The best option to transcribe Apple podcasts ultimately depends on whether you own the original content. If you do, it’s much easier to create a podcast transcription. But if you want to transcribe someone else’s content, you just need to add a few extra steps.
In this article, we’ll look at how to transcribe Apple podcasts. We’ll run through the steps for both original and third-party content.
How to Transcribe Apple Podcasts
The steps below are for original content owners, i.e., a podcast you recorded yourself. Transcribing someone else’s podcast involves more steps and there are other tools that can help with this.
How to Transcribe Apple Podcasts Manually?
The first option for how to transcribe Apple podcasts is to do it manually. Here’s how you’d do this:
- Listen to the audio file and start writing down what’s said. Don’t focus too much on speakers (if there is more than one), as you can add this in later. At the very least, add a line break each time someone new speaks.
- On a second listen, begin to tidy up your text by correcting spelling and grammar based on what sounds logical. If you’re able, add speakers during this stage to save yourself time.
- Next, listen again and add speakers and time stamps. During this stage, you should also focus on making everything as accurate as possible, including sentence breaks and potentially ambiguous words.
How to Make a Manual Transcription More Accurate
Transcribing a podcast is arguably easier than creating a meeting transcription. This is because:
- Theoretically, you should have a script for the podcast. If so, creating a transcription will only mean minor adjustments to the original script.
- There will likely be fewer speakers on a podcast, and topics will be more focused. Again, this makes manual transcription an easier process because you can predict or follow the discussion more easily.
- A podcast transcription will likely be intelligent verbatim. This means you won’t include pauses or filler words, such as “like” and “um”. If this is true, relying on your original script should make things much more manageable.
Another tip depends on how you record your podcast. If you and your guests communicate over a video conferencing platform (such as Google Meets or Zoom), turn on live captions. Then, record the video and use the captions as the basis for your transcription.
How to Transcribe Apple Podcasts Automatically?
An alternative method for how to transcribe Apple podcasts is to use an automatic transcription platform. A service like Transkriptor can transcribe an audio or video recording with minimal involvement. The steps are as follows:
- Upload your recording to the transcription platform.
- Allow it to transcribe the content, which should only take a few minutes.
- Read through the file and make any necessary changes.
- Download the text in your chosen file format.
During the editing process, you would need to correct any minor mistakes, such as ambiguous words or punctuation. Also, you may need to arrange speakers and adjust paragraphs depending on the audio’s original structure.
How to Make an Automatic Transcription More Accurate
Depending on the platform you use, the accuracy could be as high as 99%. However, there are several things you can do to help:
- Minimize background noise during the recording. Ideally, use dynamic microphones as this reduces interference from other speakers.
- Speak slowly and clearly wherever possible. If you’re recording a podcast, you should be doing this anyway.
- Ensure you have the microphone level with your mouth and have a pop filter installed. This will make the recording clearer.
How to Transcribe Third-Party Content?
If you want to transcribe someone else’s Apple podcast, you can follow the steps above. However, you’ll need a copy of the audio first. Here are some suggestions for how to get it:
- Download the podcast. Depending on the platform you use, downloading it to a computer will work.
- On mobile, use your screen recorder. This will create a video, but it’ll include the podcast’s audio too.
- Use third-party recording software.
Depending on what you plan to do with the content, you may need the owner’s permission first. You shouldn’t if it’s for personal use, but you will if you plan to turn it into public content.
Why Transcribe Apple Podcasts?
Assuming you’re the content creator, there are numerous reasons why you might want to transcribe Apple podcasts. These include:
- Creating show notes. Having a transcription of a podcast improves accessibility because it means those with hearing impairments can still enjoy your content. You can simply add the transcription as show notes or link to your website.
- Creating new content. Similarly, you can use transcription as the basis for other forms of content, such as blog posts and social media captions.
- SEO boost. Audio and video content isn’t searchable in the same way as text. As such, adding an Apple podcast transcription helps people find your content when they use a search engine.
In short, knowing how to transcribe Apple podcasts can help your brand be more accessible and authoritative.
Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Podcasts
There’s currently no way to translate the audio of an Apple podcast. However, you can easily translate the transcription file using any translation tool. It might be worth having a native speaker edit the content after.
For best SEO visibility, include the transcript directly in the show notes. This is easiest if you’re hosting the page on your website, but is less so if it’s hosted on an app. Alternatively, include a link in the show notes to an outside page, but this doesn’t help with SEO. Either way, state in your podcast that a transcription is available and where people can find it.
It isn’t a legal requirement to transcribe Apple podcasts in most situations. In the US, ADA regulations may apply, but this is mainly for public service entities. Regardless of which country you’re based in or the purpose of your podcast, creating a transcription is always a good idea.
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