The Ultimate Podcast Script Template (Plus A List of Ideas)

Do you want to know what separates the professionals from the amateur podcasters? Writing a good podcast script. It might not sound as glamorous as interviewing an athlete or celebrity, but a podcast script is the key to a successful podcast. A podcast script is what will give your show a cohesive feel, and by adding more structure it will allow you to be confident and in control.

In this post I share the podcast script templates I use for every episode, give podcast script examples, and a list of ideas to help you start your own podcast. This comes from 1000+ episodes of podcast experience, and is the same process I teach with my coaching clients.

BONUS: If you want to take things to the next level here is a free training on how to launch a podcast easily.

Writing Your Podcast Script

The stronger the foundation you have when creating your podcast the better it will be, and the easier it will be to consistently publish episodes. That way you can be in podcast flow more often. Preparation is the key when you write a podcast script and talking points for each episode.

Let’s start with creating the initial podcast script workflow.

Intro music/drop
Intro: Podcast Name + Host Name + Guest Name (if applicable)
Give a preview of what you will talk about in episode (aka your episode topic or main point)
Body/main section/key points of your podcast (which you can then break down even further with specific bullet points or a list of questions)
Near the end: Call to action/opportunity for engagement/upcoming episodes
Outro music/drop

Creating Your Podcast Intro

This is the music or drop that is the first thing that a listener hears. It sets the tone for your podcast. As a rule of thumb, this should be between 3 – 10 seconds. I like to err on the side of shorter as you always want to be respectful of your audience’s time. While I love listening to a song for 45+ seconds as much as the next person, the audience is there to heat you not your taste in music. You want your intro to set the tone but also get to the content quickly. That way you get can get your podcast rollin’.

Writing Your Podcast Intro

Once your theme music has played you can get into your spoken intro. I like to let the audience know your podcast name, what it is about, and who I am. That way I set the right foundation in case someone is listening for the first time.

Here are two intro scripts I use for my shows (one is for a podcast with a co-host, the other is for a solo show):

“Welcome to Leadership DNA, a podcast for those who aspire to be a better leader. Alongside Arturo Gomez I am Rob Cressy. Today’s Topic…”
“Welcome to the Built For The Game, a podcast designed to help you win in business & life for the long haul. I’m your host Rob Cressy. Today’s topic…”

If you are doing an interview podcast then you are going to want to write down the guest introduction. It is very important that you find out ahead of time how to pronounce the guests name and what they would like to use as their title. Even if it looks like the easiest name ever, still ask them. You want to ensure 100% accuracy with this. Here is an example of what a guest intro looks like.

Preview Of The Podcast Topics

The next element in putting together your podcast script is mentioning what you are going to be talking about in this podcast episode. That way you set the table for your audience and they know what to expect. I recommend this being one sentence.

Here are two examples from my podcasts:

Leadership DNA: “Today’s Topic, growth mindset and how it will help you be a better leader.”
Best Year Ever: “Today’s Topic, how to design a morning routine that serves you.”

Writing The Body Of Your Podcast

Regardless of the type of podcast you are hosting you are going to want to have an outline of what you are talking about in the body of the podcast. Think of this as a bullet point approach that hits the key topics. Keep it simple, you don’t have to write out a word for word podcast script of what you are going to say. This outline is there to support you and help you provide value for your audience by knowing what path you plan on taking them down.

By knowing what you are talking about you are also more confident as a podcast host because you are in control. You are focused on executing, not on figuring out what is going to be said next.

Here is an example of what the outline of the body of my Leadership DNA podcast looks like:

Growth Mindset: What is it?
Why is growth mindset important?
Commitment to the process.
Rooted around self love.
Here is how to work on it.
What do you want to learn?
Set aside time.

As you can see it is simple statements or a list of questions. Once I am done talking about one I move on to the next. Rinse and repeat for your entire show.

With an interview podcast your job is to support the guest and try and make them look good while also getting value out of them (for the audience). The way that I think about it is if I were one of the listeners, what would I want to know from the guest? I recommend writing down a list of topics or the biggest questions that you can ask them, almost like a podcast interview menu. You don’t have to get through all of the questions, but you are prepared and can take the conversation wherever you want it to based on the flow.

Writing A Podcast Outro

In the podcast outro you want to have a strong call to action. I like to ask a question to the audience for them to engage on social media based around what we just talked about on the podcast. This also gives you an opportunity to seamlessly plug your social media at the same time, as well as promote any future episodes on the horizon.

Getting your audience to interact with you on social media is a great indicator of success. That’s when you can start to feel your podcast heartbeat pump because it is no longer just about you. Other calls to action could include: Sign up for your newsletter, plug your website, plug something that is upcoming (an event, article, live stream, etc).

Here’s a sample of what I use with my Leadership DNA podcast:

“And I want to hear from you. What is one thing you have learned recently that has had a positive impact on your life. You can hit me up on all social media platforms @RobCressy. I’ll share anything good that gets sent in.”

Commit To The Process

Alabama Football Head Coach Nick Saban, who is one of the winningest coaches of all time, once said (and I’m paraphrasing) that he wasn’t addicted to winning but instead was addicted to the process of winning. When you follow the same podcast script outline every episode it makes running a podcast significantly easier and increases your chances of winning.

Since a lot of people are “pressed for time” or “too busy” and launching a podcast is new territory for them, there is often a negative frame of mind that can be associated with it. I consider publishing a podcast similar to the mental struggle to go to the gym consistently. You know you should go, and you know the benefits, but many people end up making excuses and don’t do it. Following a simple podcast outline process will allow you to save more time, while delivering a better quality podcast. Since the process is simple it’s easier to duplicate, and that means you are more likely to stick with podcasting.

Podcast Script Tip: Write down podcasting in your daily/weekly goals. Writing something down helps keep you more accountable and increases the chances of it getting completed.

Let’s Launch Your Podcast

If you want to be a more powerful creator who creates a positive impact in the world, and you’ve love for the process of launching a podcast to be fun and easy. Then click the link below and enroll in One Perfect Podcast.