Podcast SEO 101

B2B podcasting is still in the Wild West phase, and with its ever-increasing popularity, not having a podcast could put you squarely behind your competitors when it comes to you and your company being a respected voice of leadership in your industry.

And just like B2B podcasting itself, podcasting search engine optimization (SEO) is a throwback to the early to mid-2000s when companies were competing to figure out the various algorithms to dominate search rankings for relative terms, also known as keywords.

A Firm SEO Foundation

To start your podcast SEO on a firm foundation, consider the name of the show. Naming your B2B podcast should be taken as seriously as any other branding decision your company makes. The best B2B podcast names are simple, straightforward and leave no doubt as to what your show is about. 

An example of a show we branded at Content Allies is the Hospitality Leaders podcast. The client, a hospitality support agency called Upshift, came to us with some clever names that were interesting but didn’t get the point across as to who the show is for.

By going with the Hospitality Leaders podcast, they leave no doubt about what the show is about, and because it is so clear and straightforward, they now rank at the top of the directories for the keyword “Hospitality.”

Getting Clever

If you are going to go for a clever name, that may be a play on words or a reference to the host, see if you can work industry-specific keywords. While it isn’t as strong as having keywords in the name of the show, using those words in a tagline can boost your rankings.

One of the clever titles Upshift considered for their podcast was “Checking In,” an obvious nod to the hotel industry. If they had decided to go with that name, we would have suggested the full name be something like, “Checking In – A Podcast For Hospitality Leaders.” 

The popularity of your podcast is also important for rankings. The best way for a new show to move up the rankings is through downloads and reviews. And the way to get a healthy helping of positive 5-star reviews for your new podcast is simple – just ask for them.

Email everyone in your address book. Have your team do the same. Use social media. Use your company newsletter. Getting 10, 20 or even 50 5-star reviews after your third or fourth episode has been published will do wonders for your rankings within your industry.

Be Our Guest

Take advantage of some of the most valuable assets for your podcast: your guests. Most guests will be happy to agree to help promote their appearance on your podcast through their own social media channels. 

But they’re also very busy people, and agreeing to do it and doing it are two different things. Make it as easy as possible for them. Provide them with LinkedIn posts, complete with quote block graphics or videograms. Make it so all they have to do is copy and paste into their account. You’ll get much better results. 

Consistency is another driving factor when it comes to SEO success in B2B podcasting. When you decide on a schedule, make sure you stick with it. The best way to stick to a once-a-week or twice-a-month schedule is to buckle down and create a backlog of episodes. You can never have too many episodes finished and waiting to be published. This will help with your download and review metrics. 

These techniques will get you off on the right foot when it comes to increasing rankings and download metrics for your B2B podcast. But keep in mind that it is really difficult to rank for more than 3 or 4 solid keywords within your industry, so pick the most relevant ones and hammer away at them.

Have a topic you want to see us cover on the podcast? Write to our host at jake@contentallies.com.

This episode is brought to you by Content Allies. 

Content Allies helps B2B companies launch revenue-generating podcasts. From startups to Fortune 500s, we have helped some of the world's leading companies build and run profitable podcasts. Contact us for your free podcast consultation at ContentAllies.com

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