What are the best SEO strategies for podcasts?

5 SEO Strategies to Grow Your Podcast Audience

Your podcast takes a lot of hard work — it deserves to reach as many people as possible! World Podcast Network wants to provide you with the tools to launch your podcast into superstardom. One of the best ways to get your podcast noticed by more people is by incorporating search engine optimization. SEO is the process of improving a webpage’s ranking amongst the billions of other websites out there. Here’s what you can do to grow your podcast audience:

Incorporate Relevant Keywords

Whether you’re creating an episode title or writing show notes on Apple Podcasts, you should intentionally place keywords to boost your podcast’s rankings. Keywords are phrases that potential listeners will type into their search bar in hopes of finding an episode regarding a specific topic or a podcast within your niche. So, how do you intentionally choose keywords for your show notes and episode titles? You need to conduct keyword research to find the best one to two keywords relevant to your topic. If you have a tight budget because you’re just launching your podcast, you could opt to use a free keyword research tool like Wordtracker. If you’re looking for a more advanced system to work with, WordStream is an excellent option. You can optimize your show notes by selecting high-volume keywords with low competition. The best technique is to place a keyword somewhere in the episode title, toward the very beginning of your show notes, and then organically sprinkle it in your show notes a few more times. Be sure to change your keyword selections for every episode!

Follow What’s Trending

Google operates using an algorithm — which means you can learn ways to ‘hack’ the system. Search engines like Google like to take note of what’s trending. Google even created a website with a very clever title (Google Trends) to track trends. You can use this tool provided by Google to compare trending keywords, analyze trend predictions, and narrow down trends by category. World Podcast Network recommends using this tool to find effective podcast episode titles that will pull in more traffic.

Use Google XML Sitemaps and RSS Feeds to Your Advantage

Things are about to get slightly more complicated, but Google XML sitemaps and RSS feeds help with content discovery. Google relies on XML sitemaps featured on the backend of websites to act as a ‘map’ where all of the content on a website is placed. According to Google’s page on sitemaps, these files specifically improve the SEO of websites that contain media (like podcast episodes). You may have to code if you aren’t using content management software like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace that automatically generates sitemaps. Don’t worry if you may need to do a little coding — Google offers a step-by-step guide on how to create and submit a Google sitemap. Podcasters should also utilize RSS feeds to help Google discover their content! Since RSS feeds significantly impact audio SEO, you should use the tools provided by your podcast hosting platform to effectively create and edit your RSS feed. For example, podcaster Bruce Chamoff uses his RSS feed for his podcast Become A Successful Podcaster on Anchor to find new audience members outside of his podcast on Anchor.

The Benefits of Using a Podcast Network

Podcast networks are a great way to find listeners who are already interested in your niche. People tend to have a few favorite podcast niches, so it’s beneficial to work with a podcast network that will help you cross-promote with other podcasts similar to yours. Podcast networks are intended to give you more exposure and listeners! It’s a win-win. World Podcast Network understands the importance of growing your number of listeners. We want to help you! Not only does our podcast network have the largest directory of World’s most popular podcasts, but we also offer more promotional benefits than anyone else. Our website is organized into categories based on niche, so listeners interested in your niche can easily find your podcast. Contact us if you want your podcast to get more exposure with the largest independent podcast network out there!

Don’t Forget the Basics

When it comes down to it, your rankings in the search engine will improve if you remember the basics of content creation. Content is king, and consistency is queen! You will build an audience if you continue to release quality episodes frequently while incorporating SEO strategies. It can feel overwhelming when attempting to remember all of the small details about SEO, but please never forget why you decided to create a podcast in the first place. Do it because you love it — and the listeners will come.