More than 15% of Americans are regular podcast listeners. That’s around 40 million people taking time out of their busy lives to hear disembodied voices coming out of their phones, computers or other devices of choice.
Podcast logos are much like book covers in terms of drawing attention to a product. It’s fair to say that unless someone recommends a particular podcast, it’s listed on the front page of iTunes, or, as is the case for Serial, it’s simply inescapable, the drawing force is the art.
Aside from being the right size and adhering to iTunes’ requirements, what makes a good podcast logo? According to Daniel J. Lewis of The Audacity Podcast, part of achieving aesthetic appeal is utilizing pre-existing branding, being recognizable at a small size, using clear and large font, few words, and relevant imagery. Craig Carpenter at Modernpreneur adds that setting the tone is key; a good design works off of the podcast’s message. So if the podcast’s host is less important than the subject itself, a photo of their face isn’t ideal. The “This American Life” logo can’t simply be Ira Glass, he’s not the subject matter. Whereas for “WTF with Marc Maron”, Marc Maron is the host and the material, so having him on the cover art makes total design sense.
For news outlets like NPR (and their affiliate stations), Slate, and Monocle, or umbrella media companies like Nerdist Industries, it’s as much about creating a cohesive collection of podcast logos as creating one very special logo.
Take a look through the gallery for some of the impressive podcast logos out there.
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99% Invisible | Radiotopia
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The Allusionist | Radiotopia
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The Light Bulb | Story Wonk
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Developer Tea | Jonathan Cutrell | Designed by Lauren Cutrell
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Slate
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Monocle
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Serial | WBEZ Chicago
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Writer's Panel | Nerdist Industries
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The Moth
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Morning Report | Marketplace