FOR PODCASTERS
How to light a video podcast set
A practical UK guide to video podcast lighting: key, fill and practical lights, two-person desks, backgrounds, flicker under 50 Hz mains and a look that stays…
What goes in a podcast media kit: audience figures sponsors trust, host photos, sponsorship formats and the UK rules on labelling host-read ads.
A podcast media kit is a short document, often a few pages saved as a PDF, that tells sponsors and partners what your show is, who listens and how they can work with you. Include a one-line description, host bios and photos, honest audience figures with their source and dates, a listener profile, recent guests and standout episodes, the sponsorship formats you offer, how ads will be labelled and clear contact details.
Imagine a brand you’d love to work with asks, "Do you have a media kit?" and you reply within the minute with a PDF that looks exactly like your show. The numbers are clear, the options are laid out, and there’s nothing in it you’d want to explain away. A week later they come back with dates. It feels less like asking for money and more like inviting someone into something you’re proud of.
A good media kit does that work for you. This guide covers what to include, which figures sponsors actually trust, the UK rules you should mention on labelling ads, and how to make the whole thing look like it belongs to your show.
Mostly for sponsors and advertisers, who need to decide quickly whether your listeners are their customers. But the same document is useful for more than that:
Many shows keep two versions: a full kit of four to eight pages and a one-sheet that fits on a single page for a first email.
The ones you can stand behind. Sponsors increasingly know the difference between downloads, listeners and people who actually stay, and an honest figure with a clear source builds more trust than a big one without context.
Apple Podcasts Connect defines its main metrics clearly. Listeners are people who played or watched more than zero seconds of an episode, while engaged listeners are those who listened to or watched at least 20 minutes or 40% of an episode. Engaged listeners are often the figure a sponsor cares about most, because they are the people who’ll hear a mid-episode read.
Spotify for Creators shows audience breakdowns by location, platform, gender and age, though it notes that gender and age come from Spotify listeners only. Your hosting platform will report downloads across all apps, and YouTube Studio covers views and watch time for video episodes.
Whatever you use, say where each number comes from and the period it covers, for example average downloads per episode within 30 days of release over the last three months. Never round up or combine figures in a way that flatters them.
Sponsors want to picture the person who listens. Combine the demographic data you have with what you know from running the show: the jobs listeners mention in messages, the questions they send, the places they tell you they listen. A paragraph like "mostly UK small-business owners in their thirties and forties, listening on the commute" is far more useful to a brand than an age chart alone, as long as it is true.
A couple of genuine listener quotes, used with permission, can say more than a page of statistics.
Lay out a small menu so a sponsor can see how they could fit in:
Prices change with your audience and the season, so many shows keep them in a separate rate card they can update without redesigning the kit. Be clear about what each option includes: how many mentions, how long, whether you write the read yourself and what reporting the sponsor will receive.
Sponsors will want to know you handle this properly, so it’s worth a short line in your kit. The ASA’s guidance says ads in podcasts fall under the CAP Code, and that ads must be obviously identifiable, with rule 2.3 requiring their commercial intent to be clear. Disclosure should come before or as the ad starts, not halfway through or at the end. The ASA is likely to hold the advertiser and the podcast publisher jointly responsible.
CAP’s guidance on host-read ads, which took effect on 16 August 2024, found that listeners recognised the terms "paid-for advertisement" and "sponsored" best, and strongly advises using a version of one of them, ideally with music or a sound effect that sets the ad apart. Where a sponsor pays but has no editorial control, the ASA notes that the CAP Code may not apply, but consumer protection law still requires paid content to be identifiable. If you publish on YouTube by RSS, YouTube also asks you to declare branded content, sponsorships or endorsements.
A simple line in your kit, such as "All sponsored segments are clearly announced as paid-for advertising at the start", reassures sponsors that working with you won’t create a problem for them.
Like your show. The kit is often a sponsor’s first impression of how professional you are, and a document that shares your cover art’s colours, type and photographic style signals that the show is looked after. Keep it calm and readable: one idea per page, large numbers, plenty of space and photographs that show the hosts and the set rather than stock images of microphones.
Strong host portraits make a real difference here. Our guide to podcast host photos explains which shots to plan for, and the look of your kit should follow your podcast cover art. Media kits are part of what we design in graphic design for podcasters.
Every quarter is a good habit, and always after a milestone: a new season, a notable guest, a live show or a change in format. Update the figures and their date range at the same time, so nothing in the kit is stale. Keep a version on your website for anyone who wants to check you out, and send the latest PDF directly when a sponsor asks.
We’d like you to feel proud every time you press send on your media kit. Our team started as the in-house designers and marketers for co-founder Jack Cartwright, presenting an author’s work to readers and partners with care. With graphic design for podcasters, we lay out your audience, formats and story in a kit and one-sheet that look like your show, and can photograph the hosts too, as part of our marketing for podcasters. A clear brief, scope and fee are agreed before any creative work begins.
No. Smaller shows with a clearly defined audience often appeal to brands looking for a specific type of listener. A media kit makes the case for who your listeners are and how engaged they are, not just how many. Be honest about the numbers and put the emphasis on fit, consistency and the relationship you have with listeners.
Many shows keep rates in a separate rate card or share them on request. That lets you adjust prices as your audience grows, tailor packages to each sponsor and avoid redesigning the kit every time. If you do include rates, date them clearly and say what each option includes.
A one-sheet is a single page: the show in a sentence, a photo, three or four key numbers and contact details, ideal for a first email. The full media kit adds the listener profile, highlights, sponsorship options, how ads are labelled and more detail on each figure. It is useful to have both ready.
Figures with a clear source, a defined time period and no inflation. Average downloads per episode over a set window, engaged listeners from Apple Podcasts and audience breakdowns from Spotify are common. Explain what each number means, and avoid mixing totals from different platforms in a way that double counts the same listeners.
Yes, if you are being paid or given something in return. The ASA’s guidance on podcasts says segments referring to a paying brand should make that clear, and payment can include free products or trips as well as money. Your genuine enthusiasm can still come through; it just needs a clear label at the start.
A practical UK guide to video podcast lighting: key, fill and practical lights, two-person desks, backgrounds, flicker under 50 Hz mains and a look that stays…
How to promote a podcast on Instagram in the UK: Reels from every episode, Stories on release day, guest collabs, trial reels and posting between seasons.
How to write podcast show notes that persuade people to press play and help episodes get found in search, with a simple template, timestamps and transcripts.
Four quick questions, and we’ll show you where we’d start. Your answers come straight to us with your message, so you won’t have to explain it twice.
A 30-minute introduction call on Microsoft Teams, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Your answers come with the booking, so we’ll be ready for you.
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