How to transcribe a podcast and prepare show notes

1. Choose the recording you can actually process

Use your original MP3, M4A, WAV, or supported video file. A Spotify or Apple Podcasts episode page is not an audio file upload, and ClipToDraft does not import those podcast URLs. If you publish a video version, an accessible individual YouTube link is another supported starting point.

Check file size and episode length before uploading. Uploads must fit the 50 MB limit and your plan’s duration allowance. A long interview may need a shorter excerpt or separate files. When you split a recording, retain each part’s starting time so you can reconstruct episode timestamps later.

2. Make the transcript reliable before making it shorter

Open the completed transcript and listen back to the passages that matter. A plausible sentence can still misquote a guest. Review names, amounts, unfamiliar terms, and any statement you plan to use in the episode description.

1. Upload the recording through the audio-to-text tool and open the completed result.
2. Play back uncertain passages and correct their segment text in the editor.
3. Keep meaningful qualifications and label speakers manually where needed. Do not assume every speaker has been identified correctly.
4. Export a TXT copy for the episode page. Keep a timed export as well if you need to find passages later.

3. Turn the checked text into useful show notes

In the transcript editor, generate a concise summary if your account has AI drafts available. Treat it as a starting point, then adapt it for someone deciding whether to listen. Explain the question the episode answers and what the guest contributes. Remove repeated points and any claim that is not supported by the recording.

Add resource links yourself and open each one. For chapters, play the recording and record the real start of each topic. A summary does not establish accurate chapter timestamps, and a generated reference may point to the wrong resource.

Episode: [clear title]
In this episode: [two sentences grounded in the recording]
Key topics: [three useful points]
Chapters: [timestamps checked against the full episode]
Resources: [verified links]
Transcript: [link to the reviewed text]

4. Publish the notes and transcript where listeners can find them

Put the short notes near your episode player and give the full transcript a clear link. W3C guidance recommends including relevant non-speech audio and identifying speakers. An automatic text export needs review before it serves that purpose.

Save the recording, corrected transcript, and final notes together. When an episode is edited after publication, check its transcript and chapters again. Keep the transcript separate from a polished article: readers should be able to tell which words were spoken and which text was written afterward.

Before you finish

• The recording is yours to process and fits your current limits.
• Names, quotations, resources, and chapter times have been checked.
• The show notes and full transcript are clearly distinguished.

Common questions