The popularity of podcasts continues to grow. With a low barrier to entry, almost anyone can start a podcast on virtually any topic. While podcasts are nearly all audio-based, without any video, many podcasters convert or transcribe their audio files or video files into a written or text format. By having their podcasts transcribed, they promote them via a blog post or on social media platforms.
In this article, you’ll learn how to:
- Convert podcast audio into accurate, readable transcripts to improve accessibility, boost SEO, and grow your podcast’s reach.
- Compare manual, automated, and professional transcription methods for accuracy, cost, and content suitability.
- Repurpose podcast transcripts into blog posts, show notes, and social media content to expand your audience and marketing reach.
What Is a Podcast Transcript?
Podcast transcripts also make it easier for people who don’t have the time or ability to listen to audio podcasts. As we become increasingly dependent on technology for our daily tasks, it is undeniable that reading has taken a backseat to listening.
Hearing a podcast without first reading it is essential for many and preferred by others. On the flip side, some prefer reading a podcast transcript before listening to the episode.
Why Should I Transcribe My Podcast Audio Files?
Podcast listeners often struggle to keep up with the vast amount of information. It becomes difficult to listen to and remember what they talked about before listening to future episodes. If listeners had access to transcripts before starting other episodes, it would be of immense help.
There are several reasons podcasters convert audio files to a written format that is easy to understand. One is that it allows listeners to take in the information and retain more of its details.
In the legal field, legal transcription services serve as a valuable reference for court preparation and proceedings. Similar to podcasting, you may want to use the transcript as a reference for future episodes. Podcast transcripts provide easy access to the relevant information discussed during an episode.
Another reason is accessibility. People with hearing impairment may find listening to podcasts or audio recordings difficult or impossible. Transcribing podcast episodes allows the hearing-impaired to access your audio content easily—nearly 16% of adults in the U.S. report hearing trouble of some kind.
In short, transcripts for podcasts converted from an audio or video file give you another option to present your content. Other advantages include:
- Convenience for Content Creators
- Podcast Accessible for the hearing impaired, the chance to reach a wider audience
- Ability to produce additional blog posts, articles, and social media posts
- A Competitive Advantage in Search Engine Optimization
How to Transcribe Podcast Audio Content to Written Text
There are several methods for transcribing a podcast audio file into text. Let’s cover some of the most popular and probable options available.
We touched on a few of the reasons for transcribing your podcasts. Once you’ve determined the benefits of making a podcast transcript, you’ll be able to decide which transcription method is best for you.
Physically Transcribe a Podcast Episode Yourself
The most inexpensive yet time-consuming method to transcribe a podcast episode is to listen to every minute of audio and type every word individually. While podcast creators and hosts sometimes transcribe episodes in this manner, it’s an exhausting and time-consuming process.
Just as lawyers utilize deposition transcription services to save time and concentrate on building a case defense, a dedicated podcast creator like you can focus on the craft rather than transcribing the content yourself.
Online Podcast Transcriptions
There are a handful of free online transcription services. However, the common adage, “you get what you pay for,” holds true. Online services offering free automatic transcripts often utilize inferior AI technology to generate automatic transcriptions. They may not guarantee verbatim transcription services (capturing every word and all sound effects). The catch comes when they try to upsell you on additional services or features.
Other companies even offer low-rate, mobile transcription apps for iOS and Android devices. These apps are best suited for short, simple transcription projects with a single speaker. Many podcast episodes involve two or more participants discussing complex subjects. Additionally, low-cost transcription services often employ non-native speakers from foreign countries, who may struggle with U.S. industry-specific lingo or slang terms.
Below is a comparison of transcription services conducted by humans vs artificial intelligence.
| Feature | Human transcripts | Automated transcripts |
| Accuracy | ~99% accuracy when properly trained | ~61.92% accuracy |
| Regulatory Compliance | Appropriate companies are CJIS, HIPAA, and FINRA-compliant | Often not |
| Output and Formatting | Identifies different speakers, with proper labels and timestamps. | Merges different speakers and often lacks labels and timestamps. |
Although automated transcripts offer a fast turnaround rate that human transcripts cannot match, the amount of effort and money required to revise their output far exceeds what human transcripts can offer – an accurate, professionally formatted transcript that often needs no revisions.
Hire a Quality, Professional, U.S.-Based Podcast Transcription Service
Another option for transcribing podcast episodes is to hire a professional transcription service.
For example, here at Ditto Transcripts, we’re a Denver, CO-based company that uses a human transcriptionist for every single project we do for our clients. Plus, we offer several affordable transcription services, including podcast episode transcription.
A professional transcription company, such as Ditto, eliminates the risk of ghost content or hallucinations in transcripts: information added by AI that cannot be traced back to the source audio or video.
For example, the case of Mata v Avianca, Inc. (2023) involved the plaintiff submitting a legal brief with fictitious cases generated by ChatGPT, leading to a $5,000 fine for the lawyers for violating their ethical duties. This case highlights the risks associated with using AI in transcription.
Ditto Transcripts offers quality transcription services:
1) Verbatim and non-verbatim – Similar to legal verbatim transcription, podcasts require the word-for-word capture of their content, enabling listeners to fully understand the context of the topic and review it at their own pace.
2) Experienced, Professional, U.S.-based Transcriptionists – Ditto Transcripts only uses human transcriptionists who have relevant experience and are professionally trained. Additionally, they must pass a criminal background check, demonstrating our commitment to providing only the best service.
3) 99% Accuracy Guarantee – Ditto Transcripts don’t use chatbots and automated responses. We guarantee a 99% accuracy rate and offer a money-back guarantee for customers with relevant concerns.
Podcast Transcription Pricing
Our pricing allows podcasters and all kinds of content creators to choose how they want their transcription to be performed.
Category A: Single-person narrative or standard one-on-one interview recorded in digital format.
Category B: Interviews with more than 3 people and messy audio (i.e. poor recording, soft voices, etc.)
Transcription Pricing Rates Per Minute
Use Podcast Transcription to Grow Your Audience & Improve SEO
There are almost one million active podcasts with millions of episodes available across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google Play, Stitcher, and other platforms – and you have probably heard some of them. However, not all of them have transcripts, which may limit the potential of a podcast.
Here are three benefits that podcast transcription brings to your brand:
1. Podcast transcription helps grow your brand by providing greater accessibility.
2. Podcast transcription can help broaden your audience by making the content readily available, downloadable, and enjoyed remotely.
3. Podcast transcription improves search engine optimization. Your brand will be easily found online because it will appear alongside search results when matched with relevant keywords.
Podcast transcriptions are the most effective way to get these keywords to rank organically. This means using the exact same format for your podcast titles as you do for your website and blog posts.
Using a Podcast Audio File to Create Blog and Show Notes
A great way to keep track of your podcast episodes is by creating a blog and show notes from your podcast transcripts. This allows you to reference an episode at any time, quickly and easily.
You can create blog posts about ideas discussed on podcast episodes and pull quotes from you or your guests. Additionally, blog posts enable you to repurpose your podcast into multiple posts, allowing you to cover several topics within a single episode.
This way, you can simply upload each transcription file to WordPress. Once the files are uploaded, it’s easy to add them to a designated category and feature them on specific landing pages or even a site’s home page. By doing so, you can quickly find all related content.
Plus, it doesn’t matter whether you’re working with video files or podcast transcripts. The same principles apply.
Use a Professional, Quality Podcast Transcription Tool
When producing a quality, professional-grade, 99% accurate transcript, Ditto Transcripts is your first choice. We are the tool you need to get the accurate transcript you need for your show.
Additionally, Ditto is the only company on the list offering an affordable price relative to the benefits they provide. Ditto complies with regulatory standards and certifies transcripts. More importantly, it enables customers to meet the client’s transcription needs accurately.
These are not just claims. Our client testimonials attest to the quality of work we provide.
How to get podcast transcripts
Ditto Transcripts is a CJIS and HIPAA-compliant, Denver, Colorado-based transcription company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcription services to companies and agencies of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote.