If you create any kind of audio or video content, you know the challenge: you have valuable information locked away in a format that’s hard to repurpose. Turning a podcast episode or a vlog into a blog post, show notes, or social media content used to be a tedious and time-consuming process. For years, my options were to either spend hours transcribing it myself or pay for expensive services.
Recently, I found a tool that completely changed my workflow and removed this bottleneck entirely. My go-to solution is now the free AI-powered transcription service from Riverside.fm. It’s fast, incredibly accurate, and has become an essential part of how I manage my content.
Here’s the simple, step-by-step process I use.
Step 1: Finalize the Media File
First, I make sure I have the final version of the audio or video file I want to transcribe. This is typically an MP3 for audio or an MP4 for video. I save it to a folder on my computer where it’s easy to find.
Step 2: Upload to the Transcription Service
Next, I navigate to the Riverside.fm transcription page. The interface is clean and simple. I just drag and drop my audio or video file directly onto the page to upload it.
Step 3: Let the AI Work
Once the file is uploaded, the AI gets to work. This is the most impressive part. What would have taken me hours of manual typing is usually done in just a few minutes. The service claims 99% accuracy, and in my experience, it’s very close to that. It handles different accents and technical jargon surprisingly well. It also supports over 100 languages, which is a huge benefit.
Step 4: Review and Export the Text
After the transcription is complete, I can review the text directly on their site to make any minor edits or corrections. The output is already timestamped, which is incredibly useful. Once I’m happy with it, I can download the full transcript as a text file (.txt) for my blog posts or as a subtitle file (.srt) to use with my videos.
This simple, four-step process has become a game-changer for me. It allows me to effortlessly convert all of my audio and video ideas into written content, multiplying the value of everything I record. Best of all, the service is completely free of charge, which removes the biggest barrier for most creators.
If you have content that you want to put to better use, I highly recommend giving this workflow a try.
