You’ve got most likely heard the widespread recommendation in podcasting: give you a title that’s so descriptive and clear that anybody may precisely guess what your present is about merely from the title alone. That’s glorious recommendation, however it’s extra of a tenet than an absolute legislation. To borrow a thought from the Pirates of the Caribbean motion pictures, the foundations of podcasting are typically extra like pointers anyway.
Should you have a look at virtually any checklist of high podcasts, whether or not it’s a chart in a podcast app, a curated checklist, or the New and Noteworthy part, you’ll find exhibits of various levels of success with intelligent, cute, or fully distinctive titles. These titles don’t straight describe what the podcast is about, but the exhibits thrive.
Whereas normal podcast search engine marketing depends on clear and apparent naming, there are particular eventualities the place breaking the mould is smart. Allow us to discover precisely when it is smart to favor creativity over pure searchability.
1. When Intelligent Podcast Titles Have Clarifying Subtitles
Utilizing a intelligent or distinctive title is completely okay in Apple Podcasts and different directories if you pair it with a clarifying subtitle. This lets you have a reputation that hardcore followers will immediately acknowledge, whereas nonetheless guaranteeing individuals can discover your present when looking for your predominant matter. The secret is that the subtitle should make clear the subject material, not simply function a tagline stuffed with key phrase stuffing. A tagline makes a promise about what your podcast delivers, whereas a clarifying subtitle merely explains the precise title.
A clarifying subtitle can be extraordinarily useful when a purely descriptive title dangers trademark infringement. For instance, you can not legally title your present “The Microsoft Podcast” with out securing the tech large’s wrath. Nonetheless, you should use a artistic title and embody the model in your clarifying subtitle. I discovered this firsthand with my TV present fan podcast about As soon as Upon a Time. The official title of our podcast was merely As soon as, however after a pleasant but severe dialog with a Disney lawyer concerning potential model confusion, we adjusted the podcast app title to “As soon as – Unofficial As soon as Upon a Time Podcast.”
Including that clarifying subtitle saved us out of authorized hassle whereas satisfying Apple’s pointers in opposition to egregious key phrase stuffing. Some podcasters attempt to cram theories, character names, and dozens of key phrases into their titles till they hit an algorithm set off level and get kicked out of Apple Podcasts.
Avoiding key phrase stuffing whereas discovering the right clarifying time period means that you can legally and successfully seize search site visitors. Understanding how you can stability this general searchability leads proper into how we have a look at titles on a micro degree for particular person episodes.
2. When Intelligent Episode Titles Are for Leisure-Based mostly Podcasts
Typically your general podcast title is completely clear, however your particular person episode titles are cute, intelligent, or considerably mysterious. This technique works remarkably effectively for entertainment-based podcasts the place your major purpose is to make your viewers giggle or spark deep curiosity. A bizarre or intelligent episode title can truly strengthen the connection you have got along with your current viewers, serving as an inside joke that pays off as soon as they hear.
When your listeners lastly attain the purpose within the dialog the place the intelligent title was born, they get that satisfying second the place they notice the place the title of the episode got here from. Whereas it’s true that these obscure titles won’t entice new listeners by search engines like google, an leisure podcast doesn’t at all times must prioritize normal search engine marketing. If in case you have a comedy podcast, a vanilla title like “The Episode The place We Speak About Childhood Tales” will not be very compelling. A mysterious, humorous inside joke is way extra more likely to get your present viewers to press play.
For informational or instructional exhibits like The Audacity to Podcast, I rely closely on SEO and use clear, descriptive titles primarily based on what persons are truly asking. But when your present is designed purely to entertain, the title itself needs to be a part of the leisure bundle.
In fact, whether or not you are attempting to be entertaining or simply extremely distinctive, there are occasions when your general branding should take precedence over search engine marketing.
3. When Uniqueness Is Extra Vital Than Podcast search engine marketing
Think about you might be launching a podcast a couple of large cultural phenomenon like Stranger Issues. Should you title your present “The Stranger Issues Podcast,” you might be immediately competing with dozens of others utilizing that very same generic title. While you inform somebody to seek for it, they are going to be greeted by a wall of comparable titles, and you’ll have to over-explain which particular cowl artwork to search for. By prioritizing uniqueness over search engine marketing, you might title your present one thing distinctive like “Hawkins Radio” or “The Upside Downcast.”
These distinctive phrases are immediately recognizable to followers of the present, and you’ll nonetheless embody “Stranger Issues” as a clarifying subtitle so you don’t lose out totally on search site visitors. When you have got a particular title, it’s far simpler for listeners to search out the precise proper present when looking their podcast app. Moreover, a extremely distinctive title provides you the power to legally defend your model. Generic names are extremely troublesome, if not not possible, to trademark.
I’ve at all times valued distinctive branding, which is why I’ve efficiently trademarked names like The Audacity to Podcast, Podgagement, and most not too long ago, PodChapters. “PodChapters” is distinctive sufficient to be legally protected. If I had merely named it “Podcast Chapters,” it might be far too generic to safe a trademark.
Being distinctive helps you stand out and defend your mental property, however what in case your title is totally obscure and lacks any clarifying subtitles? That’s if you want a large promotional push.
4. When Intelligent-Titled Podcasts Have Superb Advertising
There are many extremely profitable podcasts on the market which have zero descriptive components of their titles. Should you have a look at the highest charts in Apple Podcasts, you will note exhibits like The Each day, Pod Save America, Up First, and The Joe Rogan Expertise. None of those titles inform a brand new listener precisely what the present is about. In truth, Joe Rogan’s podcast doesn’t also have a clearly outlined matter; his distinctive conversational fashion and strategy are the precise area of interest.
These exhibits dominate the charts not as a result of their titles are search-friendly, however as a result of they’ve unbelievable advertising and marketing engines behind them. Contemplate the huge hit podcast Serial. Earlier than its launch, in case you heard somebody was launching a podcast referred to as Serial, you most likely would have assumed it was a present about breakfast meals like Cheerios or Apple Jacks. It was a horrible title for normal podcast search engine marketing, however the phenomenal advertising and marketing and word-of-mouth promotion fully made up for it. And do not fall into the lure of considering, “It isn’t hurting their podcast!”
We see this very same phenomenon within the tech world. When Apple modified the title of their laptops from PowerBook to MacBook, or once they launched the iPad, individuals initially mocked the names. Nonetheless, Apple threw a lot advertising and marketing energy behind these merchandise that the names are actually simply widespread vernacular. If in case you have the price range or the platform to advertise closely, you should use no matter intelligent podcast title you need and let your advertising and marketing do the heavy lifting.
A large advertising and marketing price range solves quite a lot of naming points, however even in case you do not need hundreds of thousands of {dollars}, you may nonetheless strategically make use of intelligent titles by remembering these foundational concepts.
Should you love The Audacity to Podcast and worth the podcasting inspiration and schooling I present, would you please think about giving again what it is price to you?
Supercharge your podcast engagement and develop your podcast!
Do you ever really feel like your podcast is caught? Such as you’re pouring your coronary heart into your podcast but it surely looks like nobody is listening?
Attempt Podgagement that can assist you supercharge your podcast endgagement!
Get speakable pages to simplify participating along with your viewers, settle for voicemail suggestions (with automated transcripts), see and share your scores and opinions from almost 200 locations, observe your podcast rankings throughout almost 34,000 international charts, uncover networking alternatives, and extra!
Ask your questions or share your suggestions
Observe The Audacity to Podcast
Disclosure
This submit could comprise hyperlinks to services or products with which I’ve an affiliate relationship. I could obtain compensation out of your actions by such hyperlinks. Nonetheless, I do not let that corrupt my perspective and I do not advocate solely associates.
