Every SEO company, content creator and website owner in the world pays attention when Google introduces algorithm and platform changes. In 2019, Google started rolling out a significant change to complement the previous year’s release of video carousels by incorporating podcasts into the search results.
Here’s how to monopolize on the inclusion of podcasts to the search engine results and make them a part of your SEO strategy for 2020.
Get Your Podcast on the Coveted Carousel
Podcasts are appearing on the web in two main ways on the carousel: ‘popular on the web’ and ‘searching for answer.’ Popular on the web carousels pop up when one searches for a broad top like ‘fashion podcasts’ and opens up a new search when results are clicked on. If you have a general blog, this is your list and you’ll want to find ways to standout above other popular podcasts.
Another approach is using podcasts that answer a ‘question’ to standout on the main podcast carousel, which seems to give titles more SEO weight than actual content at this time.
If you answer specific questions or break down topics during podcasts, consider breaking shows into segments addressing those topics and submitting shorter snips optimized for those searching for related answers.
Tips for Optimizing Podcasts for SEO
Podcasters are now wondering how these audio SEO changes will impact their show’s rankings and format, but most want to know how to work with the new setup for success. Here are some things to consider.
- Make Lots of Episodes—The more you have, the better the odds of appearing in multiple results.
- Shorter Podcasts—Essential for ‘answer a question’ results boosts, shorter episodes mean more episodes which increases ranking chances.
- Premium Audio—Invest in good audio that is more likely to be transcribed so it will appear in search queries.
- Proper Titles—Don’t mislead guests with titles or go too far beyond the actual topic. Give them what you promise and the alignment of title to topic also ranks better for SEO.
Ultimately, you want to make shows for your listeners not web crawlers, and a reputable SEO company can help you see greater success through these new audio SEO Google opportunities.