SEO Tips for Podcasts

Time and tide wait for none, they say. Millennials are incredibly time-centric and hardly find time to read a book or two or go through the newspaper. While radio was a common thing in many places, it was declining in the early 2000s in the English-speaking world. Then came audio-blogging that we today call podcasts. In the bogging world, people love to read and write. Since the introduction of podcasts, many have started becoming a part of ‘effective listening’ than reading. Millennials especially find it very worthy and handy as they can listen to a piece or two while they are traveling to work.
Anyone can create podcasts today. As per Podcast Insights, there are over 43 million episodes as of Jan 2021. In such a vast ocean of podcasting, how do you make people listen to yours? Yes, it indeed is a challenging task. Here are some essential tips to rank your podcasts on SERP. These tried and tested tips take time to show results but, when done correctly, can boost your reputation in the podcasting world.
1. Doing SEO, the right way - The podcast web world is simple and straightforward. Unlike the algorithms in general web SEO, there aren’t many here. All that matters here is the choice of words. You need to give people what they are looking for. So, craft a catchy yet simple title that people generally use for searching. Also, for every episode, give a hint about it in the title, so your listeners are curious to know more. Keyword research is the heart and soul, so never miss out on that.
2. Ask for ratings and reviews - Just like regular blogging, audio blogging too has the option to be rated. So, every time you finish your podcast episode, request your listeners to take a moment to rate your podcast and review it. They are another essential key to rank your podcast in search engines. In simple terms, by improving your podcast’s sentiment, you can improve its visibility in the directories.
3. Promoting your podcasts on social media - With no doubt, social media is one of the greatest platforms to create visibility. Social links drive traffic, create awareness, and build more visibility. Some of the best ways of doing this are by sharing the podcast link on all your social pages, promoting it through your business profile, or creating a social media group for your subscribers/ listeners. As per Music Oomph, many listeners tend to follow their favorite brands on social media.
4. Create great and OG content - Inspirations are countless. Even though there are millions of podcasts out there, something new always comes up. ‘How to create great podcast content’ is an entire subject altogether. The point is researching is only a part of it. What matters is creativity. If you want to know how to create the best podcasts, stick to your content and stay original.
5. Get yourself listed in as many directories as possible - The best way to rank your podcast on SERP is by adding them to various directories out there. Get your podcast into directories like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Tunein, Google Play, and many more. Using specialist podcast hosting pages, you can easily reach out to your listeners. The key here is to stay original and create exciting content, so people listen to it.
6. Create a webpage - The best way to rank your podcast on SERP is by creating a webpage for it. The aim here is to make listening easy for your subscribers. Having a website and consolidating links for all the episodes is the best way to generate more traffic for your podcast. It also improves user experience, due to which you are likely to get more subscribers. It also pulls listeners who are using Google or any other search engine to look for new podcasts. Again, this is a great way to improve organic traffic for your podcasts through SEO.
7. Be consistent and regular - Podcasts are more or less like series. Typically, people tune into podcasts to listen to a series. Be consistent in posting your podcasts. A delayed episode can pull away from the interests that your listener has for your podcast. Keep it at the correct intervals and inform your subscribers through your podcast. It can be daily, weekly, monthly, or every fortnight. When the next episode is published, it is also a great way to pull your listeners back to your channel.
8. Do a healthy cross-promotion - Collaborate with other podcast creators out there. Cross-promotion is the best way to rank your SEO on a SERP. Inviting guests and featuring on your podcast is also a great tip to consider. Again, you can do episodes by collaborating with other podcast creators to promote your podcast on that show and vice-versa. In the collaboration, talk about your podcasts and how they are interesting and give a sneak-peak of your new projects.
9. Add exciting and attractive cover pages - Create unique digital art or pick relative images to represent your episodes. One thing to remember is to check on the loading speed of these uploaded images. If the images are too heavy, try compressing them with various tools available online. While many users read the podcast titles before listening to it, many tend to get attracted to the cover image, so there’s your key to pulling in more listeners.
10. Keep them short and use the proper tags - There are millions of podcasts out there to rank yours on a SERP. The best thing about podcasts is that it lets you jot down your categories that make it easier for a listener to locate. To rank your podcast effectively, you should use the correct categories and tags; also, keep your episodes short, making sure you don’t bore your listeners.
The audio blogging world is full of creativity. Every day hundreds of new episodes pop up. It is challenging to keep up with the pace and competition, but you can consistently achieve your goals with the right and practical steps. Another best tip to rank your podcast on SERP is by being open and listening to others. Like in the blogging world, people develop their skills by reading others’ blogs; you can also get inspired by listening to others’ podcasts. Always be in the hunger to learn something new. May your podcasts be an inspiration for others. Happy Podcasting!