SEO Show Notes in 7 Steps
A chain-of-thought prompting process that turns podcast transcripts into keyword-optimized show notes that actually get discovered.
"Content is fire. Social media is gasoline."
— Jay Baer, digital marketing strategist and author
AI-generated content gets a bad rap. And for good reason. I generated a hypothetical social media post with a one-line prompt about podcast show notes:
"🔗 Show notes are important but tedious. New AI tools promise to automate them. But fully automated show notes are generic. The key is collaboration. Follow for more AI writing tips! #ai #contentcreation #podcasting"
Is it descriptive? Sure. Is it accurate? Close enough. Does it make you want to click? Probably not. Because it feels stale and boring.
Generic hashtags? Check.
Random link emoji? Check.
Vague clichés like "The key is collaboration"? Yawn. Check.
When I first realized how NotionAI could help me polish transcript content, I went in search of a tool to simplify the preparation of podcast "show notes." I found several options. Capsho, for example, lets you upload your audio and then spits out a series of AI-generated assets. Their outputs helped me get the creative juices flowing, but in the end, I canceled my free trial.
Why? Because I found that I could get better, more customizable results by following my own multi-step process.
The Chain of Prompts
The process I present here for generating show notes provides a foundation for repurposing transcripts into other formats like blog posts and, eventually, whole books. As you read, take note of the sequence of prompts—the "order of operations." There is a logic to doing certain things first, leveraging AI's tendency to do its best "thinking" in discrete, logical steps.
Prompt #1: Getting Your Bearings
To start this exercise, you'll need to have a transcript handy. Using Claude, attach the transcript in the prompt window and issue these instructions:
"I'm going to share a podcast transcript with you. Please read through it carefully and take a deep breath before responding. Don't generate any content yet—just confirm you've understood the key topics and themes."
Telling Claude to "take a deep breath" here, like instructing it to "think step-by-step," primes the model for better responses to tasks that involve multiple steps.
Prompt #2: Timestamped Outline
"Create a timestamped outline of the key topics and segments discussed in this episode."
This provides you with a keyword-rich "map" to the episode, so listeners can decide whether to tune in or skip to a specific segment.
Prompt #3: Main Idea — Suggestion
"Based on the transcript, suggest 3 different ways to characterize the main idea or theme of this episode. Focus on angles that would appeal to someone searching for solutions to a specific problem."
We're gearing Claude to generate content that's useful and SEO-friendly. Google's SEO guidelines favor content exhibiting qualities of "E-E-A-T"—Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. Your show notes are an ideal place to emphasize experience and credentials—both your own and those of your guests.
Prompt #4: Main Idea — Refining
"Let's go with option 2. Refine it to emphasize the specific, actionable takeaways."
Or...
"Combine the best elements of options 1 and 3 into a single main idea statement."
Prompt #5: Potent Quotables
"Extract 5-7 of the most quotable moments from the transcript. For each quote, include the timestamp and a brief note on why it's compelling (e.g., surprising insight, practical tip, memorable phrasing)."
These timestamped quotes make it easy to clip snackable video snippets or produce quote graphics to share across social media platforms.
Prompt #6: Links and Resources
"List any books, websites, tools, or resources mentioned in the transcript."
This links section can enhance the trustworthiness of your post. While AI tools are unable to provide up-to-date links, it's wise to verify these and format them properly.
Prompt #7: Title & Description
"Based on our conversation, suggest 3 compelling titles and a 200-word description for this episode. The title should hook curiosity while the description showcases the expertise and specific value offered."
SEO in the AI Age
People often think of SEO as a zero-sum game, with fierce competition for top rankings on scarce online real estate. I find it more helpful to think of SEO as a way to connect real people to real solutions.
What's the point of trying to trick people into clicking your link only to find that it doesn't contain what they're looking for? Instead, focus on compelling yet accurate titles and descriptions that reflect your niche expertise.
Guidelines for SEO-optimized show notes:
Balance keywords with natural language and conversational tone
Hook readers with curiosity and a message about specific benefits
Showcase your experience and authority
Weave in personal anecdotes or your origin story related to the niche
Back up claims with evidence and external links
When your competition can churn out masses of generic content with AI, you can't compete on the quantity of output or keyword loading alone. To win the SEO game, you'll need a quantity of quality—a large volume of well-organized long-form content based on your expertise and written in your voice.
That's how you'll earn your readers' trust (and Google's).
This post is adapted from "Commanding the Page" (2023).