What it is: Let’s call an outro something which you track in post-production. It isn’t necessarily the last thing you create, but it’s something you create separately. And of course you put it dead-last on the finished piece, followed perhaps by some music.
What it isn’t: If you “talk your way out” of the end of the main recording—think host on mic, or conversation where you stop intentionally and have prepared the stuff-for-the-end—then I don’t consider that an “outro.” This isn’t what I’m talking about here.
There are lots of variations to outros…
The null outro — There is no outro. :) The show ends with the closing music (or similar.) Or you “talk your way out” of the main recording portion. "Thanks for joining me today, Bob! Remeber to learn more go to . . . "
The canned outro — Whatever it is, you tracked it once and you just keep glueing it on each episode. “That’s for listening to my McShow. Head to example dot com for more info, be sure to like and subscribe…”
Big production — Somebody reads the credits for the show, there’s music, it’s multi-minutes long. It sounds better than my main part of my show.
Custom per-episode — You craft a host-on-mic section that is specific to the episode. A recap, lessons learned, etc.
A slight variation on the last one: The Outro-Intro
ie introducing the next show.
Next time I will be talking to … about blah, come join me etc.
Mine is fairly null, just a clip of the intro music, to announce the end of the piece. Mine are small pieces, rarely longer than 10 minutes and mostly around 5-8 mins, so no need for a long outro.
Aim is to announce end, you can turn off or move to next podcast!
Best wishes
Rob
I am struggling with outros…
I really have not one and that post is helpful to make one now!!!
I think part of the reason that I do not have one is that I am tired of editing and don’t want to create sth more…
Real thoughts here!!!
While working on the main body of each episode I identify a few pieces.
A short, light, off-script segment that I can use as an intro (before the music)
A new revelation from my guest or maybe some silly banter as an outro (after the music, sometime with the music running in parallel or sometimes with the music playing one last time at the end depending on the length.
A 30 second impactful snippet that I can use in an audiogram as a social media trailer the day before launch
A short impactful paragraph that I can use in a social media image to launch the episode.
I then always say, listen until the very end for bonus content…
Hi @artemisgavriilidou
If you use a pre-recorded one, it takes just a few seconds to pop it on and set it to cut in at the right time.
Sometimes, after exporting an episode, I just delete the main piece and drop in or record the new episode on a separate track from the intro and outro.
Best wishes
Rob
Outro: Each one is different. I record one per episode. I will do a comment or a wrap-up to the conversation/ content shared or an update on the person’s progress and share their info and SM details.
Then is a pretty standard bit inviting people to share, follow etc. which I often re-record with a few changes to make it seem fresh (probably not worth the extra effort and prob. no one actually notices). And then a teaser (usually) of who is coming up next. And then my final “until next time…” and the music.
My thinking on no using a pre-recorded outro is depending on the heaviness or not of an episode, I might want to take a different tone with the outro.
Or maybe I just like to make my own life harder than it needs to be.
I love creating a brief outtro. I highlight one key element from the edited interview, mention the next episode, sometimes ask a question for listeners to ponder given the interview content, often invite listeners to subscribe and rate the show and wrap with a 10 second music clip.
Great discussion. Here’s the thing - if a listener has stayed long enough to hear the outro, then that’s a miracle!
Either they love the show or are in the middle of washing dishes and can’t switch off. Let’s assume the first.
So what are we going to do with this opportunity? I like to put in one call to action and maybe something personal to build rapport. The trouble with pre-recorded outro’s is that it’s trivial for listeners to programme their player to skip it.
For the shows I listen to regularly, I’ve programmed my player to skip the intro and outros. But of course, I’d never do that to your shows.
Canned outro - need to update it because it says “subscribe” instead of “follow” and I’m not terribly pleased with it. Will be good to make a few changes in one pass, so this thread is very timely. Some great ideas in here, some of which will impact how I do my remake. The only comment I would add is that since I am using a canned outro I am focusing on it being “evergreen” so that I can avoid customizing each one but I am now considering recording it per episode, as it is short, and if other terminology (or insights or needs) emerge, I can adjust it effortlessly. There’s no technical or time difference between adding a canned musical clip than an already mixed canned voice plus music, so I can probably find a sweet spot between canned and custom. Maybe this is type would be called Flexible Scripted (?).
I think I’ve talked (written) myself into going this route.
At least for now.
Podcasting.
Nothing in stone.
I record an outro for each of my guest InnerViews to say thank you to guest again, return next week for Part 2, subscribe, follow, give a nice shout out, all underscored by the theme music. Maybe someone listens, maybe they don’t but it completes the package for me and it’s a worthwhile pursuit
Perhaps an attempted definition to start?
