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What Files Should You Get From a Podcast Editor? A Deliverables Checklist

The Content Factory team · September 2, 2026

Most people hire a podcast editor and think about one thing: the finished episode. Then the files show up, and they realize they are missing half the stuff they actually needed. No captioned clips. No thumbnail. Audio buried inside a video file with no separate track for the audio-only platforms.

This post is the checklist I wish more clients had before they paid anyone. If you know what a full set of deliverables looks like, you can ask for it up front, budget for it, and stop paying twice to fix gaps later.

Why deliverables matter more than the edit itself

Editing is the work. Deliverables are what you own when the work is done. Two editors can charge the same rate and hand you very different amounts of usable material.

One gives you a single MP4 and calls it done. The other gives you a master, an audio-only version, clips sized for each platform, captions, a thumbnail, and show notes. Same episode. Wildly different value. When you compare quotes, compare the deliverables list, not just the price. That is the same logic behind our full pricing guide: what you get matters more than the number on the invoice.

The core deliverables for every episode

1. The master audio file

You want a clean, mixed, mastered audio file. Usually a WAV for archiving and an MP3 for uploading to podcast hosts. This is the file that goes to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere audio-only.

Ask that it be leveled to podcast loudness standards so it does not sound quieter or louder than other shows in someone's feed. If your editor cannot tell you the target loudness, that is a flag.

2. The full video episode

If you record video, you want the finished long-form video in the resolution you plan to publish. For most people that is 1080p or 4K for YouTube. Confirm the frame rate matches what you recorded so nothing looks stuttery.

If you shot with multiple cameras, this file should already have the angle cuts done. That work is real, and if you want the background on it, our editing services page walks through what multi-cam actually involves.

3. A separate audio-only version pulled from the video

People forget this one. If you recorded video, the audio inside that video should still be cleaned up and exported on its own for the podcast feed. You do not want listeners hearing raw room audio just because the video looked fine.

The clip and social deliverables

4. Short-form clips sized per platform

You want vertical clips for Shorts, Reels, and TikTok, and ideally a couple of horizontal or square cuts too. The key detail: they should be exported at the right dimensions for each platform, not one square clip crammed everywhere.

Agree on a number up front. Three clips per episode is a reasonable starting point. Some people want ten. Both are fine as long as it is written down before the work starts.

5. Captions burned into the clips

Most short-form video gets watched with the sound off at first. Captions are not optional if you want views. Ask whether captions come standard or cost extra, and whether they are styled to match your brand or just plain white text.

6. A thumbnail for the long-form video

A thumbnail is what makes someone click on YouTube. It is a real design task, not a screen grab. If thumbnails are part of your package, ask how many options you get and whether you can request changes.

The packaging deliverables

7. Show notes and a title

Show notes are the written description that goes under the episode. Good ones include a short summary, timestamps for the main topics, and any links mentioned. A strong episode title helps people decide to press play.

These are small tasks that eat time if you do them yourself, which is exactly why they belong in a done-for-you setup. Our show packages bundle the notes, titles, and clips so you are not stitching it together every week.

8. A trailer or teaser (when it makes sense)

Not every episode needs one, but a short teaser is useful for launches and guest promos. Decide episode by episode rather than paying for one every time out of habit.

The files you should also keep, even if you never touch them

9. Access to the raw footage

Ask what happens to your original recordings. You want the raw camera and audio files, or at least confirmation of how long they are stored. If you ever want to re-cut an old episode into new clips a year from now, you need the source material.

At our place you leave with your files the same day you record, so the raw footage is yours from the start. That is part of what a real session includes when you book a session, not something you have to chase down later.

10. A project file, if you ever plan to switch editors

This one is negotiable and not everyone offers it. But if you think you might change editors or bring editing in-house down the road, ask whether you can get the editing project file. It saves whoever comes next from rebuilding your entire episode from scratch.

How to use this checklist

Before you hire anyone, send them this exact list and ask which items are included, which cost extra, and how many of each you get. Their answers tell you two things fast: whether they actually understand the full workflow, and whether the price you were quoted covers what you assumed it did.

A vague answer means you will be surprised later. A specific answer, item by item, means you are dealing with someone who has done this many times.

The goal is simple. When an episode is done, you should have everything you need to publish audio, publish video, post clips all week, and promote it, without going back and asking for one more file. Businesses that treat their content like a real channel run it this way, which is worth thinking about if you are handling episodes for a company or brand rather than a personal show.

Set the deliverables up front. The edit is only half the job. The files are what you actually keep.