| A well-crafted podcast is a perfect addition to your inbound marketing strategy. Pods are highly engaging and readily accessible to global audiences. They can build credibility by showcasing true thought leadership, shaping the narrative around industries. Simple and cost-effective, each episode can be heard by target audiences no matter the industry. Selling expertise is more powerful than selling a product or service. Having notes for each episode of your podcast is a must. You wouldn’t go on a road trip without a GPS. The same goes for a podcast episode. Show notes can be a guide to engage your audience/niche and share resources, such as: your Patreon link affiliate links and discount codes newsletter sign-ups a summary of the episode a shareable link to the episode Benefits of a show roadmap Selling your company’s expertise is more powerful than selling a product or service. Your listeners come to you for information. Winging it can make you waste an opportunity to build trust and your professional/personal brand. With a plan, you can also create more effective calls to action listeners want to act on. Attract new listeners With careful research, you can appeal to your audience and attract new followers. New content that is high-value is the only way to extend your reach and maintain your current audience. Show notes based on this roadmap convert traffic from your website to your podcast and encourage viewers to subscribe.Having key points and memorable quotes handy makes it easier for your listeners to share the podcast on socials, increasing your exposure. Optimize Finding the right keywords and weaving them into your content so they sound conversational is an SEO strategy for pods. Picking the best keywords can boost your performance in podcast apps and search engines. Optimized audio content allows new listeners to stumble across it and they will listen with rapt attention if it hits their pain points. Cross promote No matter how much of an expert you are in your field, you will need guests to keep the value flowing. When potential guests see that you promote people and businesses in your show notes, they are more likely to agree to be on your podcast. Booking more podcast guests can grant you exposure to their audience. Promote your back catalog Linking past episodes that are relevant to the current episode can help keep listeners engaged. Elements of stellar show notes What you include in your show notes depends on your preference. Here are some best-practice options. SEO-optimized title The best keywords should be in your: Episode title Episode summary Intro Description Body text Investing some time into figuring out which keywords your potential listeners are searching for will guide the content you create. Episode description Catch listener attention with a keyword-rich episode description. By enticing them to listen, you can help solve their problems. Aim for 100 to 200 words. Bullet points of main topics Bullet points help you outline the main points of your episode. Harness the power of timestamps for SEO and to make it easy for the listener to navigate. In this episode, we’re going to look at some ways you can effectively promote your podcast using Instagram Stories. Introduction 00:27 – Behind the scenes 00:51 – Share from Spotify 01:10 – How to create soundbites through visuals 01:54 – Reels and the art of repurposing 02:16 – User-generated content 02:48 – Countdown sticker 03:17 – Harnessing highlights Guest bios Give every guest a grand entrance. They may give you a prepared bio or expect you to provide one. Start by highlighting their accomplishments and promoting their links in about 75 words. “In this episode, Jordan Grey joins me as we discuss key data points for 2023. Jordan was voted top 50 under 50 for marketing professionals by Ocean Drive magazine. She started her own agency in high school. Her roster includes Vogue magazine, Better Homes and Garden (R) Real Estate, and Capital Records. She is also an accomplished flamenco dancer.” Affiliate links Aside from mentioning an affiliate product on your podcast, provide a link so listeners can research the item and make a purchase. Your show notes must include links and discount codes to boost monetization and conversions. Links to additional resources Quotes, data, articles, or other material referenced in your episode need to be linked to build your credibility. Episode transcriptions A great way to boost SEO, transcriptions should be thorough. They can be posted on the episode page of your website and linked in the show notes. Call to action A call to action is one step you want listeners to take after hearing your episode. Signing up for your newsletter Subscribing to your podcast Buying a product Enrolling in courses Pick only one CTA. Show Notes Template The longer your notes are, the less chance you have of going off the rails with tangents or filler because you lost the plot. Date:Name of podcast:Episode title and number: Brief summary of episode: 200 words. Paragraphs on the main topic with a few keywords sprinkled in. Main topic #1 Paragraph Main topic #2 Paragraph Main topic #3 Paragraph [Episode transcript] Sponsorships:Sponsor’s name, a short summary, and a link to their landing page. Repeat as necessary.Resources:Resource link #1Resource link #2Resource link #3Social media handles: Other materials: Call to action (choose one):Newsletter sign-upE-course registrationShareable link to episode: Let’s discuss the goals of your podcast and how you can change your industry with your thought leadership: https://calendly.com/maureencastellon |