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Welcome back to Podcasting 2.0 in Practice. Time for some transcripts homework. Don't forget, I'll be using images with my chapter markers where relevant for a bit of visual support and clarity if you need it. You have, of course, listened to the episode on chapters so you know what I'm talking about.
Have a listen to my instructions and a look at my chapter picks for your preferred listening app. Then search for the transcript for this episode. Since we've just been told all about this feature by Ellie from Pocket Casts.
¶ Pocket Casts: locate transcripts
We'll start there. In the episode play screen on Pocket Casts, click on the speech bubble icon to see the transcript. You'll see there is a search option on the transcript page, so you can search for a word or phrase and locate it in that transcript.
¶ Pocket Casts: search in a transcript
On the Pocket Cast's home screen, you can have some fun by searching for a specific and niche key phrase that you know has been used in your show or a show that you like.
¶ Pocket Casts: search transcripts for all podcasts
to see it pop up in the search results, as I did here with Hinksy Heights, which brought up the relevant episode of Creativity Found.
¶ Fountain: search for key words across all podcasts
You can also search for key phrases that appear in transcripts, again, such as Hinksey Heights, in Fountain, by clicking on the magnifying glass at the bottom of the home screen or your library screen. To locate the transcript of an episode on Fountain, in the play screen for that episode, either scroll down and click on the transcript bookmark.
¶ Fountain: locate the transcript
or click on the CC in a box icon to go straight to the transcript. Fountain shows the transcript in blocks of text and highlights where you are listening now, like closed captions.
¶ Fountain: transcript screen and search
You can also read the transcript and click on the block of text to then jump to the audio for that block. Click on the magnifying glass icon at the bottom right of this screen. to search for keywords within this particular transcript. In True Fans, scroll down from the episode play screen and across to transcripts or click on the CC in a box icon.
¶ TrueFans: locate the transcript
The text is highlighted as the audio is played and there is a search option at the top of the page.
¶ TrueFans: transcript screen and search
In Podcast Guru, click on the white square with jagged transparent lines to bring up closed captioning on the play screen.
¶ Podcast Guru: closed captions and locate the transcript
Click on the icon next to that featuring white lines to indicate lines of text, then on the transcripts bookmark to see the whole transcript. And again, the text is highlighted to match the audio.
¶ Podcast Guru: transcript screen
Now for the podcasters. Let's talk about how to make a transcript and how to add it to your audio with your hosting company. There are a number of platforms that you can upload your audio file to.
¶ Make a transcript
and they will make your transcript, which you can edit and correct as needs be, then download. Podcast-specific AI platforms will also generate show notes, chapter markers, and social media posts. I have used Swell AI, Podium, Pod Squeeze and Cast Magic in the past, and they are all much of a muchness. They usually have a free tier or trial option, so you can have a play.
There are affiliate links to these platforms at creativityfound.co.uk slash podcasting. Your hosting company may have a paid for add-on that does this.
¶ Make a transcript with hosting company add-ons
Buzzsprout's add-on is called Co-Host AI and Captivate's is Spark AI. These create the transcript, suggest episode titles, write show notes and suggest chapter markers and can automatically insert them. You can also adjust and amend the text that they give you. So a hybrid approach is probably the one you'll need. All of the paid-for RSS.com plans have episode transcription generation included, but this doesn't generate chapter markers or any of the other bells and whistles.
Here's how to upload your own transcript. Most hosting companies ask you to upload your transcript as an SRT or VTT file.
¶ Transcript file
So make sure you choose the correct option when downloading the transcript from your chosen transcript generator. Let's start with Buzzspout this time.
¶ Buzzsprout: upload transcript
Once you've uploaded your audio, click on Add Transcript at the right of the screen, then on Upload SRT File and drag or choose the file you want to upload.
¶ Captivate: upload transcript
On Captivate, scroll down the Edit Episode page to Transcription and Discoverability and click on Add or Edit Your Own Transcript. Click on Upload File.
¶ Captivate: upload SRT
then choose the file you want to upload. On rss.com, once you've saved your draft episode, click on the icon of a page of writing with a plus sign.
¶ RSS.com: add your transcript
Then on insert a transcript manually. You'll need to copy and paste your transcript in this instance, which transcript generators do give you the option to do. Then click on add.
¶ RSS.com: copy and paste transctipt
And that's all for the transcripts homework. Next up, podcasters inserting chapters homework. Visit creativityfound.co.uk slash podcasting.
¶ Resources
to find out more about my guests and access lots of useful podcast resources. If you'd like to get in touch, you can send a boost. But if you haven't got to that lesson yet... Feel free to reach out to me on my Instagram account at podcasting2.0 in practice.
are you thinking of starting your own podcast and looking for a little advice from someone who started from scratch and hasn't looked back that's me by the way Then book a podcast startup sanity check with me so we can work together to clarify and simplify the process of starting a show. I have been podcasting with Creativity Found for four years. I have won and been shortlisted for prestigious podcast awards, been a guest on other people's shows.
and attended many podcast-specific events in the UK and US, where I have made lots of podcasty pals across all genres. For my second show, Podcasting 2.0 in Practice, I have had the privilege of talking to industry experts as together we teach creators how to benefit from and implement the latest Podcasting 2.0 technologies. In this paid for hours chat, we can talk through your content idea, how to record, which platforms are worth the money.
how to get your show to all the listening apps, what you need to know to future-proof your show, and much more. Please note I will not tell you how to have a chart-topping show in your first week, nor how to pitch to sponsors. I will, however, act as a mentor whom you can run your ideas and questions past. The decisions you make with the knowledge you gain are all your own. Visit creativityfound.co.uk podcasting to find out more. And there is, of course, a link in the show notes.