Why Should I Transcribe My Podcasts?
There is an art and craft to the creation of good podcasts that are above and beyond the norm. If you want to deliver good content in an easy-to-understand way, there are many steps to follow, various things to consider, and many different options to choose from.
One of the most important points to consider in podcast creation is whether or not to provide a transcript. Creating a transcript may be an additional step that adds tedium to the process of podcast creation. However, in the long run, the benefits outweigh the cons. If maximizing the reach of your podcast is your primary goal, podcast transcriptions are a must-add to your podcasting tools.
Here are four answers to the question: “why get your podcast transcribed?”
Importance of Podcast Transcriptions
1. To enhance user experience
One of the most important aspects of making podcasts is the user experience of your listeners. You want your audience to be as comfortable and at ease as possible when consuming your podcasts. In addition, the user experience of your podcast should be simple and accessible. If your audience finds your podcasts accessible and user-friendly, they will also find them enjoyable. As a result, they may share your podcasts with their friends, further boosting your podcasts’ popularity.
A transcript can go a long way towards improving the user experience of your podcast. Not only can a transcript allow your audience to jot down notes and highlight interesting segments, but it also gives them the option of consuming your podcast by reading its transcript. Giving your audience the option of listening or reading your podcast content can significantly enhance the user experience.
2. Reading versus listening
Podcasts tend to attract a demographic of listeners. This means that you may be missing out on groups who prefer reading your content to listening to it. The largest reason for this is preference, which naturally crosses out target demographics who want to read content.
However, with transcripts, you can increase the accessibility of your podcasts by giving your audience the option to read your content. Besides targeting those who prefer reading, you can even make it easier for your audience who want to consume your podcasts but are too strapped for time to listen.
On the other hand, if you do plan to transcribe podcast audio to text, you may know that it’s a time-consuming process. This can be counterproductive, especially if you’re going into the podcast game for the long term. Fortunately, you can reap the benefits of podcast transcripts with a transcription service like TranscriptionWing that can create your transcripts for you.
3. To boost your SEO
Ironically, as an online medium, podcasts can miss out on one key aspect of accessibility on the internet: SEO. On paper, a podcast has a wealth of keywords that would make your content SEO-friendly and attract traffic. However, current search engine technology is only capable of processing written content, and is unable to crawl through audio content. This means that even the most keyword-rich podcasts can miss out on SEO opportunities.
There is a workaround, however: podcast transcripts. Since a transcript is a written version of your podcast, it provides content that a search engine can now process.
4. Increase overall accessibility
Podcasts are a wonderful medium that can be enjoyed in various ways besides listening. Consider, for example, the following demographics:
- People with hearing impairments
- Listeners who have difficulty understanding your spoken language
- Audience members who struggle with processing information in audio format
- Listeners who are unable to listen to your podcasts with earphones
Naturally, these viewers would prefer other forms of content that accommodate their circumstances. Regardless of your target demographic, leaving out certain groups of viewers can reduce your capability to maximize your audience reach.
With a podcast transcript, you significantly increase your podcast’s overall accessibility in two ways:
- You can tap into demographic groups that would typically be unable to listen to your podcast.
- These same groups may want to share your podcasts with their peers who do fall under your target demographic.
Ultimately, podcast transcriptions are an absolute must if you want to enhance your user experience and maximize your audience reach as a content creator. Inversely, transcribing your podcasts can be tedious, especially if you plan to do multiple podcasts. Fortunately, with a transcription service like TranscriptionWing, you can enjoy the benefits of podcast transcription while focusing your efforts on creating engaging podcasts for your audience.
