Trailer Park: The Art & Science of Podcast Trailers

Trailer Park: The Art & Science of Podcast Trailers showcases, analyzes, and helps creators craft podcast trailers. We hit play on podcast trailers and then we break them down – introducing new shows to listeners AND helping creators make their next short form masterpiece. Whether trailers precede full podcast seasons, were made as creative proofs of concept, were left in the pilot drawer, are for podcasts that have long since podfaded, or were made just for fun, they're welcome here at the park! In each episode, hosts Arielle Nissenblatt will hit 'play' on a trailer. Then, she'll analyze it. What worked? What fell short? Did the music match? Does the trailer match the rest of the show? Why do we love podcast trailers? As a podcast discovery tool To help creators get their projects funded To create learning opportunities for audio creators Hosted on RSS.com

  1. Aug 28

    Should Your Podcast Trailer Explain or Entertain? With Rachel Corbett of Nova Entertainment

    Would listeners rather hear a podcast’s hosts introduce their own show or have someone else sell it for them? Is a fast-moving sizzle reel more effective than a host speaking directly from the heart? Arielle talks with Rachel Corbett, Network Director of Nova Podcasts at Nova Entertainment. Rachel contributed trailers from two Nova shows to the Coleman Insights podcast trailer study: High Scrollers and Better Than Yesterday with Osher Günsberg. Together, Arielle and Rachel play and compare four trailers: A host-read trailer versus a third-person voiceover for High ScrollersA sizzle reel versus a personal explainer for Better Than YesterdayThey discuss: Why listeners preferred the professional voiceover for High ScrollersHow a third-person narrator can make it easier to incorporate clipsWhy being a great host doesn’t necessarily make someone great at selling their own showHow Osher Günsberg’s personal explainer felt like the right choiceHow Rachel’s team is applying the findings to future Nova trailersThe underrated skill of selecting clips that work outside their original contextWhy producers should save strong promotional moments as they editHow independent podcasters can conduct their own small-scale A/B testsThe lesson: Best practices are useful, but the right trailer depends on the show, the host, and the relationship you want to build with the listener. Resources: Download the full podcast trailer studyListen to High ScrollersListen to Better Than Yesterday with Osher GünsbergTrailer Park is hosted by Arielle Nissenblatt. Editing and post-production by AdamFlaherty of Pointmade.studio. Happy trails!

    Should Your Podcast Trailer Explain or Entertain? With Rachel Corbett of Nova Entertainment
  2. Aug 28

    The Podcast Trailer Test: AI, Authenticity, and What Listeners Want with Peter Ferioli of Pantheon Podcasts

    Can listeners tell when a podcast trailer was made with AI? What happens when listeners perceive your trailer as an advertisement? Arielle talks with Peter Ferioli, co-founder, COO, and CTO of Pantheon Podcasts. Peter shares how podcast trailers have evolved from a technical requirement into an essential marketing tool, and what Pantheon changed after participating in the Coleman Insights podcast trailer study. You’ll hear trailers created for two Pantheon shows: Superfan Diaries: an AI-produced trailer versus one featuring the host’s real voiceBinge or Cringe: two versions with different opening hooksArielle and Peter discuss: Why some listeners recognized the AI-generated trailer and still wanted to hear the showHow genre, tone, and energy affect the perception of authenticityWhy mentioning another brand too early can confuse listenersWhat a trailer needs to promise, and why the show must deliver on that promisePantheon’s new CLEAR framework: clarity, likability, engagement, awareness, and recallHow the study shaped a new version of the Binge or Cringe trailerWhy trailers should include a strong opening hook, tonal shifts, sound design, and a memorable endingWhen to release a trailer during a podcast launchHow to test your own trailer without commissioning a massive research studyPeter’s challenge: Play your trailer for 3-5 people who don’t already know everything about your show. Ask where they lose interest, what they remember, and whether they want to hear the full podcast. Resources: Download the full podcast trailer studyExplore Pantheon’s podcastsTrailer Park is produced and edited by Arielle Nissenblatt. It is executive produced and engineered by AdamFlaherty of Pointmade.studio. Happy trails!

    The Podcast Trailer Test: AI, Authenticity, and What Listeners Want with Peter Ferioli of Pantheon Podcasts
  3. Aug 28

    What Makes a Podcast Trailer Work? We Finally Have Data! With Jay Nachlis of Coleman Insights

    What makes a podcast trailer work? And when a podcast trailer works, what is the ideal outcome? In the first episode of a three-part series, Arielle talks with Jay Nachlis, VP/Consultant at Coleman Insights, about a first-of-its-kind podcast trailer study, starring participating studios Nova Entertainment and Pantheon Podcasts. The study asked 500 U.S. podcast listeners to evaluate eight trailers from four different shows. Each A/B test changed one variable, allowing the research team to examine preference, recall, and intent to listen. Arielle and Jay discuss: What quantitative and qualitative research can each tell usHow independent podcasters can conduct more useful listener surveysThe common survey-design mistakes that can pollute an entire datasetWhy good research must lead to actionThe pieces listeners remembered most from the trailersWhy authenticity emerged as the clearest throughlineWhy data measurement isn't perfect and how, sometimes that's okThis episode sets the scene for two upcoming Trailer Park conversations with Rachel Corbett of Nova Entertainment and Peter Ferioli of Pantheon Podcasts. We’ll hear the trailers they tested, examine the results, and find out what they plan to do differently because of the research. Resources: Download the full podcast trailer studyWhy a research study is only as good as its designLearn more about Coleman Insights’ podcast researchTrailer Park is hosted by Arielle Nissenblatt and edited and produced by AdamFlaherty of Pointmade.studio. Happy trails!

    What Makes a Podcast Trailer Work? We Finally Have Data! With Jay Nachlis of Coleman Insights
  4. May 26

    "PASSAGES: On Morrison" with Sara McCrea | Podcast Trailer and Analysis

    Sara McCrea, podcast specialist at Random House Publishing Group, is our guest host. She brings us the trailer for PASSAGES: On Morrison. Discover a new show PASSAGES: On Morrison is a podcast that takes reading on the road. Join Namwali Serpell, novelist, critic, and Harvard professor, as she joins fellow writers and skilled readers in conversation to pore over excerpts of Toni Morrison’s prose. Recorded throughout the book tour for ON MORRISON—Serpell’s electrifying, critical examination of Morrison’s writing—each episode welcomes listeners into rooms full of readers and discussions of how Morrison made her words sing. This show is the record of a traveling salon, a celebration of Morrison’s extraordinary work, and a love letter to reading closely in community. Learn from this trailer build Sara breaks down the process of making this show on the road. And then, the process behind making the trailer for it -- a complicated endeavor because the show was recorded almost entirely outside of a studio. About Trailer Park: Trailer Park: The Podcast Trailer Podcast wants to help you discover new podcasts. We share trailers for podcasts of shows that have been long-running, never made it out of pre-production, were made just for fun, or anything in between. Our goal is to help creators make better short-form audio and to help listeners find their next favorite listen. Episode extras: Submit your trailer to TPPEmail us: hello@trailerparkpod.comFollow us on InstagramCredits: Created by Arielle Nissenblatt Produced, edited, mixed, and mastered by AdamFlaherty.tv of Pointmade.studio Logo by Caio Slikta Hosted on RSS.com

    "PASSAGES: On Morrison" with Sara McCrea | Podcast Trailer and Analysis
  5. Apr 13

    "Everybody Knows But Me" Podcast Trailer Analysis with Holly Brown

    In this episode of TPP, we get into the trailer for Everybody Knows But Me, a new show from comedian and podcast person Holly Brown. Produced in partnership with Next Chapter Podcasts, the show is a dark comedy about the secrets we inherit and the stories we tell to survive. This episode is also hosted by Holly Brown. Arielle's out this week and she asked Holly to take over! Let us know what you think of this episode format. More about the show: When comedian Holly Anabel Brown was 17, her dad was dying of cancer when he dropped a bombshell: she had twin brothers she never knew existed - young boys her entire extended family had kept secret. After his death left her with more questions than answers, Holly sets out to uncover how a secret this big could be hidden, and why the sitcoms that raised her were often the only way to make sense of a life stranger than TV. More information on Holly: Holly’s comedy is what you get when the girl next door has a little bite - mixing dark humor and millennial nostalgia with an honesty that makes you laugh and squirm. Named one of WhoHaHa’s Comedians of the Year in 2022, Holly has been featured on popular podcasts The Daily Zeitgeist and The Dork Forest. She has performed at SF Sketchfest, Big Pine, the SLO Comedy Festival, and more across the country. Her work has been featured in Funny or Die videos, and she previously produced and performed in her sold-out monthly show, Salty AF, at the Hollywood Improv. Holly headlines nationally, loves calling dogs good boy, listening to Bob Dylan, and investigating her father’s deathbed confession! About TPP: Trailer Park: The Podcast Trailer Podcast wants to help you discover new podcasts. We share trailers for podcasts of shows that have been long-running, never made it out of pre-production, were made just for fun, or anything in between. Our goal is to help creators make better short-form audio and to help listeners find their next favorite listen. Episode extras: Submit your trailer to TPPEmail us: hello@trailerparkpod.comFollow us on InstagramCredits: Created by Arielle Nissenblatt Produced, edited, mixed, and mastered by AdamFlaherty.tv of Pointmade.studio Logo by Caio Slikta Hosted on RSS.com

    "Everybody Knows But Me" Podcast Trailer Analysis with Holly Brown

Trailers

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Trailer Park: The Art & Science of Podcast Trailers showcases, analyzes, and helps creators craft podcast trailers. We hit play on podcast trailers and then we break them down – introducing new shows to listeners AND helping creators make their next short form masterpiece. Whether trailers precede full podcast seasons, were made as creative proofs of concept, were left in the pilot drawer, are for podcasts that have long since podfaded, or were made just for fun, they're welcome here at the park! In each episode, hosts Arielle Nissenblatt will hit 'play' on a trailer. Then, she'll analyze it. What worked? What fell short? Did the music match? Does the trailer match the rest of the show? Why do we love podcast trailers? As a podcast discovery tool To help creators get their projects funded To create learning opportunities for audio creators Hosted on RSS.com

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