You know how the saying goes: Don’t judge a book by its cover—we all do anyway. The same goes for your internal podcast: A catchy visual will help your podcast stand out. It’s the face of your show.

In this article, we'll unpack what makes a good podcast artwork so you can make a good impression on your employees. Plus, we look at one real-life branded podcast out there that creates magic with three colors only. But first, how do you create a podcast artwork that employees can’t ignore?

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Here are our do’s and don’ts:

👍 Do’s

● Clean, roomy look

● Easy-to-read name

● Splashy colors

● Relevant imagery

● Right-on message

● High-quality resolution

👎 Don’ts

● Cluttered, busy design

● Hard-to-see elements

● Messy colorways

● Blurry imagery

● Wrong notion

● Poor image quality

The style should reflect your podcast’s message and tone of voice. Often it works well to blend typography with imagery like photos or illustrations. But if in doubt, start with the podcast name only. Make it prominent. Limit yourself to five words or less. Because covers with too many elements lose their punch, especially in smaller formats. The right colorways can go a long way. But don’t go above three primary colors. It can quickly get too chaotic. Go for typography that represents your podcast best. The default? Choose your company’s typefaces and colors. Also, test your design on a small canvas (export it at a size of 100×100 pixels) to guarantee ideal readability. If you can clearly see your artwork like this, you’ve got a winning layout! Otherwise, you might have to go back to the drawing board and make some edits. Practice makes perfect.

💭 Best Practice: Influence by WeTransfer

So what exactly does good look like? Now, it’s time to get your creative motor running with Influence , a public podcast by WeTransfer. Do it like them, and your podcast cover is more than awesome. Why? Their cover is not just an artwork; it’s a flexible system. The picked elements, such as typography, photos, illustrations, and colorways, go well together, are combinable in various ways, and, therefore, can even change over podcast seasons. The different combos keep the podcast fresh and memorable without being dull or replicable. You can also create a catchy visual beyond the podcast cover with a design system like that. It even works as a teaser animation to create a buzz around new episodes on all your internal channels. Not bad, huh?

For more podcast artwork inspiration, check out Gimlet's shows, such as StartUp , The Habitat , or Up At Night .

Now it’s your turn to get behind the drawing board. We can’t wait to see what you create. In the next chapter, we shine a light on picking the right podcast name. Right this way!