With so many podcasts competing for listeners, how do you ensure your show gets found by the right people?
Whether you started a podcast to grow your business, attract an audience, or just for fun, podcast search engine optimization (SEO) can help you get discovered on both traditional search engines like Google and podcast-specific search engines like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
In essence, SEO is about packaging your episodes to make them show up in search when a listener enters keywords that are relevant to your show. But how do you do that, exactly? And what keywords should you be targeting?
Podcast SEO can be overwhelming. That's why we've done the heavy lifting for you. We talked to experienced podcasters and podcast marketing agencies about SEO for podcasts, and analyzed dozens of podcasts to find the most effective strategies to increase the visibility of a show.
TL;DR:
Podcast SEO focuses on improving visibility on search engines and podcast directories like Spotify
Strategies include optimizing metadata, leveraging trends, and creating a podcast website
Uploading to popular directories and promoting on social media is key
Getting featured on ranking websites also help you rank on top of Google
Transcripts, blog posts, and collaborations can boost SEO efforts
Consistent optimization leads to increased visibility and listener growth
What is podcast SEO?
Podcast SEO is different from traditional SEO. The former focuses on improving the visibility and discoverability of your podcast on search engines and podcast directories. This differs from traditional SEO, which is only about improving your website's rank on the search engine results page (SERP).
To enhance the visibility of your podcast on platforms such as Google, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, you can use various techniques that fall under the umbrella term of Podcast SEO.
For example, if you host a marketing podcast called "10-minute marketing," your podcasting SEO goals could be:
To rank on top of search results for relevant keywords like "marketing podcast," "best marketing podcasts," "10-minute marketing," and related terms
To improve your podcast's website ranking on Google for relevant keywords
To enhance the automatic recommendation of your podcast to your ideal listeners on platforms like Spotify or other podcast-listening apps
Apple Podcasts results for "marketing podcast"
How does podcast SEO work?
Podcasts are packaged with metadata—i.e., information about the show and episode—that tells search engines like Google and podcast directories like Apple Podcasts about the content. Usually, you'll enter the information to your podcast hosting platform, it will publish that metadata to your show's RSS feed, and podcast-listening apps retrieve it from there.
Google isn't as good at interpreting audio as it is at reading text. That's why SEO for podcasts can't just rely on keywords within the podcast recording itself—most of your optimizing will happen in the text portions of your podcast metadata. Another challenge is that each podcast app's algorithm is unique. Optimizing keywords in a specific way may not guarantee that you will rank #1 on all podcast platforms.
Some common metadata elements that help with podcast SEO are:
Podcast title
Episode title
Description
Author name(s)
Keywords or tags
Category or genre
Adding podcast transcripts can also enhance your SEO; it helps search engines to better index and surface your content when people search for those topics.
Why is podcast SEO important?
Optimizing your podcasts for SEO increases the chances of your episodes appearing at the top of search results on major search engines and podcast-listening apps. This, in turn, helps you reach new audiences, boost listener numbers, and even lead to monetization opportunities.
Here are the key benefits of doing podcast SEO:
Increased discoverability for your podcast episodes on major search engines like Google
Ability to reach new audiences searching for topics and keywords relevant to your niche
Improved chances of getting featured in podcast directories and recommendations
Competitive advantage by optimizing content for search better than rival podcasts
Using podcast SEO best practices can gradually improve your search rankings and drive more organic traffic from potential new listeners finding your show through web searches.
How to rank your podcast on Google
Short answer: you can rank your podcast on Google by publishing your show to leading podcast platforms (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube), and by building a podcast website.
Google features podcasts at the top of search when someone searches for shows by category—for example, "marketing podcasts" or "podcasts for creatives." To rank your show on Google, it's important to understand what works for your niche and why Google features certain podcasts on top.
As you can see, when you search for a podcast category like "podcasts for creatives," Google pulls featured podcasts from listicle blogs like "X best creative podcasts." You need to be featured on those lists to capture that high-interest audience searching for podcasts by category—and that usually means emailing the editors of those lists and pitching your show for inclusion.
Alex Birkett, co-founder of a content marketing agency, used this approach successfully. He was able to rank his company’s podcast, The Long Game, for relevant keywords like "content marketing podcasts."
Here's how you can do the same:
Find contacts at companies with blogs ranking on top for "[X] best [your category] podcasts."
Reach out expressing interest in being featured.
Build partnerships and show how collaborating benefits them. This may involve paying for a listing, inviting them as a guest on your podcast, promoting their business, or exchanging backlinks.
You can also create optimized listicles on your website to rank at the top of SERP.
Remember, ranking takes time and effort. Produce quality content, engage your audience, and build relationships in your niche. Using the strategies shared above will increase your chances of appearing at the top of Google search results and attracting new listeners.
Podcast SEO best practices
In the previous section, we talked about ranking your podcast on Google. Follow these best podcast SEO practices to expand your podcast audience, build a name in your niche, and make the most out of your efforts.
Brainstorm podcast topics strategically
Some podcasts are so popular that listeners will press play on any episode, no matter what it's about. Most podcasts aren't like that. If you're serious about improving your podcast's SEO, you'll want to be strategic about your podcast topics. Here's how.
Understand your niche and target audience
Understand your target listeners’ interests and pain points. Survey your audience, chat with your show's superfans, and do research on social media platforms like X (previously Twitter) and Threads. Dive into niche forums, check competitor podcast episodes, and reverse-engineer successful YouTube videos to come up with topics. Having a strong understanding of your target audience will help you create shows that resonate with them.
Mine your website’s analytics
If your podcast has a website, analyze its traffic data to better understand your audience.
Identify your most popular blog posts or pages. The topics resonating with your website audience are likely to make engaging podcast episodes too.
Look at search queries driving traffic to your site. These reveal what your audience is actively looking for and can inspire relevant podcast topics.
Monitor your audience demographics. Knowing your listeners' age, gender, location, and interests can guide you in choosing topics that cater to them.
Consider creating episodes on topics that are popular on external sites or social platforms that send you a high number of listeners. This could help you attract even more listeners to your podcast.
Do keyword research
Once you know what your target audience is interested in, it's time to understand what keywords they're using to search for it. Here's how:
Create broad topic themes based on the research method shared above.
Use keyword research tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner, SEMrush, UberSuggest, or AnswerThePublic.
Analyze search volume, keyword competition, and their relevance.
Prioritize topics/keywords that are relevant to your audience. From those, select topics with high search volume and lower competition.
Check Google's "People Also Ask" section and autocomplete results for nuanced topic ideas.
Google autocomplete results can reveal good ideas for podcast topics.
Leverage trends
Take advantage of trending and timely topics to increase your podcast's discoverability. By jumping on relevant trends at their peak, you increase your chances of appearing in browse sections and recommendations when interest is highest.
Use tools like Google Trends to identify rising search queries around potential episode themes. Plan topical episodes around major newsworthy events like the Super Bowl, Oscars, or elections.
Additionally:
Search podcast directories like Apple Podcasts for top chart rankings of the day
Check X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube's Trending sections for hot topics
Monitor forums and social media in your niche for emerging conversations
Optimize your podcast metadata
Optimizing your podcast metadata (title, episode name, description, etc.) will help you reach more people. Here are some tips to help you do that:
Strategically name your podcast
Create a catchy, unique name that reflects your podcast's topic and personality. Avoid stuffing the name with keywords that feel unnatural. Instead, focus on intriguing your listeners with a name that accurately represents what your podcast is about.
Write episode titles for discoverability and intrigue
Your episode titles should be both discoverable and intriguing. Start with a high-value keyword reflecting the episode's topic and follow up with a hook that piques curiosity. For example, "SEO Tips: 5 Surprising Ways to Rank Better."
Science Vs starts every episode title with its main keyword.
Optimize the podcast description
Descriptions tell your listener what your show is about and is an opportunity to insert keywords for SEO. Include relevant keywords naturally in the first few sentences. Add essential information about your podcast's topic, the expertise of the host/guests, and the type of content to expect. Timestamps for episode details can also be helpful.
Tom Hunt, founder of Fame, a B2B podcasting and marketing agency, and host of the Confessions of a B2B Marketer podcast, suggests A/B testing the text in the Title, Description, and Author fields to optimize search rankings on Apple Podcasts.
Tom added "B2B Marketing" to his show's title and changed the Author field to "Tom Hunt - B2B Marketing Expert," then waited two weeks to assess the results. With those small changes, he was able to achieve top positions for "B2B marketing" in the US and UK.
Choose a relevant podcast category
When you create your podcast's RSS feed, select a relevant category that accurately reflects the content of your podcast. This will help platforms like Apple Podcasts recommend your podcast to listeners interested in that specific area.
Podcast categories on Spotify
Upload and optimize your episodes on popular podcast directories
You can easily upload your podcast to multiple major directories—like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more—using a podcast hosting platform. That platform can automatically create an RSS feed for your show and submit it to those podcast directories, which will in turn be able to automatically detect and pull in your new episodes.
Uploading to popular platforms has two big advantages:
Listeners can discover your show within their preferred podcast app.
Platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube are already optimized for search engine ranking. Having your podcast on these SEO-friendly directories increases your chances of ranking on Google for relevant queries.
While metadata optimization is important across platforms, listener engagement may also be an important metric to podcast platforms. To boost engagement:
Encourage listeners to leave reviews, ratings, and comments
Add a short call-to-action in your episodes
Take advantage of an existing community
More engagement can signal to podcast apps that your content is valuable.
YouTube SEO for podcasts
SEO for podcasts on YouTube is like optimizing any other video on the platform. Just like podcast SEO, YouTube SEO is also affected by each video's title, description, category, and engagement metrics.
One significant advantage of optimizing YouTube videos is that they often appear at the top of Google search engine results page (SERP). This presents an excellent opportunity to attract people who prefer to learn new things by reading but are captivated by your video/audio podcast on YouTube.
Publish podcast transcripts
Publishing transcripts of your podcast episodes is an often-overlooked SEO best practice. Here is why it's a valuable approach:
Transcripts allow search engines to crawl and index your podcast content as text, making your show visible for relevant keyword searches.
You can repurpose transcripts as blog posts or downloadable PDFs to boost your content marketing efforts.
Transcripts make your podcasts more accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences and improve the user experience.
They enable listeners to skim and navigate to the most exciting sections quickly.
Pro tip: You can use tools like Descript's AI-powered transcription to make the transcript process faster and more seamless. Descript generates accurate transcripts in a fraction of the time and effort it would take to do it manually. Just upload your audio file and let Descript's innovative technology do the rest.
Create a podcast landing page or website
A landing page or website dedicated to your podcast is a central hub for the essential information listeners may need. It's the perfect place to:
Provide detailed show notes and links
Publish episode transcripts for improved accessibility and SEO
Showcase host and guest bios to establish credibility
Highlight listener reviews for social proof
Embed a media player for easy on-page listening
Having a well-designed podcast website makes your podcast more discoverable. It helps you create a professional brand image that attracts and retains listeners.
If you're looking for inspiration on creating a great podcast website, check how 99% Invisible has done it.
Repurpose your podcast episodes as blog posts
Use your podcast website to publish blog posts inspired by each episode. Blogs give search engines more content to index and demonstrate your authority on the subject matter. This, in turn, helps you rank higher on SERPs for relevant keywords. Plus, it's a chance to cross-promote other episodes through internal links.
With Descript's transcript-to-blog feature, you can quickly turn your transcripts into well-formatted blog posts in just a few clicks.
Promote your podcast on social media
By sharing your episodes on social media, you'll get more eyes (and ears) on your content, which can lead to increased traffic and engagement. When crafting your posts, sprinkle in some relevant keywords and hashtags to help search engines understand what your podcast is all about.
LinkedIn post from Dylan Redekop promoting a recent episode of his podcast
And don't be afraid to mix things up – repurpose your content for different platforms. Create a YouTube Shorts video, write a LinkedIn article, or post about your podcast on X (previously Twitter).
Lastly, social media is a great place to network and collaborate with fellow podcasters and industry experts. These connections can lead to valuable backlinks and cross-promotion opportunities to boost your SEO.
Supercharge your podcast SEO workflow
Learning new things is a top reason for people to tune in to podcasts.
Implementing podcast SEO best practices can help your episodes remain discoverable long after their release, leading to long-term benefits. To maximize your podcast's visibility, consider adding transcripts, creating blog posts, and promoting your episodes across various channels.
You can simplify your workflow with podcasting tools like Descript, which uses AI-powered features to help you generate transcripts, create blog posts, and bulk-produce social media clips.
Experience the power of effortless podcast optimization. Try Descript for free now.
Podcast SEO FAQs
How do I make my podcast searchable?
To make your podcast searchable:
Optimize your podcast's title, description, and episode titles with relevant keywords.
Distribute your podcast to popular podcasting directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Create a dedicated website for your podcast where you can publish transcripts and show notes with SEO-friendly content.
Does SEO matter for podcasts?
Yes, SEO is crucial for podcasts. SEO for podcast apps is similar to SEO for Google, which means that optimizing for keywords and using other SEO strategies is a powerful way to help your podcast reach its full potential.
How do I SEO a podcast?
To SEO your podcast:
Optimize your title, description, and episode titles with relevant keywords
Create a website for your podcast and start publishing transcripts and show notes with SEO-friendly content
Submit your podcast to popular directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Encourage listeners to leave reviews and ratings and share your episodes on social media.
Pitch your podcast to blogs and websites that are already ranking on top of Google
How do you optimize a podcast?
To optimize your podcast:
Start by researching and including relevant keywords in your podcast's title, description, and episode titles.
Create a website for your show and publish SEO-friendly transcripts and show notes.
Encourage listener engagement through reviews, ratings, and social media shares.
Submit your podcast to popular directories and ensure your RSS feed is up to date.
Regularly analyze your podcast's performance and adjust your strategies as needed.
By optimizing your podcast consistently, you'll improve its visibility and attract more listeners.
Ayush is a freelance writer and marketer who loves writing about video marketing, the creator economy, and the software tools used in these industries.
With so many podcasts competing for listeners, how do you ensure your show gets found by the right people?
Whether you started a podcast to grow your business, attract an audience, or just for fun, podcast search engine optimization (SEO) can help you get discovered on both traditional search engines like Google and podcast-specific search engines like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
In essence, SEO is about packaging your episodes to make them show up in search when a listener enters keywords that are relevant to your show. But how do you do that, exactly? And what keywords should you be targeting?
Podcast SEO can be overwhelming. That's why we've done the heavy lifting for you. We talked to experienced podcasters and podcast marketing agencies about SEO for podcasts, and analyzed dozens of podcasts to find the most effective strategies to increase the visibility of a show.
TL;DR:
Podcast SEO focuses on improving visibility on search engines and podcast directories like Spotify
Strategies include optimizing metadata, leveraging trends, and creating a podcast website
Uploading to popular directories and promoting on social media is key
Getting featured on ranking websites also help you rank on top of Google
Transcripts, blog posts, and collaborations can boost SEO efforts
Consistent optimization leads to increased visibility and listener growth
What is podcast SEO?
Podcast SEO is different from traditional SEO. The former focuses on improving the visibility and discoverability of your podcast on search engines and podcast directories. This differs from traditional SEO, which is only about improving your website's rank on the search engine results page (SERP).
To enhance the visibility of your podcast on platforms such as Google, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, you can use various techniques that fall under the umbrella term of Podcast SEO.
For example, if you host a marketing podcast called "10-minute marketing," your podcasting SEO goals could be:
To rank on top of search results for relevant keywords like "marketing podcast," "best marketing podcasts," "10-minute marketing," and related terms
To improve your podcast's website ranking on Google for relevant keywords
To enhance the automatic recommendation of your podcast to your ideal listeners on platforms like Spotify or other podcast-listening apps
Apple Podcasts results for "marketing podcast"
How does podcast SEO work?
Podcasts are packaged with metadata—i.e., information about the show and episode—that tells search engines like Google and podcast directories like Apple Podcasts about the content. Usually, you'll enter the information to your podcast hosting platform, it will publish that metadata to your show's RSS feed, and podcast-listening apps retrieve it from there.
Google isn't as good at interpreting audio as it is at reading text. That's why SEO for podcasts can't just rely on keywords within the podcast recording itself—most of your optimizing will happen in the text portions of your podcast metadata. Another challenge is that each podcast app's algorithm is unique. Optimizing keywords in a specific way may not guarantee that you will rank #1 on all podcast platforms.
Some common metadata elements that help with podcast SEO are:
Podcast title
Episode title
Description
Author name(s)
Keywords or tags
Category or genre
Adding podcast transcripts can also enhance your SEO; it helps search engines to better index and surface your content when people search for those topics.
Why is podcast SEO important?
Optimizing your podcasts for SEO increases the chances of your episodes appearing at the top of search results on major search engines and podcast-listening apps. This, in turn, helps you reach new audiences, boost listener numbers, and even lead to monetization opportunities.
Here are the key benefits of doing podcast SEO:
Increased discoverability for your podcast episodes on major search engines like Google
Ability to reach new audiences searching for topics and keywords relevant to your niche
Improved chances of getting featured in podcast directories and recommendations
Competitive advantage by optimizing content for search better than rival podcasts
Using podcast SEO best practices can gradually improve your search rankings and drive more organic traffic from potential new listeners finding your show through web searches.
How to rank your podcast on Google
Short answer: you can rank your podcast on Google by publishing your show to leading podcast platforms (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube), and by building a podcast website.
Google features podcasts at the top of search when someone searches for shows by category—for example, "marketing podcasts" or "podcasts for creatives." To rank your show on Google, it's important to understand what works for your niche and why Google features certain podcasts on top.
As you can see, when you search for a podcast category like "podcasts for creatives," Google pulls featured podcasts from listicle blogs like "X best creative podcasts." You need to be featured on those lists to capture that high-interest audience searching for podcasts by category—and that usually means emailing the editors of those lists and pitching your show for inclusion.
Alex Birkett, co-founder of a content marketing agency, used this approach successfully. He was able to rank his company’s podcast, The Long Game, for relevant keywords like "content marketing podcasts."
Here's how you can do the same:
Find contacts at companies with blogs ranking on top for "[X] best [your category] podcasts."
Reach out expressing interest in being featured.
Build partnerships and show how collaborating benefits them. This may involve paying for a listing, inviting them as a guest on your podcast, promoting their business, or exchanging backlinks.
You can also create optimized listicles on your website to rank at the top of SERP.
Remember, ranking takes time and effort. Produce quality content, engage your audience, and build relationships in your niche. Using the strategies shared above will increase your chances of appearing at the top of Google search results and attracting new listeners.
Podcast SEO best practices
In the previous section, we talked about ranking your podcast on Google. Follow these best podcast SEO practices to expand your podcast audience, build a name in your niche, and make the most out of your efforts.
Brainstorm podcast topics strategically
Some podcasts are so popular that listeners will press play on any episode, no matter what it's about. Most podcasts aren't like that. If you're serious about improving your podcast's SEO, you'll want to be strategic about your podcast topics. Here's how.
Understand your niche and target audience
Understand your target listeners’ interests and pain points. Survey your audience, chat with your show's superfans, and do research on social media platforms like X (previously Twitter) and Threads. Dive into niche forums, check competitor podcast episodes, and reverse-engineer successful YouTube videos to come up with topics. Having a strong understanding of your target audience will help you create shows that resonate with them.
Mine your website’s analytics
If your podcast has a website, analyze its traffic data to better understand your audience.
Identify your most popular blog posts or pages. The topics resonating with your website audience are likely to make engaging podcast episodes too.
Look at search queries driving traffic to your site. These reveal what your audience is actively looking for and can inspire relevant podcast topics.
Monitor your audience demographics. Knowing your listeners' age, gender, location, and interests can guide you in choosing topics that cater to them.
Consider creating episodes on topics that are popular on external sites or social platforms that send you a high number of listeners. This could help you attract even more listeners to your podcast.
Do keyword research
Once you know what your target audience is interested in, it's time to understand what keywords they're using to search for it. Here's how:
Create broad topic themes based on the research method shared above.
Use keyword research tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner, SEMrush, UberSuggest, or AnswerThePublic.
Analyze search volume, keyword competition, and their relevance.
Prioritize topics/keywords that are relevant to your audience. From those, select topics with high search volume and lower competition.
Check Google's "People Also Ask" section and autocomplete results for nuanced topic ideas.
Google autocomplete results can reveal good ideas for podcast topics.
Leverage trends
Take advantage of trending and timely topics to increase your podcast's discoverability. By jumping on relevant trends at their peak, you increase your chances of appearing in browse sections and recommendations when interest is highest.
Use tools like Google Trends to identify rising search queries around potential episode themes. Plan topical episodes around major newsworthy events like the Super Bowl, Oscars, or elections.
Additionally:
Search podcast directories like Apple Podcasts for top chart rankings of the day
Check X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube's Trending sections for hot topics
Monitor forums and social media in your niche for emerging conversations
Optimize your podcast metadata
Optimizing your podcast metadata (title, episode name, description, etc.) will help you reach more people. Here are some tips to help you do that:
Strategically name your podcast
Create a catchy, unique name that reflects your podcast's topic and personality. Avoid stuffing the name with keywords that feel unnatural. Instead, focus on intriguing your listeners with a name that accurately represents what your podcast is about.
Write episode titles for discoverability and intrigue
Your episode titles should be both discoverable and intriguing. Start with a high-value keyword reflecting the episode's topic and follow up with a hook that piques curiosity. For example, "SEO Tips: 5 Surprising Ways to Rank Better."
Science Vs starts every episode title with its main keyword.
Optimize the podcast description
Descriptions tell your listener what your show is about and is an opportunity to insert keywords for SEO. Include relevant keywords naturally in the first few sentences. Add essential information about your podcast's topic, the expertise of the host/guests, and the type of content to expect. Timestamps for episode details can also be helpful.
Tom Hunt, founder of Fame, a B2B podcasting and marketing agency, and host of the Confessions of a B2B Marketer podcast, suggests A/B testing the text in the Title, Description, and Author fields to optimize search rankings on Apple Podcasts.
Tom added "B2B Marketing" to his show's title and changed the Author field to "Tom Hunt - B2B Marketing Expert," then waited two weeks to assess the results. With those small changes, he was able to achieve top positions for "B2B marketing" in the US and UK.
Choose a relevant podcast category
When you create your podcast's RSS feed, select a relevant category that accurately reflects the content of your podcast. This will help platforms like Apple Podcasts recommend your podcast to listeners interested in that specific area.
Podcast categories on Spotify
Upload and optimize your episodes on popular podcast directories
You can easily upload your podcast to multiple major directories—like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more—using a podcast hosting platform. That platform can automatically create an RSS feed for your show and submit it to those podcast directories, which will in turn be able to automatically detect and pull in your new episodes.
Uploading to popular platforms has two big advantages:
Listeners can discover your show within their preferred podcast app.
Platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube are already optimized for search engine ranking. Having your podcast on these SEO-friendly directories increases your chances of ranking on Google for relevant queries.
While metadata optimization is important across platforms, listener engagement may also be an important metric to podcast platforms. To boost engagement:
Encourage listeners to leave reviews, ratings, and comments
Add a short call-to-action in your episodes
Take advantage of an existing community
More engagement can signal to podcast apps that your content is valuable.
YouTube SEO for podcasts
SEO for podcasts on YouTube is like optimizing any other video on the platform. Just like podcast SEO, YouTube SEO is also affected by each video's title, description, category, and engagement metrics.
One significant advantage of optimizing YouTube videos is that they often appear at the top of Google search engine results page (SERP). This presents an excellent opportunity to attract people who prefer to learn new things by reading but are captivated by your video/audio podcast on YouTube.
Publish podcast transcripts
Publishing transcripts of your podcast episodes is an often-overlooked SEO best practice. Here is why it's a valuable approach:
Transcripts allow search engines to crawl and index your podcast content as text, making your show visible for relevant keyword searches.
You can repurpose transcripts as blog posts or downloadable PDFs to boost your content marketing efforts.
Transcripts make your podcasts more accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences and improve the user experience.
They enable listeners to skim and navigate to the most exciting sections quickly.
Pro tip: You can use tools like Descript's AI-powered transcription to make the transcript process faster and more seamless. Descript generates accurate transcripts in a fraction of the time and effort it would take to do it manually. Just upload your audio file and let Descript's innovative technology do the rest.
Create a podcast landing page or website
A landing page or website dedicated to your podcast is a central hub for the essential information listeners may need. It's the perfect place to:
Provide detailed show notes and links
Publish episode transcripts for improved accessibility and SEO
Showcase host and guest bios to establish credibility
Highlight listener reviews for social proof
Embed a media player for easy on-page listening
Having a well-designed podcast website makes your podcast more discoverable. It helps you create a professional brand image that attracts and retains listeners.
If you're looking for inspiration on creating a great podcast website, check how 99% Invisible has done it.
Repurpose your podcast episodes as blog posts
Use your podcast website to publish blog posts inspired by each episode. Blogs give search engines more content to index and demonstrate your authority on the subject matter. This, in turn, helps you rank higher on SERPs for relevant keywords. Plus, it's a chance to cross-promote other episodes through internal links.
With Descript's transcript-to-blog feature, you can quickly turn your transcripts into well-formatted blog posts in just a few clicks.
Promote your podcast on social media
By sharing your episodes on social media, you'll get more eyes (and ears) on your content, which can lead to increased traffic and engagement. When crafting your posts, sprinkle in some relevant keywords and hashtags to help search engines understand what your podcast is all about.
LinkedIn post from Dylan Redekop promoting a recent episode of his podcast
And don't be afraid to mix things up – repurpose your content for different platforms. Create a YouTube Shorts video, write a LinkedIn article, or post about your podcast on X (previously Twitter).
Lastly, social media is a great place to network and collaborate with fellow podcasters and industry experts. These connections can lead to valuable backlinks and cross-promotion opportunities to boost your SEO.
Supercharge your podcast SEO workflow
Learning new things is a top reason for people to tune in to podcasts.
Implementing podcast SEO best practices can help your episodes remain discoverable long after their release, leading to long-term benefits. To maximize your podcast's visibility, consider adding transcripts, creating blog posts, and promoting your episodes across various channels.
You can simplify your workflow with podcasting tools like Descript, which uses AI-powered features to help you generate transcripts, create blog posts, and bulk-produce social media clips.
Experience the power of effortless podcast optimization. Try Descript for free now.
Podcast SEO FAQs
How do I make my podcast searchable?
To make your podcast searchable:
Optimize your podcast's title, description, and episode titles with relevant keywords.
Distribute your podcast to popular podcasting directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Create a dedicated website for your podcast where you can publish transcripts and show notes with SEO-friendly content.
Does SEO matter for podcasts?
Yes, SEO is crucial for podcasts. SEO for podcast apps is similar to SEO for Google, which means that optimizing for keywords and using other SEO strategies is a powerful way to help your podcast reach its full potential.
How do I SEO a podcast?
To SEO your podcast:
Optimize your title, description, and episode titles with relevant keywords
Create a website for your podcast and start publishing transcripts and show notes with SEO-friendly content
Submit your podcast to popular directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Encourage listeners to leave reviews and ratings and share your episodes on social media.
Pitch your podcast to blogs and websites that are already ranking on top of Google
How do you optimize a podcast?
To optimize your podcast:
Start by researching and including relevant keywords in your podcast's title, description, and episode titles.
Create a website for your show and publish SEO-friendly transcripts and show notes.
Encourage listener engagement through reviews, ratings, and social media shares.
Submit your podcast to popular directories and ensure your RSS feed is up to date.
Regularly analyze your podcast's performance and adjust your strategies as needed.
By optimizing your podcast consistently, you'll improve its visibility and attract more listeners.
With all the work required of a podcast, a newsletter can feel daunting. We talked to a ton of podcasters about how to write a newsletter the right way.
A video content creator can grow their audience by sharing on social media channels and monetizing their work. Here’s a primer on the best platforms for video content and how to become a successful creator.
March—the only month that’s also a command. And trudge on we did, putting one foot in front of the other, clinging to some childish hope of spring,* but knowing you would probably unsubscribe before we reached the end. But you didn’t. You haven’t. You remain among the not-unsubscribed. So apparently you’re still...
The creators of Answer in Progress were just high school students when they launched their YouTube channel. Nearly a decade later, they've become a well-oiled machine. Here's how they did it.
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