Best Practices for Podcast Show Notes
Show Notes Do More Than You Think
You spend hours creating each episode, then rush through show notes in five minutes. Sound familiar? You're not alone—and you're leaving significant value on the table.
Most podcasters treat show notes as an afterthought. A brief description, maybe a few links, done. But show notes are one of the most valuable pieces of content you produce, serving multiple purposes that directly impact your show's growth.
Here's the thing: well-crafted show notes can drive more traffic than the podcast episode itself.
Show notes are searchable. Unlike your audio, search engines can read and index your show notes. Every episode page becomes a potential entry point for new listeners finding you through Google.
Show notes are navigable. Listeners use them to jump to specific sections, find resources mentioned, and decide whether to invest time in an episode.
Show notes are shareable. When someone wants to recommend a specific episode, they share the show notes page, not an audio file.
Most podcasters under-invest in show notes. The ones who don't have a significant advantage.
What Good Show Notes Include
The Essentials
Every episode's show notes should include these elements at minimum:
Episode summary (2-3 sentences): Explain what the episode covers and why someone should listen. This appears in podcast apps and search results, so make it compelling and include relevant keywords.
Timestamps: List the major topics covered with corresponding times. These help listeners navigate and signal to search engines what topics you discuss.
Guest information: If you have a guest, include their name, title, brief relevant bio, and links to their website or social profiles. This respects their time and helps listeners connect with them.
Resources mentioned: Link to every book, tool, article, or website discussed in the episode. Listeners appreciate not having to hunt down these references.
The Extras That Help
Beyond the essentials, these additions increase value:
Key quotes: Pull 2-3 memorable statements from the episode. These catch attention when people skim and provide shareable content for social media.
Takeaways: Summarize the main actionable insights in 3-5 bullet points. Many listeners appreciate a quick reference without relistening.
Related episodes: Link to other episodes covering similar topics. This keeps listeners engaged with your archive and improves internal site structure for SEO.
Call to action: Tell listeners what to do next. Subscribe, leave a review, sign up for your newsletter, check out a product—whatever makes sense for the episode.
Show Notes for SEO
Search engines can't listen to audio. Your show notes are your opportunity to rank for the topics you discuss.
Include Keywords Naturally
Think about what someone would type into Google to find this content. Those phrases should appear in your show notes—not stuffed artificially, but woven into your descriptions naturally.
If your episode covers email marketing automation, phrases like "email automation," "automated email sequences," and "email marketing software" should appear because they would naturally describe the content.
Use Proper Structure
Headers help search engines understand your content:
- H1 - Episode title (usually handled by your site template)
- H2 - Major sections (About This Episode, Timestamps, Resources)
- H3 - Subsections if needed
Structured content performs better than walls of text.
Write Sufficient Content
Brief show notes provide little for search engines to work with. Aim for at least 300 words per episode, ideally more.
This doesn't mean padding with filler. It means including:
- Detailed episode summary
- Context for each timestamped section
- Full descriptions of resources
- Expanded guest bio
- Key quotes with surrounding context
More relevant content means more opportunities to rank. For a deeper dive on podcast SEO, see our guide on 7 strategies to get your podcast discovered.
Add Alt Text for Images
If you include images in your show notes (episode artwork, guest photos, graphs), add descriptive alt text. This helps accessibility and provides additional indexable content.
Show Notes Structure Template
Here's a template you can adapt for your show:
## About This Episode
[2-3 paragraph summary explaining what the episode covers,
who it's for, and what listeners will learn. Include relevant
keywords naturally.]
## About [Guest Name]
[Guest name] is [title] at [company]. [2-3 sentences about
their background relevant to this episode.]
- Website: [link]
- Twitter: [link]
- LinkedIn: [link]
- Book: [link if applicable]
## Timestamps
- [00:00] Introduction
- [02:30] [Topic 1 with brief description]
- [08:45] [Topic 2 with brief description]
- [15:20] [Topic 3 with brief description]
- [24:00] [Topic 4 with brief description]
- [32:15] [Topic 5 with brief description]
- [38:00] Final thoughts and takeaways
## Key Takeaways
- [Actionable insight 1]
- [Actionable insight 2]
- [Actionable insight 3]
- [Actionable insight 4]
## Notable Quotes
> "[Memorable quote from the episode]"
> — [Speaker name]
> "[Another memorable quote]"
> — [Speaker name]
## Resources Mentioned
- [Resource 1](link) - [brief description]
- [Resource 2](link) - [brief description]
- [Resource 3](link) - [brief description]
## Related Episodes
- [Episode Title](link) - [why it's related]
- [Episode Title](link) - [why it's related]
## Subscribe and Follow
[Links to podcast apps, social profiles, newsletter]
Creating Show Notes Efficiently
Use Transcripts
With transcripts, show notes creation becomes much faster:
- Skim the text instead of relistening
- Copy timestamps directly from segment markers
- Extract quotes by copying text
- Find resources mentioned by searching for proper nouns
What takes an hour without transcripts takes ten minutes with them. Learn more in our guide on why every podcaster needs searchable transcripts.
Build from Templates
Use the same structure every episode. You're filling in blanks, not deciding on format each time.
Batch Your Work
If you record multiple episodes per week, batch your show notes creation. Set aside one session and knock out several episodes at once.
Create During Production
Don't wait until publishing to write show notes. Capture information as you produce:
- Note resources when they're mentioned during recording
- Write the guest bio before the interview
- Draft timestamps while editing
Distributing the work makes it manageable.
Maintaining Consistency
Consistent show notes serve everyone better:
For you:
- Faster production once the format is established
- Easier to delegate if you hire help
- Cleaner archive over time
For listeners:
- Know what to expect on every episode page
- Can navigate efficiently across episodes
- Trust that resources are always listed
For SEO:
- Structured data helps search engines
- Consistent patterns build site authority
- Predictable content types perform better
Create your template, stick to it, and only deviate when there's good reason.
Elevate Your Show Notes
Show notes are worth the investment. They work for you while you sleep, bringing in new listeners through search and converting visitors into subscribers.
Ready to improve your show notes? Get started free and use transcripts to create detailed notes in minutes instead of hours.