You're recording great episodes. You're putting in the time, booking the guests, and doing the editing. And then you spend five minutes copying your episode title into a text box, adding a couple of bullet points, and hitting publish. That five-minute shortcut is costing you every listener who would have found you through a search. Show notes are not a formality. They are the single most underused SEO asset in podcasting—and most podcasters treat them like a chore. In this episode, Mark Hunter, co-founder of Podcast Studio Glasgow, breaks down exactly what great show notes look like, where they should live, and how to write them in a way that compounds your search traffic episode after episode. What show notes actually are — and what they're not A two-line description on Spotify is not show notes. That's metadata. Real show notes include a proper episode description, guest credentials, timestamped segments with actual detail, key takeaways, every resource and tool mentioned, and a clear call to action. The difference between good and great comes down to one thing: searchability. Why podcast apps are the wrong place to host them Most podcasters publish on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave it there. That hands all the SEO value to someone else's platform. The right move is to host your show notes on your own website as a blog post, with the podcast player embedded. Your domain builds the authority. Your internal links keep visitors exploring. And when a listener wants to sign up to your list or download your guide, they're already there — no friction, no detour. One line worth remembering: podcast algorithms change. Search traffic from your own website doesn't. The mistakes most podcasters are making right now Treating show notes as promotional copy. Only publishing on podcast platforms. Writing timestamps that don't answer anything. Forgetting internal links. Not formatting the core answer clearly near the top, where Google can find it. Timestamps: 00:00 Why your show notes are silently killing your podcast growth 00:42 What real show notes look like — and why Spotify descriptions don't count 01:36 Why hosting your show notes on your own website changes everything for SEO 03:01 The seven-step framework for writing show notes that rank on Google 05:02 How to get a full transcript from your recording — and why it's SEO gold 05:41 Five SEO benefits that compound with every episode you publish 06:45 The mistakes most podcasters are making right now (and how to stop) 07:40 Where to start today — one episode, 30 days, measurable results Ready to take your podcast to the next level? When you record at Podcast Studio Glasgow, you receive a full text transcript of your entire session — quotes, timestamps, and all the raw material you need for great show notes, ready to go. Book your session at podcaststudioglasgow.com Not ready to book yet? Head to the blog for free resources, guides, and our full library of podcasting tips — including the detailed written version of everything covered in this episode. Visit the blog → Download our free eBooks for podcasters Free resources → Full show notes guide — the detailed written version of this episode, including the seven-step workflow table, tool recommendations, and SEO benefits breakdown AI tools for podcast transcription and editing — the article covering AI transcription tools referenced in the episode Getting the most from your podcast recording — a broader guide to maximising what you produce from every studio session Scotland's longest-running professional podcast facility, based at 279 Abercromby Street, Glasgow's East End. Multi-camera setups, cinema-grade cameras, full transcripts included, and post-production packages available so your team doesn't have to handle any of it. podcaststudioglasgow.com · 0141 459 0956 What's in This EpisodeKey TakeawayTake the Next StepReferences and Further ReadingAbout Podcast Studio Glasgow