5 Essential Elements of Podcast Show Notes

Upon starting a podcast, many hosts want to know the most effective method for creating high-value show notes. That is, most individuals want to know how to create show notes that gain traction and make an impact. Today, our aim is to share our method of writing show notes and the reasons why show notes written in this manner are effective in the promotion of a podcast show. 

What are show notes? 

Before addressing the necessity of show notes, it is imperative that we take a moment to explain what exactly show notes are, why you may want to consider writing them, and what makes them a helpful tool when it comes to podcast promotion. Show notes act as a description of the topics discussed within your episode. The show notes allow potential listeners to understand the topicality of your episodes, the angle at which you and your guest covered the topics, and the applicable takeaways for the listener.  The goal of any host should be to make his or her show notes stand out from the crowd. One does not need to use fancy methods in an effort to do this, but one must know what to include in order for the notes to be effective. 

What should I include in my show notes? 

The truth is that show notes can be written in a variety of ways and still be effective. However, at Spark Media, we have come up with a common structure for show notes that makes them simple for the host to write, quick for the listener to digest, and engaging. In our show notes, we include several sections, each designed to serve a purpose. They are the introduction, the key takeaways, the resources, the social media links, and the conclusion/call to action. When creating your show notes you should include as many possible keywords surrounding your topic to help with SEO and google indexing. Now, let’s cover each of these areas more in depth. 

Section #1: The Introduction 

Purpose: This section introduces your topic, your guest or guests if you are interviewing someone, your interviewee’s unique angle and personal experience with the topic, the questions that you sought to answer within the interview, and gives a brief biography of your guest. 

Here is an example of the introduction section of show notes. 

On this episode of ____ I interview ____. [Person interviewed] has experience with [areas of interest, educational background, or biography]. We had an interesting conversation about {topics covered in episode], discussed [unique angle/guest’s opinion on topic], and [one engaging key takeaway from the second section]. 

Section #2: The Key Takeaways

Purpose: The key takeaways section contains quotations from the episode that are designed to catch the attention of your listeners and keep them engaged. They are typically short and can be used across social media platforms in tweets, and quote graphics.

Examples of key takeaways could include: 

• Statistics mentioned by the guest 
• A unique perspective that the guest brought to light
• A fact or bit of knowledge that the host was surprised by, or that the audience would not typically know 
• Any other quote that could readily be shared on social media 

Section 3: The Resources Section

Purpose: The purpose of this section is to point listeners to information, research, or websites mentioned within the episode that the listener would find helpful in his or her quest to learn more about the topic covered within the episode. 

Here are some examples of the types of information typically contained within the resources section. 

• The guest’s website, books, product, courses or podcasts
• Any external links mentioned by the guest 
• Any resources that the guest may find helpful in discovering more about the given topic 

Section 4: The Social Media Links 

Purpose: This section allows for the listener to connect with the guest on his or her preferred social media platform. 

Here is an example of the way that this section is typically laid out. 

Instagram: [guest’s social media link goes here.] 

Facebook: 

Twitter: 

Pinterest: 

TikTok: 

LinkedIn: 

Any other platform on which the guest can be found: 

Section 5: The Conclusion/Call to Action

Purpose: This section seeks to wrap up all that has been discussed and call the listener to act in some way. 

Here are examples of the kinds of calls to action that are often found within show notes. 

• Follow the host on social media 
• Join the host’s email list 
• Leave a rating or review of the podcast show 
• Share the show on social media or with a friend 

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