Speaker 1: There are common mistakes that podcasters make when using scripts, and today in this video I am going to help you to fix them. Because I am feeling generous, I'm also going to throw in a little something extra. So after we have fixed those common mistakes, I'm going to run through all the key elements that a podcast script needs in order to be successful. So get comfy, hit subscribe, like this video and learn how you can become a pro at creating podcast scripts. Let's start with mistake number one, and that is not writing how you speak. When we are creating our scripts, we need to make sure that we write them in a way that sounds like you. The idea here is to be authentic, because being authentically yourself will help you to build a stronger connection and relationship with your audience. Avoid words or phrases that you wouldn't usually use, and just don't be afraid to be yourself. You're the host, speak like you would. Mistake number two, and that is neglecting your podcast avatar. So here at Captivate, we often talk about the importance of thinking about your podcast avatar. So who is the ideal listener of your podcast? How we speak matters. We want to make sure that what we are saying and how we are saying it is resonating with them and not alienating them. Mistake number three, talking too fast. So when we have a script in front of us, there is a tendency to speak quickly. Slow it down. Don't forget to breathe. You don't need to rush. Make sure that you are given time for your listeners to actually listen to what you are saying and take it in. It's okay to pause. Take a breath. If it's helpful when you are putting together your script, put pauses into that script to help you. Mistake number four, and that is not using natural segue phrases. We see this a lot at Captivate. When podcasters are putting together their scripts, they forget about natural segue phrases that help move on the conversation, help with a natural flow. So how are you going to move on from talking about one topic to another? So let's say, for example, you have a podcast that reviews musicals and you and your host have finished talking about Chicago and you want to move on to The Lion King. Here is an example of a segue. Okay, let's journey from those smoky jazz clubs of Chicago to the heart of the African savannah. It's time to enter the realm of majestic animals, the pride lands, and of course, the circle of life. It's The Lion King. Time for our last mistake to fix, and that is not having a clear structure. When you are creating your podcast script, think about a clear solid structure that has a logical flow. You want your listeners to stick around and listen to the full episode. And having a clear structure is the way you can do this. So think about all the different parts of your episode and how you can best link them together in a way that it naturally flows, starting with your beginning to the middle, right through to the end. It's all about thinking about the listener experience. How can you keep them engaged? How can you hook them by making sure that you're thinking about structure? Okay, I'm going to keep to my promise. So earlier I said that I would throw in a little something extra. So we have fixed all the common mistakes that podcasters make with scripts. Let's run through the key elements that all successful podcast scripts need. Starting with element number one, you need to have an engaging hook for listeners. So at the start of a podcast episode, you need to be introducing your podcast, your hosts, and guests if you have them. But make sure you spend time to tease today's topic or this episode's topic. What are you talking about? Give listeners a reason to stick around. What is the main thing that they're going to get from listening to today's episode? Also in your introduction, don't forget about your calls to action. So what is it that you want your podcast listeners to do when they are listening to your podcast episodes? Do you want them to subscribe on a podcast listening app and leave you a five-star review? Do you want them to follow you on social media? Or maybe you have a link to download a resource in your show notes. So let's talk about the main episode. So think about exciting topics for your audience. And I'm going to talk about podcast avatar again, because it's really important. What topics will excite your avatar? What is important to them? What topic would they want to find out more about? And then when you have your topics, it's time to think about segments, so the different sections of your podcast, because this will help you to build a solid structure. So with your topics and your segments, how can you best link them together? You could also think about jingles and musical embeds that you can use in between them. And other techniques is things like having a break halfway through. Having a break halfway through allows you to sort of summarize what has already been spoken about and tease what's coming up in part two, let's say. And then also having a break halfway is a great opportunity, again, to remind your audience of that call to action. What is it that you really want your audience to do? Remind them. Make sure that they know. Before ending your podcast, we'd highly recommend having a main takeaway. So what is the main takeaway for your listeners? Maybe it's a key bit of advice. Maybe it's guidance. Maybe it's something that you want them to do. And then it's time to wrap it up. You need to close your podcast in a meaningful way. So of course, if you have a guest on your show, make sure you thank them, but make time to thank your listeners as well. Thank your listeners for tuning in and listening to your podcast. You could also navigate them to links and resources in your show notes where they can get more information about the topic that has been discussed. Again, last reminder of that call to action. What is it that you really want your audience to do? Keep it in their mind so there's more chance that they're going to do it. And this is optional, but you can also include a catchphrase. So how you end each of your episodes. And don't forget to remind listeners about previous episodes that are relevant to the topic. Again, you can link those episodes in your show notes. And you can definitely tease what is coming up. So what's coming up next week or in a couple of weeks time. Sadly, that is all I have time for today. But remember when using scripts, write how you speak. Don't neglect your podcast avatar, slow it down. Don't talk too fast. Remember to breathe. Use natural segue phrases and make sure you have a clear structure. Following these tips in this video, you'll be scripting podcasts like a pro in no time at all. If you found this video helpful, here at Captivate, we have a ton of free resources. I really urge you to check out the description because you'll find a link to a script article that goes into more detail about what we've spoken about today. We have downloads that will help you really improve your scripting skills. And of course, our 45-second quiz that will help you to overcome that one blocker stopping you from launching your podcast and give you easy to implement steps to overcome it. We regularly post videos and tutorials on our YouTube channel, so make sure you subscribe. Let us know what you think to this video by giving us a like and leaving a comment. And the only thing left for me to say is happy podcasting.