Transcription software has come a long way in recent years. In the not-so-distant past, many people would actually transcribe interviews or recordings manually—an unthinkably time-consuming task in today’s fast-paced, AI-powered, digital world.
Now, creators of all kinds from journalists to social media influencers are enjoying the benefits of real-time transcription software that’s only becoming more accurate as time goes on.
If you’re a podcaster in 2024, generating transcripts for each episode you publish is non-negotiable—especially if you’re looking to scale up, increase visibility, and grow your audience.
In this article, we’ll be covering what podcast transcripts are, some of their key benefits for podcasters, and what tools you can use to create them.
What is a podcast transcript?
First things first, what exactly is a podcast transcript?
Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like—a document containing a word-for-word record of an entire podcast episode, separated by paragraphs for each individual speaker.
Think of it like a film script that’s been created after filming has wrapped. Transcripts can take on a variety of formats including, .doc, .docx, or .pdf, but in all cases, they are quite literally the podcast episode but in a written word format.
The benefits of creating podcast transcripts
If you think a podcast transcript is just one more useless document that will end up gathering dust on your hard drive, think again. They come with a wide variety of benefits and uses, which can be directly applied to make your podcast stronger and more accessible.
Easier editing
From a practical standpoint, having a transcription of an episode recording or interview can make editing much easier because you can see a visual representation of the conversation including time codes right in front of you.
This makes it much easier to edit out large chunks or search for words/phrases you don’t want to include by using the ctrl+F function.
A transcript can come in particularly handy if you’re not the one doing the actual sound editing because you can mark up the document and send it to the editor to make your directions easy and clear for them.
Improved SEO
One of the top reasons people generate transcripts of their podcast episodes is to increase visibility in search engine results, also known as podcast SEO.
The more written content you have on your podcast’s landing page to promote your series, the better, because search engines aren’t able to pick up on podcast keywords in audio recordings (yet).
That way, if your podcast is about playing chess, for example, and someone is searching for tips on how to play chess, it’s much more likely that your podcast will show up if you have transcripts available.
Increased visibility
In addition to helping your podcast out SEO-wise, transcripts can help to improve your visibility online by increasing your chances that you’ll be featured in a social media post or referenced through backlinks in a blog post.
Including a transcript with each episode can also improve your discoverability on podcast listening apps, meaning potential listeners are more likely to find your show and become devoted listeners. Overall, publishing a transcript is just a great way to put your podcast out there and increase the likelihood of others sharing about it online.
Repurposing content
Having a transcript of each podcast episode you publish can serve as the foundation for a whole bevy of repurposed podcast content to increase engagement and attract new listeners.
For example, you can use the transcript to make it easier to write blog posts, social media posts, or even an ebook containing all the previous content from your podcast. A transcript can also make it easier for AI to generate titles, descriptions and show notes for your show if you’re running low on time.
More accessible content
Publishing transcripts along with each episode will also help to make your podcast more inclusive and accessible to a broader audience base.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 1.5 billion people around the world (20%) suffer from hearing loss, and of these, 430 million people have hearing loss that’s disabling. Given this, written transcripts can help you reach more people who aren’t able to listen to an audio-first podcast due to hearing loss or another reason.
How to create a podcast transcript
When it comes to the logistics of actually generating a transcript of your podcast episode, there are a few different options at your disposal.
Of course, you could always opt for the old-fashioned way of manually transcribing the audio, but we don’t recommend this unless you’re looking for a mind-numbing task to fill your time—in which case, who are we to judge?
It’s safe to say that the vast majority of us, however, are looking for time-saving solutions. If this is the case for you, an easy way to generate a podcast transcript is by using a hosting platform with built-in transcription software. Some examples include:
CoHost
CoHost is an all-in-one podcast analytics and audience insights solution for podcasters looking to grow their audience and understand their show’s performance.
The platform’s AI-powered Automatic Transcription tool helps users create additional content to share across channels in just a few clicks.
Buzzsprout
Using their AI tool, the hosting platform Buzzsprout allows podcasters to attach transcripts directly to each episode and then display them on their podcast webpage.
Blubrry
Blubrry offers a podcast player that creates transcriptions through an integration with Rev.
Libsyn
Libsyn allows podcasters to upload their own transcripts and attach them to each episode page.
Podbean
In 2021, Podbean released its auto-generating podcast transcript and closed caption feature for podcasters with a paid plan.
Some other platforms that offer transcription services include:
- Trint: Powered by AI, Trint is a software platform that allows you to turn video and audio files into text files, making it easy to edit and collaborate with other team members.
- Rev: Rev is a speech-to-text platform providing closed captioning, subtitles, and transcription services.
- Otter.ai: Otter is a fast and accurate transcription platform that also offers a meeting assistant feature that listens in on meetings and takes notes in real-time.
- Descript: Video and audio editing platform Descript also offers AI and human-powered transcription services.
No matter which service you decide to go with, they’re all pretty turnkey and easy to figure out how to use. You’ll likely need to read through the transcript and correct a few errors before hitting publish, but the good news is that transcription software is getting better, faster, and more accurate every day.
However, if you choose to transcribe episodes using your hosting platform’s built-in service, you’ll benefit from having all your podcast tools and materials in one place.
Apple's new transcription feature
This spring, Apple Podcasts introduced an exciting new transcription feature that will be a game-changer for podcasters and listeners alike. Apple explained how it works in a recent article:
“With transcripts, your audience can read the full text of an episode, search the episode for a specific word or phrase, and tap the text to play from that point in the episode. As an episode plays, each word is highlighted, making it easy to follow along.”
Generated automatically, the transcripts are separated by speaker name and into chapters if needed for the episode. The service is currently available with iOS 17.4 for podcasts in English, French, German, and Spanish.
Stay ahead of the curve with podcast transcripts
In 2024, episode transcripts are an indispensable tool and non-negotiable for podcasters hoping to grow their show, maximize their reach, increase visibility on and off listening apps, and repurpose content.
While there are many platforms that offer transcription services, CoHost offers the most robust solution for podcasters, featuring all the tools, services, and metrics you need to be successful as a podcaster.
If you’d like to learn more about our podcast transcription feature and or the platform more generally, reach out to CoHost today.
