Show notes and transcripts are two important tools that can help you promote your podcast and make it more accessible to your listeners. In addition to making it more accessible, the use of text helps with SEO. By including the notes and transcripts, search engines are able to pick out keywords that you and your guests mention. This also helps when people are searching for particular podcasts to listen to. So, yes, show notes and transcripts are important.
Show notes are a written summary of your podcast episode. They typically include the episode title, a brief description of the content, and links to any resources mentioned in the episode. These links can be additional information, guests’ websites/books, academic resources or all of the above. Show notes can be a helpful way for listeners to quickly get the gist of your episode and decide if they want to listen to it. They can also be used to promote your episode on social media and other websites. Think of it as the ‘About this Episode’ blurb.
Transcripts are a written version of your podcast episode. They can be helpful for listeners who are deaf or hard of hearing, or for listeners who want to read along while they listen. Transcripts can also be used to search for specific information in your episode. As I mentioned above, Search Engines troll the super highway of the interwebs, keywords that are said by you and/or your guests will be picked up and noted.
Here are some of the benefits of having show notes and transcripts for your podcast:
Increased discoverability: Show notes and transcripts can help your podcast get found by more people. When you include links to your show notes and transcripts in your podcast's metadata, they will be indexed by search engines. This means that people who are searching for information related to your podcast's topic will be more likely to find it.
Improved engagement: Show notes and transcripts can help you improve engagement with your listeners. When listeners can quickly read about the content of your episode, they are more likely to be interested in listening to it. Transcripts can also be helpful for listeners who want to share specific quotes or passages from your episode. More and more universities are accepting citations from podcasters. Check out the APA style format here!
Enhanced accessibility: Show notes and transcripts can make your podcast more accessible to a wider audience. Listeners who are deaf or hard of hearing can read the transcripts, and listeners who are learning English can read the show notes to help them understand the content.
Here are some tips for creating effective show notes and transcripts:
Make sure your show notes are informative and engaging. Your show notes should give listeners a good overview of the content of your episode. They should also be interesting enough to make listeners want to listen to the episode.
Include links to any resources mentioned in your episode. This will make it easy for listeners to find more information about the topics you discussed.
Use keywords that people are likely to search for. When you include relevant keywords in your show notes and transcripts, they will be more likely to be found by people who are searching for information related to your podcast's topic.
Proofread your show notes and transcripts carefully. Make sure there are no errors in grammar or spelling.
If you're an independent podcaster, MW Studio Services can help you with all aspects of your podcast, including creating show notes and transcripts. We have a team of experienced podcast producers who can help you create high-quality show notes and transcripts that will make your podcast more accessible and engaging.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your podcast.
We're here to help you make your podcast a success!
Comments