Hey, hey, and welcome back to the Podcasting Problem Solver. I'm Leah Bryant, podcast producer, certified growth coach, and your behind-the-scenes go-to when it comes to launching and growing a podcast that actually moves the needle in your business. Here, we keep it real, no fluff, no jargon overload, and definitely no one-size-fits-all advice.

Just practical strategies, a few laughs, and a reminder that, yes, you can make podcasting work for you without losing your mind or your weekends. So let me ask you this. Have you ever felt like your podcast is the best kept secret on the internet? Like, you've put in the work, recorded the episodes, nailed your message, maybe even batch recorded like a boss? I see you.

And still, it's like yelling into the void. If that's you, you're not alone. And the culprit might just be podcast SEO or lack of it.

So today, we're tackling a juicy question I get all the time. Is podcast SEO even real? Well, yes, it is. It's very real.

And if you're skipping it, you might be making it 10 times harder for new listeners to find your show. Podcast SEO is the secret sauce behind discoverability, especially for entrepreneurs who don't want to rely solely on social media or paid ads to grow. And best of all, it ties directly into the attraction and momentum phases of my seamless podcast launch framework.

More on that in a sec. But buckle up because I'm walking you through the four pillars of podcast SEO and giving you the behind-the-scenes strategies I use with clients to help their podcast rank, grow, and convert. Are you ready? Okay, here's the thing.

Creating good content isn't enough. It has to be discoverable. Even if your show is chef's kiss, expert interviews, giving amazing value, and killer storytelling, if no one can find it, you're just building a gorgeous bakery in the middle of the desert.

And unless your ideal client is a cactus, it's going to stay empty, my friends. I remember launching my very first podcast client. Everything was technically sound, audio quality, editing, graphics, but the downloads were meh.

It wasn't until I reworked the episode titles, updated the show description, and added optimized show notes that we saw real growth. That's when it clicked. Podcast SEO isn't optional.

It's essential. It's not about gaming the system. It's about helping the right people find what you've created.

And in the seamless framework, SEO sits right at the heart of attraction. The phase where we're making your podcast visible, clickable, and worthy of that subscribe button. So let's break down what that looks like in action.

First up is your titles and descriptions. Your episode title is like a headline on a magazine cover. It's the second thing people see.

The first is your cover art. Remember that. And it determines whether they click or keep scrolling.

A vague title like Episode 4, My Journey, tells the listener absolutely nothing. But how I grew my email list from zero to 5k with just a podcast, bam, instantly grabs attention and hits keyword phrases people are typing into the search bars. So ready for some tips to optimize those titles? Okay.

Use actual search terms. What would you type into Apple Podcasts to find your episode? Think how to start a podcast for your business. Best mics under $100.

Marketing tips for podcasters. So we want to be specific. So let's say that you were chatting with a guest in your episode.

The title could be Brand Storytelling Tips for Coaches with Jane Doe. Add your niche in there. People search by topic and audience.

Try SEO Tips for Wellness Coaches or Podcast Editing for Busy Entrepreneurs. We want to keep it concise because most podcast apps cut off titles after about 60-ish characters. So you want to really make that first half count when you're making those titles.

And bonus tip. Do not sleep on episode descriptions. Your episode description is prime real estate and most podcasters treat it like an afterthought.

It's a big mistake. And yes, the episode description and show notes are completely different. I have a blog on this and I'll link it below.

Go check it out. Let me know if you have questions. It breaks down the two and why they're important.

So we want to think of this episode description as your 30-second elevator pitch that helps both the listeners and search engines know exactly what the episode is about. So here's how to make it clickable, informative, and SEO friendly. So first up, we want to start strong with your main keyword.

So search engines crawl the first one to two sentences the hardest. So lead with the keyword phrase your audience would actually type into Apple Podcasts or Spotify. So for example, I'm sharing my top three tips to grow your podcast audience using beginner-friendly SEO strategies, perfect for coaches and service providers who want to get found without relying on ads.

See what I did there? Another mistake I see is people use in this episode at the very beginning. Stop doing that. You could put that at the end of that sentence, but do not put it in the beginning.

We know that in this episode, that's what you're talking about. And if you put it at the end, then Google will know that too. We want to use a curiosity-driven hook.

So after that keyword, add a line that creates intrigue or highlights a problem you're solving. This is what gets the clicks. So for example, if you're pouring your heart into episodes but not seeing downloads rise, this one's for you.

Okay, next we want to include two or three topics that will pull in your audience. But we don't want to give it all away because we want them to listen, okay? So when we just include those couple, this helps with skimmability and lets listeners know what they're going to learn. So you could create like a little paragraph like, you'll discover why podcast SEO is real and how it works, four specific tactics to help your show show up in search, and things like that.

See what I did there? Now, last but not least, you are going to want to add a relevant CTA or call to action and resource links. We want to direct traffic to your lead magnet, your newsletter, your blog, social posts. This boosts the momentum and keeps your audience connected.

So something like, want the free podcast launch checklist? Grab it at, insert your link, insert optimizing today. I usually use this opportunity to direct traffic back to like my website, my clients' websites, like check out the full show notes and other resources at, and then put their blog links there. We want to bring them back to your website to show them all the amazing offers you have, your brilliance, etc.

And here's a pro tip that I use with all of my clients and with my team. Save a template. So you can save like a description template in your notes or scheduler so you can rinse and repeat while you're still customizing each episode.

SEO doesn't have to be a time suck. It just has to be intentional. Number two, detailed show notes that work for you.

That's right. Show notes aren't just filler. They're a chance to provide value, boost SEO, and guide your listeners toward deeper engagement.

Think of them as your episode's landing page where people and yes, the search engines go to figure out what's inside, why it matters and what to do next. Okay, Leah, but what do I include in these SEO friendly show notes? I've got you. Ready? We're going to include timestamps.

Yes. We're going to break up the episode into sections with time markers. So for example, at two minutes and 15 seconds, how podcast SEO actually works.

We're going to have a summary paragraph, two to three rich keyword sentences summarizing the episode. Call to action. Don't forget that because we want to invite people to listen, share and visit a resource.

And then of course, any resource links that you mentioned. So maybe you've talked about tools or you have guests in their links, past episodes, freebies, blog posts. Each one of those is a touch point for deeper SEO impact.

Now I do get a question about why timestamps matter for podcast SEO. And I want to take a minute to explain that really quick for you. Number one, when you include timestamps in your show notes, so like the three minutes, 12 seconds, how to write keyword rich episode titles, you're adding structured markers that help Google and other search engines understand the content hierarchy and topics covered.

It's kind of like giving them chapter markers in a book. They know what's in each section. So this can improve your chances of showing up in like a featured snippet, time link search results, or people also ask boxes.

Number two, some platforms, especially YouTube and blog pages with embedded episodes, use structured data with timestamps to generate rich snippets. So think about those fancy little search results with jump links or key moments. Now, while your podcast apps themselves aren't quite there yet, blog posts with embedded players plus timestamps can qualify.

Number three, timestamps reduce friction. They let your listeners skip right to the part they care about. And when listeners stay longer, engage more, or share your episode.

Well, those are all positive user behavior signals that support, you guessed it, your discoverability. Google loves content that gets those clicks, keeps people on page, and delivers what is promised. And timestamps, well, they help all three.

Number four, even for people who don't listen right away, a good timestamp breakdown gives them a preview of what's coming. That clarity improves trust, which then increases the chance they'll return, share, or explore more episodes. So pro tip, when you want to link those things, like in this episode, you're going to learn and then put your timestamps and what they're going to learn there, resources mentioned, and then put your resources mentioned.

And this not only helps the bots, but it also helps humans scan it quickly. And this supports both the execution and attraction. You're producing smart content and setting it up to get seen.

Number three, transcripts. Now, they're not just for accessibility, even though that is the number one reason you should always use a transcript. Transcripts that get overlooked so often, they're a little lower hanging fruit for better SEO.

Search engine can't listen to your podcast audio. They rely on the written content. So when you add a transcript, you're giving Google a giant clue about what the episode is about.

Why do transcripts matter? Well, accessibility. Make your podcast inclusive for the deaf and hard of hearing community. They want to know what your brilliance is about too.

SEO boost, full text indexing means search engine can connect your episode with more relevant searches. Repurposing, pull quotes for social media, turn it into a blog post, use snippets in a newsletter. It's all content gold.

Okay, Leah, but how do I do this? Well, if you record in Riverside like I do, love Riverside, use it with all my clients, and I think it's the best. It auto generates transcripts for you. Now, if you record elsewhere, maybe that platform will generate transcript.

And if not, you could always use a service like otter.ai. I also have a full list of resources on my resource page to go check those out. Pro tip, if a full transcript feels like too much, start with a partial one. Just a few key paragraphs embedded in your blog or show notes page.

Because listen, one of my clients did this for a single episode. And within a few weeks, that episode ranked on the first page of Google for time management tips for working moms. Game changer.

Next up, number four is backlinks and your digital street cred. So this is next level stuff here, but it's so worth it. Backlinks are links to your podcast or website from other websites.

They're like getting tagged by a trusted friend at a party. Suddenly people, the algorithms, trust you more. In SEO land, this boosts your site's domain authority and tell search engines this content is valuable and amazing.

So how do you get those awesome high quality backlinks? Well, you can appear on another podcast. You could ask the podcast host to link your episode and your website in their show notes and on their blogs. Bam.

Collaboration episodes. So if you interview someone with a blog or newsletter and ask them to share it. If you're part of a community that does roundups, you could submit it for that, like find your best podcast for a blank niche and pitch your show.

You can repurpose it. So you could turn your episodes into blog posts or LinkedIn articles and cross link between those platforms. This is a momentum at work, keeping your content moving, circulating and gaining traction long after the episode drops.

Now, and I'm not just saying all of this because this is something that I've acquired over my years of experience. This is something that I've seen in action. For instance, I just had a case study published about a client, Katie.

She and I started working together. Her show was named one thing. It was a fun name.

It really didn't give any details about what the show was about or what the audience could expect. It really didn't pull in her target audience. And after we tweaked the SEO as far as like having a good solid name for that foundation, changing titles, adding an SEO to the descriptions and then adding in the missing link of the blogs for her website, her podcast grew 61 percent.

And I will link that case study below so that you can read it and find out more. And it's not just Katie I've had success with. Another client we recently focused on all of their SEO and did some updates in the back end for their podcast.

And they within a month's time, because they are a biweekly show within a month's time, they saw a 50 percent increase. Another client we did the same thing for and their show doubled in downloads within seven days. This isn't just something that I'm telling you to do for the hay of it.

It's things that I've seen in action in that work. So now to bring it all back to seamless. Let's zoom out for a second.

OK, podcast SEO isn't a one off tactic. It's a strategy that shows up across multiple phases of my seamless podcast launch framework. Strategy is where we identify the topics your audience searches for.

Execution is where you're going to create those optimized intentional content. Attraction is where we're using titles and transcripts and show notes to boost that visibility. And then momentum is where we're building backlinks and ongoing visibility to keep your podcast growing.

So when you put all these together, what do you get? You don't just have a podcast. You have a searchable, strategic content machine working 24-7 to bring people into your world. And how amazing is that while you do nothing? Maybe not nothing, but it's not your main focus.

All right. So kind of a quick recap or we'll call it your podcast SEO checklist. Number one, focus on key rich titles and descriptions.

Number two, detail strategic show notes with timestamps, links and summaries. Number three, transcripts for accessibility and indexing. Number four, backlinks for authority and reach.

Each one of these builds on the other, helping your podcast get discovered, rank higher and reach more of the right people. And listen, this doesn't need to be all or nothing. You could start with one thing this week, tweak a title.

You could add timestamps or even upload a transcript. Tiny edits make big impact. And yes, you can go back and optimize all of the above for previous episodes.

Take note of the date that you do make those changes and then watch your analytics over the next 30, 60 or 90 days and see how that growth is tracking. All right, friend, I hope that this episode gave you a fresh, practical take on podcast SEO. Not the stuffy, jargony version, but real world.

Here's how to make it work for you version. If you've been feeling like your podcast is invisible, this is your sign. It's not broken.

It just needs a visibility strategy. And if you want help putting this into action, you can always check out my seamless podcast launch robe app and private podcast linked in the show notes. Or you can hop on my newsletter list where I share weekly podcast growth tips.

It's completely free. And if this episode lit a fire under you, be sure to hit that follow button and share it with a fellow podcaster who needs to hear this. And if you have a question for a future episode, click the links below so you can either text me or you can fill out my form.

Your challenge might just inspire the next topic that I talk about. Until next time, optimize, get discovered and keep sharing that voice of yours with the world. You've got this.