Podcast show notes generator: what to include
Show notes serve three readers: a subscriber deciding whether to press play, a searcher who's never heard of you, and future-you looking for that one quote. One structure serves all three.
Generate show notes from your transcript →Paste a transcript or transcribe locally in your browser. Audio is never uploaded.
The structure
- Hook summary (2-3 sentences) — what happens in the episode and why it matters. Not “in this episode we discuss”; lead with the payoff.
- Timestamped takeaways (5-8 bullets) — each one a complete, specific claim: “[14:20] Why completion rate beats downloads as a growth metric”.
- One pull quote — the line people will screenshot. Verbatim, attributed.
- Links & mentions — every tool, book, and person mentioned. This is half the reason listeners open show notes at all.
- Guest bio + CTA (2 lines max) — where to find them, what to do next.
Copy-and-paste podcast show notes template
Replace the bracketed fields, keep only sections that help the listener, and verify every quote and timestamp.
# [Episode title] [Two or three sentences explaining what the listener will learn and why this episode matters.] ## In this episode - [00:00] [Opening topic or question] - [00:00] [Specific takeaway] - [00:00] [Decision, framework, or story] - [00:00] [Closing takeaway] ## Key quote “[Exact quote from the transcript.]” — [Speaker] ## Links and resources - [Resource name]: [Verified URL] - [Guest website or profile]: [Verified URL] ## About the guest [Name] is [one-sentence, factual bio]. ## Listen and subscribe [Episode link] · [Podcast website] · [Subscribe link]
What a generator should not invent
- Quotes that do not appear verbatim in the transcript.
- Timestamps that were guessed instead of calculated from the episode.
- Links, credentials, or claims that were never mentioned or verified.
- A stronger conclusion than the guest actually made.
What to skip
- The full transcript inline — link it on its own page instead (better for SEO too; see transcript format).
- Sponsor copy above the takeaways — nothing kills open rates like an ad wall.
- Vague bullets — “we talk about growth” tells a searcher (and Google) nothing.
Generate them from your transcript
The free tool builds this exact structure from your episode: transcribe in your browser (audio never uploaded) or paste a transcript, clean it, then generate show notes, chapters, and clip suggestions in one pack. Quotes are pulled verbatim — verify before publishing, as with any AI draft.
Podcast show notes questions
What should podcast show notes include?
Useful podcast show notes usually include a short episode summary, timestamped takeaways or chapters, one or two exact quotes, links and resources mentioned in the episode, a brief guest bio, and a clear next step for the listener.
Can I generate podcast show notes from a transcript?
Yes. A cleaned transcript gives a generator the source material for summaries, timestamps, quotes, and resource mentions. Review the draft against the transcript before publishing, especially names, links, timestamps, and quotations.
Do podcast show notes replace the full transcript?
No. Show notes are a concise guide to the episode, while a transcript preserves the full conversation for accessibility, search, and reference. Publish them separately and link between them when possible.