Podcast SEO for Episode Titles and Show Notes

Episode titles and show notes are the two places podcast SEO usually works. Titles get read by apps and search engines, while notes give those systems more words to match against a query.

The rules are plain. Use the words a listener would type, put the most important phrase early, and write for a human before a crawler.

Write titles people search for

A title should name the topic, not the episode number. "Episode 47" tells a search engine nothing and tells a new listener less.

Put the main phrase in the first few words. A guest name can follow, but the subject comes first.

Avoid clever titles that hide the point. If someone cannot tell what the episode is about from the title alone, rewrite it.

Show notes that add real words

Show notes are not a place to paste a transcript and walk away. A short summary at the top does more for search than a wall of raw text.

List the topics and names mentioned in the episode. These are the terms that connect your page to someone's query.

Add timestamps so listeners can jump to a section. They also give search engines structure to read.

Transcripts help but are not the whole answer

A full transcript is useful for accessibility and for matching long-tail queries. Post it below the summary rather than instead of it.

Check that auto transcripts have the right names. A guest whose name is spelled wrong five times will not surface for searches on that name.

Link to anything you mention in the episode, whether that is a book, a tool, or another episode. Internal links keep people on your site.

Search engines cannot listen to your episode. Titles and notes, plus a transcript, are how you tell them what it was about.

Key takeaways

• Lead titles with the phrase listeners actually search for.
• Write a short summary before any transcript in the show notes.
• List guest names, topics, and timestamps to add searchable terms.
• Fix name errors in transcripts so guests surface in search.