How to write attention-grabbing podcast show notes

The most important component of a podcast show is obviously audio based. However many podcasters seem to forget the critical role that written materials play in making their show successful. Here the art of writing compelling show notes comes in very handy. Well written notes can do a lot more than just summarize your podcast. If done well, they can find you new listeners and grab the attention of those who accidentally stumble across your show. They can also give more meaning to the content you produce and have a lot of keywords that the search engine (SEO) will use. Here we will share a couple of tips to make your show notes more outstanding.

Summarize the episode

Your show notes should always begin with an overall summary of the entire episode. Make it almost like an outline of key points mentioned during the show. That will familiarize your listeners with the content of each episode and let them decide whether the topics are appropriate to their interests. Make sure to discuss the problems that are covered in the episode too, that will intrigue your audience.

Top take-aways and memorable quotes

When the summary is done you want to make sure to include a couple of main points that will hook your listeners. Add extra value to your show notes by including some great quotes mentioned by guests of the show or writing down the main idea of the episode.

Link the resources

If you want your show notes to be effective and useful you should make sure to include all the resources that are mentioned in the show. Many things and products that you discuss in the show will later be searched for by your listeners. So make sure to include the link of that book you just discussed with your guest and other products+resources that are related or mentioned during the show.

Visual content

While podcasts are all about audio, sometimes it can be helpful to include some visuals as well. And we’re not talking about illustrations or photos here, but things like charts, statistics and videos that could bring extra meaning to your show. For example if you’re discussing the rise of popularity in a certain field based on statistics, it might be helpful to include the picture of the stats in the show notes.

Include guest bios

If the episode you’re recording involves a guest, you should make sure to include her/his bio in the show notes. Write some main points a listener might want to know about the guest and link their websites, social media accounts and other parts of their brand. While including a guest’s bio is very considerate, make sure to not over do it. The bio shouldn’t be longer than 100 words.

Make timestamps if useful

Show notes are a great place to include your timestamps in. Timestamps are beneficial when the episode covers several topics and is pretty long. Then some listeners might want to start playing the show from precise moments. They’re especially useful for educational and story-telling podcasts, where marking main points are very important as listeners can jump to the sections they want to learn about.

Calls to action

A great way to end your show notes is with a call to action. This could be a request to review the show, subscribe to your newsletter and social media accounts or listen to a previous episode of the show. It is a great strategy to divide traffic equally to all parts of your brand and a brilliant ending with clear instructions for further steps.

Consistency is key!

While the quality always was and will be important, consistency is a very big part of a successful product too. You’ve probably already heard how crucial it is to produce new content for your show consistently, well guess what? The same applies with show notes too. Keeping your show notes sequential is very important. You should try to keep the same structure and layout of them as well. This way it will not only be easier for you to put them together but will also be helpful for your listeners to scan through the content.