Joe Rogan opened the doors of podcasting to the world. And since the guy who used to be the host of Fear Factor, a stand-up comic, and a commentator for the UFC can do it, why can’t you? We’ve all got something cool to say, and podcasts are the best way to speak your truth to the world. While most people can’t get the $250 million deals that Joe is getting, you can use a podcast to reach a wider audience, get more brand exposure (whether business or personal). You may also use it as an excuse to talk to people you really want to. In all those cases, watching the view number go up will make you feel better and open more opportunities. And the best way to increase that view number without paying for ads is through SEO. Here are some essential strategies you should use, starting immediately:

## Research Keywords Do you know what’s different from written words and spoken words to search engines? Nothing. They don’t care because they’re just looking to make sense of the data. The same principles that apply to ranking your website higher, apply to your podcast. And it all starts with simple keyword research. The correct keywords (preferably long-tail ones) will boost your visibility on Google and YouTube like crazy. You can see what your audience is searching for, and what’s trendy, and use those words in your podcast, the description, and the title. A simple example of a podcast about running is to make an episode about what you should focus on while running. Or maybe what you need to look for in a new pair of running shoes. You’ll capture way more traffic, rather than simply titling it “The Runner Podcast Episode 59”. ## Use A Format That Matches Your Audience Not all podcasts were created equal. Some folks want to listen to a roundtable discussion. Others want interviews. Some want deep-dive analyses by a single person. You need to pick a style that suits your audience.

Let’s examine two examples. First, a lifestyle podcast, mainly self-help. That usually asks for an interview with a successful guest, or a casual conversation with an influencer or someone who’s living a cool life (like an underwater cave explorer). Second is a tech podcast about software. In this case, talking about cybersecurity exploits shouldn’t be an interview. It’s much better suited for a deep dive or a detailed exploration. ## Use Timestamps Most people don’t watch podcasts in their entirety. Instead, they watch bits and pieces based on the timestamps for topics they like to hear about. So adding timestamps isn’t optional, it’s mandatory. They improve the user experience and make the podcast, or other audio content easier to digest. The more users click on them, the better the search engines think your content is. Every click adds a point to the algorithm that pushes you one spot above. If you’re also hosting the podcast on your website, add the timestamps in the page description, and in your show notes for improved indexing. ## Use The Correct Length

If you have a podcast about commentary or daily news, it can’t be three hours long. It just makes no sense. No one’s going to watch it. On the other hand, doing a deep-dive on the Russia-Ukraine, or Israel-Palestine conflict can’t be covered in 30 minutes. Every podcast niche has a standard, and it’s up to you to find it. This depends on the format, the topic, and the attention span of your listeners. You need to analyze the engagement data and ask them whether they want your content to remain the same, shorter, or longer. ## Add Podcasts As Pages On Your Website More opportunities to improve SEO never hurt anybody. If you have a podcast and a website, you can feature every episode as a new page. Just create a new segment, add a keyword, meta description, and a transcription. Some AI tools transcribe audio with incredible accuracy, so you don’t have to spend hours listening and typing the entire thing. But search engines will reward you by ranking your content higher, and improving overall SEO. ## Don’t Forget About Cybersecurity Cybercriminals are infiltrating every single niche with malware. Since hackers can plant malware in PDF files, maybe that guide you want to download is malware in disguise. You don’t want to become a victim of scammers who are using AI and black hat tactics to rank higher. It may trick you into installing ransomware on your device, so always be vigilant. You need to have a VPN that hides your IP address and erases the target from your back. There are many protocols that you can choose from like OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, NordLynx, and others. They all have different perks and downsides. And you can switch through them based on your current requirements. For example, an OpenVPN alternative may be more attractive if you prefer open source software. ## Check Yourself With Your Competitors If your competitors are getting hundreds of thousands of views, and you’re barely heard by a hundred listeners, you need to know what they’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong. Listen to a few episodes, see whether they’re saying the keywords they rank for, and how many times they do it. Listen to whether they use certain hooks to keep listeners engaged. Explore the layout to see their call to action (CTA), visuals, and everything you might not be doing. Then, add your own twist to it, and see if making a change will result in more views and listens for you.

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