What Are Show Notes (and do you need them)?

[00:00:01] There's a scene from the 2003 movie Bruce Almighty that has stuck with me for over 20 years. Bruce is driving and he's upset and he's asking God for a sign to do the right thing.

[00:00:19] While ignoring literal signs in front of him that are warning him, right before he gets into a car accident. The point being is you can find the thing you require if you look for it and if you don't ignore the obvious.

[00:00:42] A few weeks ago I was giving a talk and I mentioned show notes, then someone in the audience asked what are show notes.

[00:00:51] And last week I got an email from my friend Crystal. She talked about coaching her friend into the decision to mix show notes all together for her podcast. Now I've been considering doing an episode on show notes and my friends, I don't need a third sign.

[00:01:13] So in today's episode I want to talk all about show notes. Hey everybody and welcome to another episode of podcast workflows, the show that helps you save 12 hours per week on your podcast processes.

[00:01:32] My name is Joe Casabona, I'm a podcast systems coach and let's get into it today we're talking about show notes. Okay so first of all, let's go over the question I got from this person in the audience, what are show notes?

[00:01:51] If you've been listening to podcasts for a long time, the idea of show notes is intuitive. It's the text that accompanies a podcast episode. It usually has some description about the episode and links mentioned in the episode.

[00:02:08] However, I read an interesting stat a while back and into that most new podcasters have been listening to podcasts for less than a year.

[00:02:19] So if you're relatively new to the medium or even if you're not but you started a podcast without really understanding what show notes were and then you've kind of always done it the same way, you might not know what show notes are.

[00:02:35] So the clearest answer is this, show notes are the text in the podcast listening app for a particular episode. So if you're watching either on YouTube or listening in an app or even on the show's website, the show notes is all of the text that accompanies that episode.

[00:02:57] And there you I haven't done deep deep research on this but they're usually defined by three elements. A description of the episode so people know what it's about before they listen to it.

[00:03:11] Links and resources mentioned during the episode, this one's usually hit our mask because it could take a while to put together those show notes and a call to action.

[00:03:22] I suspect the main reason they are called show notes is that they were largely made up of links mentioned during the show back when podcasts first launch. But there's not like a comprehensive history on show notes, so I don't know for certain that is pure speculation.

[00:03:41] Otherwise, I mean otherwise it would just be called the description right like. I don't know why you would call something. Show notes when it already had the name description. Okay, so that's neither here nor there now that you know what they are.

[00:04:01] Let's answer the next important question which is why should you have show notes? Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with a great idea and not write it down because you'll remember it in the morning except you don't remember it in the morning.

[00:04:23] You should have written it down. That is I feel the primary function of show notes. You mentioned some resources in an episode and you write them down for your listeners to make them easier to find later.

[00:04:40] After all, your listeners might be driving or at the gym or cooking or doing something else where they can't take action right at the moment they're listening. They have a metaphorical nightstand with no pen and paper.

[00:04:56] And the show notes can include any number of resources like how to find your guest. I set up a custom landing page for every podcast I go on and it's going to have a resource most relevant to what we talked about.

[00:05:12] Links on how to find me and sometimes links to other resources that I mentioned during the episode. It's like my own version of the show note and it adds a ton of value for guests. Another resources that you can include are tools and websites mentioned during the show.

[00:05:30] This is a great place for affiliate links so whenever I mention convert kit or ecam live or whatever, I will make sure to include a link in the show notes that is my affiliate link. Of course, always make sure you properly disclose when you're using affiliate links.

[00:05:47] But this is a great place for that. Your listeners are going to hear you talk about something they're going to want to know.

[00:05:51] This is why like gift guide episodes are so popular or you know a lot of podcasts I listen to will do like this state of our desk or the state of our apps.

[00:06:03] And it's just a great place for helpful content for sure. This is why they keep doing them because listeners respond well to them, but it's also a good place for affiliate links. The third thing is sponsors you definitely want your listeners to find your sponsors.

[00:06:19] And having a place in the show notes for that is great. You'll have your resources and call to action and you can have a link for feedback support or anything else you may or may not explicitly mention in the show.

[00:06:33] Right a few weeks ago we talked about how to get good feedback from your audience, which I'm going to share some feedback because I put this out as a newsletter and an article first. But I'm going to share some feedback but to get good feedback.

[00:06:47] You should have a link in the show notes because they're it's super easy for your listeners to read the description, press a link and go fill out a form or something.

[00:06:57] Having these like I just said directly in the description for your episode means it's easy as easy as possible for your listeners to take action without extra steps. It's all about reducing friction. So now that I've convinced you, let's talk about the best ways to create show notes.

[00:07:18] I think as far as how to keep track of them and what to include here's what I recommend. You should keep a swipe file in notion or apple notes or Google Docs or wherever you keep notes for me right now it's obsidian.

[00:07:33] Yes, I will link to some of these in the show notes for this episode. But you should include a swipe file of common links that you want to include.

[00:07:43] This could be a link to your mailing list or a podcast feedback page or the main URL for your podcast so people can subscribe and listen to other episodes. For solo shows, you can add links to your outline or script.

[00:07:59] So you know to include those things as well. So like if you have a script, put the script in the description box or link to a website that has the outline in the script or put the outline in here's what we're going to talk about and your outline.

[00:08:14] For interviews during recording, keep a note up on your screen or a pen and paper handy and any time you or your guest mentions a useful resource right down the name so that you or your VA can always grab the link later.

[00:08:29] In an episode where I recently interviewed my friend Sarah John. Sarah St John, sorry Sarah.

[00:08:40] We talked about a lot of resources right and so what I ended up doing was write down a few but then I made sure to kick off this section where we talked about a lot of tools with the word show notes and then end with the words show notes.

[00:08:59] The transcript and look at any resources we mentioned so that's another thing that you can do usually I'll say multiple times throughout an episode you'll be able to find those links in the show notes.

[00:09:12] And when I say that I know that around that point a link was mentioned and I am reminding the audience that hey, you don't have to go find this on your own I've provided that link for you.

[00:09:23] So with you know, with the advent of AI transcripts I think that putting together your show notes can be even easier.

[00:09:35] Then there's the actual format of the show notes and so here's what I strongly recommend for this you want to start off with a hook and the description. Your main goal for the description of the episode is still to convince people to listen.

[00:09:53] And so just starting off with a link isn't going to do that you're going to want to still hook them and have a description of the episode.

[00:10:02] Then I would say have your primary call to action. So have the basic description and then say something for a for example, to get more resources like this you can sign up for my mailing list over at whatever whatever.

[00:10:18] After your primary call to action do the top takeaways from the episode now you're providing more value after the call to action.

[00:10:27] Then if you have sponsors list your sponsors. This is going to depend heavily on. If your sponsor negotiated that they are the first link in the description I don't offer that as an option because I know how important. The hook and description are.

[00:10:47] But I know that is something that some sponsors want. After the sponsors then put the rest of your show notes and he links that you mentioned and then a transcript or a link to the transcripts now some podcasts apps support transcripts.

[00:11:02] And so as long as you upload a transcript to your podcast host the apple display properly otherwise I would link it to a transcript. I this is a whole other episode, but I strongly recommend having a good website for your podcast and there is where the transcript can live.

[00:11:19] So now that I've made the argument for show notes, I want to answer a question that crystal posed in her newsletter. Do you actually need show notes? Her ultimate point is that you shouldn't let the process get in the way of actually making your content and I agree.

[00:11:41] Do what works best for you and iterate and improve. However, I think there are must have that come along with anything you do. If you go to a restaurant in order a steak they give you a steak knife because a butter knife won't cut it. Pun intended.

[00:12:04] Without a steak knife the experience is much worse and it reflects poorly on the restaurant why wouldn't they provide this crucial tool to help you eat a steak better. I think show notes is the steak knife of podcasting.

[00:12:24] It's a crucial tool to help you create a better experience for your listeners and get them to take that all important next step. Whether it's send in feedback or join your mailing list or become a member or check out your sponsors.

[00:12:40] Any of these things positively impact your show. And those actions are much much less likely to happen without show notes. That is the argument I have for show notes.

[00:13:01] But I did like I said at the beginning of the show, I shared this on social media and I got a lot of feedback about it. I shared the winning formula right remember hook and description and then primary call to action top takeaways sponsors show notes transcripts.

[00:13:20] I want to share some of the feedback that stood out particularly to me because I think it is good feedback. But also, I don't think it tells the whole story.

[00:13:32] So my friend Alistair McDermott who I've had many spirited debates with he says I think the show notes are useful to help a listener decide if the episode is for them. I think the episode page on your website is for the resources.

[00:13:48] And then Leo, I'm really sorry I'm probably going to miss pronounced your name. Leo, June and June and I'm inclined as an Italian to say, June and but I don't think that's right.

[00:14:03] Anyway he says I have a love hate relationship with show notes. I hate creating them. I love having them.

[00:14:08] When I listen to podcasts, I always want to look at them and I never do. And then he goes on to make the argument that all podcasters should have a chatbot.

[00:14:19] So I think these are both great points and I agree that they are very valuable assets to any podcaster.

[00:14:24] Like I just said, a website is absolutely crucial for a podcast. If the canonical universal place you can send listeners because if you just give them an apple pod cast link, 70% of people don't use apple podcasts. That number has probably grown.

[00:14:45] But a large portion of them, especially outside of the United States, can't even access apple podcasts because they don't have an iPhone.

[00:14:54] Or a Mac. So a website is absolutely crucial for a podcast. And a chatbot can be a fantastic resource. I've toyed around with building my own chatbot for the streamline solo per newer because I have over 400 episodes.

[00:15:10] If you have a vast amount of episodes with transcripts, this could be an amazing resource for you or others to find that perfect episode. But there is a fatal flaw in both of these approaches. And that's you're not meeting the podcast listener where they are.

[00:15:30] I just said we need to create a frictionless experience. And honestly, it's hard to get podcasts listeners to take action as is giving them any extra steps increases the friction.

[00:15:44] So while you should definitely have a website with your resources as Alistair points out, you should also link to them in the show notes because now you're cutting the number of clicks a user has to make or taps or whatever steps you're cutting that number in half.

[00:16:02] And if Leo really doesn't look at the show notes even though he wants to, that signals to me that there's a very high level of friction. And I would think that forcing a listener to go interact with a chatbot instead would be much much harder.

[00:16:24] If you want your podcast episodes to convert, you need to make the actions as easy as possible. That means a website with an easily speakable URL.

[00:16:37] For my other show, it's always stream lined dot FM slash and then the episode number for this show, this usually accompanies a fully written article.

[00:16:49] And so usually the episode just sits on top of that, but all of the episodes are over at show dot podcast workflows dot com.

[00:16:57] So having an easily speakable URL is important, but it also means that you need to put the resources in front of your listeners in the app they're already using.

[00:17:09] And with the format that I've proposed, you'll accomplish a bunch of goals right you'll achieve Alistair's goal, which is to convince people to listen with the hook in description. You put your primary call to action, which I strongly recommend being join your mailing list.

[00:17:28] Forward so that people can do it right join your mailing list become a subscriber, leave a rating or share it whatever you want it's right there in front of them.

[00:17:39] You also give people a reason to keep reading the show notes with the top takeaways and you provide a list of other resources, which could be sponsor links affiliate links, other helpful resources or even a secondary call to action like finding more through your shows chatbot.

[00:17:57] But that's not all a few days after I wrote this article that I'm basically narrating right now. My friend Michael pointed this out. Spotify had just announced comments on podcast episodes in their apps and their app, I guess.

[00:18:19] So here's what my friend Michael Bickett said, a new reason for detailed show notes. Spotify's new comments feature. The platform comments may potentially reduce listener need to interact with the podcasts on their socials. It will however increase the visibility of the show notes.

[00:18:40] If podcasters have an affiliate link or other call to action, they absolutely need to be in the show notes instead of relying solely on the websites or socials.

[00:18:50] This will make detailed show notes even more important as he says because Spotify listeners, much like YouTube viewers will have even less incentive to leave the platform. And so if a Spotify listener can do nearly everything they want on platform right subscribe in the app.

[00:19:10] Leave a comment. Then why would just saying, oh, you can find other links at my website. Why would that be more enticing right instead I'd want to put that stuff right in front of the listener.

[00:19:28] Ultimately, everything mentioned here is good to have right Alistair mentioned to the website. That's really good and so important to have Leo mentioned the chatbot. I think that as it's easier to create chat bots.

[00:19:41] Having a helpful assistant on your website surface older episodes is really important they are all tools you can leverage for growth. But your best bet is to meet the listeners where they are.

[00:19:56] And if they aren't already listening on your website, that means they're using an app or another platform. Make it as easy as possible for them to take the action you want them to take.

[00:20:13] That's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening. If you want to find the written to be read article, this is actually two articles. So I'll link to both of them in the show notes.

[00:20:23] And my mailing list usually gets these thoughts first. So if you want to join my mailing list, that will also be in the show notes and over at podcast where flows dot com slash join.

[00:20:34] But that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening and until next time, I'll see you out there.