With no time in their hands, it is getting difficult these days for people to read. While radio stations are always popular, what people don’t like about it is the advertisements. In the blogging world, people love to read and write.
But ever since the introduction of audio blogging, people have started loving it more. Audio blogging is what we call today’s Podcasts. It was not until 2004 that Podcasts have started becoming popular. Nowadays, everyone’s interested in Podcasts.
Podcasts have taken over the world of content marketing in recent years. As a marketer, you have joined the trend by launching your podcast. But have you ever wondered how to increase its visibility and traffic?
While some people want to record more, others want to hear more! So how do you reach your listeners and make sure they find your Podcasts at the SERP?
By optimizing your podcast for Search Engine Results Page (SERP), you can make it easier for your audience to discover your content.
This blog will speak about all that you need to know to rank your podcast on SERP. These 22 tried and tested tips to rank your podcast on SERP are a great insight into how you can do yours.
How To Optimize a Podcast For Search/SERP:
Before we dive into the technicalities of optimization, let’s understand the basics of SEO for podcasts. Like any other content, your podcast must target the right keywords to rank on SERP.
- Start by researching relevant keywords that your audience might search for. Use tools like Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner to identify low-competition keywords and high-volume.
- Once you have a list of keywords, integrate them into your podcast titles, descriptions, and tags relevant to your audio content in the podcast.
- Make sure to keep your podcast descriptions concise, engaging, and keyword-rich.
For example, if your podcast is about audio marketing, you can include keywords such as “audio marketing”, “podcast SEO”, and “how to rank a podcast on SERP”. This will help search engines identify the relevance of your podcast and rank it higher on SERP.
The Most Popular Sites for Podcasts:
To rank your podcast on SERP, you must ensure it is available on all popular podcast player platforms. The more platforms your podcast is available on, the better its chances of being discovered.
Some of the most popular podcast hosting platforms are Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.
These platforms’ ranking algorithms consider engagement, ratings, and reviews. Encourage your audience to leave ratings and reviews on these platforms.
According to the statistics, the top five platforms for listening to podcasts in descending order are:
- YouTube, with 55% of the users
- Spotify, with 49% of the users
- Apple Podcasts, with 38% of the users
- Amazon Music, with 27% of the users
- iHeartRadio, with 27% of the users
For instance, Apple Podcasts ranks podcasts based on user ratings, downloads, and subscriptions. So, make sure to check the rankings of your podcast frequently and optimize it accordingly.
Every platform follows an algorithm to rank podcasts on top, and every platform has some common algorithm to follow.
Podcast SEO: Here Are Top Ways To Make Your Podcast Rank
Create unique and innovative ideas for podcast topics
People listen to podcasts for various reasons, including learning new things. Coming up with topics for a podcast can be challenging, particularly for a business that may seem incompatible with podcasting.
It may seem challenging to create a podcast about personal injury law or plumbing that can engage an audience.
For example, if you are a personal injury lawyer, your podcast can focus on the hidden stories of victims or cases gone wrong. You can also interview experts in the industry and share their advice with listeners. Similarly, you could create an educational podcast about plumbing tips and tricks if you run a plumbing business.
Therefore, you should use creativity to come up with informative and entertaining topics.
Add the right Keywords
There’s no doubt in how your content gets ranked on the internet. It is all about the keywords you use. Using the right keywords can help you beat your competitors. There are various tools you can use to find the best relevant keywords for your podcast. However, as a simple and quick tip, always use the words ‘Top Podcasts’ in your title. You should also make sure this phrase is in the description too. Include the right keywords in your title and description and in your podcast to rank it better.
Use Google Search Console
Factually speaking, not everyone is an SEO expert. In that case, how would you know how is your website performing? The same goes for podcasts. The best way to see how your podcast is performing is by using Google Search Console. Use this tool to monitor and maintain your podcast and its performance.
Use Social Media to drive traffic
One helpful way is to leverage social media platforms. Share snippets, teasers, and podcast highlights on your social media profiles. This helps in generating interest and driving traffic to your podcast.
For instance, use Twitter to share short podcast clips and add relevant hashtags. You can also post links to your podcast on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, iTunes, Tumblr, Vimeo, Stitcher, Reddit, and other social media sites. This is one of the best podcast marketing strategies.
Collaborate with Influencers
Building relationships with influencers in your niche can help increase the visibility of your podcast on SERP.
You can also collaborate with other podcasters, influencers, or industry experts in your niche. You can create cross-promotion opportunities by featuring them in your podcast or participating in guest episodes.
For instance, you can collaborate with an influencer to create a podcast series about the latest trends in audio marketing. This will increase your reach and help you establish yourself as a thought leader in the industry.
Use visuals to enrich your content
An eye-catchy yet straightforward visual or cover art for your podcast can be a great way to improve visibility and traffic. Catchy cover art is sure to make people curious about the content of the podcast. This can make people click the podcast and listen to it.
Create backlinks
Creating quality backlinks is another excellent way to improve the visibility of your podcast on SERP. Find relevant websites and blogs in your niche that link to your podcast.
For example, you can collaborate with popular websites to write guest blog posts about audio marketing. You can also look for directories and podcast listing sites where you can submit your podcast to increase backlinks.
Create a podcast RSS feed
By creating a podcast, RSS feed, you send your podcast to all podcast platforms that will upload your podcast on various channels. This gives better visibility, thus making users choose yours from thousands of podcasts out there.
Keep episodes short
The best way to keep your podcast interesting is by keeping it short. Long podcasts might not suit all sorts of content and might not appeal to many. On the other hand, short ones are sure to create interest and instill curiosity in your listeners. Keep the episodes short. This will make your listeners come back for more.
Keep episode frequency short
The best way to rank your podcast on SERP is to keep your frequency of posting them short. If you upload one podcast today and post another after a couple of months, people might lose connection with your listeners. Hoping that it will create more curiosity is not the right angle to see when it comes to podcasts.
Add a link to your website
In all your podcasts, make sure to add a website link if you have any. This is a great way to increase traffic both for your website and also your podcast.
Having a website makes it easier for your listeners to find all your podcasts on one page. The chances of you getting more followers are more here because they might listen to many other podcasts that are uploaded on your website. A website will help you promote your podcast on other platforms too.
Optimize your podcast descriptions
A thought-provoking podcast description is a great idea to make people listen to your podcast. Use the right keywords in the right amount. Write a short brief on what the podcast is about. Keep it simple yet exciting. In short, optimize the content as per the audio content.
Utilize tags and categories
There are millions of podcasts out there. In such a busy world, how can you make people listen to yours? The best way to be visible to podcast listeners is by adding your podcasts under relevant categories. Categories can be anything from music, art, dance, reading to much more. Put your podcast under the correct category, and make sure you use the proper tags to fit it in to rank well on the SERP.
Make sure you comply with copyright law
Many podcasts need copyright law to use someone else’s information or quote some info somewhere. Make sure you get them right before you release your podcast. A podcast with no restrictions is a good one to rank.
Keep your content original
It is good to get inspired by someone’s work but always make sure yours is original. Also, listeners will only rate for original content as it shows a person’s creativity and talent. This will, in turn, help in better ranking on SERP.
Feedback/Review
Engage with your audience and encourage them to share feedback, suggestions, or questions. This helps build a community around your podcast and increase its visibility on SERP.
For example, you can respond to all reviews and comments left by your listeners on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. Doing so can increase your podcast’s engagement levels and improve its ranking on SERP.
Utilize your podcast episodes to create an email marketing campaign
This is a great option, especially if you are looking to expand your subscriber base. By sending emailers through an email marketing campaign, you remind your listeners about the unique podcast content you have created. If your content is good, they might even end up sharing it with others. This is one of the best podcast promotion strategies that you can follow.
Try To Summarize Each Podcast
Be sure to write a summary of the topics, main points, guests, and essential details covered in the podcast to help people find what they are looking for. This also helps search engines understand your podcast’s content better and rank it higher on SERP.
For example, you can briefly summarize the episode, including key takeaways, quotes from guests, and advice on ranking podcasts on SERP. This will help search engines understand your podcast’s content and rank it higher on SERP.
By following the strategies mentioned above, you can successfully optimize your podcast for SERP and rank it higher in search results.
Use A Feed Reader
Using a feed reader to organize sources of breaking news makes it easier to stay up to date with trending topics. To locate relevant articles, identify their category and find an associated RSS feed to follow.
For instance, if you are creating a podcast on audio marketing, follow relevant RSS feeds for blogs and websites in the industry. This will give you access to the latest news and trends related to audio marketing so that you can create relevant content for your podcast.
By staying updated with the latest trends, you can create content more likely to appear in search results and improve your podcast’s visibility on SERP.
Submit your podcast to Google Play Music
While submitting your podcast to various directories is one, submitting your podcasts to Google Podcasts is altogether another great option. The Google algorithm helps rank your podcast on the SERP.
Optimize for Spotify Podcast Artwork
For the Spotify show page, it is suggested to use high-resolution artwork with dimensions of 3000 x 3000 pixels. Spotify has an artwork generator on their Anchor website, but you must register first. The artwork should be visually striking and use complementary colours, with a preference for colours that grab attention.
If you want to rank your podcast on SERP, ensure your podcast artwork is attractive and eye-catching. This will help draw the attention of listeners browsing through podcasts on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
Stay Passionate
Last but not least, stay passionate and driven to create unique content. Passion alone can drive you to be creative and come up with the best podcasts.
These are some amazing tips that you can follow to rank your podcast on SERP. Remember, only constant efforts can make your podcast rank, as there are millions of podcasts out there!
Bonus Tip
Track your podcast’s progress and check its rankings regularly. Monitor the impact of different optimization techniques and adjust your strategies accordingly.
This will ensure that you always take the proper steps to rank your podcast on SERP and reach a wider audience.
Conclusion:
Optimizing your podcast for SERP is crucial to increase its visibility, reach, and engagement. You can rank your podcast higher on search engines by targeting the right keywords, optimizing for different platforms, and leveraging social media strategies.
However, remember to prioritize quality content and engagement with your audience. SEO is only one aspect of a successful podcast; the rest depends on the value you offer to your listeners.
Happy podcasting!
