10 Ways To Optimize Your Podcast With Proper SEO

Intro

The era of podcasts is on the rise. Millions of individuals are attracted to podcasts - a clear indication that this is a rising content format. In 2022, 62% of the adolescent population tuned into a podcast in the US. Moreover, about 79% of young adults know the medium well.

Podcasts are not new, but an increasing number of people are rediscovering them. Podcasts are a fun medium to experiment with for marketers, especially when they try to expand their audience.

With the new Google announcement that podcasts will be a part of SERPs, 'Podcast SEO' can become the next significant term in several years for SEO managers, promoters, marketers, podcast hosts, etc.

To keep up with this upgrade, you must know the best ways to optimize your Podcast with proper SEO.

Podcast SEO: How does it work?

Google announced earlier that podcasts would begin to appear in search results. The concept is similar to how other forms of content appear in Google search results.

You can search for a podcast and access some of the episodes directly from the results with this upgrade. In addition, podcast indexing will return audio content you can consume directly.

Google and its services could also analyze the audio and automatically transcribe it to highlight a podcast in relevant search results.

What's more? Google Podcasts has recently begun automatically transcribing podcasts to use the content as metadata. As a result, people can find specific information as part of an episode without knowing about the Podcast.

Anyone interested in SEO should be aware that podcasts are becoming increasingly important. With Google's backing, it is clear that podcasts cannot be ignored as a source of high quality content.

"Podcast SEO" is an expanding term, and popular podcasts have considerable potential for growth as they can attract more listeners via search traffic.

How to consider the Google SEO updates while structuring a podcast episode?

How do Google's changes affect your Podcast? Podcast hosts can consider their content structure as an excellent place to start.

A podcast can sometimes feel like small talk, but it has an arrangement and storyline. Whether you are creating formal or informal content, you should be able to have a consistent theme.

(Image source: Unsplash)

Here are some ways to optimize your Podcast for SEO

1. Choose the Podcast Titles Carefully

Whether or not your potential listeners will take the time to listen to your episodes depends on your podcast titles.

Even if someone finds your Podcast, they might not listen to all the episodes if the titles are not intriguing enough.

Your titles should be concise and descriptive while also considering the character limit.

Although including a keyword in the episode's title can be beneficial, you should still ensure that it aligns with the post's content.

2. Consider what you want to talk about and how the questions will flow.

Podcast hosts should start thinking about their audience and what their expectations are from the podcast. This way, Google can understand the content of your Podcast and how to index it.

Furthermore, a clear theme allows your audience to realize your main point without being lost in the discussion.

According to Edison Research about 80 million Americans listen to podcasts weekly. If you pursue each episode with structural clarity, it is highly likely for it to reach a large audience.

3. Consider Building a website for Podcast

You do not require a website to start your Podcast. All you need is a hosting provider. However, to take SEO seriously, you must ensure that you own the data and the relationship with your subscribers.

You can also create an email list to grow your most devoted listeners.

A website can also help you improve the SEO of your Podcast. For example, when you add context to your episodes, search engines are more likely to find them.

Many podcasts create a new blog post for each new episode to describe their topic. It's an excellent way to supplement your Podcast's content while making it easier for search engines to identify the central theme and focus keywords.

You can also treat your blog content as a regular blog post, linking from one episode to the next, adding related posts, and keeping your audience engaged.

4. Keyword Addition = Ultimate Strategy To Grow Podcast

Your primary keyword should be the headline of your Podcast. But even so, you will not automatically rank for it as you produce episodes further. You must aim to maximize your chances of growing your audience.

When producing content for your Podcast, choose one relevant keyword to define it. Consider your theme, the structure of the episode, and the best keyword to describe it. Even the low search volume keywords can be beneficial to your podcast.

Some podcast hosts have the habit of choosing the same keyword for different podcast episodes. If you use the same keyword on every episode, you risk negatively affecting your progress. Even if one keyword is related to another, planning for one unique keyword per episode is still vital.

Remember, listeners and, generally, all audiences should be familiar with your keyword. It should also ideally have little competition. You can target long-tail keywords and find inspiration by searching Google or using tools like Ubersuggest.

5. Including the Transcript in the Episodes

Although Google has only recently begun automatically transcribing podcasts, it is not yet perfect. A transcript of your episode can aid search engines in better comprehending your Podcast.

It can increase the episode's discoverability by emphasizing keywords, content organization, and critical topics.

A transcription also makes your Podcast more accessible to listeners. You can even break up the topics you're covering into time segments to make it easier for listeners to navigate your Podcast.

Though this is time-taking, not every podcast host may be prepared for this step. However, even in the long run, it might be worth the effort if you are serious about increasing your audience and your SEO.

6. Make your Podcast Shareable on Social Media

The quantity of shares and comments a podcast receives on social media is a reliable indicator of its popularity. Having a well-liked show is not always necessary to get some complimentary remarks or shares on social media.

Content marketing is crucial for growing success like all forms of content. Depending on your topic and target audience, choose your social media platforms and other forms of promotion. With the promotion, this could be a consistent effort.

You can request viewers to share the link if they like a particular episode. You can also make tracking links to identify your top-performing channels or most shared episodes.

"Online word of mouth" can be a great way to boost your SEO because it will increase your levels of popularity and, ultimately, your ranking.

7. Consider the significance of Metadata

Metadata can offer more information about your content like every other SEO technique.

What the episode is about can be gleaned from a podcast's description. Right after the title, it should give more details. The description aids in search engine optimization by helping search engines comprehend the subject matter of your episode. To ensure you stick with it, you can also include your primary keyword to ensure you stick with it.

Tags are helpful for your Podcast as well. They enable people to find them by focusing on particular genres or categories. You can use many tags, but you should ensure they are related to your Podcast.

Consider your intended audience and how they might find your Podcast.

8. Get Listener Reviews

Podcast reviews can also aid the success of your Podcast. So it is not just a sign of how good your Podcast is; they can also raise your Podcast's social proof.

You could request reviews from your listeners if your Podcast is well-received. You must make it as simple as possible, starting with your most devoted supporters.

As it "notifies" search engines of the most successful content, social proof can be beneficial for SEO.

9. Your Podcast should be part of Google Podcasts

Google Podcasts is more crucial than ever as the company takes podcasts seriously.

By adding your Podcast's RSS feed, you can quickly start uploading your episodes to Google Podcasts if you haven't already.

It will appear as an audio snippet in search results, and it's the simplest way to begin enhancing your SEO presence while keeping an eye on your rankings.

10. Prioritize the Quality of your Content

Your Podcast's quality should always come on top. When you nail the quality of your content, you do half the job for SEO.

Your Podcast's success will largely depend on the caliber of the audio and the content. Additionally, SEO and promotion for your Podcast will only be effective if it has a strong foundation.

Look for a catchy title and a distinct subject, and pay attention to the caliber of your sound. These elements can make it easier for your future listeners to relate to you and your Podcast, facilitating marketing and SEO success.

Final Word

It is an excellent time for podcasts if you are considering starting one. These tips can be handy if you want to grow your existing podcast through SEO. In addition to these tips, you can try adding a detailed description to your podcast with the keywords.

Listing keywords, researching, and optimizing content takes time. This is where you can use the services of a virtual assistant. A VA can assist you with keyword research, writing blogs & descriptions, distributing content, and more.

If you are exploring new podcasts, check out Wishup’s new episode here.