10 Resources for Creating Your Podcast Cover Art

If you’ve decided to create your own podcast then you may think that the only skill you need is to produce great audio content. That isn’t quite the case. You’ll also need to turn your hand to researching, copywriting, producing and - last, but definitely not least - graphic design. Your podcast cover art is the first thing your potential listener sees. With so much competition out there, making a negative first impression may be the difference between gaining or losing a listener.

As a result, having unprofessional or substandard cover art isn’t really an option anymore. Apple Podcasts for example, have a whole list of requirements for your podcast artwork. You have to make sure you abide by these if you want your podcast to be featured on any of their platforms. To help you tick all the boxes and stand out from a growing crowd, we take a look at 10 resources for creating your podcast cover art.

✴ 1. Requirement Checklists

Each podcast directory has a list of requirements for the artwork you’ll be using. While limitations may vary subtly, in general, they’re pretty similar. To give you an idea, for your cover art to make the grade for Apple Podcasts, it needs to be:

A square with a minimum of 1400 x 1400 pixels and a maximum of 3000 x 3000 pixels.
A JPEG or PNG file type with a resolution of 72 dpi.

There are also restrictions on what your cover art can contain. For example, explicit language and references to violence are a big no-no, as are blurry and pixelated images. Before you start creating your artwork, check the requirements of your podcast directory so that you have a clear idea of what you can and cannot do.

✴ 2. Stock Photo Sites

If you’re looking for images to use for your cover art, you’ll probably want to take advantage of the numerous stock photo websites out there. Sites such as Shutterstock have a vast selection of photos but they come at a cost of your email address at the very least. Fortunately, however, there are plenty of “completely” free alternatives, such as Pexels, Unsplash, and Pixabay, which also offer a wide range of high-quality images.

✴ 3. Anchor Cover Art Creator

Anchor already allows you to record, publish, and collect donations for your podcasts via their app. Their cover art feature makes it even easier for you to do everything in one place. Anchor has also teamed up with free image provider Unsplash, meaning you have thousands of high-quality images right there to choose from. Simply find the image you want to use, customize the layout and font for your podcast name and voila! Some crisp cover art to attract more clicks!

✴ 4. Canva

Canva is an online tool for graphic design that lets you create artwork using custom templates. You can add and format text and icons. They also have their own library of free and paid images available. You can either use one of their pre-formatted templates or customize the dimensions yourself. This makes meeting specific requirements for your podcast directory simple. Canva offers both a free and paid version but for creating podcast cover art, but the free version should be more than enough.

✴ 5. Stencil

Stencil works in a similar way to Canva, offering images and templates to help create your artwork. You can also download a browser extension which makes the process even simpler. It allows you to right-click on a piece of text or image on any webpage and choose ‘open with Stencil’. This then adds the text or image automatically to the editor, saving you the process of copying, pasting, saving, and uploading. Pretty handy stuff!

✴ 6. Photoshop

Photoshop is widely considered to be the top dog when it comes to graphic design. Certainly, it offers everything you need in terms of formatting and customizing your artwork. If you’re about to create your own podcast, however then the cover art may well be a part of the process. Photoshop can be daunting if you’re not used to it and also comes with the dreaded price tag. If you’re not looking to invest significant time and money then you’re probably better off choosing one of the options above. With that being said this seemingly limitless tool can definitely take your podcast cover art to the next level.

✴ 7. Gimp

If you want the versatility of Photoshop but not the retail price then Gimp may be the solution. Basically, it’s a free version of Photoshop. It contains everything you need to make great cover art for your podcast, but like with Photoshop, it takes some getting used to. Once you have some familiarity Gimp can be extremely user-friendly and will help you to put out polished artwork for each of your show’s episodes.

✴ 8. A Graphic Designer

When all else fails and you come to the conclusion that graphic design is just not your forte, you can always hire a professional to do it for you. Draw up a list of your specifications - the theme, style, colors if you’ve already decided on them - then sit back and let the pros do their thing.

✴ 9. 99 Designs

99 Designs is a site that brings designers together with potential clients. Fees tend to be less than you’d pay hiring an independent graphic designer and you can open your project up as a competition. This means you’ll have different designers submit ideas for your artwork, leaving you with the chance to pick the one you like best.

✴ 10. Fiverr

If you’re really on a budget but still looking for outside help for your podcast cover art, then you can try Fiverr. Originally set up for freelancers to carry out projects for $5 apiece, prices now vary depending on the brief. However, it’s still a low-cost way to get your cover art done. Bear in mind that results can be hit and miss depending on who you choose to do the work for you. Lower prices often mean lower quality. If you’ve got a clear idea in mind of what you want, you’re probably better off paying that little bit extra.

✴ What are you waiting for?

Creating podcast cover art can be a lot of fun in and of itself. Whether you get a pro to do it for you or you work some magic yourself, seeing a high-quality end-product is always a great feeling. With an excess of resources available, there’s no excuse for not getting out there and putting together some awesome designs. It really does entice more click-throughs to your worthwhile content.

Cover art is just one item on the podcast launch list. Make sure you don’t miss a thing by grabbing our complete launch checklist here.

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10 Resources for Creating Your Podcast Cover Art