How To Write Show Notes For Your Podcast
Learning how to write show notes for your podcast is important because your relationship with your audience extends beyond audio.
What are podcast show notes?
Podcast show notes are a written description of the content covered in an episode.
They can be viewed by clicking on an episode’s info within podcast listening apps, and many podcasters also post them on their websites.
In this article, we’ll cover how to write show notes for your podcast and optimize them for maximum impact.
Why Show Notes Matter
Show notes help reinforce the message of an episode by complementing audio content with imagery and articles.
This creates an in-depth look at a topic that can be consumed audibly and visually.
Your show notes serve as a hub that listeners can access to learn more about you, your guests, and the resources discussed in an episode.
Within your show notes, it’s a great idea to add links to websites, social media accounts, promotions, books, courses, and more.
While listening to a podcast, have you ever tried to memorize a link or promo code mentioned in the middle of an episode?
It’s tough to remember on the fly.
Ideally, the host puts that link in the show notes so anyone can easily access it later.
Writing Show Notes vs. Blogging
Rest assured, writing show notes is not as involved as blogging.
You aren’t expected to turn your entire episode into a blog post—although that IS a good strategy, albeit a lot of work.
Instead, create a short summary of your episodes, highlighting key points and takeaways.
Think of it as a written commercial for an episode: not quite as long as a blog post but longer than a tweet.
It’s important to make these summaries at least 300-400 words, and here’s why.
Podcast Show Notes Boost SEO
Creating show notes for each episode helps your website be found by search engines like Google through keywords, bringing people searching those terms to your site—and hopefully to your podcast.
For this to occur, your post needs to be 300 words or longer and contain keywords that potential listeners would search for in relation to the topic of your specific episode or your general podcast niche.
Using Keywords Effectively
You can use general terms that may lead new listeners to your main podcast page.
For example, if your podcast is about books, keywords like “books,” “new authors,” and “classic stories” are general search terms that may not directly lead searchers to your podcast.
However, if you do an episode on little libraries, you’ll want to use more specific keywords in your show notes, like “little free library” or “little library map.”
Your goal is to attract potential listeners searching for those specific terms.
Where To Find High Volume Low Competition Keywords
Incorporate semantic SEO by using related keywords and phrases that enhance your content’s relevance.
Tools like Google Trends, SEMrush, and Ahrefs can help you find related keywords. Ahrefs is what we use at The Podcast Haven
Additionally, schema markup can help search engines better understand your content, potentially improving your visibility in search results.
Emphasizing Accessibility
Accessibility is crucial for reaching a wider audience, transcripts are ideal for this.
While not exactly show notes, providing episode transcripts not only improves accessibility for those who are deaf or hard of hearing but also boosts your SEO by adding more keyword-rich text to your site.
How To Write Your Show Notes
Wondering how to physically write your podcast show notes?
Start by creating a template.
This way, each post looks consistent, and you can simply plug in new information for each episode.
Here’s what to include in the template:
- Episode Title and Guest Information: Name of the guest and their profession or role.
- Guest Bio: A brief introduction to your guest.
- Episode Summary: A concise overview of what the episode covers.
- Key Talking Points and Takeaways: Bullet points highlighting main topics.
- Memorable Quotes: 2-3 standout quotes from the episode.
- Resources and Links: Websites, books, courses, offerings, and social media accounts mentioned.
- Call to Action: Encourage listeners to engage further, such as subscribing to your newsletter.
Leveraging AI Tools for Show Notes Creation
Fortunately, AI-powered tools can help you create show notes automatically, saving time while ensuring consistency and quality.
Here are some platforms that offer AI-generated show notes:
Riverside.fm
Riverside.fm is a popular platform for recording high-quality remote podcasts and videos.
It has introduced AI capabilities that automatically generate show notes from your recorded content.
After you finish recording, Riverside’s AI transcribes the audio and provides you with summaries, key moments, and even potential highlights for social media.
This feature not only speeds up the post-production process but also ensures that your show notes align with your episode’s content.
Click this link and get 20% off any individual Riverside plan when you enter promo code CLIPPED.
Key Features:
- Automatic transcription of audio and video recordings.
- AI-generated summaries and key takeaways.
- Integration with social media platforms for easy sharing.
Descript
Descript is an all-in-one audio and video editing tool that leverages AI to simplify content creation.
With Descript, you can transcribe your podcast episodes and use the text-based editor to make changes directly.
Its AI features allow you to generate show notes by highlighting key sections of your transcript and exporting them as summaries or bullet points.
Key Features:
- High-accuracy transcription and text-based editing.
- Overdub feature for correcting or adding dialogue.
- Templates for creating show notes and summaries.
- Collaboration tools for team editing.
Castmagic
Castmagic is an AI-driven platform specifically designed to automate podcast post-production tasks, including creating show notes.
By uploading your audio file, Castmagic’s AI generates episode summaries, timestamps, key quotes, and even social media captions.
This tool is particularly useful for podcasters looking to streamline their workflow and maintain consistency across episodes.
Key Features:
- Automated generation of show notes and episode summaries.
- Extraction of key quotes and timestamps.
- Creation of social media content and promotional materials.
- Customizable outputs to match your brand’s voice.
Benefits of Using AI Tools
- Time Efficiency: Automate the tedious parts of show note creation, freeing up time for other tasks.
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent format and style across all your episodes.
- Accessibility: Quickly generate transcripts to improve accessibility and SEO.
- Scalability: Easily manage show notes for multiple episodes or podcasts.
Considerations When Using AI Tools
- Accuracy: While AI has advanced significantly, it’s essential to review and edit the generated content for accuracy and tone.
- Customization: Ensure that the AI-generated show notes reflect your unique voice and brand.
- Cost: Some AI tools come with subscription fees; consider your budget when choosing a platform.
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Show Notes Best Practices
Now that you understand the importance of show notes, here are some tips to keep in mind when writing them.
Create a Dedicated Podcast Page
Create a separate page on your website unique to your podcast.
Keep this as a designated episode page where you list information about your podcast as a whole and individual pages for each episode.
This method enables search engines to find your content more readily.
Include Visual Enhancements
To enhance your show notes, consider incorporating visuals to make them more engaging.
Visuals like infographics are particularly useful for summarizing key points, making them easily shareable on social media.
Venngage is a great tool for creating these infographics, offering a wide selection of templates and an AI feature that can generate visuals automatically based on prompts, making the process seamless.
Adding episode-specific artwork is another excellent way to personalize your show notes.
Including your guest’s headshot or creating a unique design for each episode can add a personal touch and attract attention.
With Canva, you can set up templates for your episodes, allowing you to easily update each new one with the episode number, title, and guest photo.
This is especially relevant since Apple Podcasts now supports episode-specific artwork, so each episode can showcase a unique image to stand out visually.
When designing episode artwork, keep a few best practices in mind.
Use your guest’s headshot to make the episode feel more personal and encourage their followers to engage.
Clearly display the episode number and title so listeners know what to expect, and maintain a consistent style and branding across all episode artwork for a professional look.
Canva’s templates make this process easier by enabling quick text edits and simple uploads for episode-specific photos, helping you save time without compromising on quality or consistency.
Regularly Update and Audit Your Content
Periodically review your show notes.
- Check for Broken Links: Ensure all hyperlinks are active and relevant.
- Affiliate Links: Update any affiliate links and disclose them properly.
Add Timestamps To Your Show Notes
Adding timestamps to your show notes allows listeners to quickly find and jump to specific segments of your podcast.
This enhances the user experience by providing a navigable outline of your episode’s content. Timestamps also encourage increased engagement and retention by catering to your audience’s interests and time constraints.
Update Your Call to Action (CTA)
End your show notes with a compelling CTA.
- Current Offerings: Promote any new ebooks, courses, or services.
- Newsletter Subscription: Encourage readers to subscribe for regular updates and exclusive content.
Podcast Show Notes Wrap Up
Learning how to write show notes for your podcast is a valuable practice that can significantly enhance your podcast’s reach and impact.
It combines the power of SEO, accessibility, and user engagement to create a comprehensive experience for your audience.
If you still feel like you need assistance with writing show notes, consider enlisting professional help.
There are services available that can create keyword-rich show notes for your podcast, allowing you to focus on producing great audio content.
By integrating these strategies into your podcasting routine, you’ll be well on your way to growing your audience and elevating your podcast’s success.