clip shows the cold clip directly, it engages the audience and convinces them to watch.
How to Make It On Your Own
This type of content will work when your guest needs no introduction. Here’s the reason why this strategy is effective? It wastes no time and establishes a dynamic atmosphere by providing a catchy intro that doesn’t take much of your time. The visuals that show the picture or logo for a few seconds will give your audience an idea of what the show is about. The intro brings a contrast. Here the host and guest are calm though the topic they are going to talk about in the podcast will be insane. This builds up intensity and keeps the audience on edge throughout the episode.
4. Masters of Scale
LATE NIGHT RADIO ANNOUNCER’S VOICE: You’re tuned in to the M-O-S FM Red Eye Radio Hour. The only radio show dedicated to all you hard-working entrepreneurs who routinely burn the midnight oil.
The time is 3:30 am, and we will be here with you until dawn, or until you pass out from nervous exhaustion. Now it is time to vote for your number one stress-reducing classic of the week in a segment we call “Now That’s What I Call a Work-Obsessed Entrepreneur.”
Your choices are: “Barely Stayin’ Alive” by the Hairy Disco Dudes, “Nuthin’ But A Work Thang” by No-Dollar-Bill-Gates, “I Haven’t Seen My Kids Since Christmas” by Work Binge Crosby, and of course, “Forgot To Feed my Dog Again Blues” by Johnny Cash-Flow-Crisis.
Tweet us at @MastersOfScale with the title of your favorite song and you just might win a special prize: a signed photo of your own family, so you can remember what they look like.
REID HOFFMAN: If you’re a founder, then no doubt you can relate to those songs. Because constant pressure is the soundtrack to your life. Your long hours and all-consuming focus will play a huge role in making your company successful. But they’ll also change you. And, if you’re not careful, consume you.
It isn’t entrepreneurship itself that’s the dangerous ingredient in this heady cocktail. The real peril lies in believing the myth of the infallible founder. The pervasive tale that you can — and that you must — work inhumanly long hours. Put yourself under enormous stress. Forego sleep, meals, relationships and life’s other pleasures. And that doing so is a fundamental part of the founder’s journey. Taking too many gulps of this particularly popular flavor of Kool-Aid is a path paved with peril.
I believe that to survive your entrepreneurial journey, you have to learn how to recharge yourself. Call it “balance”, call it “wellness”, call it “Yin Yang”. Your business and your life depends on it.
[THEME MUSIC]
HOFFMAN: This is Masters of Scale. I’m Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, investor at Greylock, and your host. And I believe that to survive your entrepreneurial journey, you have to learn how to recharge yourself. Call it “balance”, call it “wellness”, call it “Yin Yang”. Your business and your life depends on it.
Entrepreneurship is grueling. So grueling that I have a speech I give to every startup I’ve ever invested in at that inevitable moment when the team is about to give up. I’ll share it later in this episode, in case you or your team needs it.The way you respond to the trials will determine your success, but not always in the way you think. Many founders will trick themselves into believing that a relentless pace is right for them.
You’ll tell yourself: “Sure, I’m tired. But I’m still delivering. My performance hasn’t suffered terribly.” You should forgive yourself for these moments of delusion, because you’re an entrepreneur. Optimism is your opiate. Treat yourself to as many hits as you need to survive the journey. But also recognize that every scale entrepreneur has a blind spot — and it’s the belief that the law of diminishing returns applies to everyone but you. And sometimes it takes the calamity of a burnout before you realize you need to re-think.
I wanted to talk to Arianna Huffington about this, for reasons that will soon become clear. Arianna is now two years into her new venture, Thrive Global — a platform to promote wellbeing. Before that, she achieved one of media’s most dramatic scale stories with The Huffington Post. But the success came at a cost.
The Template
The main rule of Masters of Scale is that you will never know what you will get from the podcast. This right here is another example of the intro breaking all the rules. These are several minutes long, and they don’t appear relevant to the topic at hand. Like with the Hot Ones, if you have a dedicated and passionate fan base and top-tier guests, you can get away with this.
How to Make It On Your Own
This template has probably the highest risk factor but provides you with high rewards too. It will require a lot of creativity from you and your team. This template focuses on making each episode have a narrative arc that gradually develops into the interview and later the intro.
5. The Tim Ferriss Show
[Intro music with exciting quotes from movies, culminating with a robot voice announcing the show]
Ad read
Quick musical transition
Ad read
Quick musical transition
Well, hello boys and girls, ladies and germs, this is Tim Ferris, welcome to another episode of the Tim Ferris Show where it is my job to deconstruct world-class performers, to teach you about the thought processes, best practices, and so on that you can hopefully copy and paste into your own life in some fashion to test out the toolkits of the people who are the best at what they do. My guest this episode is a return guest, Josh Waitzkin, he was in fact the second-ever guest in this podcast. We’ve known each other for a long time. Josh Waitzkin is author of The Art of Learning, he is an 8-time US national chess champion, a two-time world champion in Tai Chi Pushhands and the first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt…
The Template
Ferris employs a very short and simple 24-second intro which is appealing and introduces by showing a few fun clips so that it would establish the feel of the program, and it also has a few ads to bread in between. After the ad is over, another quick snippet of music leads the audience into the guest’s description.
How to Make It On Your Own
Even if you are not going to play ads, this template will still be a straightforward approach. It brings you a catchy intro clip and allows the audience to anticipate what’s waiting for them in the podcast. This is the classic podcast style, and it is simple and effective for shows which are getting started.
SCRIPTS THAT HELP YOU MANAGE PODCAST DURATION
Job Description
There is a musical talent discovery and star-making platform for teens and young adults called “Goldspotters.” The audience for this agency is mainly the Gen-Z community, who are known to be tech-savvy. They use their phones and social media to find new artists and explore their music. Beyond being just consumers, the users of this platform have abundant talent in themselves who favour authentic approaches towards production.
We are in the process of creating a brand called Goldspotters Pod. In this podcast, each episode will feature a new musician who provides tips and tricks to newcomers and help them strive to get a big break and establish themselves in the music industry. The voice actor who does the intro for the podcast will also serve as Goldspotter’s brand advocate. We also want to serve the purpose of providing advice for listeners who are yearning to know more about online music-making and self-promotion.
Art Production
The voice actor performing intro for each Goldspotters Pod episode will reflect our target audience, too: adolescents who are diligent, have great dreams, and are bound together by their love for music. Many of our users are from the Tri-state area, so we are interested in reads with a tinge of the accent.
We are looking for a voice who can introduce our listeners to several topics related to music producing and getting their audio tracks heard. Each intro will be about 15 to 30 seconds, and the scripts can be from the basic how-tos to the more complex instructions or even have laidback anecdotes. Our podcast host should alternate between precise reads to a conversational tone with ease while simultaneously listening to the listeners.
(The below three scripts are for the introduction of individual podcast episodes, and then it is followed by the standard podcast intro script, which is to be played at the beginning of every episode of Goldspotters Pod.)
60 Second Podcast Intro Script
Hey Guys! Get ready for the new episode of Goldspotters, the only podcast for teaching emerging artists like you how to make your way in the modern music industry. It doesn’t matter if you are a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, or influencer; you will need for sure to pick bits of advice when you listen to Goldspotters. Today on account of popular demand, we are bringing back another round of our infamous game, “Which Clip Would You Skip?”
So here is how the game works: We will listen to a 15-second snippet of the track that our listeners have submitted, and we will decide if we will choose to play or skip the song when it comes to our playlist. We will explain why beginning strong with your song is important in the growing music world. By the end of this episode, you will know how to formulate the first few seconds of your song.
30 Second Podcast Intro Script
Are you a musician who has a good social media presence and is now looking for a chance to take a step into the recording industry from your home studio? Usually, the path to stardom is a very long journey, particularly if you are not from the entertainment industry or do not have any connections. And this is why it is important to market yourself online. In today’s episode of Goldspotters, we are thrilled to have guest Charley Collins, whose music videos of parodies unexpectedly brought him into the limelight and turned him into a famous worldwide star, thereby landing him a huge record deal.
15 Second Podcast Intro Script
Welcome guys? I invite you to the Goldspotters, the pod about how to get noticed in the music industry. Today, we will discuss crafting original cover art that will capture the vibe of you as an artist and your track. In addition to that, I will teach you how to create a visual to improve your image on streaming platforms.
10 Second Standard Podcast Intro Script
[Faint sounds of a gospel sample fading in.]
And.. we are…back!
[Record scratches]
Welcome to the Goldspotters, the pod which will tell you what is gold for people finding their way into the music industry.
GREENVIEW PRIMARY SCHOOL PODCAST SCRIPT – IMPORTANT NOTES
Intro
- You are now listening to the Greenview Primary School podcast, episode 11 of the podcast. I’m Jane, and I am joined today by Marcus from 4 C and Sylvia from 3 F.
- In today’s episode, we will be talking about the important school announcement, the third-grade students will share some amazing facts, and we will have the joke of the day.
- First, Marcus is here to report the important announcement.
Segment 1
- A reminder that every Wednesday is “Nude Food Day.” This means that you have to make sure that your lunch is not wrapped in non-recyclable materials. Kindly pack your snacks and sandwiches in reusable bags and containers.
- The school’s environment officers will present the award to the class with the most Nude Lunches.
- Now we have Sylvia from 3 F to share some facts about space with everyone.
Segment 2
This week, the third-grade students have been learning about the solar system.
- There are 8 planets in the solar system which are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
- In the year 2006, scientists changed the definition of planets, and “Pluto” was officially named as the “dwarf planet.”
- Did you know? The footprints left by astronauts on the moon will remain there forever as there is no wind to blow the prints away.
- The sun is a star, and it has a surface temperature of around 5700 degrees celsius.
- You can check other interesting facts on the NASA kids’ website.
Segment 3
Thank you for the interesting facts about space, Sylvia! Now it is time for the joke of the day…
- What do you call a sleeping bull?
- It is the bull-dozer.
Outro
Thank you for listening to the Greenview Primary School podcast. Stay tuned to our podcast for our next episode!
TIPS TO MAKE YOU AN EXPERIENCED PODCASTER
Start with a hook before the intro
For many shows, you will need an interesting hook to hook your listeners to the podcast. And this is why you have to take a nice hook from the middle of the show.
Pick a short jingle
You need to remember that the jingle is in the intro to establish a tone for your podcast. For this, you just need a few seconds of audio or video. Please don’t take anything more than it, or you are putting your audience’s patience to the test.
Recap what your show is for the new-comers
People dislike feeling lost. So to guide them, throw something engaging for the new listeners or those who haven’t listened in a while.
Put your knowledge to use
If you feel that you are all set to create a podcast for business, let’s talk. But if you are still wondering how to use storytelling for your podcast, subscribe to our podcast for some insight.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long is a podcast script?
It completely depends on how you choose to put your podcast script. A verbatim script runs for several pages, while the bullet-point script may take half a page.
When should you write a podcast script?
You should write the podcast script a few days ahead of your recording. If you plan to have a guest on your show, write the script before a week and send them the script before notifying them to be prepared.
Do all podcasts necessarily need a script?
It is better to have a basic script to get the order and structure while recording.
How to include music in a podcast script?
Note down when you will play the music and also note down the duration of each music clip you are choosing to play. For the majority of the podcasts, the music is after the intro and the outro.
What segments do I need to include?
You should always have an intro segment, the message from the sponsor, the guest introduction (if you have any), and the outro.
CONCLUSION
While writing the script for your podcast, remember that it entirely depends on your format and the style you prefer. As long as it helps you keep an organized format and structure and helps you to record your podcast efficiently, it is good to go. It doesn’t matter if you are a minimalist or a maximalist, a solo recorder, you will find podcast scripts extremely helpful.
Reference:
Teaser and Intro taken from the respective podcasts.
Impact Theory – https://youtu.be/02RJ83vS96s
MarieTV – https://youtu.be/BS2YNiOWfUw
Hot Ones – https://youtu.be/qxGmGGmvFD8
Masters of Scale – https://youtu.be/P97HC7KSNOE
The Tim Ferriss Show – https://youtu.be/Or1yAha27Bg
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