Since podcasts are designed to be consumed audibly, many podcasters feel that there is no real benefit in spending time creating written content to complement the audio content they create.
However, episode show notes are actually an important part of the podcasting process and your podcast’s success. Show notes allow you to go into greater detail about the topic of the episode and add more value to your listeners with visual and written content. They also help you be found by new audiences who are searching for the information you share on your podcast.
Now that you understand why it is important to have show notes for your episodes, here are the 10 podcast show notes best practices that you can use right now :
1. Make sure your show notes are easy to scan and grasp
People rarely read every word on your page, so it is important to keep your show notes easy to consume. Make your paragraphs short and use bullet points. Your goal is to help readers find information, not to confuse them.
2. Have a Search Engine Optimized Title
One of the purposes of your show notes is to attract search engines and people using those search engines. Each page should target a specific keyword. When writing the show notes, make sure to use the keywords throughout the page but make sure you don overstuff it with the keywords either.
3. Create a short but intriguing podcast summary
Start your content with a brief summary of the episode. Your goal is to convince the reader to hit that play button. You can use an intriguing statement, a thought-provoking question, or maybe an interesting story. You can also include striking data and quotes. Write in a way that helps readers to understand what they can get out of the episode.
4. The main points of each episode
Discuss the main points of your episode by creating a simple outline. You can use some parts of the outline that you created to record but don’t limit yourself to your original outline. You can also include compelling questions and quotes from your episode. Add a timestamp with each main point so readers can quickly hover to that part of the episode if they want to.
5. Visuals, videos and graphs
If you refer to any visuals, videos and graphs during your episode, it is important to include them in your show notes. It supports your content and gives your listeners something to share. This includes photos of your guests, behind-the-scenes or a useful infographics.
6. Bios for your guests
Give a brief summary of your guests. Link their website, social media accounts, shows, books or anything else that helps to promote them. Don’t give out any juicy information and let the readers find out about that in the episode.
7. A list of resources
Any time you mention a tool, book, videos, or specific website, include a link on your show notes. It can help the listeners to access it later and verify what you are saying. This will increase your credibility as a podcast host.
8. Audio transcriptions
Some podcasters include a full episode transcription and that actually can help with your SEO. Although it feels like giving everything away in the episode, it may actually convince readers to listen to your future episodes or explore your existing content because of what they read in your transcription.
9. End with a call to action
If the listener enjoyed the episode, they are more likely to take further action. Your CTA could be to subscribe to your show or Youtube channel, follow your social media pages or anything they might be interested in. Make just one CTA for every episode, too many CTA will only make your listener to take no action at all.
10. Share your show notes to social media
Your show notes are unique pieces of content and they are worth sharing. Share it in the first week of your episode publish date but scatter them in your social media calendar as well. Make sure to add social media share buttons to your show notes too.
