The podcast is the brand heard rather than seen, which puts all the visual weight on one square image that has to work from a full-screen player down to a 40px list thumbnail. The studio team owns it.
Identity here
- Logo: the cover carries the mark at sizes where clear space is survival, not polish. Variants and rules: 4.1 Logo.
- Colour: the cover is a brand-palette composition; it competes in a directory full of loud artwork by being unmistakably ours: 4.2 Colour.
- Type: the show title on the cover uses the brand type roles, sized to stay legible at thumbnail: 4.3 Typography.
Specs
| Asset | Size | Safe area | Format | Max weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Show cover | 3000×3000 (1:1); platforms accept 1400–3000 | full bleed, must read at 40px | JPG/PNG, RGB (sRGB) | 512 KB target | one export serves Apple Podcasts and Spotify |
| Episode artwork | 3000×3000 (1:1), same range | same | JPG/PNG, RGB (sRGB) | 512 KB target | optional per-episode override; same rules as the cover |
Specs verified against platform documentation: 2026-07-05.
The 512 KB ceiling is Apple's validation limit; Spotify doesn't enforce one, so a file that passes Apple passes everywhere. Design at 3000×3000 (Apple requires it for featuring eligibility) and export sRGB: Apple says RGB, Spotify says sRGB, and sRGB satisfies both.
Templates & assets
The cover source file and an episode-artwork variant are requested from design. Each frame below holds its format at the exact ratio until the template lands.
Show cover, 3000×3000 (1:1)
Episode artwork, 3000×3000 (1:1)
Don't
Don't design detail that dies at 40px
Podcast apps show the cover as a list thumbnail first. Fine linework, small type, and subtle contrast vanish exactly where listeners choose.
Don't export outside the square range
Anything under 1400×1400, over 3000×3000, or non-square fails Apple's validation. The feed stalls at submission, not at design review.
Don't ship a non-sRGB file
CMYK or a wide-gamut profile shifts the palette in every player. Export sRGB and the colours stay the brand's colours.
Voice here
The podcast is the tone of voice made literal. The register in 3.3 How We Communicate is how the show sounds, not only how it's written about. Episode titles and show notes follow the same rules as any other copy.
Checklist
- Cover exported at 3000×3000, sRGB, under 512 KB
- Legibility checked at 40px before submission
- Logo clear space held; title readable at thumbnail
- Episode titles and show notes pass the voice check