A Simple Podcast Planning Template to Stay Organized

You’ve got a great show idea, but where to even start? Planning a podcast can be a bit confusing if this is your first time, there’s lot’s to think about all at the same time. You’ve got topics, guests, recording dates, publishing dates, titles, and notes all scattered everywhere. How can you make sense of it all?

That’s where a good podcast planning template becomes your friend. It gives you one place to keep your thoughts, your schedule, and your execution plan together so you spend less time chasing details and more time creating a show you love.

Why Use a Podcast Planning Template

If you’ve ever had an episode go off the rails because you forgot a key point, or you missed a recording date because it wasn’t written down, you know the value of a simple planning system. A podcast planner template helps in a few ways:

• It forces you to think through your whole season, and each episode before you hit record.

• It keeps your ideas and notes in one place instead of sticky notes or random docs.

• It makes it easier to plan ahead so publishing feels predictable instead of stressful.

• You can pass it to a teammate, guest, or editor and they know what’s happening next.

Even the biggest shows use some version of this kind of planning. There are planners that cover everything from show keywords to audience focus. Others break your episodes into phases so you keep track of recording, editing, and publishing all in one place. 

If planning feels like a pain point, this template will take that weight off your shoulders so you can focus on the part of the podcast you enjoy. We’ve opted for a PDF which you can copy into a Google Doc and share with you team, but if you find it easier, you can also use a tool like Notion or Asana to organize all the layers. 

Download our free podcast planning template below.

Podcast Planning Template

Podcast Details

Use this section once per show or series.

• Podcast name:

• Host(s):

• Target audience:

• Publishing cadence: (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)

• Primary goal: (brand awareness, pipeline, thought leadership, community)

Episode Overview

Fill this out for each episode, it can be helpful to have one page in a folder for each episode, or keep it on an excel, or Notion sheet. 

• Episode number:

• Working title:

• Episode type: (solo, interview, panel)

• Guest name(s):

• Guest role / company:

• Recording date:

• Publish date:

Episode Focus

This can help you plan before you record an episode, when you are just still planning ahead of time. 

• Main topic:

• Why this topic matters right now:

• Key takeaway for the listener:

• Any examples, stories, or data to reference:

Talking Points

Keep it loose. These are prompts, not a script.

1.  

2.   

Pre-Recording Checklist

• Guest confirmed

• Prep doc sent

• Recording link created

• Equipment tested

Post-Recording Workflow

• Editor assigned:

• Edit due date:

• Final approval date:

Distribution & Promotion

You can create a check list, or a dropdown list to organize these.

• Podcast platforms: (Apple, Spotify, etc.)

• Blog page created:

• Email newsletter: yes / no

• Social posts planned: yes / no [Link:]

• Paid promotion: yes / no

Notes & Follow-Ups