Best Ways to Grow Your Podcast with SEO

Best Ways to Grow Your Podcast with SEO

Podcasts are mega popular these days. These acquisitions by Spotify just prove this.

With the help of some SEO tricks, you can grow your podcast audience even further.

In short, you need to know how to leverage your podcast for SEO, but also how to rank well on the platforms, where you publish it.

Here are some main ways to grow your podcast with SEO.

1. Catchy title

Start with a well-written title.

This is how one can find your episodes on iTunes or Google Play. These marketplaces put a heavy emphasis on keywords, which are in your title.

Of course, also if the title is catchy and engaging – there is much more chance a user will click on it. For Youtube videos it is thumbnails, but for podcasts – it is all in a title.

Certainly, don’t try to clickbait or stuff your podcast title with keywords – you might be punished by the algorithm of podcast search engines.

2. Use your website

If you own a website – use it to send more traffic to a podcast. If you don’t own a website – I highly recommend creating one.

A podcast is a fantastic content type, which can attract a lot of organic traffic and backlinks to your site. Don’t waste this opportunity.

To get more organic traffic to your site, you can use a standard SEO playbook: original content, link building, on-page optimization, keyword research, tech setup, etc.

I would really recommend transforming your audio content to text and using it on a blog.

Also, additional content ideas for your podcast blog could be:

  • Some key takeaways from a podcast;
  • Additional supporting visuals (especially infographics);
  • Include some downloadables – e.g. checklists, e-books – a great way to collect e-mails;
  • Episode art, etc.

But, don’t just copy paste your transcript – make it more engaging, readable – so it can produce a long session time on your website.

Another reason to have a website – it is an insurance strategy against algorithm changes on podcast networks.

If you host your podcast only on third-party mediums – you are completely dependent on their rules. If one day something happens (e.g. Spotify doesn’t want to rank your content anymore) – your website would be a supporting channel to distribute your podcast.

3. Optimize RSS feed

RSS feed might sound like an old-school phenomenon, but it is really important for podcasts – this is how your content is distributed to iTunes, Google Play and most other platforms.

So, you need to keep detail on titles, descriptions, images, etc.

The best way to have full control of your RSS feed is to use services similar to Libsyn or free Powerpress WordPress plugin.

4. Use Youtube

Youtube is the second biggest Search Engine in the world after Google. You should obviously use the power of Youtube to bring more traffic to your podcast.

Create a channel and post highlights or full recordings of your podcasts. Maybe they will gather millions of views and subscribers!

Include a link to the full recording in the description below or info button.

Also, there are many services, which can convert your audio podcast to Youtube video.

5. Recycle your content

High-quality content might take a lot of effort and time. It would be a shame to use it only once. Repurpose your content in different forms.

For example, from one podcast episode you can make:

  • Infographics and visuals
  • Slide decks
  • Blogs and articles
  • Videos
  • Downloadables and so on.

With more content, you will definitely increase your reach.

6. Try Pinterest

Pinterest is the fastest growing visual search engine in the world.

Yes, it can be a bit niche. But, if your podcast is oriented at a female audience – promoting it on Pinterest is a must have.

Personally, I like Pinterest more than Instagram – because it brings evergreen traffic. It means, that even old posts bring traffic to your podcast or site, unlike Instagram or Facebook.

Learn Pinterest tactics, test different pin designs, see what works for you. Ideal pins are those, which bring click-throughs and traffic. Try to solve a problem within a pin text: e.g. “Find out 10 ways to save money in our new podcast episode”.

7. Link building with podcasts

A viral podcast episode can bring a lot of backlinks – other sites linking to your site. It will be a huge benefit for your website, where you embed podcast episodes (check out advice #2).

Backlinks are one of the most important factors in Google ranking – the more you have the higher you are on SERP (Search Engine Result Page).

The easiest way to get backlinks is to collaborate with guest speakers, publish content on their sites and get free backlinks, mentions to your site.

Also, try outreach – email other bloggers, influencers in your niche, mentioning your podcast and asking for a backlink. You can also ask for a guest contribution on their blog, in exchange for a backlink.

Good backlinks to your site is a fundament, that you will start getting more organic traffic in the future. And you can push that traffic back to your podcast.

Author: Andrii Gorh – SEO ninja with 10+ years of experience. His advanced SEO blog: Online Hikes and inspirational site for entrepreneurs – Museuly.

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