If you want people to listen to your podcast, they have to be able to find you. Sounds like a simple enough concept, but ranking on search engines takes some work and knowhow.
1. Submit Your Podcast to Directories
When you submit your podcast to the largest directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, etc. your podcast is accessible to millions of new listeners. And because Google values online mentions, this will help your podcast increase visibility in Google Search
Find podcast directories, as well as blog directories, for submitting your podcast.
Here’s a list of the most popular podcast directories to help you get started!
2. Create a Website for Your Podcast
A website for your podcast allows you to create more content and context surrounding the podcast. And this is discoverable by search engines. Publish a new blog post for each episode.
Google will recognize your fresh content, and this will help to boost your ranking.
You can use your website to build an email list with a newsletter and keep your listeners up-to-date.
3. Include Transcripts on your Website
Transcripts will often automatically include your keywords and topics, so that can immediately help search engines discover your content.
Here’s a useful article on how to transcribe your podcasts.
4. Get Keyword Savvy
Google uses keywords to understand what a webpage is about, so know which keywords make sense for your content — and use them! Use these tips when choosing keywords:
- Choose a logical keyword to accompany your episode’s content.
- When possible, choose a keyword with a high search volume and low competition.
- Include your keyword in your podcast’s title, as well as in the body copy a few times, and as an alt title for any images in the post.
- Use a different keyword for each episode.
If you need ideas, sometimes a simple Google Search can help you understand how people are searching for topics related to your podcast and episodes. Or you can try performing keyword research using free tools to help you understand the most popular keywords that are relevant to your episodes.
5. Ask for Reviews
Positive reviews and high ratings will allow you to rank higher in Google search.
Don’t overwhelm your listeners with the ask, but tell your listeners that if they’re enjoying your content, you’d appreciate a review.
6. Beef up Your Social Media
Don’t forget the power of social media in discoverability – this includes YouTube. Did you know that search engines take your posts — and people’s interactions on them — into account when ranking your website?
How? Social helps amplify and increase awareness for your podcast and episodes.
7. Use the Power of Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions tell your readers (and Google) what the page is about. But since they’re so short, you have to be strategic in how to use them.
Explain what the episode is about, and be sure to do it in a way that is both informative and eye-catching.
8. Don’t Forget Google Podcasts
9. Give More Attention to Your Titles
Your titles need to immediately convey what the episode is about so that your listeners will feel enticed to play the episode.
If all the tips seem overwhelming to use at once, focus on one at a time, and you’ll gradually improve your SEO for your podcast. But never sacrifice quality for SEO.
