turn any document into a podcast

STEP BY STEPFrom a PDF nobody reads to an episode they will actually play

1. 01

   Pick the document

   Start with something you already have and that people should read but usually don't: the explanation of your service, the instructions before an appointment, a product manual or your FAQ. You can use a PDF, a Google Doc, a Word file or even a web page. I used my guide to the seven tasks, published on this same site.

2. 02

   Open NotebookLM

   Open NotebookLM in your browser and sign in with your Google account. There is nothing to install. Since 2026 the screen may say Gemini Notebook: it is the same tool and the link still works. Press Create notebook.

3. 03

   Add your document

   Under Add sources you can bring your information in several ways. Upload files: for a PDF or Word file from your computer. Websites: to paste the link of a page. Drive: to use a document you already have in Google Drive. Once your document shows up as a source in the left column, NotebookLM can work with it. From that moment you can even ask it questions about the content from Chat.

   prompt · what the voices focus on

   Copy

   Speak to [who will listen: a new client, someone with an appointment tomorrow, a new hire]. Explain [what they should understand by the end: how the service works, what to bring to the appointment, how to use the product] following the information in the document, without inventing anything that isn't there. Use plain English, speak directly to the listener and avoid jargon. End with [the next step: book a time, arrive 10 minutes early, send a WhatsApp].

   With no instructions, the two voices decide for themselves which parts of the document to talk about. This prompt tells them who they are speaking to, what you want that person to understand, and what you want them to do next. It goes in the instructions box in step 5.

4. 04

   Set the language

   In NotebookLM's settings look for Output language. There are three Spanish options: español, español (Latinoamérica) and español (México). I picked plain español and the voices ended up with a Spanish accent from Spain, using expressions from there. It didn't affect the information, but it was pretty obvious. Pick the variant your clients actually speak.

5. 05

   Create the podcast

   Go to Studio and select Audio Overview. Then open Customize Audio Overview. For this test I used Deep Dive format, Spanish, and Short length. Paste the prompt above into the instructions box and press Generate. Now wait while NotebookLM builds the episode.

6. 06

   Listen to the whole thing before you share it

   Don't send it straight to your clients. Listen to it first with the original document next to you and check four things: that it doesn't add information the document doesn't contain; that names, prices, dates and numbers are right; that it explains what you actually wanted explained; and that it ends with the next step you asked for. If something is off, change the instructions and generate another version.

7. 07

   Download it and share it

   Once you have a version you like, download the audio. From there you can send it over WhatsApp, by email, or put it straight on your website. The point is that your client doesn't have to open NotebookLM or learn another tool. They just get the audio and press play.

8. 08

   Now think about what else you can turn into a podcast

   Now do it with something of yours: how your service works, what a client should know before an appointment, how to use a product after buying it, the questions your clients always ask, or a welcome guide for a new hire. One document. A few instructions. One episode. You already have the information. NotebookLM just helps you tell it another way.

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