Most people believe that podcasts, as an audio medium, do not require SEO optimization; however, new Google updates have made podcast SEO an important strategy for digital marketers.
We’ve all heard that Search Engine Optimization, or SEO for short, is an important component of well-rounded digital marketing strategies.
SEO is what allows searchers to find your pages and content on search engines and brings new visitors to your website.
However, there is one aspect of digital marketing that many people believe does not require SEO optimization: podcasts.
Tips and Tactics To Improve Your Podcast SEO #3: Recognize the Importance of Transcriptions
While Google will do its own transcriptions of your podcast episodes as it scans the audio file, the technology isn’t perfect, and, more importantly, it isn’t done by you or your brand.
Transcribing your own podcast episodes allows you to have complete control over the translation.
You can ensure that relevant terms are defined clearly, insider terminology is spelled correctly, and relevant topics and keywords are highlighted.
Transcriptions are also important in terms of accessibility.
People with hearing impairments should be able to enjoy your podcasts just as much as everyone else. Transcripts assist you in making your content more accessible.
Tips and Tactics To Improve Your Podcast SEO #4: Create Authority Through Quality Content
Google, like other search engines, wants to promote authoritative content.
Quality content is required to establish authority and become recognized as an industry leader by the Google algorithm.
Poor quality content will not receive as many views, will not appeal to audiences, and will not provide the necessary information.
Focusing on quality over quantity can help you stay relevant with your audience and establish authority.
Tips and Tactics To Improve Your Podcast SEO #5: Utilize Podcast Metadata
Metadata, as the name implies, is information about other data.
Metadata is the behind-the-scenes summary of pages, images, and even podcasts in SEO terms.
Podcast SEO necessitates the use of podcast metadata for your purposes.
You can add keywords to your podcast pages’ meta descriptions and meta titles to help Google learn even more about your podcasts.
Tips and Tactics To Improve Your Podcast SEO #6: Make use of Google Podcasts Manager
Google has a tool called Google Podcasts Manager that helps you index your podcast and get verified within the Google platform, similar to how Google has a Google My Business manager for business owners.
By claiming and verifying your podcast channel, you increase the likelihood of Google promoting your podcast and including it in relevant searches.
It also assists you in being found across various Google devices such as Google Home and Google Assistant.
Tips and Tactics To Improve Your Podcast SEO #7: Use social media to cross-promote
Promoting your podcast on your other digital channels can help you gain authority and become more visible.
You can increase your chances of appearing in different search engines by cross-promoting your podcast on social media.
And if Google notices your podcast appearing in more channels, it is more likely to include it in a search engine results page.
Tips and Tactics #8: Repurpose Podcasts
Podcast content should be relevant, informative, educational, and entertaining to listeners.
That information is extremely valuable to your organization and you should use it in a variety of contexts.
You can turn a great podcast episode into a YouTube video, a blog post, or a downloadable eBook.
By repurposing your podcast content, you can gain authority in the content while also promoting the podcast with links on different pages.
Tips and Tactics #9: Create Trust with Backlinks
Backlinks are an important aspect of SEO.
A backlink is a link to one of your pages or podcasts from another website.
When other websites link to yours, Google sees that your pages are authoritative and relevant to your target audience. A link-building strategy might include the following tactics:
- Appearing as a guest on another podcast.
- Asking listeners for reviews.
- Creating visuals for your podcast that other websites can use.
- Including your podcast in industry podcast directories.
Tips and Tactics #10: Increase Responsiveness And Speed
Nobody enjoys waiting for things to load and buffer, including your podcasts.
Regardless of the size of the audio file, you should spend time making sure your pages are fast and mobile-friendly.
When pages take too long to load, search engines notice and won’t recommend your podcast if it can’t entertain listeners on time.
Conclusion
Podcasts are a popular form of entertainment and engagement for listeners.
Brands that do not apply podcast SEO practices to their own podcasting networks run the risk of missing out on key growth opportunities and becoming lost in search engine results.
You can help your podcasts rank higher and be found by your audiences by following our ten steps for podcast SEO and incorporating them into your regular tasks.