Free tool · For hosts
Podcast Show Notes Generator
Type the hook, the guest, what the episode covers and the timestamps, and get show notes in the order listeners read them: plain text for podcast apps, HTML for a rich editor, or a YouTube description with chapters. It checks the first line, the guest link, the chapter rules and the platforms’ length limits. No sign-up, no AI, nothing stored.
Used once, in the intro line.
Not printed. Only checked, so the hook does not repeat it.
One or two sentences: who, and what the listener gets. Write it last.
Spelled the way they spell it.
From the bio they sent you.
Exactly the one they gave you, starting https://.
One point per line. Three is plenty.
One per line, time first: 12:30 The topic. Start at 0:00 for YouTube chapters.
One per line: a label, then the https:// address.
One ask gets done. Five get skimmed.
Printed with a Sponsor: label, below the call to action.
Producer, editor, music.
Plain text. Paste into Apple Podcasts Connect, Spotify for Creators or your host's description box.
[Hook: name the guest and what the listener gets, in one or two sentences] In this episode, I talk with [guest's full name], [one line on who they are]. We cover: - [First thing the episode covers] - [Second thing] - [Third thing] About [guest's first name] [Guest's full name] is [one or two sentences from their bio]. Find [guest's first name] at: [the link they asked you to use] [Call to action: one sentence]
No hook yet. The first line is all most people read in an app, so write it last and make it the payoff.
No guest link. It is the credit most guests were promised, and the easiest part to forget.
Nothing is sent or saved: this runs entirely in your browser, and every word in the notes is one you typed.
Notes done? Line up the next guest
A free host account lets you list your show, search guest profiles by topic and invite the ones who fit. Free while we’re in early access.
How it works
- 1
Write the hook last
Who is on and what the listener gets, in one or two sentences.
- 2
Add the guest, the points and the timestamps
One point per line; timestamps time first, starting at 0:00.
- 3
Copy the version you need
Plain text for podcast apps, HTML for a rich editor, or the YouTube description.
What the generator checks
The structure is the one in our podcast show notes template. The checks are the mistakes that cost the most: a first line nobody reads past, a guest credit with no working link, and timestamps a platform quietly ignores.
| Check | The rule |
|---|---|
| The hook | Opens with the payoff, not “welcome back”; names the guest; does not repeat the episode title |
| The guest link | A full https:// address, so apps make it clickable |
| YouTube chapters | First timestamp 0:00, at least 3, in order, each at least 10 seconds |
| Apple Podcasts length | Up to 4,000 bytes for the episode description |
| YouTube length | Up to 5,000 characters for the description |
| Paid links | Sponsor and affiliate links carry a Sponsor: label |
Around the notes
The guest credit starts before the recording: ask for their bio and link in the guest questionnaire, and the introduction generator writes the on-air intro from the same answers. Once the episode is out, the thank-you email is where you send the guest the link to share.
Frequently asked questions
What should podcast show notes include?+
A hook in the first line or two, a short summary of what the episode covers, the guest's name with one line on who they are and the link they asked for, timestamps, the links you mentioned, one call to action, and labelled sponsor or affiliate links. The generator builds them in that order.
How long should podcast show notes be?+
Long enough to say what the episode covers and credit the guest, which for most episodes is 150 to 300 words. The hard limits are the platforms': Apple Podcasts accepts an episode description of up to 4,000 bytes and YouTube a video description of up to 5,000 characters. The meter under the notes counts both.
How do I add chapters to a podcast on YouTube?+
Put timestamps in the video description, one per line with the time first. YouTube makes chapters only when the first timestamp is 0:00, there are at least 3 of them, they run in order, and each chapter lasts at least 10 seconds. The generator checks all four and tells you which one fails.
Should show notes be plain text or HTML?+
Paste plain text wherever you are not sure: every app displays it, and most turn full web addresses into links. Use the HTML version only in a hosting platform's HTML or rich-text editor, where it keeps the lists and makes the labelled links clickable.
Do I need to link the guest in the show notes?+
Yes. The link is the credit most guests are promised when they agree to come on, and it is what lets a listener follow up on their work. Ask for the exact link before the recording and paste it in as given.
Is this show notes generator free, and does it use AI?+
It is free with no sign-up, and it does not use a language model. It arranges the words you type into the standard show notes structure, in your browser: nothing you type is sent to a server or stored.
