You already put hours into every podcast episode — researching, recording, editing. A newsletter lets you squeeze more value from that work by reaching people where they actually check every day: their inbox.
PodDistill makes this fast. Paste your RSS feed, pick an episode, and you'll have a publish-ready newsletter in minutes. This guide walks you through the entire process from start to finish.
Step 1: Add Your Podcast
From your PodDistill dashboard, paste your podcast's RSS feed URL into the "Add a Podcast" field and click Add. PodDistill will parse the feed and import your recent episodes automatically.
Don't know your RSS feed URL? Check your podcast host (Buzzsprout, Anchor, Libsyn, etc.) — it's usually listed in your show settings. You can also search Apple Podcasts and PodDistill will find the feed for you.
Step 2: Transcribe an Episode
Click Transcribe on any episode. PodDistill sends the audio to AssemblyAI, which returns a high-accuracy transcript complete with speaker labels, chapters, and timestamps.
Transcription typically takes 2-5 minutes depending on episode length. You'll see a progress bar while it processes, and the transcript appears automatically when it's ready.
Step 3: Generate Your Newsletter
Once the transcript is ready, click Generate Newsletter. PodDistill uses Claude AI to create a structured newsletter including:
- A compelling subject line
- An engaging introduction
- Key takeaways and highlights
- Quotable quotes from the episode
- A call-to-action driving listeners to the full episode
If you've generated newsletters before, PodDistill matches the tone and style of your previous work so each one sounds more like you.
Step 4: Edit and Polish
The split-pane editor shows your newsletter in Markdown on the left and a live HTML preview on the right. Edit the content until it reads the way you want — the AI gives you a strong first draft, but your personal touch is what makes it great.
Common edits include adjusting the intro to reference something timely, reordering key takeaways, or adding a personal note your audience will appreciate.
Step 5: Send or Export
You have three options for distribution:
- Send directly — PodDistill can email the newsletter to your audience via Resend (Pro plan).
- Copy HTML — paste into your existing newsletter platform (Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Mailchimp, etc.).
- Download Markdown — use the raw Markdown file in your own workflow or CMS.
Tips for Your First Newsletter
- Start with your most popular episode. You already know it resonates — the newsletter version will too. Not sure which one to pick? Read our guide on choosing the right episodes.
- Keep it under 800 words. Readers want highlights, not a transcript. The AI handles this well by default.
- Add a personal line at the top. Even one sentence ("Hey, this week's episode was special because...") makes a big difference.
- Include a clear CTA. Tell readers exactly what to do: listen to the episode, reply with their take, or share with a friend.
- Nail the subject line. It's the single biggest factor in whether your newsletter gets opened. We wrote a whole guide on writing subject lines that get opened.
What's Next?
Once you've sent your first newsletter, turn on Auto-Transcribe for your podcast. New episodes will be transcribed automatically, so you can jump straight to generating a newsletter whenever you're ready.
From there, you can repurpose each episode into social posts, blog articles, and more — or focus on growing your email list so every newsletter you send reaches more people.
Most PodDistill users go from zero to their first newsletter in under 10 minutes. Start your free account — the hardest part is deciding which episode to go with first.