Episode Messaging

Every episode includes a built-in Episode Chat where you can talk with your guests and team members in real time. Use it to share talking points, coordinate prep work, and discuss ideas right next to your show notes.

Where to Find Chat

Episode Chat lives on the episode's Show Notes page:

1. Go to Episodes in your podcast navigation and open an episode
2. Open the Show notes tab
3. On desktop, the chat sits in a rail to the right of your notes. On mobile, use the Chat item in the bottom bar (alongside Notes and People)

The chat header shows the Episode Chat title, small avatars for everyone currently online (hover to see "N online" with names), an unread count, and a pop-out button.

Send Messages

Type in the message box ("Type a message...") and press Enter to send. Use Shift + Enter to add a new line without sending. The line under the box reminds you: "Enter to send · Shift+Enter for a new line · @ to mention".

Messages appear instantly for everyone who's online, as one thread down the left, with no bubbles. Each day starts with a divider (Today, Yesterday, or the date). A message shows the sender's avatar, name, their role on the episode (such as Host, Producer or Guest) and the time it was sent, in your time zone. When someone sends several messages in a row, they share one header; hover over a later one to see its time.

If nobody has written yet, the chat says No messages yet: "Everyone on this episode sees this chat, including guests. Type @ to mention someone."

Character Limit

Messages can be up to 5,000 characters. A character counter appears in the input once you're getting close to the limit.

Mention People

Type @ in the message box to mention someone. A suggestion list appears with matching episode participants:

• Use the arrow keys to move through the list
• Press Enter to insert the highlighted mention
• Press Escape to close the list

Mentions appear highlighted in the message so the person can spot them easily.

Who can be mentioned?

The list covers everyone on the episode: team members and guests alike.

React to Messages

Hover over a message from someone else (or tap it on a phone) and a small bar appears at its top right, with 👍, ❤️ and Add reaction (a smiley with a plus), which offers all six:

👍 ❤️ 😂 😮 🎉 🔥

Reactions appear as small pills under the message showing the emoji and a count; yours are tinted purple. Click a pill to add or remove your own reaction.

You can't react to your own messages. On your messages, reaction pills from others are display-only.

Delete a Message

You can delete your own messages. Hover over one of your messages (or tap it on a phone) and click Delete message (the trash icon) in the bar that appears. The message asks Delete for all? right underneath it: choose Yes, delete, or Cancel (or press Escape) to keep it.

Deletion is permanent

The message is deleted for everyone on the episode. There is no undo.

The People Tab

Switch from Chat to People to see everyone with access to the episode:

• Online participants are listed first, each with a role badge (Host, Co-host, Producer, or Guest)
• Offline participants follow below

A typing indicator ("Sam is typing...") also appears in the chat while someone is composing a message.

Unread Messages

When messages arrive that you haven't seen:

• On desktop, a red badge with the count appears in the Episode Chat card header. Click it to clear the count.
• On mobile, the badge appears on the Chat item in the bottom bar.

Scroll up to review history and click Load earlier messages to fetch older conversation.

Pop Out the Chat

Click the Open chat in new window button in the chat header to open the conversation in its own small window. Handy when you want the chat visible while you work elsewhere in the episode, or on a second screen while recording.

The Guest Experience

Guests get the same chat through their portal, no account required. On desktop the chat is docked on the right of their show notes and folds to a rail, as yours does. On a phone, guests switch between Shared, My notes, and Chat, with the unread count on Chat.

Guests can send messages, mention participants, react to others' messages, delete their own messages, and see who's online in the People tab.

Tips for Effective Collaboration

• Share prep materials early: post links and talking points before the recording session
• Use mentions when you need a specific person to respond
• React to acknowledge ideas without cluttering the conversation
• Check the People tab before recording to confirm everyone is online

What's Next?

• Invite Guests to your episodes
• The Guest Portal: what guests see and can do
• Show Notes: collaborative editing alongside chat