Is Your Podcast Name Invisible? Let’s Find Out
Leah Bryant [00:00:04 - 00:00:54]:<br> [00:00:04] I want you to do something right now. [00:00:07] Obviously, if you are operating heavy machinery, driving a car, or using knives, finish that first. [00:00:18] But open your phone, go to Apple Podcast, or whatever your player of choice is, and I want you to search for for your podcast name. [00:00:29] Now, did your podcast come up? [00:00:31] Great. [00:00:33] Now I want you to think about something. [00:00:35] Who else is doing that search? [00:00:38] Who outside of your inner circle, the people who already know you exist, is typing your podcast name into a search bar. [00:00:50] I'll wait. [00:00:52] Do, do, do, do, do.
The Quiet Truth About Branded Podcast Names
Leah Bryant [00:00:56 - 00:01:53]:<br> [00:00:56] Well, the answer for most branded podcast names is almost nobody. [00:01:03] And if your mom is searching for it, that is sweet. [00:01:07] But she's probably not your ideal client. [00:01:11] And that is the quiet, uncomfortable truth that nobody in the podcasting space wants to say out loud. [00:01:19] Because naming your podcast something clever and personal feels fabulous. [00:01:25] It feels like identity, right? [00:01:28] But if the name isn't searchable, well, it's invisible to every single person who doesn't already know you. [00:01:37] Hi, I'm Leah Bryant, podcast growth strategist and host of the Podcasting Problem Solver. [00:01:43] And yes, I will absolutely talk about my own show name today, because I think it's important you hear this from someone who's done the work on this exact problem.
Is Your Podcast Name Quietly Killing Discoverability?
Leah Bryant [00:01:53 - 00:02:36]:<br> [00:01:53] No pun intended there. [00:01:55] But your podcast name might be the thing that's quietly. [00:02:00] That's quietly killing your discoverability. [00:02:04] And today, my friend, we're getting into why and what you can do about it. [00:02:11] So here's what happens when most people name their show and let me know if this resonates. [00:02:17] You probably thought about your brand. [00:02:19] You think about what sounds good and probably what feels good to you, right? [00:02:25] And then you land on something like the Radiant Life podcast or Elevated with Emma or the Sarah Johnson's show. [00:02:35] Now, all of those I just made up.
Leah Bryant [00:02:37 - 00:03:33]:<br> [00:02:37] So if those are actual podcasts and that is actually your show name, please come see me after class. [00:02:46] But those names are fine. [00:02:48] They're not offensive, and they might even be pretty. [00:02:51] They make you feel great, right? [00:02:53] But you know what they're not doing? [00:02:55] They are doing absolutely diddly squat in regards to discoverability work. [00:03:03] Here's how podcast discovery works. [00:03:05] I'm going to share it with you. [00:03:06] Are you ready? [00:03:07] You sitting down and taking notes? [00:03:08] All the things. [00:03:09] Okay, so when someone who has never heard of you, my friend, wants to find a podcast about, say, productivity for working moms, they're going to go to Apple or Spotify or whatever player they're using, and they're going to type in productivity working moms, right? [00:03:28] They are searching for a topic or they're searching for a problem, they're searching for a transformation.
Why a “Branded” Name Won’t Cut It with Search
Leah Bryant [00:03:34 - 00:04:28]:<br> [00:03:34] They are not searching for a person that they don't know yet. [00:03:39] So if your show is called Elevated with Emma and maybe Emma is a productivity coach for working moms, well, Emma is invisible in that search. [00:03:51] And Emma could have the most life changing productivity content on these Internet streets and it would not matter because the algorithm doesn't know Emma. [00:04:01] The algorithm knows keywords. [00:04:04] Emma and the algorithm have not been formally introduced. [00:04:09] Meanwhile, a show called the Protective mom, even if the content is identical to Emma's, shows up and gets clicked. [00:04:20] Yes, and it actually it has a chance. [00:04:22] The difference between a branded name and a searchable name is just that.
The Stakes: Findable or Invisible
Leah Bryant [00:04:29 - 00:05:18]:<br> [00:04:29] And that, my friend, is not a small difference. [00:04:32] It is the difference between being findable and being invisible to everyone outside of your existing audience. [00:04:42] Discoverability is one of the core pillars that we do tackle inside of Positioned and Found, my group coaching program. [00:04:50] We dig into how your podcast is showing up in search, what signals you're sending to the algorithm and what needs to shift so the right people can find you. [00:05:01] All the details for that is below. [00:05:03] Click it, find it, sign up for it, all the things. [00:05:07] So let's talk about what your podcast name is really doing, or worse, not doing for your discoverability. [00:05:15] This is not just about the name being in isolation.
Understanding the Signals: Name, Algorithm, & Listeners
Leah Bryant [00:05:19 - 00:06:08]:<br> [00:05:19] We have more than one audience here. [00:05:22] It's the signals it sends to both the algorithm and to the human being who stumbles across it. [00:05:30] So signal number one is relevance. [00:05:34] Does your name tell the algorithm what your show is about? [00:05:40] So podcast platforms are essentially search engines. [00:05:43] They index your show name, description, episode titles. [00:05:48] When those things contain the words your ideal listener is searching for, the algorithm knows where to put you. [00:05:56] And when they don't, well, what do you think's happening? [00:06:00] Yeah, it's just guessing at that point. [00:06:02] And when people are guessing, what usually happens? [00:06:06] We could be wrong.
Leah Bryant [00:06:08 - 00:07:06]:<br> [00:06:08] Yes, and you end up in front of the wrong audience, or even worse, no audience at all. [00:06:19] So signal number two is clarity for the new listener. [00:06:25] When someone who has never heard of you sees your show name in a list of results, do they immediately understand if this show is for them or do you think that they have to click in and do an investigation? [00:06:40] Every extra step between I found this show and I know this show is for me, without a doubt, is a place where you can lose people. [00:06:49] All right, we are busy and quite frankly, sometimes lazy. [00:06:54] We need something fast and obvious. [00:06:57] So I need you to be clear and descriptive in your name. [00:07:01] That Makes sure it does that work up front. [00:07:04] So signal number three is a promise.
Does Your Podcast Name Make a Promise?
Leah Bryant [00:07:07 - 00:07:49]:<br> [00:07:07] So your show name is the first promise you're making to a potential listener. [00:07:11] It tells them what they're going to get. [00:07:13] For instance, a name like podcasting Problem Solver makes a promise. [00:07:18] You're going to come here, you're going to bring your podcasting problems, and I'm going to be like Vanilla Ice and I'm going to solve your problem. [00:07:28] And that's a commitment. [00:07:29] Right? [00:07:29] And a reason to click a name like the Leah Bryant show. [00:07:33] Well, that makes no promise at all to someone who has no clue on this earth who the heck Leah Bryant is. [00:07:41] And before anyone comes for me, yes, there are shows with personality based names that do incredibly well.
Leah Bryant [00:07:49 - 00:08:27]:<br> [00:07:49] But those are always, always, always people who already have significant audiences are. [00:07:57] Before they launched the podcast, they did not grow through discoverability. [00:08:02] They typically are transferring an existing audience. [00:08:06] And that, my friend, is a completely different situation from building a show from scratch or trying to grow beyond your current circle. [00:08:16] All right, so I can actually feel some of you starting to spiral right now. [00:08:21] Yes, you love your show name. [00:08:24] You've been using it for two years. [00:08:25] You have a mug on it.
Nuance Alert: Your Name’s Only Part of the Equation
Leah Bryant [00:08:27 - 00:09:03]:<br> [00:08:27] Your mom bought the tote bag. [00:08:28] I hear you. [00:08:30] So let me give you the nuance before you do anything drastic. [00:08:34] Your show name is one piece of the discoverability puzzle. [00:08:38] It's an important piece, yes, but it's not the only piece. [00:08:42] If renaming your show is genuinely causing you to, like, stop breathing and it just is not on the table, we'll have no fear. [00:08:52] Leah's here. [00:08:55] There are other places to inject those searchable language that the algorithm is going to read, weighs heavily on, and all will be well.
Make Your Metadata Work Harder
Leah Bryant [00:09:04 - 00:09:39]:<br> [00:09:04] The angels are singing, the sun is shining, the birds are flying, butterflies are coming, all the things. [00:09:11] So your show description is huge. [00:09:14] Okay? [00:09:15] This is where you can be incredibly specific about who you help, what problems you're going to solve, and what keywords your ideal listener is searching for. [00:09:24] Most podcasters write their show description like a bio. [00:09:28] Oh, gosh, it's true. [00:09:30] And it's because nobody knows better, right? [00:09:32] Like, we don't talk about it enough. [00:09:33] And I say we podcast gurus do not talk about it enough. [00:09:37] They just go forth and write your show description.
Leah Bryant [00:09:40 - 00:10:09]:<br> [00:09:40] But it should read like a search optimized promise. [00:09:45] Remember that. [00:09:46] Next up is your episode titles. [00:09:49] Another major place. [00:09:51] Okay, Even if your show name is purely branded, searchable episode titles can and will pull people through search. [00:10:00] So titles that contain specific phrases, problems, or outcomes. [00:10:05] While those are going to be indexed surface to the right people. [00:10:09] Okay.
Leah Bryant [00:10:10 - 00:10:45]:<br> [00:10:10] After that, episode descriptions. [00:10:12] Yep. [00:10:13] Inside the podcast app, not just on your website. [00:10:16] Episode descriptions in the podcast apps, those matter more than most people realize. [00:10:22] The text is being read by the algorithms, the robots, all those fun little guys, and it should be working for you. [00:10:30] So if your show name is going to stay the same, fine, I will be okay with that. [00:10:37] But I want you to double down everywhere else. [00:10:41] Make the rest of your metadata work harder to compensate.
Leah Bryant [00:10:46 - 00:11:05]:<br> [00:10:46] I want you to go in with eyes wide open. [00:10:50] No, wait. [00:10:51] Creed said arms wide open, didn't he? [00:10:55] But I digress. [00:10:57] Go in with eyes open. [00:10:59] Right. [00:10:59] About the name. [00:11:01] About what the name is and isn't doing for you. [00:11:05] Okay.
Real Client Example: Name vs. Searchable Signals
Leah Bryant [00:11:05 - 00:11:39]:<br> [00:11:05] So I had a client, and I will preface this by saying the story is true. [00:11:10] The name of the podcast and client have been changed. [00:11:14] So this client, she is a financial coach for women in their 30s whose show essentially had her name and money in it. [00:11:25] And she had been podcasting for about 18 months or so. [00:11:28] She knew her stuff. [00:11:29] She knew it. [00:11:31] But her downloads had essentially plateaued and no new listener growth had been coming. [00:11:38] She was frustrated.
Leah Bryant [00:11:39 - 00:12:24]:<br> [00:11:39] But when I reviewed her discoverability, the name was the first thing that came up because it tells exactly one thing, right? [00:11:46] That someone named Diane is involved with money. [00:11:50] And that's not going to tell me who it's for, and it certainly isn't going to tell me what kind of money content it is. [00:11:55] And it is not giving the algorithm any. [00:11:58] Anything to work with. [00:11:59] And look, money and me with Diane is a perfectly lovely name, but it is not doing absolutely anything for a stranger at 11pm who is googling why her savings account looks the way it does now. [00:12:16] She did not want to rename the show because she had built brand recognition with the name that she had. [00:12:22] I get it. [00:12:23] Totally fine.
Leah Bryant [00:12:24 - 00:13:03]:<br> [00:12:24] We're not gonna let it go. [00:12:26] Completely valid. [00:12:27] I respect that. [00:12:29] What I did rewrote her show description from scratch with her ideal listener language that they were actually searching for baked in. [00:12:37] Okay. [00:12:38] Restructured her episode titles to lead with a specific problem or outcome instead of a clever phrase that she was using. [00:12:46] And then I also tightened up her episode descriptions that are in the app, right? [00:12:51] So everything was doing the work. [00:12:53] And within 60 days, her show was appearing in search results for terms like money mindset, Money mindset for women, budgeting for women in their 30s.
Leah Bryant [00:13:03 - 00:13:48]:<br> [00:13:03] Like, all these searches, she had never been showing up for despite having the same content. [00:13:09] It was all directly related, Right? [00:13:11] It was all still relevant. [00:13:13] But now she's showing up, and she was getting new listener growth because of that. [00:13:18] It all came down to being specific because of the keywords we were using in all the key places. [00:13:26] The problem that she had all along was about what signals she was sending again out to the Internet streets. [00:13:34] And once we fixed those signals, the algorithm finally knew where to put her and who to send her to. [00:13:40] So here's your homework for this week. [00:13:44] I want you to search for the problem that your ideal listener is experiencing.
Your Homework: Audit for Discoverability
Leah Bryant [00:13:48 - 00:14:46]:<br> [00:13:48] Not your show name, not your name, the problem. [00:13:52] And are you showing up? [00:13:54] If not, that is your first data point, friend. [00:13:58] Then I want you to read your show description out loud. [00:14:02] Does it sound like it was written for a real person who is searching for help, or does it sound like it was written about you? [00:14:08] And then I want you to look at your last five episode titles and ask yourself, could a stranger tell from the title alone whether that episode is relevant to their life? [00:14:19] Or do they have to click in to find out what in the heck is going on? [00:14:23] So what you find in that audit is your discoverability problem. [00:14:28] And you know what problems are? [00:14:30] Great, because problems have a solution. [00:14:33] You just have to know where to go first. [00:14:37] Now, in my seamless podcast framework, discoverability lies in the attraction phase. [00:14:42] It's one of the primary mechanisms for pulling the right listeners into your world.
Think Like a Searcher, Not Just a Creator
Leah Bryant [00:14:46 - 00:15:45]:<br> [00:14:46] And it's one of the most underworked levers in podcasting, because it requires you to think like a searcher instead of a creator. [00:14:54] Most podcasters are creating, creating, creating, creating, and they're creating from the inside out. [00:15:00] They know what they mean, they know what they're building, and. [00:15:03] And they're naming and describing things in a way that makes sense to them. [00:15:07] But discoverability requires us to think from the outside in. [00:15:13] Okay, so starting with the person who has no idea you exist yet asking what they're looking for and whether your show shows up when they look. [00:15:25] That shift in perspective is one of the most valuable things we do in the attraction base, and it changes literally everything about how you show up in search. [00:15:35] If today's episode made you want to dig into your own, Discoverability, positioned and found is where that work gets done properly and where you will want to be.
Join the Attraction Phase Inside Positioned & Found
Leah Bryant [00:15:46 - 00:16:12]:<br> [00:15:46] We will go deep on the attraction phase inside the program. [00:15:49] Your show name, description, episode titles, metadata, all of it. [00:15:53] It gets looked at through a discoverability lens. [00:15:55] So your show is sending the right signals to the right people and to the robots, my friend, because you put too much work into your show to have it be invisible to the people. [00:16:05] Who need you the most. [00:16:07] So let's fix it. [00:16:08] The details are below. [00:16:10] All right, so that's all for today.
Take Action & Connect
Leah Bryant [00:16:12 - 00:16:41]:<br> [00:16:12] Go do that search audit, and if what you find surprises you or horrifies you, screenshot it and tag me. [00:16:21] I want to see what you're discovering. [00:16:23] Send me a DM on Instagram. [00:16:25] You can send me a fan mail with a link below. [00:16:27] You can actually, you could text with that fan mail or send me a voice note to the show. [00:16:32] Reach out. [00:16:33] Send me all the things. [00:16:34] And until next time, keep your podcast purposeful, your podcast name searchable, and your growth seamless.
Leah Bryant [00:16:41 - 00:16:43]:<br> [00:16:41] And I will see you next week. [00:16:42] Bye for now.
