The Challenge: Making A-List Guests Irresistible to Click
The School of Greatness is no ordinary podcast. Since 2013, Lewis Howes has built one of the world's most influential personal development shows, featuring guests like Michelle Obama, Tony Robbins, and the Jonas Brothers. With over 150 million downloads and regular appearances in iTunes' Top 10 podcasts, every episode competes for attention in an oversaturated market.
But here's the reality: even with A-list guests, viewers decide within the first 60 seconds whether to stay or scroll away. When your guest list includes former First Ladies and global superstars, the introduction can't just be good. It has to be cinematic, engaging, and utterly compelling.
The Solution: Longwave's Cinematic Storytelling Mastery
For the past 18 months, Longwave has become the creative force behind what sets The School of Greatness apart from every other interview podcast: cinematic intros that make viewers stop scrolling and start watching.
While Lewis's internal team handles guest coordination and strategy, and other freelancers work on various production elements, Longwave owns the most critical 60 seconds of every episode: the intro that determines whether 150+ million potential viewers will stay or leave.
What Makes Our Intros Different
High-End Motion Graphics Storytelling
- Custom-crafted visual narratives that tease the episode's most compelling moments
- Professional motion graphics that rival Netflix documentaries
- Strategic pacing that builds anticipation and emotional investment
- Visual storytelling that makes even familiar guests feel fresh and exciting
The Michelle Obama StandardWhen Michelle Obama appeared on The School of Greatness, our intro didn't just announce another interview. We crafted a cinematic experience that positioned this as a once-in-a-lifetime conversation, using motion graphics and strategic storytelling to make viewers feel they couldn't miss a single second.
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Cross-Platform Optimisation
- Vertical adaptations that work perfectly as social media trailers
- Strategic reformatting for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok
- Content designed to drive traffic from social platforms back to full episodes
- Mobile-first design that captures attention on every device
Beyond Intros: Complete Episode Production
While our intros are what viewers see first, Longwave's role extends throughout the entire production process:
Comprehensive Episode Editing
- Full podcast editing when needed, maintaining Lewis's signature interview style
- Professional audio cleaning and optimisation
- Strategic content structuring that maximises engagement
Short-Form Content Creation
- Five pieces of short-form content per episode optimised for different platforms
- Strategic clip selection that drives maximum social engagement
- Content that extends the episode's reach far beyond the original audience
Twice-Weekly ReliabilityWith The School of Greatness releasing episodes twice weekly, consistency isn't optional. Our streamlined production process ensures every intro, every edit, and every piece of content meets broadcast standards on schedule.
Event Marketing & Post-Production: Summit of Greatness
When Lewis hosts his Summit of Greatness live events, bringing together thousands of attendees for transformational experiences, Longwave becomes the strategic marketing and post-production team that amplifies the event's impact far beyond the live experience.
Event Promotion & Hype Creation
- Cinematic trailers that build anticipation and drive ticket sales
- Strategic promotional content across all platforms
- Event teasers that make attendance feel essential
- Video marketing that transforms events into must-attend experiences
Post-Event Content Maximisation
- Professional post-production of live event footage
- Strategic content extraction from multi-day events
- Highlight reels that capture the event's transformational moments
- Content packages that extend the event's impact through digital channels
This is a comprehensive content strategy that takes existing footage and transforms it into compelling marketing assets and educational content that continues driving Lewis's mission long after the event ends.
The Results: Engagement That Converts Views to Loyalty
Since Longwave began creating The School of Greatness intros:
Immediate Impact Metrics:
- Consistent Top 10 iTunes ranking maintained across all episodes
- Higher episode completion rates driven by compelling openings
- Increased social media engagement from vertical intro adaptations
- Enhanced guest satisfaction from premium production quality
Long-Term Growth Indicators:
- 150+ million total downloads achieved during our partnership period
- Premium guest attraction as production quality matches guest caliber
- Cross-platform audience growth driven by optimised content formats
- Industry recognition as one of the most professionally produced interview shows
Why Industry Leaders Choose Longwave for Premium Production
The 60-Second Rule: In podcast marketing, you have 60 seconds to capture attention. Lewis understands this, which is why he chose Longwave to handle the most critical moments of every episode. Our intros don't just introduce guests: they create must-watch moments.
A-List Production for A-List Guests: When Michelle Obama, Tony Robbins, or the Jonas Brothers agree to an interview, the production quality must match their stature. Our cinematic intros signal to viewers that they're about to experience something extraordinary.
Strategic Content Multiplication: Every episode becomes multiple pieces of content through our strategic approach. One interview becomes five social media assets, vertical trailers, and promotional content that extends reach exponentially.
Event Marketing & Post-Production Excellence: Most production teams handle either podcast editing or event content creation. Longwave seamlessly manages both, providing Lewis with a single, trusted partner for all his premium content needs, from weekly episode intros to major event promotion and post-production.
The Longwave Production Philosophy
First Impressions Determine Everything: We understand that in today's content landscape, the first 60 seconds don't just introduce content: they determine whether audiences engage or move on. Every intro we create is designed to make scrolling impossible.
Cinematic Standards for Podcast Content: While others treat podcast intros as afterthoughts, we approach them with the production values of premium documentaries. Motion graphics, strategic storytelling, and professional pacing create experiences that elevate the entire episode.
Cross-Platform Event Marketing: Today's successful events aren't just live experiences: they're multimedia marketing campaigns. Our trailer creation and post-event content ensures every Summit of Greatness reaches audiences long before and after the live event, maximizing both attendance and ongoing impact.
What This Means for Premium Podcasts
In today's oversaturated podcast market, content quality alone isn't enough. Even the best interviews with the most compelling guests will be ignored if the presentation doesn't immediately capture attention.
The most successful podcasts understand this reality: The introduction determines everything. It's not enough to have great content. You need cinematic presentation that makes your content irresistible.
Lewis Howes chose Longwave because he understands that when you're interviewing Michelle Obama or promoting major live events, every piece of content must reflect the caliber of your brand and drive meaningful engagement.
The Partnership That Elevates Excellence
18 months ago, Lewis Howes made a strategic decision: Partner with a production team that could match his ambitious vision with execution that sets industry standards.
The results speak for themselves. The School of Greatness hasn't just maintained its position among the world's top podcasts. It has elevated its production quality to levels that make every episode feel like a premium viewing experience.
When podcast creators ask, "How does The School of Greatness make every episode feel so compelling?" the answer lies in those crucial first 60 seconds. Longwave creates the cinematic intros that transform good interviews into must-watch experiences.
Ready to transform your podcast and events with content that drives real engagement?
The same cinematic expertise and strategic content creation that powers The School of Greatness's success is available for your podcast and events. Whether you're creating compelling episode intros or promoting major live experiences, Longwave delivers the premium production quality that today's audiences expect.
Longwave specialises in the premium production elements that separate industry-leading podcasts from the competition. When every second counts and every detail matters, choose the team trusted by the world's most successful content creators.
Contact Longwave today to discuss how cinematic intros can transform your podcast's engagement.
