Podcast Production Workflow

SKILL.md

---
name: podcast-production-workflow
description: >
  End-to-end workflow for planning, producing, distributing, and repurposing podcast content.
  Use this skill whenever the user asks about planning podcast episodes, writing show notes,
  creating episode scripts or outlines, distributing to Spotify/YouTube, repurposing episodes
  into social content, or building a podcast content strategy.
  Also trigger for phrases like "podcast episode", "show notes", "guest questions",
  "episode outline", "upload to Spotify", "YouTube podcast", "repurpose my episode",
  "podcast strategy", "X Spaces to podcast", "record and publish", "podcast marketing",
  "my weekly podcast", or any variation of audio/video podcast creation and distribution.
  Especially relevant for Web3/crypto podcasts and X Spaces recordings.
---

# Podcast Production Workflow Skill
**For:** Solo podcasters, Web3 project leads, community builders, content creators  
**Philosophy:** A podcast episode that only lives on Spotify is a wasted asset. Every episode is raw material for 10+ pieces of content.

---

## How to Use This Skill

| User says... | Go to module |
|---|---|
| "plan my podcast" / "what should I cover" / "podcast strategy" | → [MODULE 1: Strategy & Content Planning] |
| "prepare for my episode" / "episode outline" / "script" / "guest questions" | → [MODULE 2: Pre-Production] |
| "write show notes" / "episode description" / "titles" | → [MODULE 3: Production Assets] |
| "upload to Spotify" / "YouTube thumbnail text" / "distribute my episode" | → [MODULE 4: Distribution & Publishing] |
| "repurpose my episode" / "turn this into posts" / "content from my podcast" | → [MODULE 5: Repurposing Engine] |
| "grow my podcast" / "more listeners" / "podcast marketing" | → [MODULE 6: Growth & Promotion] |

---

## MODULE 1 — Strategy & Content Planning

**Trigger:** User wants to define their podcast direction or plan future episodes.

### Step 1: Podcast Identity Intake
Ask if not provided:
- **Show name and premise** (what is this podcast about in 1 sentence)
- **Primary audience** (who should listen and why)
- **Format** (solo commentary / interview / co-hosted / panel / X Spaces recording)
- **Episode cadence** (weekly / biweekly / irregular)
- **Platforms** (Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, all three)
- **Current episode count** (brand new vs. established)
- **Niche** (Web3/crypto / marketing / tech / general / other)

### Step 2: Content Pillars for Podcast
Structure all episodes around 3–5 recurring topic pillars. This gives the show identity and makes planning faster.

**Web3 podcast pillar examples:**
- 🔐 Security & Risk: audits, hacks, rug pulls, lessons learned
- 🏗️ Building: founder stories, protocol launches, tech deep dives
- 🏛️ DAO & Governance: how DAOs actually work, governance failures/wins
- 📊 Market Dynamics: on-chain data, macro impact on crypto, cycle analysis
- 🧭 Alpha & Research: under-the-radar protocols, research threads, thesis building

### Step 3: Episode Bank Generator
Generate 8–12 episode ideas per pillar based on user's niche. Format:

```
EPISODE BANK — [Show Name]
Pillar: [Name]

EP #  | TITLE IDEA                                    | FORMAT    | GUEST? | PRIORITY
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[X]   | [Working title]                               | Interview | Yes    | High
[X]   | [Working title]                               | Solo      | No     | Medium
...
```

---

## MODULE 2 — Pre-Production

**Trigger:** User is preparing for a specific upcoming episode.

### Step 1: Episode Intake
Ask:
- Episode topic and angle
- Guest name, background, and social handles (if interview)
- Key questions or talking points the user already has in mind
- Desired episode length (30 min / 45 min / 60 min / 90 min)
- Any pre-existing content or research to incorporate

### Step 2: Episode Outline

```
EPISODE OUTLINE
───────────────
Show: [Name] | Episode: #[X] | Working Title: [Title]
Format: [Solo/Interview/Spaces] | Target Length: [X min]

SEGMENT 1 — INTRO (2–3 min)
├── Hook: [Opening line that creates immediate interest]
├── Episode premise: [What we're covering and why it matters NOW]
└── Guest intro (if interview): [2–3 sentences on guest credibility]

SEGMENT 2 — CONTEXT/BACKGROUND (5–10 min)
├── [Key context the audience needs to understand the main topic]
└── [Personal angle or story to open up the conversation]

SEGMENT 3 — MAIN CONTENT (15–40 min depending on length)
├── Point/Question 1: [Topic + why it matters]
│   └── Follow-up: [Deeper probe or angle]
├── Point/Question 2: [Topic]
│   └── Follow-up: [Deeper probe]
├── Point/Question 3: [Topic]
│   └── Follow-up: [Deeper probe]
└── Point/Question 4 (optional): [Topic]

SEGMENT 4 — RAPID FIRE / LIGHTNING ROUND (5 min, optional)
└── [3–5 quick questions to close: prediction, hot take, recommendation]

SEGMENT 5 — CLOSE (2–3 min)
├── Key takeaway summary (1–2 lines)
├── Where to find guest: [social handles]
└── CTA: [Subscribe, follow, join community, apply for grants, etc.]
```

### Interview Guest Research Brief
When the episode has a guest, also output:

```
GUEST RESEARCH BRIEF — [Guest Name]
────────────────────────────────────
Role: [Current position]
Project: [What they're building/working on]
Background: [2–3 key career highlights]
Social: [Twitter/X, LinkedIn, GitHub]
Recent content: [Notable recent posts, threads, or interviews to reference]

CONVERSATION ANGLES:
├── [Topic 1 — why this guest specifically, not just the general topic]
├── [Topic 2]
└── [Topic 3]

QUESTIONS TO AVOID: [Anything the guest has been asked 50 times already]
QUESTIONS THEY'D LOVE: [Topics where they have a unique POV worth exploring]
```

---

## MODULE 3 — Production Assets

**Trigger:** Episode is recorded and user needs titles, show notes, descriptions.

### Step 1: Assets Intake
Ask for:
- Episode topic and main points covered
- Guest name and handles (if applicable)
- Any specific quotes or moments to highlight
- Platform(s) to write for (Spotify, YouTube, Apple, blog)

### Step 2: Title Variants (generate 5, let user pick)

**Title formulas that work:**
- **The Revelation:** "Why [Common Belief] Is Wrong About [Topic]"
- **The Story:** "How [Person/Project] [Achievement] in [Context]"
- **The List:** "[X] Things [Audience Doesn't Know] About [Topic]"
- **The Question:** "Is [Topic] Actually [Provocative Claim]?"
- **The Stakes:** "[Topic]: The [Positive Outcome] or [Negative Outcome]"

**Web3 title examples:**
- ✅ "The Exploit Nobody Talked About — And What It Means for DeFi Security"
- ✅ "Building a DAO That Actually Works: [Guest]'s Lessons from [X] Years"
- ✅ "Why Your Smart Contract Audit Isn't Enough — A Security Lead's Perspective"
- ❌ "Episode 47: Interview with [Guest] About Web3" (zero reason to click)

### Step 3: Show Notes Template

```
SHOW NOTES — [Episode Title]
─────────────────────────────

EPISODE DESCRIPTION (for Spotify/Apple — 100–200 words):
[Hook sentence. Who is the guest and why does it matter. 3 key topics covered.
What the listener will walk away knowing. No fluff — density wins.]

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 — Intro
[02:30] — [Topic 1]
[12:45] — [Topic 2]
[28:00] — [Topic 3]
[45:30] — Rapid fire / Close

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• [Insight 1 — specific, not vague]
• [Insight 2]
• [Insight 3]

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
• [Tool / project / resource mentioned] — [link]
• [Guest's project] — [link]

CONNECT WITH [GUEST]:
• Twitter/X: [@handle]
• LinkedIn: [link]
• Project: [link]

CONNECT WITH US:
• Twitter/X: [@showhandle]
• [Community Discord/Telegram if applicable]

SUBSCRIBE: [Spotify link] | [YouTube link] | [Apple link]
```

### YouTube Video Description (shorter, SEO-optimized)

```
[First 2 lines must contain the key topic — these show without "Show more"]

In this episode: [1–2 sentences on the main topic]

🕒 CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
[timestamps]

🔗 LINKS:
[Guest social]
[Project link]
[Subscribe link]

#[Tag1] #[Tag2] #[Tag3] [max 5 relevant tags]
```

---

## MODULE 4 — Distribution & Publishing

**Trigger:** User needs guidance on where and how to publish.

### Platform Publishing Checklist

**Spotify (via RSS host — Buzzsprout, Anchor/Spotify for Podcasters, Transistor):**
- [ ] Audio file: MP3, 128–192kbps, normalized to -16 LUFS
- [ ] Episode title (finalized)
- [ ] Show notes / description (pasted)
- [ ] Episode number and season
- [ ] Cover art: 3000×3000px, JPG/PNG (for episode-specific art)
- [ ] Tags / category selected
- [ ] Explicit content flag (if applicable)
- [ ] Publish date/time set

**YouTube:**
- [ ] Video file (if recording includes video) or audiogram created
- [ ] Thumbnail: 1280×720px — readable text at small size
- [ ] Title (YouTube-optimized, includes keyword)
- [ ] Description (with chapters and links)
- [ ] Tags added (10–15 relevant)
- [ ] Playlist assigned
- [ ] End screen + cards set up
- [ ] Pinned comment with key links

**Apple Podcasts:**
- [ ] Auto-syncs from RSS host (no separate upload needed)
- [ ] Verify episode appears within 24–48h
- [ ] Check formatting of show notes

### Audiogram (for podcast without video)
If the episode is audio-only but needs social video:
- Extract 60–90s best quote or moment
- Create audiogram using Descript, Headliner, or CapCut
- Format: 1080×1080 (Instagram/X) or 1080×1920 (Stories/TikTok)
- Add subtitles — 85% of social video watched without sound
- Include show name and episode title as text overlay

---

## MODULE 5 — Repurposing Engine

**Trigger:** Episode is published and user wants to extract more content from it.

### The Episode → 10 Pieces Framework

From every single episode, extract:

| # | Format | Platform | Source in episode | Time to create |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Twitter/X thread (key insights) | X | Main talking points | 30 min |
| 2 | LinkedIn long-form post (lesson/story) | LinkedIn | Best story or insight | 20 min |
| 3 | Short-form clip 60–90s | TikTok/Reels | Best quotable moment | 15 min (edit) |
| 4 | Audiogram 30–60s | X/Instagram | Punchiest quote | 10 min |
| 5 | Carousel (key takeaways) | Instagram/LinkedIn | Top 5–7 points | 25 min |
| 6 | Quote graphic | X/Instagram | Single best quote | 5 min |
| 7 | Newsletter section | Email list | Full episode recap | 20 min |
| 8 | Blog post / article | Website | Expanded show notes | 45 min |
| 9 | Community post (Discord/Telegram) | Community | Discussion question from ep | 5 min |
| 10 | Story poll / question | Instagram/X | Controversial take from ep | 5 min |

**Repurposing principle:** Don't copy-paste. Each format has its own hook, rhythm, and CTA.
- Thread starts with the most provocative insight, not "in today's episode..."
- Carousel slide 1 = thumb-stopping hook, not "Key takeaways from episode 47"
- Newsletter adds your personal commentary that wasn't in the episode

### Web3 Podcast Repurposing Examples
**Episode:** "Why 90% of Smart Contract Audits Miss Critical Vulnerabilities"

- Thread: "We interviewed a security researcher. Here's what they said audits consistently miss 🧵"
- LinkedIn: "I spent an hour talking to someone who's reviewed 200+ smart contract audits. Here's the uncomfortable truth..."
- TikTok: [Clip of guest saying the most surprising stat about audit failures]
- Carousel: "5 things your auditor won't tell you" (based on episode content)
- Quote graphic: *"An audit is a snapshot. The attacker has unlimited time."*
- Newsletter: "This week I recorded something that changed how I think about security..."

---

## MODULE 6 — Podcast Growth & Promotion

**Trigger:** User wants more listeners, subscribers, or downloads.

### Growth Levers by Stage

**0–100 Episodes / Starting Out:**
- Tell everyone you know — personal DMs beat posts at this stage
- Guest-swap with 2–4 podcasts in adjacent niches
- Be a guest on other podcasts (drives listeners back to yours)
- Post the first 3 episodes simultaneously on launch day (shows algorithmic momentum)
- Ask 20 people to leave a review on Apple Podcasts in week 1

**100–500 Listeners:**
- Consistency is the growth engine — never miss a week
- Cross-promote in community channels (Discord, Telegram, Slack groups)
- Clip + post the most shareable 60s from every episode before the full episode drops
- Build a "best episodes" landing page — easy entry point for new listeners
- Feature guests with existing audiences (they share to their followers)

**Metrics to track:**
- Downloads per episode (first 7 days = leading indicator)
- Follower/subscriber growth (monthly)
- Episode completion rate (aim for >60%)
- Traffic source: where do listeners find you?
- Social shares per episode

**Web3 podcast-specific growth:**
- Post Spaces recordings as Twitter/X threads summarizing key moments
- Pin most popular episode on your X profile
- Feature in newsletter of aligned DAOs or protocols
- Distribute to Web3-native platforms: Lens Protocol, Farcaster channels

---

## General Quality Rules

1. **Consistency beats quality at the start.** Ship every week, even if imperfect.
2. **The intro is everything.** If you don't hook in the first 90 seconds, people leave.
3. **Every episode needs a reason to exist today** — why this topic, why this guest, why now.
4. **Repurpose before you record the next one.** Content from last episode > content from new episode at early stages.
5. **Your best clip is not the one you think it is.** Let the audience tell you (track shares and views per clip).

---

*Podcast Production Workflow Skill v1.0*  
*Built for content creators and Web3 project leads who run a podcast as a community and authority-building engine.*