Summary: <br> Next to podcast-editing, show-notes writing is one of the most dreaded parts of podcasting. Here are several suggestions for speeding up the process!<br> <br> Do show notes matter?<br> Yes! High quality show notes (not transcriptions) are important for accessibility, <a href="https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/store/seo-for-podcasters/">search-engine optimization (SEO)</a>, and demonstrate a seriousness about your podcast.<br> Learn more about why podcast show notes matter:<br> <br> * <a href="https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/tap049-9-steps-to-better-podcast-shownotes-and-7-benefits/">9 Steps to Better Podcast Shownotes and 7 Benefits</a><br> * <a href="https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/does-seo-really-matter-in-podcasting-tap179/">Does SEO really matter in podcasting?</a><br> <br> 1. Make or collect talking points first<br> When you know your discussion topics, it’s a lot easier to recall what you said and write sufficient show notes.<br> This is also important to do before you record, to prevent straggling information. For example, if you have cohosts and discuss news stories, it’s easier if you have each cohost provide their links before you record instead of trying to get them afterward.<br> 2. Write show notes before you record<br> We usually dread writing show notes when we postpone their writing until after we have recorded. Instead, try writing your show notes as part of your preparation.<br> This will not only allow you to publish your episodes more quickly, but it is a great way to mentally rehearse your content. This allows you to present the content a lot more effectively and smoothly, which also <a href="https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/13-tips-for-faster-podcast-editing-tap243/">makes audio/video editing faster</a>!<br> When you’re finished recording, you need only to finalize your notes and add what little missing information there might have been.<br> This may not always be possible with cohosts, but if all of you write something before you record, it makes the process much faster after you have recorded.<br> 3. Change your approach<br> Like with audio/video editing, the burden of work depends largely on your approach. Your show notes don’t have to be a verbatim transcription or complete record of every thought you shared in your podcast. Let your notes be more concise.<br> Summarize your discussion into one or two sentences, instead of trying to represent every piece of information you share.<br> Here’s a trick for deciding what to include in your show notes. Answer the “What was that _____?” questions.<br> For example:<br> <br> * What was that list?<br> * What was that link?<br> * What was that video or image?<br> * What was that guest?<br> * What was that resource?<br> * What was that topic?<br> <br> Answer these and similar questions with your show notes, and you’ll probably be just as thorough as you need to be. (But there’s always room to do better!)<br> 4. Create templates<br> Most show notes follow typical patterns. For example, The Audacity to Podcast always contains:<br> <br> * Featured image<br> * Intro paragraph<br> * PowerPress shortcode<br> * Full notes<br> * List of recent reviews<br> * Announcements<br> * Closing stuff<br> <br> Instead of remembering this format for each post, I simply load a template.<br> Your template could be something you copy and paste each time (such as from <a href="https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/evernote" title="Create an Evernote Account" class="pretty-link-keyword" target="_blank">Evernote</a>), but I love the free WordPress plugin <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-post-template/">Simple Content Templates</a>. This allows you to create post templates from a WYSIWYG editor or HTML. But remember to choose your template before you edit your post!<br> These templates can contain rich text formatting, images,
