Optimize Description In Apple Podcast

Apple does some weird things when it comes to formatting show notes. Below is the process we’ve put together as a best practice. Keep in mind that this may not fix the way they’re displayed entirely, due to the differences in themes.

First off, uncheck the checkbox “Wrap summary values with tags” and “Optimize iTunes Summary from Blog Posts” in the apple settings in PowerPress.

Second in the Reading menu of WordPress Settings (just plain settings in the sidebar), select Full Text where it says For each post in a feed, include. Save changes.

Third, if you are using Classic Editor, in the post editor, click “Screen Options” and check the box for Summary/Excerpt (different themes may call this box either). If you are using the Block editor, click the little 3 dot icon in the upper right, select Settings, and make sure the Summary/Excerpt box is checked.

Then, when you do a post, type out your formatted show notes in the big text box, the main content area of the post. Put a summary (a few lines describing the episode) in the Summary/Excerpt box.

Also, remember that formatting should be done in the stock WordPress editor (Block or Classic) and if you cut and paste from some other app (Word Processor or Google Docs) you should convert it to plain text before pasting into WordPress and then format it there.

You can skip the excerpt part if you want. YYMV as Apple keeps changing things.

-Mike

WOW, thank you SOOOO much! Will try all of these things. Appreciate you!

Okay, so I tried that but then my FULL blog post shows up as the description in Apple Podcasts, which I don’t want. I only want a small snippet with some links, which I typed into the “excerpt” field—and that shows up. But is there a way to create space between lines when you type an excerpt? Right now, it’s just showing up as one big chunk of text that’s hard to read… Thanks!

This is one thing about publishing from your own blog. What you type in the blog post, is what gets syndicated out. IF you only want a little snippet, you type only a little snippet into your post.

Trying to control what every platform shows of your show notes will drive you crazy.

-Mike

Good point! Thanks, Mike ??