What is Podcast Artwork?
Podcast artwork refers to all visual assets associated with your podcast, including cover art, episode images, social media graphics, and promotional materials that establish your show's visual brand identity.
Types of Podcast Artwork
Show Cover Art
The primary image representing your podcast across all platforms. See Podcast Cover Art for detailed requirements and best practices.
Key specs:
- 3000×3000 pixels (square)
- JPEG or PNG format
- Under 512KB file size
Episode Artwork
Unique images for individual episodes that appear in podcast apps:
| Platform | Support | Display |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Podcasts | Yes | Shows in episode list |
| Spotify | Yes | Episode detail view |
| Overcast | Yes | Episode list |
| Pocket Casts | Yes | Episode detail |
Best practices:
- Same dimensions as cover art (3000×3000)
- Include episode number or guest photo
- Maintain brand consistency with show cover
Social Media Graphics
| Platform | Recommended Size | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram Post | 1080×1080 px | Episode announcements |
| Instagram Story | 1080×1920 px | Behind-the-scenes, clips |
| Twitter/X | 1200×675 px | Episode promotion |
| 1200×627 px | Professional content | |
| YouTube Thumbnail | 1280×720 px | Video podcasts |
Audiograms
Animated graphics combining audio waveforms with artwork for social sharing. See Audiogram for details.
Creating a Visual Brand System
Consistent visual branding includes:
| Element | Purpose | Consistency Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Color palette | Recognition | Use 2-3 primary colors across all assets |
| Typography | Readability | 1-2 fonts maximum |
| Logo/icon | Brand mark | Same placement on all graphics |
| Photo style | Visual tone | Consistent filters, lighting approach |
| Layout templates | Efficiency | Reusable designs for episodes |
Artwork Creation Tools
| Tool | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Canva | Free/$13/mo | Templates, quick designs |
| Adobe Express | Free/$10/mo | Social media graphics |
| Photoshop | $23/mo | Advanced editing |
| Figma | Free/$15/mo | Design systems, templates |
| Headliner | Free/$15/mo | Audiograms specifically |
RSS Implementation
Episode artwork is specified in your RSS feed:
<item>
<title>Episode Title</title>
<itunes:image href="https://example.com/episode-art.jpg" />
<!-- Other episode tags -->
</item>
The <itunes:image> tag at the item level overrides the channel-level artwork for that specific episode.
Why It Matters
Visual consistency across all your podcast touchpoints builds brand recognition, attracts new listeners, and creates a professional impression that reflects the quality of your content.
Why podcast artwork matters:
-
Discoverability: In browse views and charts, your artwork competes with thousands of other shows. Strong visuals get more clicks.
-
Social media performance: Posts with custom graphics get significantly more engagement than text-only posts or generic images.
-
Brand recognition: When listeners see your artwork style, they should instantly know it's your show—even before reading the title.
-
Guest promotion: Episode-specific artwork featuring guests gives them shareable assets, extending your reach through their networks.
-
Professionalism: Cohesive visual branding signals that you take your podcast seriously, which builds trust with potential sponsors and listeners.
The template advantage:
Creating artwork templates (in Canva, Figma, or Photoshop) saves hours of work. Design your episode graphic template once, then swap text and images for each new episode. This ensures consistency while dramatically reducing production time.
Investment considerations:
If design isn't your strength, consider:
- Hiring a designer for your initial brand system ($200-1000)
- Using that system to create templates you can update yourself
- Outsourcing ongoing episode graphics if volume is high ($10-50 per episode)