Have you seen the cool audio excerpts for books, podcasts, etc. and wondered how to make them? I sure did when I brought out my first indie audiobook (it wasn’t/isn’t an option for my traditionally published titles). Only, I had no clue how to do it. So, I asked my friend, who had successfully launched a podcast this year. And because she’s a sweetheart and a giver, she told me. As always, I share what I know. 😊
I’m sure there are other ways to create the excerpt and promo graphic, but as with all my advice, I’m sharing my personal experience of what works for me.
She sent me to Headliner which currently allows a subscriber to create 5 excerpts (10 min or less) per month for free. The excerpts download as MP4 files, making them videos, but they use a static graphic (other than the sound wave you can choose to include, or not).
Before you get started, know which social media platform, you plan to post your excerpt on. I create square graphics that post nicely to most platforms.
Some platforms have one minute time limits, others do not. On Instagram, you can currently use a longer excerpt as long as you select post rather than reel when you upload. (Insta will include the post in your reels regardless.) However, I cannot set posts up with audio excerpt videos longer than 60 seconds via my SM schedular Buffer. Other schedulers may have that option though, so if you use one, check yours.
- Sign in to Headliner. (Create a free account.)
- Select the Manual audiograms button.
- Select your SM platform. (I choose Instagram post for flexibility of options.)
- Select Upload. (Podcast is automatically highlighted and Upload is right next to it.)
- Choose your file. (I upload whatever chapter I want to create the excerpt from.)
- If you want an excerpt longer than one minute, click the X on Max Duration 1 Min.
- Choose your excerpt by sliding the sound bar.
- Click Next.
- Either use one of the templates provided, or click on the blue + option. (I do the + option and steps 10&11 follow on that.)
- Click on Media. (Either create your graphic in Canva or upload the image you have already created.)
- Click on the Sound Wave and choose your style and color.
- Save/Export your file.
There are other options and steps you can take. This is what I do, but you know, play around with the program to get what you want.
For each audiobook, I create 2-3 excerpts longer than 1 min with square graphics and 1-2 60 second (or shorter) excerpts with rectangle graphics that I can post easily to reels, stories and TikTok.
Hope this helps in your journey as a published author.
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