A teleprompter for podcasts
Most of a podcast is conversation, but the intro, sponsor reads and outro are scripted, and on video podcasts viewers notice when you look down. Keep those reads at eye level.
Step by step: read under your webcam
- Choose Laptop or desktop webcam. This preset puts a narrow column of text right under the camera, with the reading line near the top, so your eyes stay close to the lens.
- Keep it narrow and close to the lens. The shorter the distance between the words and the camera, the more it looks like you’re talking to the viewer. Keep the text small enough to read without leaning in.
- Run it beside your call or recorder. Zoom, Meet, Teams, OBS or QuickTime keep running underneath. Control the scroll with the keyboard, a clicker, a Stream Deck or your phone.
Keep each read separate
Save the intro, each sponsor read and the outro as separate scripts in Reframely's script menu. Switch to the one you need just before you read it, so you're never scrolling through a long document mid-episode.
Set it up next to the mic
- For a webcam podcast, choose Your rig → Laptop or desktop webcam and keep a narrow window under the camera.
- For a camera with a glass teleprompter, use the glass presets and put the device in the rig.
- Pair a phone as the remote so the co-host or producer can start your read on cue.
- Use Fit to to make a sponsor read land on its agreed length, such as 0:60.
Sponsor reads that sound natural
- Mark must-say phrases, such as promo codes, with a cue like
[SAY CLEARLY]. - Try voice follow: you can ad-lib a little and it waits for you to come back to the script.
- Keep the text a little smaller than for a solo video, so your eyes move less.
A script structure for a podcast episode
| Part | Scripted? | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Cold open or teaser | Yes | One line that makes people stay |
| Intro and housekeeping | Yes | Under 30 seconds; the same every week |
| Conversation | Notes only | Bullet points or questions, not sentences |
| Sponsor read | Yes | Word for word where the sponsor requires it |
| Outro and call to action | Yes | One ask, not three |
Show notes as a prompter script
For the conversation, write your questions as short lines under # headings. They work as a run-down: jump to the next topic with the remote, and the script stays out of the way when you're just talking. Pause the scroll during conversation and use it only for the scripted parts.
Audio-only shows
Even without video, reading from a screen at eye level helps: you sit up, project better and stay closer to the mic than when you look down at paper. A tablet on a stand behind the mic works well, with the text large enough to read without leaning in.
Questions
Do podcasters use teleprompters?
Many video podcasters use one for scripted parts such as intros, sponsor reads and outros, while the conversation stays unscripted.
Can my co-host control the teleprompter?
Yes. They can pair their phone as the remote with the code.
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