Podcast clips on social:music for audiograms and short video

Short clips from a podcast, whether filmed or as audiograms with a waveform and captions, are one of the best ways to reach new listeners. A short bed of music under a clip makes it feel like a produced piece rather than a random excerpt.

Use your show's sound

The music under your clips should be your show's music. If someone hears the clip and then your episode, the sound should match. Making a series sound like itself explains why.

• The Ticking Void on the Mystery & True Crime shelf
• Evidence Room Ambience on the Mystery & True Crime shelf

A true-crime show might use its bed track under clips. The dark mood tells a scrolling viewer what kind of show this is before they have read the caption.

Keep it low

The clip is about the conversation or the story. The music should be quiet under the speech, and can come up slightly at the start and end.

Give it a proper ending

Clips are short, so a long fade-out wastes time. End on a clean musical hit, then a card with the show name. Ending on the music has the details.

Captions matter more than music

Many people will watch your clip on mute. Clear captions are what make it work. Music is the reward for the ones who listen.

Check where you can post

Clips often end up on platforms you never planned for. Check the licence covers where your clips go.