Episode Details

What makes a podcast trailer work? And when a podcast trailer works, what is the ideal outcome?

In the first episode of a three-part series, Arielle talks with Jay Nachlis, VP/Consultant at Coleman Insights, about a first-of-its-kind podcast trailer study, starring participating studios Nova Entertainment and Pantheon Podcasts.

The study asked 500 U.S. podcast listeners to evaluate eight trailers from four different shows. Each A/B test changed one variable, allowing the research team to examine preference, recall, and intent to listen.

Arielle and Jay discuss:

• What quantitative and qualitative research can each tell us
• How independent podcasters can conduct more useful listener surveys
• The common survey-design mistakes that can pollute an entire dataset
• Why good research must lead to action
• The pieces listeners remembered most from the trailers
• Why authenticity emerged as the clearest throughline
• Why data measurement isn't perfect and how, sometimes that's ok

This episode sets the scene for two upcoming Trailer Park conversations with Rachel Corbett of Nova Entertainment and Peter Ferioli of Pantheon Podcasts. We’ll hear the trailers they tested, examine the results, and find out what they plan to do differently because of the research.

Resources:

• Download the full podcast trailer study
• Why a research study is only as good as its design
• Learn more about Coleman Insights’ podcast research

Trailer Park is hosted by Arielle Nissenblatt and edited and produced by AdamFlaherty of Pointmade.studio.

Happy trails!