Should You Include Episode Numbers in Episode Titles?

In case your podcast makes use of episode numbers, you might have a number of choices for show them. This is some steering that will help you determine!

However I will give this warning: it is, sadly, extra sophisticated than it ought to be!

Do you even want episode numbers?

I initially meant this episode to be about whether or not it is best to even use episode numbers. However then I listened to “Are episode numbers REALLY necessary?” from May 2014, and I feel I’ve already addressed that query in sufficient element in that previous however timeless episode. So return to pay attention if you have not already heard it or if it has been some time.

In brief: does your viewers want episode numbers? If not, then neither does your podcast. However in case you answered sure, then this is the follow-up query: do they “want” episode numbers since you make your viewers want them?

You additionally want to think about potential confusions, like “2. Methods to Pores and skin a Cat,” which might simply be misunderstood as there being solely two methods. Or contemplate the confusion of a number of numbers collectively, like “10. 9 Methods to Be Superior”—is it 10 methods, or is it 9 methods?

Usually, I feel most podcasts do not want episode numbers (particularly if episode titles ceaselessly already begin with numbers), and could be higher to not use them. The one sorts of podcasts I might say with confidence do want episode numbers are people who have to be consumed in a selected order. For instance:

• A fiction podcast that solely is sensible chronologically (it is a nice use for the “serial” podcast sort)
• A coaching collection the place every episode builds on the earlier episode like classes in a course
• Any present that discusses different chronological content material, like fan podcasts about guide collection, film sagas, serialized TV reveals (as most are nowadays), and historic miniseries

In the event you use episode numbers to level your viewers to a “/[number]” URL, then you’ll be able to most likely nonetheless do with out episode numbers by switching to keyword-based URLs (I exploit Pretty Links Pro for this). I’ve achieved that with The Audacity to Podcast ever since that previous episode about episode numbers. There are some exceptions to this, like a information podcast that covers so many tales that there isn’t any one logical key phrase, and a date-based URL could be too sophisticated.

So with the belief that your present does want episode numbers, let’s contemplate finest show them together with your episode titles.

Use the episode-number RSS tags

Earlier than diving in, I ought to outline that “namespaces” are the way in which to increase the options of an RSS feed. Each the Apple Podcasts RSS specs (called the “iTunes namespace”) and Podcasting 2.0’s “podcast namespace” provide RSS tags for episode numbers. In the event you ever take a look at the uncooked code to your RSS feed, you’ll be able to simply spot namespace-added tags by something that has a colon. For instance, <itunes:picture> or <content material:encoded>.

For Apple Podcasts, the episode-number tag is <itunes:episode>; for Podcasting 2.0, the tag is <podcast:episode>. However, after all, the Podcasting 2.0 episode tag offers more features. You should use decimals, like “20.5,” for partial or in-between episodes, however I do not really advocate that type of numbering. The two.0 tag additionally enables you to change the show textual content, akin to “Chapter 6” or “Day 6” as an alternative of “Episode 6.” Use each tags in addition to you’ll be able to till all apps improve to the fashionable Podcasting 2.0 commonplace.

Once you use these episode-number tags, fashionable podcast apps can extra intelligently show the episode quantity in additional acceptable contexts, and even guarantee correct chronological playback (when mixed with the “serial” podcast sort tag).

Apple began this episode-number tag with the discharge of iOS 11 again in 2017, and the Apple Podcasts app gives nice examples of how the episode numbers may be displayed:

• Within the listing of episodes, the episode quantity may be added to the start of the episode title, like “5. Beginning Your Web site.” (Displaying like this requires utilizing the <itunes:title> tag, which I clarify under.)
• When opening the episode, the episode quantity may be displayed above the title with different meta info. This would possibly appear like, “July 20 • Episode 5 • 47 minutes.”
• Generally, the episode quantity may not show in any respect till you open or play the episode; or it would even cease displaying whenever you open or play the episode. This is determined by how you utilize different RSS tags.

Pocket Casts was one other app fast to assist Apple’s new tags, so it shows the episode numbers equally. And as Podcasting 2.0 apps are being developed, they’re normally already together with assist for the <podcast:episode> tag.

Use your webpage subject, if out there

You might need your podcast web site out of your podcast-hosting supplier (like Captivate), on WordPress with a fantastic podcast theme like SecondLine Themes, or with a third-party software like Podpage or Podcastpage. (I’ll have a future episode about how to select from these choices.)

Every of those website-management strategies would possibly provide an episode-number subject that, just like the RSS tag, permits the web site to show the episode quantity in higher locations and possibly use it for some extra options (like a particular participant or a badge).

On The Audacity to Podcast‘s web site, I enter the episode quantity right into a subject that SecondLine Themes provides me. This shows the episode quantity together with submit meta info, like date, class, size, and feedback. However the episode quantity doesn’t show contained in the title.

I selected this fashion for my present as a result of I do nonetheless populate the episode-number subject, at the very least for now. However that is as outstanding as my episode numbers get proper now.

How episode numbers work with title tags

Relying on the way you create your web site and RSS feed, you can have as much as 6 locations to insert an episode title!

1. The RSS feed merchandise’s future <podcast:title> tag from the Podcasting 2.0 namespace (when this tag is finalized), which is the title Podcasting 2.0 apps will use
2. The RSS feed merchandise’s <itunes:title> tag from the “iTunes” namespace, which is the title Apple Podcasts and some different apps will use first
3. The RSS feed merchandise’s <title> tag, which is the fallback if #1 and #2 are lacking or unsupported
4. The webpage’s HTML metadata titles for social networks, which present in embedded previews when the submit is shared on some social networks
5. The webpage’s HTML <title> tag, which reveals within the tab bar, bookmarks, search-engine previews, and is the default message textual content for social-sharing
6. The submit title/heading (normally in an <h1> HTML tag), which reveals prominently on the webpage

You might need seen that that is additionally the final order of precedence and fallback. Or put one other approach, all publishing techniques allow you to enter the submit title, after which probably carry that over into the HTML title and the RSS merchandise’s title. However some techniques offer you full management to put in writing every title individually. And episode numbers present a superb motive to leverage that further management!

First, let’s crush a fantasy that got here from a misunderstanding. That is, sadly, a bit of sophisticated, which might be why it was so simply misunderstood.

Apple will not kick out your podcast in case you have episode numbers in your regular episode titles. However in case you use Apple’s <itunes:title> tag, it should include solely the title—no episode numbers, season numbers, or your podcast identify. In the event you violate this rule and put episode numbers in Apple’s <itunes:title> tag, that might result in a suspension. However to say it once more, you will not get in bother for episode numbers within the regular <title> tag.

And the complexity continues!

In the event you use the<itunes:episode> tag (for the episode quantity) however do not use <itunes:title>, then this episode quantity will most likely show solely when opening the episode or possibly taking part in the episode (relying on another elements). I made a number of episodes of The Audacity to Podcast like this to display it.

In these instance episodes, I put the episode numbers in solely the <itunes:episode> tags for every episode and I did not use the <itunes:title> tag. I additionally didn’t put episode numbers within the regular RSS <title> tag. So on this case, Apple Podcasts shows the episode quantity when opening the episode view, however not within the episode participant or listing of episodes.

However in case you appropriately use each the <itunes:episode> and <itunes:title> tags on an “episodic” podcast sort (which is the default and what most podcasts are), then Apple Podcasts reveals the episode numbers within the title throughout the episode listing, as I present in three extra examples from The Audacity to Podcast:

Even when utilizing each tags are used correctly, the episode quantity will not show within the episode participant for “episodic” podcast varieties (the default present sort). But when your podcast sort is “serial,” then the episode quantity will show in each the minimized and full-screen gamers in Apple Podcasts, and even in another way in episode lists. I randomly discovered a “serial” sort podcast for example this:

Sophisticated, proper?

In Apple Podcasts and different apps that use the <itunes:title> or <podcast:title> tag, that title textual content might be used as an alternative of the traditional <title> tag. And in case you do not use these specialised tags, then no matter textual content you place within the regular <title> tag will show in all podcast apps. The one exception I’ve seen to that is for Overcast and possibly a few different apps that take away verbatim repetitions from the beginning of your titles. For instance, Emily Prokop’s previous—however nonetheless nice—podcast, The Story Behind, used to title all episodes equally: “The Story Behind [Thing],” leading to Overcast’s displaying solely the “[Thing]” half. However Emily has since eliminated “The Story Behind” from her episode titles, regardless that this was a case the place it really made sense to repeat the present title.

And as these screenshots present, how you utilize different tags additionally impacts how your episode numbers show in Apple Podcasts and another apps.

I feel that is good. It means you even have extra management over how your episode info shows. And the entire motive Apple did that is to enhance the expertise to your present and potential audiences.

Put episode numbers in regular titles as fallbacks (sure, that is acceptable)

All that sophisticated mess of various titles and methods of displaying episode numbers may be overwhelming, however keep in mind this: it is nonetheless solely acceptable to place episode numbers in your regular <title> tag! I nonetheless recommend additionally utilizing the <itunes:episode> and <itunes:title> tags if you wish to leverage the smarter show options in Apple Podcasts and related apps.

However the <title> tag is the fallback and what most apps nonetheless use. So if that you must present episode numbers in each podcast app, put the episode quantity on this regular title.

This might sound redundant—as a result of it’s! However the redundancy is important to totally leverage all of the options in all of the apps and supply the right fallbacks when options aren’t supported.

Put episode numbers in submit titles for web site guests

Relying on whether or not your web site neatly makes use of episode numbers, you would possibly wish to put episode numbers in your submit titles as properly so that they show when looking your website or opening episode webpages.

As I shared above, episode numbers aren’t necessary for The Audacity to Podcast, so I do not put them in titles, solely within the meta info fields.

If, nonetheless, the episode numbers are necessary for the enjoyment of your present, then embrace the numbers in your submit titles so that they show prominently in your website.

Don’t embrace episode numbers within the HTML <title> or social shares

Exterior your context—that’s, your web site or a podcast participant with your present—episode numbers within the titles most likely will not matter in any respect, even when they matter to the viewers of your present.

Take into consideration how your episodes show in web site search outcomes or when shared on social networks. In these exterior contexts, the episode numbers are far much less related and might most likely be omitted from the titles.

For instance, make your tweet or search outcomes say “Beginning Your Web site” because the title as an alternative of “5. Beginning Your Web site.”

To perform this, your web site content-management system (CMS) must allow you to edit the HTML <title> tag individually from the submit title. To do that on WordPress, you want an web optimization plugin, like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO, which can add the extra subject to overwrite the HTML <title>. In any other case, WordPress will merely use your submit title within the HTML <title>.

It is also this HTML <title> tag that can populate social-sharing, by default: each the textual content of the share (like a tweet) and the way the submit may be embedded like a card.

However different instruments can allow you to modify these, too, at the very least to some extent!

On WordPress, I like Social Warfare so as to add social-sharing buttons to my posts. This additionally lets me customise the textual content of these buttons to Tweet and or share to Pinterest. And it units the hidden metadata used for the embeds. Yoast web optimization and All in One web optimization may set that hidden metadata.

The tags appear like this:

• <meta property="og:title" content material="" /> for Fb
• <meta identify="twitter:title" content material="" /> for Twitter

As a result of these are usually seen outdoors your context, they need to most likely not embrace episode numbers.

The right way to write the episode numbers

There are numerous conventions for a way you really write the episode numbers in your titles.

In line with my exams, it appears each app that neatly reads an episode-number subject and reveals that with the title will put the quantity within the entrance, adopted by a interval and an area. For instance, “5. Beginning Your Web site.”

I’ve beforehand taught some other ways of writing episode numbers, primarily below the final suggestion to keep away from front-loaded patterns. That is any type of sample—verbatim or in format—that repeats throughout a number of episodes. For instance, present notes that all the time begin with, “On this episode, we speak about ….”

Entrance-loaded patterns are usually unhealthy, and I feel the tiny house an episode quantity makes use of is the one potential exception.

So if episode numbers are obligatory to your viewers, then do put the episode quantity first. However the one approach I like to recommend writing that’s within the smallest approach potential: episode quantity, interval, house, after which the episode title, like “5. Beginning Your Web site.”

Do not use a pound signal (“#”) or the phrase “Episode.” Issues like these will solely waste house and distract. Simply contemplate how a lot wider and extra pixels it takes for a pound signal versus a interval!

If the episode numbers are not obligatory to your viewers, then transfer the episode quantity to the tip of the title, or take away it altogether. If it is on the finish of the title, then you definately might write one thing longer, like “episode 5” or use extra particular characters. You may also wish to contemplate this expanded writing type to your web site the place it may not be apparent that it is a podcast episode or it is surrounded by non-podcast posts. However I am referring to this for solely locations outdoors podcast apps.

On a web site context the place you might have a lot extra content material than podcast episodes, you would possibly even wish to write “podcast episode #5” on the tip of the title. However this may begin trying messy, too. Because you normally have extra choices on a web site, I might extra extremely advocate making a “Podcast Episodes” listing or web page to your episodes as an alternative of blending them in an inventory of non-podcast content material. Additionally contemplate different elements of your web site context to find out finest write the episode quantity in your title, if in any respect. For instance, in case your episode posts are all the time displayed with episode gamers or a selected background coloration, even in search outcomes.

I now not advocate the present abbreviation format like I used to do: ” – TAP359.” Actually, I will be having these faraway from all previous episodes. A probably good motive to do that is when a podcast community provides an RSS feed of all podcasts within the community, and it is necessary to see which episodes are to which present. However I now additionally doubt it is even obligatory or helpful to create such an all-inclusive feed anyway.

I additionally advocate that you simply not embrace any zeros earlier than your episode quantity. Simply write “5” as an alternative of “005.” You would possibly do that in another way for season-and-episode indicators, however I will focus on that extra in a separate episode.

If the episode numbers are already constructed into your sequential-style titles, like “Chapter 5: …” or “Day 6: …,” then you definately may not want to put in writing or show the extra episode numbers in any respect.

Are episode numbers value it?

As you’ll be able to acknowledge, correctly together with episode numbers may be sophisticated with a number of technical choices and a number of contexts to think about.

You’ll want to determine whether or not it is even value it.

You might take the “lazy” method and put the numbers in your common titles and allow them to show all over the place. However that might negatively have an effect on the expertise in numerous locations. Although that is the way in which podcasts have achieved it because the starting, we have now extra and higher choices now that make the viewers expertise higher.

So possibly none of that is definitely worth the trouble in any respect, and you can podcast utterly with out episode numbers. I finished even mentioning episode numbers with The Audacity to Podcast, now referencing episode webpages solely by a key phrase URL as an alternative of a quantity URL. And completely nobody has complained and it has made my processes simpler!

At the moment, the one place you may see my basically meaningless episode numbers (apart from a few of my exams) is within the file identify, ID3 metadata, and on the webpage’s meta info. However I do not communicate these episode numbers to you. This provides me the liberty to reorder episodes nonetheless I need. That freedom is very helpful if I’ve already recorded episodes I wish to reorder earlier than I publish them!

What ought to you do?

There are numerous elements, and I hate that a few of these may be complicated and inconsistent! However regardless of the processes (which will enhance), it is in the end your choice to do what’s finest for your podcast and your viewers.

And the precedence there ought to what’s finest to your viewers.

Please touch upon this episode in case you have extra ideas or follow-up questions!

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