Why Show Notes Creation Is Costing You More Than You Think
You've just wrapped a brilliant podcast episode. Your guest delivered gold, your host asked killer questions, and the conversation flowed naturally. Then reality hits: someone needs to transform 60 minutes of audio into scannable show notes, pull out quotable moments, timestamp key insights, and compile all those resources mentioned throughout. You either spend two hours doing it yourself, delay publication while waiting for a VA to finish, or publish bare-bones notes that do nothing for discoverability or listener experience.
Time saved: Reduces 90-120 minutes of manual transcription and summarization to under 10 minutes of AI-assisted production
Consistency gain: Standardizes show notes format across all episodes, ensuring every publication includes timestamps, key takeaways, guest bios, and resource links in a predictable structure that builds audience trust
Cognitive load: Eliminates the exhausting task of re-listening to episodes multiple times to catch quotable moments and verify timestamps—freeing your creative energy for content strategy and guest relationships
Cost comparison: At $25-50/hour for a content VA, outsourcing show notes for a weekly podcast costs $400-800/month. AI delegation handles this for pennies per episode while maintaining quality and cutting turnaround time from days to minutes.
This task is perfect for AI delegation because it requires audio comprehension (extracting meaning from conversational content), information architecture (organizing topics into logical sections), and content repurposing (transforming spoken words into scannable written formats)—exactly what AI handles efficiently when given proper structure and examples.
Here's how to delegate this effectively using the 5C Framework.
Why This Task Tests Your Delegation Skills
Creating effective podcast show notes reveals whether you understand content strategy versus content production. A competent assistant can't generate valuable show notes without knowing your podcast's purpose, who your listeners are, what content goals each episode serves, and how show notes fit into your broader content ecosystem.
This is delegation engineering, not prompt hacking. Just like onboarding a new content coordinator, you must specify:
- Content priorities (what makes it into show notes versus what gets cut?)
- Audience needs (are listeners scanning for specific insights or consuming linearly?)
- Format conventions (how do you structure quotes, timestamps, and resource lists?)
The 5C Framework forces you to codify these editorial decisions into AI instructions. Master this SOP, and you've learned to delegate any content repurposing task—from webinar summaries to video descriptions to newsletter digests.
Configuring Your AI for Podcast Show Notes
| 5C Component | Configuration Strategy | Why it Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Content strategist and podcast producer with expertise in audio storytelling, SEO optimization, and audience engagement patterns | Ensures AI understands show notes serve multiple functions—discovery (SEO), conversion (listener retention), and distribution (social sharing)—not just episode summaries |
| Context | Podcast format (interview/solo/panel), episode length, target audience persona, content pillar this episode supports, your show's unique positioning and editorial voice | Different podcast formats require different show notes strategies—a tactical how-to show needs step-by-step breakdowns; a narrative interview needs story arcs and emotional hooks |
| Command | Generate comprehensive show notes including episode summary, timestamped key moments, quotable highlights, guest bio, mentioned resources, and SEO-optimized description | Prevents generic summaries and ensures show notes function as standalone content assets that drive traffic, engagement, and backlinks—not just administrative episode metadata |
| Constraints | Keep summary under 150 words; limit timestamps to 5-8 major topics; extract 3-5 pullquotes maximum; flag any unverified claims or statistics requiring fact-checking; maintain show's brand voice | Stops content bloat and ensures show notes remain scannable—walls of text don't get read, and over-quoting dilutes impact of genuinely remarkable moments |
| Content | Provide 2-3 examples of your best-performing show notes, including your preferred timestamp format, quote styling, guest bio structure, and how you handle resource links and CTAs | Teaches AI your show's conventions—whether you write in first person or third person, use casual or professional tone, prioritize actionable takeaways or conceptual insights |
The Copy-Paste Delegation Template
<role>
You are a podcast content strategist and producer specializing in audio-to-text content repurposing. You understand how show notes serve multiple functions: SEO optimization for discovery, scannable navigation for listeners, social media content for promotion, and evergreen resources for audience value.
</role>
<context>
I need show notes for a [podcast name] episode. Our podcast is [brief show positioning: interview-based/educational/storytelling format] targeting [audience description]. Episodes typically run [length] and cover topics in [domain/industry].
Our show notes standards:
- Tone: [conversational/professional/authoritative/casual]
- Primary goal: [drive subscriptions/establish thought leadership/generate leads/build community]
- SEO focus: [target keywords or topics if relevant]
- Distribution channels: [website/YouTube/social media platforms]
Episode context: [1-2 sentence description of this specific episode's angle or why it matters to your audience]
</context>
<instructions>
Follow this sequence:
1. **Listen and extract core narrative**: Identify the episode's central thesis, main argument, or story arc. What's the one key idea listeners should remember? What problem does this episode solve or question does it answer?
2. **Write episode summary** (100-150 words): Craft an engaging overview that:
- Hooks readers in the first sentence with the episode's most compelling angle
- Establishes why this conversation matters to the target audience
- Teases 2-3 specific insights or revelations without spoiling everything
- Ends with a soft CTA encouraging listening
- Uses SEO-friendly language naturally incorporating relevant keywords
3. **Create timestamped navigation** (5-8 key moments):
- Format: [MM:SS] - Clear, specific topic description (not vague labels)
- Focus on major topic transitions, actionable frameworks, surprising insights, or memorable stories
- Write timestamp descriptions that make sense standalone (someone scanning should understand value immediately)
- Prioritize timestamps that help listeners jump to their specific interests
4. **Extract quotable highlights** (3-5 pullquotes):
- Select quotes that are: self-contained insights, emotionally resonant, shareable on social media, or challenge conventional thinking
- Attribute each quote to speaker: "Quote text here." - [Speaker Name]
- Each quote should be 15-40 words—punchy enough to share but substantial enough to deliver value
- Avoid quotes requiring heavy context to understand
5. **Compile mentioned resources**:
- Books, articles, tools, websites, or other podcasts referenced during conversation
- Format: [Resource Name] by [Creator] - [Brief description of relevance]
- Only include resources explicitly mentioned—don't invent or suggest additional ones
- Flag any resources where details were unclear and need verification
6. **Draft guest bio** (if applicable):
- 50-75 words covering: current role/company, relevant expertise, notable achievements
- Include 2-3 social media handles or website links
- Focus on credentials relevant to this episode's topic
7. **Apply quality checks**:
- Verify all timestamps are accurate
- Ensure quotes are verbatim (not paraphrased)
- Confirm resource names and attributions are correct
- Check that summary and timestamps use consistent terminology
- Flag any claims that might require fact-checking
Output as formatted show notes ready to publish.
</instructions>
<input>
Provide one of the following:
**Option A - Transcript:**
[Paste full episode transcript here]
**Option B - Audio file:**
[Upload audio file or provide transcript via audio-to-text tool first]
**Episode metadata:**
- Guest name(s): [If applicable]
- Episode number/title: [Your reference]
- Recording date: [For currency of information]
- Any specific topics you want emphasized: [Optional guidance]
Example input:
"Episode 47: Scaling Content Without Burning Out - Guest: Sarah Chen, Content Director at Acme Corp. Transcript: [full transcript pasted]..."
[PASTE YOUR INPUTS HERE]
</input>The Manager's Review Protocol
Before publishing AI-generated show notes, apply these quality checks:
- Accuracy Check: Verify all timestamps against actual audio—did AI correctly identify when topics begin, or are timestamps off by several minutes? Confirm guest names, titles, and company affiliations match reality. Cross-check any statistics, dates, or factual claims mentioned in quotes against what was actually said.
- Hallucination Scan: Ensure AI didn't invent resources that weren't mentioned, fabricate quotes that sound plausible but weren't said, or create timestamps for topics that didn't occur. Check that the episode summary accurately reflects the conversation's actual focus—AI sometimes writes summaries based on what it thinks episodes should cover rather than what was discussed.
- Tone Alignment: Confirm show notes match your podcast's voice—if your show is irreverent and casual, corporate-sounding show notes will feel jarring. Verify pullquotes capture speakers' actual speaking style (some people are naturally quotable in writing; others sound awkward when transcribed verbatim and need light editing for readability). Ensure the summary creates appropriate expectations—overselling an episode damages trust.
- Strategic Fitness: Evaluate whether show notes serve your podcast's goals—do they emphasize topics that align with your content strategy and audience interests? Are the selected quotes shareable and brand-aligned? Do timestamps help listeners find value quickly, or are they arbitrary time markers? Strong delegation means recognizing when AI correctly prioritized versus when you need to elevate different moments based on positioning strategy.
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When This SOP Isn't Enough
This SOP solves single-episode show notes creation, but podcasters typically face content ecosystem challenges—repurposing show notes into social media threads, newsletter features, blog posts, and video clips while maintaining message consistency across channels. The full 5C methodology covers multi-asset workflows (generating entire content packages from one episode), audience segmentation (creating different show notes versions for different listener personas), and back-catalog optimization (systematically improving older episodes' discoverability).
For standalone episode publishing, this template works perfectly. For building integrated content operations, cross-platform distribution strategies, or data-driven content optimization, you'll need the advanced delegation frameworks taught in Sorai Academy.