10 Smart Ways to Repurpose Your Meeting Transcription

  • 2023-12-19
  • Serra Ardem
10 Smart Ways to Repurpose Your Meeting Transcription

That meeting transcription in your downloads folder might seem like the most boring document ever but we are ready to give it a spin. You just need to know how to take advantage of it. (And believe us, there are several ways to do so.)

Whether your meeting is face-to-face, a conference call or via video (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc.); its transcription can turn into an effective action plan, an insightful article or even a catchy Instagram post. In this guide, we will explain how to repurpose your meeting transcription and highlight the benefits of this practice.

Let’s start with the basic definition.

What is a meeting transcription?

To put it simply, a meeting transcription is the written record of everything that was said in a meeting.

Meeting transcriptions can be done in two ways: by a person manually or by an automatic transcription service. The first method can be pretty time-consuming though.

Thanks to the advancements in meeting transcription software and speech to text technology, we can now convert audio to text much faster and in a cost-effective manner. However, you may still need to edit your meeting transcription depending on the quality of your audio and the accuracy rate of the software you use.

8 Benefits of Having a Meeting Transcription

From enhancing collaboration to improving accessibility, transcribing meetings can serve you and your team in several ways.

Detect Action Items

A meeting transcription can be a powerful tool for spotting action items. For example, you can search your Zoom meeting transcription for certain phrases and keywords such as “We’ll need to”, “I’ll take care of” and “deadline”.

Transcribing meetings will also eliminate confusion as it will allow you to identify who committed to what during the meeting. This will help the team to clearly define responsibilities by person and therefore improve overall productivity.

Engage Better

Aaah, the burden of being the note-taker in a meeting, frantically trying to capture every crucial detail… You don’t need to worry about that anymore.

By reducing the need for extensive live note-taking, meeting transcription tools can allow participants to focus and engage more in the discussions. They will also relieve the note-taker’s anxiety, contributing to a more positive and relaxed meeting experience.

People conducting a meeting around a table.

Save Time and Money

Time is one of our most valuable assets and meeting transcription software will help you to manage it wisely. Today, AI transcription services can convert audio to text in just a few seconds, allowing for much quicker access to information. Now you can use your time for more critical tasks like strategic planning or idea generation. 

Meeting transcription services are also more pocket-friendly than hiring a manual transcriber, especially if you organize meetings frequently.

Break the Language Barrier

AI-powered transcription software can often deliver transcripts in multiple languages. This way, non-native participants can review the discussion in their own language and at their own pace.

Translating a meeting transcription will also help you avoid misunderstandings due to language differences. Addressing cultural nuances will clarify communication, especially in multinational or multicultural settings.

Enhance Knowledge Sharing

Meeting transcriptions offer significant benefits for absentees in particular. They provide a comprehensive overview of the meeting’s content, including the details that may be missed in summaries.

As remote work and globally diverse teams are adopted by many organizations, transcription software ensures that knowledge is shared across different geographies and time zones. This will also reduce the need for catch-up meetings and allow for flexible scheduling.

Boost Collaboration

Meeting transcription tools with collaboration features allow team members to view and edit shared documents together. With access to the document, everyone can stay on the same page and drive progress collectively.

Participants can add suggestions or offer constructive feedback to encourage shared responsibility. Furthermore, multi-functional and cross-disciplinary teams can benefit from each other’s expertise by sharing insights on the document.

Improve Accessibility

Your meeting transcription can provide a comprehensive record of the discussion for individuals with hearing impairments. This fosters a more inclusive environment where different needs are considered and addressed.

Additionally, transcription tools fill the gap if remote attendees miss certain points due to technical issues like audio glitches or failed connection. Hence everyone will keep up regardless of their location.

Track Progress

What is the point if you don’t achieve the goals you set? Meeting transcriptions can be an important reference point for tracking project milestones and overall progress.

You can also analyze transcripts to evaluate the efficiency of your meetings. Team members can ask themselves and each other how meetings can be optimized within the scope of different formats or communication styles.

A man looking at a graph from his tablet.

How to Transcribe Your Meetings with Maestra

Maestra’s AI transcription software is super easy to use. Just follow these simple steps:

  • Upload or drag and drop your meeting recording.
  • Select the audio language from 125+ languages.
  • Click “Submit” for the transcription process to start.
File uploading step for Maestra's AI transcription service.

Ta-da! Your transcription is ready within seconds. You can export it as a Microsoft Word document, a PDF or a plain text file.

Maestra has a very high accuracy rate but you can always proofread and edit your meeting transcription with the built-in text editor. Plus, you can share it with other team members to collaborate and edit together in real time.

Buit-in text editor for Maestra's AI transcription software.

The voice recognition technology will detect different speakers automatically and assign a number to each speaker.

Want to have a go with it?

How to Repurpose Your Meeting Transcription

You’ve downloaded your transcription; now what? Don’t let it go to waste and repurpose it for knowledge sharing, content creation and more.

Make a List of Action Items

There are certain techniques for making a clear list of action items: First, skim the entire meeting transcription and identify key points. Then search for and highlight phrases like “Responsible for…”, “Let’s make sure…” and “We need to…”. Avoid vague parts or open-ended discussions.

Organize your list by category (marketing, product development, finance, etc.) and identify who is responsible for each item. Prioritize tasks and add deadlines. Don’t forget to revisit your list periodically and adjust it when necessary.

Create Onboarding Materials

HR teams; this one’s for you. When you transcribe meetings, look for parts where company culture, essential tools and team dynamics are discussed.

Extract that information and tailor it for different formats. Create a welcome package by highlighting your core values or summarizing key procedures through practical guides. You can also add quotes from existing team members.

Send Follow-Up Emails

Turn your meeting transcription into a follow-up email for both participants and absentees. Start by thanking your team members for their input, recap the main discussion topics and share key takeaways. Nobody has time to read long emails; keep it clear and concise by using bullet points or numbered lists. 

Outline the next steps by using action-oriented language and provide additional resources such as documents or links. If there are any unanswered questions, you can use the email to reiterate them.

A woman typing on her laptop.

Update Your Clients

You’ve updated your colleagues; what about your clients? That Teams meeting transcription might be the strategic source you need.

Carefully review the transcript to identify which areas are relevant and valuable to your clients. Turn action items into a list, highlight project progress and future goals. Tailor your tone to that specific client and emphasize how key decisions made in the meeting can benefit them.

Share Client Testimonials

Repurposing a meeting transcription as a client testimonial is definitely possible. You can start by scanning the document to check if any of your team members shared a positive comment or feedback from a client, especially after a project milestone.

When you’re sharing client testimonials, use powerful phrases and avoid long, complicated sentences. Always emphasize the benefits of your service and of course; never forget to ask for your client’s permission.

Post on Social Media

A LinkedIn post, a tweet or an Instagram carousel… You can condense certain parts of your meeting transcription (such as a witty quote) and transform them into bite-sized, attention-grabbing yet professional social media content.

Look for insightful statements, success stories and thought-provoking questions that arose during the meeting. Enhance your post with GIFs or memes if suited and adapt your language to the platform you’re posting to.

LinkedIn mobile app on a smartphone.

Summarize on Slack

Slack is great for sharing decision highlights and assigning action items to specific individuals. Make sure you format your messages for emphasis and readability by using bullet points, emojis and bold text.

You can also attach files and add links, which makes sharing relevant documents much easier. If a message is super important, you can always pin it to the top of a chat. Last but not least, you can start a discussion thread if a certain topic from your meeting transcription needs elaboration.

Write a Blog

Sometimes just one sentence from that Zoom meeting transcription can be repurposed as a 2,500 word blog post. Case studies, surprising data and debates are especially valuable starting points for writing long-form content.

When turning key takeaways into a blog post, always fact-check the information you present and optimize for SEO. You can also add a call-to-action button and prompt readers to share their opinions on the matter.

Organize a Webinar

If you decide to repurpose your meeting transcription as a webinar, first you must consider your audience and then decide the format. What does your audience like to discover more about your niche or company? What are the problems they try to solve?

When it comes to format, you can follow the meeting’s flow, choose a specific theme, have a Q&A session or go bold and try something entirely new. Feel free to invite guest speakers to diversify voices. This can also pave the way for future partnerships.

Practice Self-Reflection

Transcribing meetings will not only improve team performance. It can also provide a space for self-reflection and professional development.

Start by analyzing your communication style. Ask yourself if you convey your ideas clearly and really listen to others. Reflect on your role in the decision making processes and look for areas of improvement. However, never be harsh on yourself and don’t forget to celebrate your achievements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you transcribe a meeting?

You can manually transcribe a meeting or use a transcription software. The second option is more beneficial as it can quickly convert audio to text by utilizing the latest AI technology.

Can Google transcribe meetings?

Unlike Zoom or Microsoft Teams, Google Meet does not offer real-time transcription. However, it can generate automatic captions if you choose to record a meeting. These captions can be saved along with your meeting recording.

How do you transcribe audio to text in Microsoft Teams?

You can have a live transcription of your meeting on the desktop version of Microsoft Teams. The transcript will be shown on the right side of your screen with the speaker’s name and a time stamp. To start live transcription on Microsoft Teams, select “More” on meeting controls. Then choose “Record and transcribe” and “Start transcription”.

Can you transcribe on Zoom?

As of December 2023, Zoom has an audio transcription service for cloud recordings. However, it comes with certain prerequisites. You need to enable cloud recording within a Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education license. Also keep in mind that audio transcription only supports English and French.

Can AI write minutes of a meeting?

Yes, AI-powered transcription services can write minutes. However, they are not always 100% accurate. You can review and edit your document if you spot any mistakes in minutes generation.

Can AI replace transcriptionists?

AI transcription tools are rapidly developing yet we still need human transcriptionists in the near future. Most AI models are highly accurate. However, human transcriptionists can provide context and understand nuances when AI struggles. They can also fix potential bias. It seems like AI and humans will continue to collaborate to provide the most effective service.

Summary

In this guide, we gave you 10 ideas on how to repurpose your meeting transcription. We also highlighted the various benefits of transcribing meetings. We can conclude by saying that meeting transcriptions should not be overlooked as they hold a huge potential for business growth, performance improvement and content creation.

So are you ready to turn that meeting recording into a valuable source? Upload an audio file to Maestra’s speech to text converter and see the latest AI technology in action for free.

Serra Ardem

About Serra Ardem

Serra Ardem is a freelance writer and editor based in Istanbul. For the last 8 years, she has been collaborating with brands and businesses to tell their unique story and develop their verbal identity.