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Podcasts are a great way to share your passions and expertise with the world. The business of podcasts is also booming: In 2024, the U.S. podcast market was closing in on a landmark 100 million weekly listeners.
However, to be successful in this field, you need an audience. Learning search engine optimization (SEO) for podcasts will help more people find you and connect with your stories. Follow these tips on SEO for podcasting to broaden your organic reach and grow your audience.
Understanding Podcast SEO
Podcast SEO is all about connecting your podcast to the right audience. You can record a podcast episode, post it online, and hope it finds your people. Or you can use SEO for podcasting strategically to build your brand and find your unique audience.
SEO for podcasts helps you rank in Google searches and on apps like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Using proven SEO tools drives traffic to your show’s website and drives interest. If you’re a business owner taking advantage of podcasts as a form of content marketing, these tips will also help improve your overall SEO efforts.
SEO can inform your podcast content strategy by helping you incorporate potential keywords into your topic list. Your content strategy also contributes to your SEO efforts. The first step in developing a podcast content strategy is to identify your target audience and figure out how to appeal to their interests. This step can be your launch pad for keyword research and other SEO efforts.
Importance of SEO for Podcasts
Podcasts are often fun passion projects, but you can also make them a career. Connecting with multiple listeners and building your audience opens up advertising opportunities and other monetizing strategies.
In 2024, listeners could choose from three million podcasts. With all this competition, you may wonder how any show finds its audience. SEO is a valuable tool to help people who are interested in your niche find you online.
Effective SEO helps you target these people. In the pre-podcast era, people could find radio programming that interested them by tuning into the right station. Each station offered a specific format with programming tailored to its audience based on ratings, demographic information, and other research.
Podcasting gives you control of your audience. You don’t have to format your show to appeal to a radio station’s demographics or broadcast on an all-access channel and hope people listen. You can use SEO to define who you want listening to your show and attract them to it.
Key Elements of Podcast SEO
Whether you’re sitting down to record your first episode or you’re on your 50th, you can benefit from SEO for podcasts. Here's how to do it.
Keyword Research
Using the right keywords throughout your website, podcast titles, descriptions, and transcripts improves your search engine visibility. Make a list of the search terms people would enter into Google to find your niche.
Take advantage of keyword research tools that show search volume, intent, and competition for various keywords. These tools tell you which of your keywords are most likely to bring people to your website.
Look for high-volume keywords with less competition. Volume refers to how frequently people search for a keyword, while competition refers to the number of other websites also attempting to rank for that term.
For example, “true crime podcasts” can drive traffic toward this niche, but it is a crowded term. Any podcast in this genre will probably try to rank for this keyword. You may have better luck by being specific. Instead of optimizing your website for “true crime podcasts,” you could focus on “podcasts about Ponzi schemes.”
Metadata Optimization
Once you’ve found your best keywords, incorporate them throughout your website and use them to optimize your metadata. This includes episode titles, descriptions, tags, show notes, and alt-text.
Choose the most relevant keywords and strategically incorporate them into your metadata. Don’t stuff too many keywords into a description. They should naturally fit into your text. Spread them through your episode descriptions, show notes, transcripts, and tags.
Optimization isn’t just about keywords. Your metadata should be clean and set clear expectations for your listeners. To heighten the user experience, add relevant context and information to your show notes. Also, add hashtags to make your podcast more discoverable.
Episode Titles and Descriptions
Yes, episode titles and descriptions are part of metadata, but there are more guidelines for these two podcast elements. Your titles should be catchy while conveying information about the episode. Avoid vague or misleading titles. Keep your titles short yet relevant. If your show is a series, add numbers to each episode title so people can listen in order.
Your podcast description summarizes your show to attract listeners. It appears on hosting platforms to introduce you to prospective listeners and hook them. In this section, you essentially tell people to listen to you because you’re awesome. You have roughly 150 words to convey this.
Take our hypothetical podcast about Ponzi schemes, for example. A good description would walk potential listeners through the topics they might discover by subscribing.
“Have you ever wondered how people get conned into entrusting their life savings to a complete stranger? Host Al Smith walks you through some of the most well-known Ponzi schemes in history from the victim’s point of view. Discover how successful scammers broke through their defenses and learn how you can avoid walking in their shoes.”
The Nuances of SEO for Podcasting Platforms
You’re already juggling how to manage SEO for your website and social media platforms. SEO for podcasts includes the added nuance of navigating platforms you, the podcast creator, have limited — if any — control over. When you distribute your RSS feed to different providers, they post the episode to their platforms.
Here is how SEO differs for the most common podcast providers.
Spotify SEO for Podcasts
Enhance your visibility on Spotify by using the right keywords multiple times in your description. Spotify’s algorithm is confused by misspelled words and characters. So keep your podcast title and episode titles simple, including a keyword when possible.
When writing episode descriptions, put the most important information up front. Highlight relevant guests and avoid spoilers.
Apple Podcasts SEO
Apple podcasts also recommends including keywords strategically in your titles and podcast descriptions. You can follow SEO for podcast best practices to generate more organic traffic on Apple. Make your descriptions engaging and conversational to rise in the Apple ranks.
This platform also promotes certain podcasts. Create high-quality episodes that add value for your audience, and fill out a form to request a promotional feature.
YouTube SEO for Podcasters
If your podcasts include video, you can optimize them for YouTube. In addition to the SEO best practices for podcasts, consider adding SEO to your videos. Name your videos using keywords so they are more organized and visible to the algorithm.
YouTube also allows you to add tags to your videos. Choose your most relevant keywords and tag your videos with them. Boost your visibility by making promotional shorts — 60-second videos that catch a user’s attention.
Utilizing Show Notes and Transcriptions
Your show notes are a valuable engagement tool for your audience. Use them to promote your sponsors and direct listeners to the resources you used to create the show. Format them like blog posts with headers, subheaders, and bullet points. Add relevant keywords to your headers to improve your online visibility.
Since you’re not limited by character count, use your show notes to break down the episode in detail. Include your key topics and takeaways.
Transcriptions are text versions of your show. They broaden your audience by connecting you with people with hearing impairments or those who would prefer to read a transcript rather than watch a video. They also give Google and other search engines more context to rank your site as a relevant search result.
Leveraging Blogs for Increased Visibility
Hosting a website for your show lets you connect with your audience in other ways, including blogs. Interesting and engaging blog posts appeal to people who prefer to read information rather than watch a video. You can also direct these people to your podcast with a call to action at the end of each post.
Blog posts can also round out a podcast. You may not have time for a deep dive into your subject matter. You can use your blog to provide in-depth information for each podcast episode. Think of it as an after-show for your most loyal listeners. Blogs are perfect for keywords, which improves your overall SEO.
Creating a Dedicated Podcast Website
Before you do anything on this list, set up a website and social media pages for your show. Your website serves as the hub for all your content, making it easy for listeners to access. To improve your credibility, add links to other credible websites throughout your site.
Use your homepage to introduce your podcast to listeners. This page should go beyond the small blurb you use for Spotify, Apple, and other platforms.
Include an “About” page to share your personality with listeners. You might describe your credentials or detail how you got interested in your subject matter.
Add an episode page your listeners can use to find their favorite episodes. Include links to various platforms so they can click and listen.
Building an Online Presence
Being searchable online helps you connect with your audience and find new listeners.
Getting Social Media Engagement
Like TV shows, movies, and other media, a high-quality podcast has the power to connect people with shared interests. Social media lets your fans interact with you and with each other. A strong social media presence also draws your online followers to your podcast. And social media shows Google and other search engines that you’re a credible search result.
Create a branded hashtag and pair it with other relevant hashtags to boost your visibility. If you don’t host a video podcast, use Instagram and other social media platforms to highlight parts of your show.
Our hypothetical Ponzi Scheme podcast host, Al Smith, could post photos of various schemers on Instagram to connect the audience to each episode.
Obtaining Backlinks
Anytime someone uses your podcast as a source, they should include a link to your website. These backlinks improve your credibility, which enhances your search engine ranking.
Transcribing your podcast episodes makes it easier for bloggers, journalists, and other podcasters to quote you directly and add backlinks.
You can also get more backlinks by guesting on other podcasts, guest blogging, and promoting your podcasts on social media.
Submitting to Podcast Directories
A podcast directory is an app or website that organizes podcasts by categories and subject matter so listeners can find what interests them. When you’re listed in multiple directories, you have more backlinks to your show and more opportunities to attract new listeners.
Start with your major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iHeart Radio, and Pandora. Next, approach these popular directories:
- TuneIn
- Castbox
- Podcast Index
- Amazon Music
- Audible
- Listen Notes
Many of these platforms let you create an account and submit your RSS feed. Make sure you have all relevant information, metadata, and artwork before you submit.
Monitoring Podcast Performance
You could just record your podcast, submit it, and hope for the best, but that is no way to grow your audience. Instead, regularly assess how your show is performing for valuable insights.
Analyzing Metrics
Reviewing various podcast analytics can reveal how audiences are responding to your show. It can also tell you if your SEO efforts are paying off.
Pay attention to:
- Downloads per episode
- Subscribers
- Audience demographics
- Average listening time
- Ranking
- Website traffic
- Listener retention rate
- Downloads and listens over time
Each of these metrics tells you how people are engaging with your content. You can learn which topics draw a larger audience versus those people don’t listen to as often. You can better understand who is listening to your show, which informs your marketing efforts.
For example, you may have started your podcast thinking your target audience would be males ages 18-24. After launching your podcast, your metrics could show that your core audience actually consists of males ages 25-45. You would need to shift your marketing efforts to reach an older audience, and you might also attract different sponsors.
If your average listening time is shorter, it may be a sign that your intros are too long. It’s great to chat at the beginning of a podcast. Your audience gets to know your interests and personality. However, if it’s making people tune out, you might consider adding a weekly episode to discuss events instead of interviewing a guest.
Downloads and listens over time highlight which of your episodes is evergreen. If people are still consistently listening to an episode you released two years ago, consider refreshing it or covering similar topics with long-term interest.
Chart rankings show you how you stack up against the competition. Consistently ranking near the top on various platforms boosts your visibility and attracts more people to your show. Look at trending charts on each podcast platform. Go beyond the top shows and check out your individual category. Note how the top shows use metadata, including show notes and episode descriptions.
Tailoring Content for Audience Engagement
Monitoring your podcast performance lets you create episodes that speak to your audience. When you know which topics are most popular, you can prioritize your content to focus on what interests your listeners.
You can also post other content on your website and social media to engage your audience. Post polls or quizzes based on popular episodes to start a discussion. Invite your listeners to submit topic ideas or questions you can answer on air.
Involving your audience helps boost your online visibility. It also draws in more listeners because they can connect with others who share their interests. As your online community grows, so will your listener base.
Ongoing SEO Strategies for Podcasts
Search engine algorithms and podcast platforms are constantly changing. So, it’s important to stay focused on SEO to remain at the top of search rankings.
Adapting to Trends and Algorithms
Algorithms on social media, search engines, and podcast platforms are evolving with technology. For example, with the rise of smart speakers and digital assistants, businesses and content creators have had to incorporate voice searches into their SEO. Instead of typing “true crime podcasts” into a search engine, a user may ask Alexa to “play the top true crime podcast of the day.”
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also changing how listeners find new podcasts. AI can analyze their listening habits and recommend content. You can appeal to these tools by analyzing your metrics and social media mentions to make relevant content your audience wants to hear.
Other current trends include live podcasting, video podcasts, and smart ads. Keep up with these and other trends so you can adapt your SEO efforts.
Making Regular Content Updates and Improvements
Posting consistently is one of the best ways to get traction with your podcast. Your audience wants to know what to expect. If your podcast is interesting, they also want to listen regularly. Make sure you’re posting on a regular schedule with episodes that are roughly the same length to build your audience and rank higher in searches.
If you’ve been hosting your podcast for a while, it's probably time to refresh your old content. Check your old links to make sure they still work. If not, update the link if it’s still available or remove it altogether.
- Review your old episode descriptions and show notes to check for inaccurate information.
- Update facts and statistics.
- If you find a completely outdated episode, refresh it.
- Record a new introduction clarifying what has changed since you first posted.
- Make a totally new episode with new information that has come to light since you previously posted.
- Reformat your show notes and other metadata to make it more readable.
Updating your content makes it more accessible for your audience and more visible to search engines. It can also spur ideas for new episodes. Make it a habit to assess your old episodes regularly.
Unlock the Secrets to Superb Podcasting, SEO, and Content Marketing
Even if you create the most engaging and entertaining podcast in the world, it won’t matter if nobody can find you in a sea of competitors. The podcast SEO tips in this article will help you rise through the ranks and increase your organic traffic.
Learn more about how to optimize your podcast content with our podcast, Content Matters. We work with industry experts to teach you how to connect with your audience. Each episode contains insightful information on branding, content creation, audience analysis, and more. These experts help you build and maintain your brand as you grow your podcast.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
