Podcast episode titles may be an afterthought to many creators. However they’re very important to the success of your present as an entire.
You may pour time and vitality into creating the perfect content material humanly attainable. However if you happen to don’t put a little bit of thought into the naming of that content material, you’re going to restrict its total attain and affect severely.
So, how do you give you good titles in your episodes? What concerns are there? And are there any “guidelines” to pay attention to?
It Begins With Your Episode Content material
One option to stop the identify of your episode from turning into an afterthought is to have a transparent plan and intention behind your content material.
For instance, a few of the simplest varieties of episode titles are issues like “the best way to…[do something]” or “7 suggestions for… [achieving something]”.
These sorts of episodes have their titles in place earlier than they’re recorded. It’s all a part of the planning.
So, if you happen to’re doing issues like lists, comparisons, reviews, or case studies in your episodes, then the titles are mainly going to put in writing themselves.
If it’s an interview or a monologue, although, you may have to retrospectively resolve what probably the most worthwhile a part of the episode was, and create your title round that.
Goal Viewers, search engine optimization, & Key phrases
Search Engine Optimization (search engine optimization) isn’t merely about selecting a title in your episode. It’s about deciding what your episode might be about, and why.
When planning your subsequent batch of episodes, take into consideration your potential viewers – the podcast listeners who haven’t found your present but. Ask your self the next questions:
- What kind of phrases are they looking for?
- What questions are they searching for solutions to?
- How are you positioned to assist them?
Make it clear in your episode titles that that is exactly what they’re on the lookout for. Bear in mind, it’s not “clickbait” if you happen to ship in your promise within the episode.
Podcast directories are primarily simply engines like google, so be certain your titles are the kind of issues that’ll seem in a search on that subject. It helps so as to add the odd related key phrase or two, however don’t go overboard into the “key phrase stuffing” realm.
In fact, your podcast episodes aren’t restricted to being present in listening apps, both. Should you run a web site or publish your episodes on YouTube, then that’ll go a protracted option to serving to your present’s discoverability, too.
Check Your Titles: What Do Listeners Love?
There’s no have to guess how efficient your titles are in the long term. By taking a look at what present listeners are already hitting play on, you’ll know the way compelling they’ll be to potential listeners.
Wanting over your stats will present you at a look how many individuals are hitting play on or downloading every episode.
You may evaluate particular person episodes with others launched in the identical interval and search for patterns. Examine to see if sure varieties of titles carry out higher than others.
For a good deeper dive, you’ll be able to take a look at your Apple Podcast Connect data to get a pattern of listener completion charges in your episodes.
In case your compelling titles are doing an amazing job attractive individuals to hit play, however no one is listening for very lengthy, it’s attainable you aren’t delivering on what listeners really feel you’re promising them. If that’s the case, you may have to rethink how you introduce each episode and get to the principle subject faster.
Ought to I Put Visitor Names in My Episode Titles?
Including a descriptive title to any non-fiction podcast episode is nice apply. However what about interview exhibits? Do you have to add the identify of the visitor to your title?
In case your visitor is “well-known” (even inside your area of interest), that is useful as of us may search their identify for the content material they’ve been concerned in. You may nonetheless get a little bit of description in there, too. For instance:
Taking aaaaages to complete a guide sequence, with George R. R. Martin
Or
Meghan Markle on the best way to monetise your podcast on Spotify
However, after publishing these two episodes, you’ll face a dilemma subsequent time you will have a visitor no one has ever heard of. John from subsequent door might need an fascinating subject, however will he get offended if his identify doesn’t make it into the title? These are the tough “no proper reply” choices you typically need to navigate in podcasting.
What About Non-Trade Podcasts?
This recommendation to this point is certainly geared in direction of “{industry}” podcasts. However there are a whole lot of different varieties of exhibits on the market, too.
Should you run a fiction podcast or a extra experimental sort of human curiosity sequence, for instance, then these literal titles gained’t essentially be just right for you.
With this department of podcasting, most listeners uncover their favorite exhibits by means of means aside from search. Phrase of mouth, viewers relationship, and neighborhood constructing might be extra necessary than episode titles right here.
In fact, it’s nonetheless a good suggestion to get sure key phrases associated to your content material in there over time. For instance, in case your present has a Lovecraftian theme, then the odd nod to the Cthulhu Mythos in your titles gained’t do you any hurt in any respect.
General although, you will have much more artistic freedom right here than somebody who podcasts assist and recommendation matters as an {industry} chief or content material marketer.
How Lengthy Ought to My Podcast Episode Titles Be?
Similar to your episodes themselves, shoot for “so long as it must be, and not”.
Consumption takes place on an unlimited variety of totally different podcast listening apps. These apps fluctuate with what number of characters in your title they’ll present earlier than slicing it quick.
In case your title exceeds round 60 characters, you then’ll begin to discover it lower quick on sure apps, in order that’s a very good ballpark most size to shoot for.
Laying Out Your Podcast Episode Titles
Some issues are price avoiding when typing out your title in your podcast internet hosting account.
First up – go away your podcast’s identify out of your episode titles. That is redundant and wastes worthwhile area.
Additionally, keep away from pre-loading your episode titles with numbers or codes. If you wish to put these in, put them on the finish.
Listed below are some examples (good and unhealthy) of how we might lay out the title of an episode of our personal present, Podcraft.
Let’s say the episode subject is our prime 10 USB mics for podcasting.
Good Examples of Podcast Episode Title Layouts
- Prime 10 USB Mics for Podcasting
- What Are the ten BEST USB Mics for Podcasts?
- 10 of the Finest USB Mics for Podcasting
- Our Prime 10 USB Mics for Podcasters in 2025
Not-So-Good Examples of Podcast Episode Title Layouts
- Episode 25
- Episode 25 | Prime 10 USB Mics for Podcasting
- Podcraft Episode 25 | Prime 10 USB Mics for Podcasting
- PC025 – Prime 10 USB Mics for Podcasting
Case Examine: Pocket-Sized Podcasting
One other present of ours, Pocket-Sized Podcasting, provides listeners one quick sharp tip each single day of the week. The episode titles don’t go away anybody guessing what’s being coated.
AI-Generated Podcast Headlines
Unsurprisingly, many AI tools for podcasters can provide a serving to hand when writing podcast episode titles and even when arising with new content material concepts.
You’ll discover a deeper dive into this in our Best ChatGPT Prompts for Podcasters information. However, Katie noticed there, that:
What’s actually fascinating about ChatGPT’s response to this immediate is that it didn’t simply produce title concepts, but additionally gave me some inspiration concerning the route I’d need to take the episode in.
Abstract: Podcast Episode Titles
So naming your episodes actually shouldn’t be difficult. Listed below are the important thing takeaways to remember:
- Create content material your audience will discover worthwhile.
- Title it so it exhibits up clearly in search.
- Don’t waste area – be as succinct as attainable.
- Keep away from placing episode numbers, your podcast sequence identify, or the phrase “Episode” in there. Until it’s on the finish.
- Monitor your stats over time to see how varied titles are performing.
- And if you happen to’re a non-industry podcast, you could be far more artistic together with your titles. In case your present is nice, individuals will uncover it in different methods.
Want Extra Assist With Your Podcast?
Should you’re on the lookout for extra direct assist or steering, bear in mind to take a look at the Podcraft Academy, the place you’ll discover programs, podcast suggestions instruments, and a bunch of downloadable checklists and sources to maintain you shifting ahead. We’d like to work with you in there!
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